From the same people as Rob Da Bank’s long-running and consistently great Isle of Wight gathering Bestival, 2016 saw the inaugural Common People Southampton and Common People Oxford festivals hitting their respective towns the weekend 28-29th May 2016.
Common People Oxford, with a 30,000 capacity was planted right in the city’s heart in South Park which provided a stunning location for the weekend, the famous dreaming spires of the university colleges looming against two nights of perfect sunsets as the Great British weather held fast.
Main stage headliners included Duran Duran and Primal Scream, while the Uncontained Stage ticked all the dance boxes with David Rodigan’s Ram Jam vibes on the Saturday and drum and bass institution Hospital Records taking over on the Sunday to earth moving effect. The Disco Shed West was manned by homegrown heroes Em Williams, Joel Kane, DJ Hectick, Stav, and Tom Baker who all began their flourishing DJ careers in the city.
Crowds went wild for Craig David’s T5 set, The SugarHill Gang, not to mention comedy gold from The Cuban Brothers and Mr Motivator.
Words Hannah Kane
Photography courtesy Common People
