Snowbombing made headlines last week for all the wrong reasons, when Stormzy pulled out of his headline set because of alleged racial profiling.
Reaction on the ground was mixed: many Snowbombers, as well as the wider musical community, sympathised with the London grime artist, but I also spoke with several festival goers who voiced support for the security team, who had been regulars for many years.
There’s a sense of camaraderie and community amongst the Snowbombing faithful.
Now in its 20th year, the familiar sights of Hans the Butcher, a local delicatessen turned occasional venue, or Rompa’s Reggae Shack, a jungle and drum & bass hothouse high up in the slopes, create an intimate atmosphere for the thousands who descend on the Austrian ski village of Mayrhofen each year.
At the beginning of his set, Fatboy Slim was joined on stage by Bristol-based Eats Everything. The dynamic duo had been partying together all day, having taken part in the rainbow-filled, 90s-themed Snowbombing parade a few hours earlier.
A Snowbombing staple for years, the street party was filled with loud colours, endless confetti and energetic revellers dressed as 90s throwbacks like The Mask, Wayne’s World and Ash Ketchum, as floats led by Fatboy Slim filled the town with positive energy, tailed by the Scottish ‘Cuban Brothers’ blaring The Prodigy’s firestarter, in memory of the late great Keith Flint.
Keith Flint’s spirit was everywhere in Mayrhofen – you felt him from the ski lift as Firestarter blared below from Rompa’s Reggae Shack; you felt him as Out of Space reverberated around an igloo at the 2000 metre Arctic Disco in a Wilkinson set; and you felt him in the Racket Club (a sports-club turned temporary mega venue) at 2am, for the culmination of drum & bass legend Andy C’s performance.
Andy C and Keith Flint had been regulars at Snowbombing for years, after first meeting more than two decades ago. It made his performance in the Racket Club all the more special when, after an hour of powerful, high-octane drum & bass, Andy C played tribute to his old friend with a drum & bass-infused version of Firestarter – catnip to an already blissed out crowd.
It was small moments of spontaneity like these that made Snowbombing’s 20th memorable. Modern festivals are planned meticulously (even more so for an anniversary celebration) which made deviations from the script particularly refreshing. On the first day of the week, Skream and Solardo spun impromptu tunes above a smorgasbord of delicious meat in Hans the Butcher’s.
The hilarious Kurupt FM, after spraying the crowd with Champagne amid a backdrop of classic garage the night before, could be sighted trying their hand at snowsports the next morning. More impromptu sets, by the likes of DJ Yoda and Eats Everything popped up throughout the week.
One of Snowbombing’s more unique sets was from one of last year’s breakout stars Tom Grennan, who provided some much needed acoustic relief. Performing on a rainy Tuesday evening, he had the unenviable task of playing to a crowd previously dancing to pumping tech house.
But with his signature cheeky charm, he quickly had fans singing along, playing hits like Praying and his Chase and Status-collaboration All Goes Wrong.
Snowbombing is a near 24-hour festival, with partying long into the night. Much of the debauchery occurs at Bruck’N Stadl, an Alpine lodge-style dancefloor complete with disco ball, bird cage, and grand chandeliers.
Over the week, it played host to some of the world’s most talented DJs, including Mall Grab and Moxie’s irresistible grooves for the Mixmag takeover, Paul Woolford a.k.a Special Request’s stripped back techno, and dubstep godfather Skream’s pivot to house music.
With a dizzying array of music on show, it was a welcome break to head up to the mountain in the mornings. The near-silence of the ski lifts, where you can appreciate the beauty of the Penken mountain from above, was the perfect rest.
But there was, of course, plenty more music on offer if you hadn’t had your fill. From bouncy jungle, with the likes of High Contrast and My Nu Leng at Rompa’s Reggae Shack, to more melodic house and electronic offerings from the likes of George Fitzgerald at the Mountain Stage.
Snowbombing finished on a euphoric high, with a nostalgia-filled Chase and Status set in a magical forest backdrop, in aid of mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and Keith Flint.
Just hours later, Bicep played a joyous two hours of bliss-filled breaks and jubilant house in the Racket Club, putting a cap on what was a hectic, manic, but ultimately enormously fun, week.
While Snowbombing may be struggling to strike a balance between old and new in a time of great change in the music industry, their inimitable brand of fun and daft hijinks still feels fresh – the skiing is just the cherry on top.
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