Park turns into playground of sound

Headlining tonight are Friendly Fires and Groove Armada, whilst Saturday sees sets from Craig Charles, Anna Calvi and headliner Lauryn Hill. Sunday has a stellar line up with sets from Eigg’s own Pictish Trail, Honne, Maribou State, Django Django and closing with Hot Chip, whose new album was only released this month.

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Playground festival is also bringing together some of the city’s best food and drink connoisseurs. Scotland’s biggest street food market, Big Feed will be hosting their own Big Feed Forest; Fallen Brewing Company will also have their own Craft Beer Bar, alongside a Gin & Processo Garden, a Brugal Mojito pop-up and Playground’s own Cocktail Box.

It has been a stellar summer for Glasgow’s music scene, between TRNSMT, Summer Nights at the Kelvingrove Bandstand and the Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park.

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Playground Festival is set to represent the strength of Glasgow’s alternative music scene, alongside giving a good nod towards Glasgow’s legacy of electronic and dance music. Ricky Scoular, Playground’s co-festival director, said: “We are really excited for the first year of Playground Festival in the beautiful surroundings of Rouken Glen Park. The team have been working really hard to bring a great festival experience and it’s a line-up that would rival any festival in the UK and Europe. I’m particularly looking forward to Maribou State on Sunday. As well as a world class musical line-up we’ve got a great selection of food & drink on offer including the renowned & award-winning Big Feed – it’s going to be a great weekend and we can’t wait!”

Bookending the weekend are some of the most popular and unique acts in the electronic and dance scene to date.

Headlining tonight is Groove Armada, who last year celebrated their 20th anniversary as giants of the dance music scene. Formerly masters of T in the Park’s after-dark entertainment, their set at Playground Festival tonight will mark their ninth notable show in Glasgow. Frontman Tom Findlay told the Evening Times: “We used to play the Barrowland regularly in the early days, as well as the Academies. When T in the Park was in its day, we used to play the Slam Tent and there was nothing like it. It was one of the most amazing venues ever.

“Playground will be our first slam of the summer and we’re really really excited. The joy of a festival is that you feel part of a wider group experience. I love checking out other bands – there’s a camaraderie backstage. We feel like elder statesmen of the scene a bit. I’m more relaxed about our place in it now.

“Five years ago you felt you were more aware of your contemporaries. There’s a clubbing and warehouse music scene that is strong. I don’t feel affiliated anymore to that. It’s the way that we perform dance music that is unique, and our role is to keep that way of playing alive.”

Sunday sees Maribou State taking the stage following a sold-out world tour, and the release of their second album ‘Kingdoms in Colour’ in 2018, BBC6 Radio’s Album of the Day featuring collaborations from Holly Walker and US funk band Khruangbin.

“We just came back from a tour in Australia and stopped off for a show in Cairo”, Maribou’s Liam says. “I’m really excited to come to Scotland, where we all love, and just have a great gig. It looks like a really great festival. The lineup is insane.

“Glasgow is always really good fun. The vibe in the city is really great – everyone’s mental. The energy is incredible, its palpable compared to London, where people can be a bit reserved. You don’t get that in Scottish crowds, everyone is mad up for it. It’s so nice from our side, it feeds energy back into you. It’s infectious.

“I really want to go back to Mother India. It’s so good, I love that place.

“Everytime we to go Glasgow we want to have dinner there, but you eat loads and just want to go to bed – not good for before a show!”