Every girl deserves the chance to discover if she will be a ” Backcountry Betty”. And so with my beloved Louis Vuitton luggage, wedge heels and handheld digital, The Socialite was off to cover Fun in the Sun 2011.
I am not what you would call outdoorsy. At all. Spiders are my Kryptonite, the various signature calls of birds don’t excite me or the smell of nature amidst trees and forestry and I hate feeling dirty. Not to mention rural camp grounds provide me with as much delight as a cold plate of chips. Here I was sitting at pre-rookie camper status and that was soon to change. The Socialite promises to provide you with your VIP access to SA fashion, lifestyle and entertainment and with Fun in the Sun taking place entertainment there would be. With over 30 DJs, three dancefloors and state of the art sound and lighting, it ensured plenty of entertainment. And so I set off dear readers to bring you coverage of one of Durban’s biggest camp events: Fun in the Sun 2011.
Departure Day
The weekend saw two solid days of good music with good friends and the joys of the after dark party in the evening with a host of SA’s top DJ’s. This year saw the Fun in the Sun team host their sixth successful year and their unique concept was founded, created and co-ordinated by brothers Mat and Gregg Ord-Hume together with partner Rowen Clelland.
When our day of departure (my day of reckoning) finally came, it was with a mix of joy and terror that I entered the beloved Terios accompanied by the members of Spitmunky who were to perform in the Drum and Bass/Dubstep marquee. In true ‘Girl Guide’ style I was fully prepared for the journey ahead. In the passenger seat lay my Blackberry equipped with BB Maps for when we get lost, I mean if we got lost, morning snacks and my handy digital and lip gloss.
With over three thousand people it was no small feat arriving in time at the gate with a crowd of Fun in the Sun enthusiasts decked out with camping chairs, jet skis and just about everything that glows.
Do’s and Dont’s
Scrounging the internet I came across an amusing list of do’s and don’ts while camping and what I discovered is that one doesn’t always have to listen to those well-seasoned campers. What is in a camping Check List anyway? For me it would be my Blackberry, a can of Sprite, Nivea tanning oil, and my Chance perfume by Chanel. Possibly the most important tool in the kit is the flashlight – a nice beam of light to lead you down the dark woods to your tent on the site so you avoid an Alice in Wonderland situation where you end up waist deep in a hole, although that’s a story for another day.
Contrary to popular belief, heels are a must for camping. This adds height to your stature and deters bear attacks (Fact: bears are notoriously fearful of tall women. Or so they say) What you ideally need is a comfortable, stylish pair of wedge heels. Festival camping requires you to be prepared for all manner of weather eventualities, including rainy weather and the likelihood of developing trench-foot should you be standing in a muddy field in flip-flops for two days, so I reckon I may be onto something with this wedge business. Besides they are a great addition to your camp wardrobe, and one that can instantly take your look up a notch, whether you’re out on a casual stroll or hitting up the dancefloor and it even comes in handy when putting up your tent…
Also, keep the midriff exposed or if you’re a guy go shirtless. Bears find it depressing when comparing your abs of steel to their hibernation flab. Ok Google is a lovely thing and this may have been on a camper’s Do’s and Don’ts Check List but the no-shirt rule was the name of the game as the DJs were the only fully clothed people at Hazelmere.
The Campsite
We had our choice of pitches, so we set up camp reasonably close to the designated marquee but further enough away to have the sounds from the deep retro house from the VIP marquee lulled to a hum in the background. The tent went up in a flash. Literally. You didn’t think I wouldn’t take pics now would you? And within 30 minutes of arriving we were languishing by the dam with the full day ahead of fun, dare I say it, in the sun.
Camping can evoke a number of memories and most of which are not terribly glamorous. However, things have changed… Enter Fun in the Sun and one is introduced to a whole new level of camping where clean toilets, clean food stalls and bountiful drink supplies be it alcoholic or cool drinks awaits. The event truly was exceptionally well organized and well catered for ensuring the crowds were always well looked after.
The Entertainment
There was no detail overlooked and the one night festival ran smoothly equipped with two indoor tents, one indoor VIP tent, three dancefloors, 30 DJs, two live acts, four bars, a shooter bar, a food court, a crafts tent, chill tents and even ATMs.
Fun in the Sun party goers had an endless supply of choices when it came to the day’s activities ranging from the Beer Pong Championships, Boat Races and Hoop Downers to the Mr and Miss Fun in the Sun 2011.
In the Electro, Tech House marquee guests were treated to the signature sounds of Mark Stent, Nick Supply, Funky G, Coco Loco and none other than the boys of Digital Kaos Mat and Munch O.D. Mat and Gregg OD, two of Durban’s hottest, progressive, house DJs produce their own music and have an album coming out this year. Amidst organising the bi-annual Fun in the Sun events, the brothers have set their sights on the SA music scene and are set to launch their own album. While their styles differ and range from Gregg’s love of bassline songs that showcase a mix up of Jackin house, uplifting electro and funky, deep, dirty tech house, Mat enjoys electro with a dash of dubstep and a funky house flavour.
The Fidget, Drum & Bass, Dubstep Dancefloor saw Veranda Panda and Lady Jane, Fidget Midget and Drum Kid perform as well as a surprise performance by King B as well as Durban’s own Spitmunky.
In the VIP Dancefloor which entailed a Deep, Retro Funky House playlist guests were treated to the sounds of DJ Craig, Chicken, Daken, Ron and a host of other local DJs who kept party goers on their feet until the early hours of the morning.
The memorable weekend filled with one-of-a-kind moments, spontaneous dam swims in the early hours of the morning and some of the hottest beats Durban has to offer, you truly appreciate the way Fun in the Sun combines camping, music and entertainment in such a way it transforms even the most skeptic non-campers to fans of the great outdoors and before you know it you’re destined to become a Fun in the Sun groupie.
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