For the inaugural Houghton Festival, Truth & Lies are going to explore ‘Revolution & Change in Venezuela and the Tropics’ through films, talks, design and crates of the funkiest music in the World!
From 11am till 4am on Saturday 12th August we shall be taking over the Magic Carpet stage at this brand new festival set in the epic grounds of Houghton Hall.
The festival itself has been personally curated by Fabric resident and international DJ Craig Richards and produced by Gottwood, the minds behind the acclaimed electronic festival Gottwood set in North Wales.
The ‘Revolution & Change’ series looks at significant dates, events and places in history and presents a snapshot of the music and art connected to these events before and after the time they occurred. For Houghton Festival we will be focusing mainly on four different places though we shall wander as connections are made.
Venezuela - a country that is currently going through one of its greatest political upheavals also contains a rich heritage of art, music and culture which we will look at through music, films (including a unique showing of ‘Hip Hop Revolución’ one of the best documentaries made about music and politics in Latin America directed by Pablo Navarrete for Alborada Films) and design.
New Orleans, USA - through short films, talks and music, we shall be looking at Pre and Post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans and its singular place in the history of music and street level activism, there’s nowhere like NOLA!
São Paulo, Brazil - exploring the short-lived but insanely creative cultural movement Tropicália that changed how young Brazil looked at itself in the late 1960s.
Lagos, Nigeria - where some of the funkiest music ever made collided with politics to devastating effect, covering the traumatic 1977 military attack on Fela Kuti's Kalakuta Republic compound and looking at the global and ever-growing impact of Fela and Tony Allen’s Afrobeat.
We shall also be collaborating again with Lewis Heriz, co-founder of the brilliant Sofrito record label and one of the finest record sleeve illustrators around. Lewis will be talking with us about South American art and design and also guest DJing his essential collection of global grooves.
An amazing piece by Marisol Escabar
We will also be joined by the Lane Print Workshop who have created a special collaboration with illustrator Amy Blackwell and designer Ollie Wood for the event. Amy has created a portrait of Marisol Escabar, the celebrated feminist Venezuelan Pop Artist and typographer Oliver Wood has created a homage to the Venezuelan Pop Artist Carlos Cruz Diez. Audience members will be able to have a go at screen printing, creating their own print or bag, and a 1930’s letterpress.
A crossing in Panama designed by Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz Diez
With guest DJs and residents Joff & Ex-Friendly and a bespoke sound system, the day will end with a sweaty Tropical party with music and rhythms from the hottest countries and labels on the planet. Expect to get hot!
Houghton Festival runs between 10th and 13th August and is now sold out!
Many thanks to Rough Trade Nottingham, Ottar Chocolate and Russ Slater from Sounds and Colours for their support and help.