Laurel Collective are an experimental pop outfit from London. In 2010 they won the prestigious Red Stripe music prize, in addition to performing, writing and recording the band along with a small crew of dedicated helpers host a festival at a secret venue In The Woods. We chatted with Olly and Will ahead of the 2012 Festival which is now SOLD OUT. 

Can you tell us about how you first decided to run a festival and why you keep the venue secret?

The truth is we didn’t, it started 7 years ago as a party and has evolved into what it is today. The initial idea came about when Charlie (drummer) and Olly (guitarist) were walking the dog (Mulberry) through the woods and came to a an old clay quarry which forms a kind of natural amphitheatre under the tree canopy.

It just looked like the most amazing place to play a gig. The idea caught on and a few months later we were building a stage out of hay bails and bits of wood and inviting a few other bands and our friends round for a night of music in a beautiful setting and a campfire to sit around and chillout afterwards.

Initially we kept the venue secret to alleviate the concerns of the authorities who were worried about unwanted guests. Whilst that is still true, nowadays we’ve grown to like it more for the little extra mystery it adds.    

Do you intend to keep the festival small and keep this a more intimate festival?

Yes, we like small and intimate, it suits us in many ways. The growth of the festival has been organic rather than planned which has allowed us to keep our focus on festival itself rather than ticket sales. We’ve also been conscious of looking after the woods and try to leave them relatively untouched, so the less people the better in this respect.

There’s not actually a huge amount of space even if we did want to expand, but this all fits nicely with the ethos of the festival and helps to maintain the magical atmosphere that brings people back every year. The intimate, friendly setting allows for a better experience of the music and art which is fundamental to what we are about and also engenders a sense of community among the festival goers.

Do you see the same festival goers retuning to the festival each year.?

As mentioned the festival does keep bringing people back. Back in the early years we knew (or at least recognised) pretty much everyone there, but over the years it’s been exciting to see the number of new faces increase as the word spreads.

How do you go about booking the bands?

We're excited by new music and so we're constantly keeping in touch with what is going on and when we find a new act we are inspired by - we book them. We’re mainly aiming for bands on the cusp of making waves in the music industry and being in a band ourselves we have personal connections that help keep our finger on the pulse.

You have 2 stages at the location how do you manage to rotate the acts?

Quite simple, when one stage is playing the other is generally setting up for the following act so they run in sequence with only a few minutes in between set . Every act is important and worth seeing so we give you the opportunity to see them all if you so wish. Keeps you fit too!

Tell us about the food and drink available this year? and what made you decide to allow people to bring their own food and drink into the site was it to make it more affordable for younger festival goers?

Yes of course we want people to be able to afford it and so its great to give them that option. But we also make an effort to keep our prices lower than your average festival and find the majority of people do end up sampling our homemade burgers (actually made on site!) and locally sourced ales / ciders because they’re so good!

There’s also a couple of hogs roasts over a real fire and veggie options of course, like the portobello mushroom burger or curry done in a large cauldron again over the fire. And if you wake up hungry the next morning and follow the smell of bacon and eggs you should find Laurel Collective themselves cooking your breakfast, how’s that for service!

How pleased are you to sell out all the tickets in just over 4 weeks with only 6 acts announced ?

Pleasantly surprised in a way that it happened so quick although we did know that the word was spreading. Definitely a step up from previous years. It’s great we’re developing a reputation that means people trust us to put on a good show.

What is your green ethos?

We keep our footprint in the woods to the minimum and aim to leave it as we found it. While some areas have been cleared a little for convenience or health and safety reasons (such as dead trees) in others we are looking to plant new trees to help maintain the regeneration of the woods. Of course, being a one day festival helps minimise the impact of the crowds on the land in general.

We use biodegradeable cups at the bar and have separate bins for recyclable rubbish which then go to the local recycling centre and we scour the site for any rubbish that didn’t quite make it that far.

Transport wise, a good proportion of the food and drink is locally made and we also encourage people to get the train to the festival by offering a minibus service to and from the nearest station (20 mins away) for a couple of quid.

Is the secret venue accessible for people with disabilities?

Yes. There is wheelchair access round the site and disabled toilet facilities.  The main stage has a platform in the crowd area especially for people with disabilities and the second stage has a reserved area. If you’re coming to the festival and have a disability do get in touch with us and we’ll do everything we can to accomodate you.

Are there any acts you would like to book for the festival that you have not been able to as yet?

Tune Yards - we've been very close but logistically it's never worked. One year though ..... one year.

Is there any other entertainment planned apart from the music?

Absolutely. This year we are planning on having a film tent, a spoken word/poetry area, a silent disco and various art installations some of which will be interactive. There might even be a tree house or two!

Interview by Linda Game