Why Bangface – the UK’s last surviving rave-cation – must be protected at all costs

Bangface really is a world of its own. A hedonistic haven for hard dance heads from all over the globe (quite literally, with ravers making the pilgrimage to the British coast from as far as America, New Zealand and, of course, Europe), the BPM rarely dips below 150 and the revved-up energy remains euphorically high throughout the entire weekend. 

Despite many challenges – it’s been held at three different holiday park locations in 15 years, became the last rave before lockdown in 2020 and almost got cancelled for 2024 because its home of Pontins in Southport closed – nothing can hold Bangface down. Against all odds, the 14th edition takes place at 1936-opened usually-family-friendly Butlins in Skegness (a working class seaside town where the local landmark is a Nevada-style sign that reads ‘Skeg Vegas, even the staff at the local big Tesco say they are excited about the event’s arrival and its worldwide appeal). 

Immediately after arriving on-site, it becomes apparent that the costume-heavy (the range of outfits is on another level), sign-carrying (‘Dark Age Peasants Would’ve Loved Gabber’ is a personal favourite) ‘hard crew’ that unites each year is one of the most welcoming and eclectic crowds you’re likely to find at a rave. 

A place where being yourself is encouraged and daily life cares are left at home, afternoons are spent reliving quintessentially-British childhoods on the dodgems, at the amusements or relaxing under the sun on giant deckchairs near the beach. But the peak of the weekender’s surreal silliness has to be the Saturday afternoon pool party; a legendary feature of every Bangface to date, it’s no surprise the queue stretches for a mile. Once finally inside, inflatable-submerging deep sea ravers are propelled round the wave pool to the uncompromisingly pounding selections of Netherlands-based hardstyle sceneleader gladde paling, who bounces behind the waterproof-shielded decks while unleashing pop-infused Eurodance bangers and leaps into the pool at the end of his set. 

Such off-the-wall ridiculousness runs through the blood of Bangface: owing to the ‘Bangus Maximus’-theme, this year’s opening party commences with an on-stage Gladiator-style duel that sees one rave champion crowned and then make their way through the crowd on a ginormous Trojan horse. Elsewhere, the Butlins bowling alley is transformed into a club and the Skyline pavilion provides the green-screened set for the live-streamed filming of Bangface TV, where neon-clad Morris dancers hit their sticks to the beat of Schacke’s Russian techno-pop anthem ‘Kisloty People’. 

While Bangface has always been more about the party itself than the names on the line-up, this year‘s programme is stacked with heavy-hitters, ranging from genre pioneers (Scott Brown, Ragga Twins) to regulars (Helena Hauff and SHERELLE) and a whole host of next-generation stars. Among the highlights are (IVY) who blasts through an hour of dubstep, d’n’b, trance and techno edits, with classics by Katy Perry, The White Stripes and even Mozart all getting the skewed treatment as giant unicorn dinghies soar overhead. DJ Fuckoff somehow manages to seamlessly mix a jacked-up remix of Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’ straight into a pumping take on Britney Spears’ iconic ‘Toxic’, and Chippy Nonstop’s thunderous floorboard-shakers prove surprisingly hypnotic.

While jungle music takes a fair share of the billing with Dillinja shelling the crowd in the biggest space, Saturday night is also all about donk. After Hang The DJs lead a donk ‘Can Can’ (yes, really), the back to back scheduling of everyone’s favourite crustacean DJ Lobsta B and SpongeBob Squarewave makes for two hours of unashamedly-unserious bouncing-brilliance as even the old Green Giant advert is given a nostalgically elated nod.

Suffice to say, losing this uninhibited club-born escape from reality would have been an irredeemable travesty for British rave culture  – there really is nothing else quite like it. Long live Bangface!