Zen bias

But while it’s easy to get misty-eyed when you recall the chemically induced euphoria of being stuck in a muddy field with no means of communication – losing your mates, losing the set times, losing your mind – was the constant threat of piss, rain, lager and Pendulum really all that inspiring?

Scouring the programme of Obonjan it’d be easy to turn your nose at some of the non-musical activities, which suggest it could turn into a kind of Isla Del Hackney Wick of aspirational hell. Plans afoot include ‘Dreamcatcher Workshops’ and ‘Palm Readings’, both of which are guaranteed to make even less sense than the most wide-eyed late-night chat. But it also comes with a shed-load of good music including DJ sets from Machinedrum, Four Tet and loads more. And hey, what’s wrong with dipping out of a Midland set to catch a lecture on ecology or panel discussion on experimental drugs? Once, the finest additional entertainment you could get during the day at a festival was to peer through the mesh fence of the VIP area where a live saxophonist would jam along to a DJ struggling to maintain the interest of a few Hollyoaks cast members.

In an ever more crowded marketplace, every gig, festival and club night needs its own unique selling point. Much has been made of the dearth of big-name headliners to fill top slots at events like Glastonbury, but we have a similar problem in dance music, too. Every year there are more and more festivals, but the pool of DJs whose names can sell tickets remains relatively small. That means festival organisers have to find different ways to make their events appeal to people. Concept and comfort are now king and don’t expect that to change for a very long time.

Of course, the basic need to dance is so vital that despite revolutionary innovations throughout human history such as the roof, the bed and the humble toilet, millions choose to briefly thrive each summer without such necessities. This is something to be cherished. Yet it feels as though our collective weekends of dodgy burger vans, weak cider and the threat of the late night silent disco have bolted the farmer’s gate. You know what they say: if you can’t beat them, join them at the sunrise yoga session… or there’s always the Tidy Weekender.

John Thorp is freelance journalist, follow him on Twitter

Alex Jenkins is a freelance illustrator and regular contributor to Mixmag, follow him on Instagram