You Gots To Chill

Pete Lawrence co-founder of the Big Chill has split from the festival. The official statement is below - the inside unofficial word is the Big Chill is now, despite the illusion, a corporate entity. Let's face facts the majority of the festival was bought by Cantaloupe Group (Cargo, Market Place) a few years ago, and it's been getting bigger and bigger, and not necessarily better, ever since. Cantaloupe Group isn't a charity, so naturally want to increase revenue - hence the expansion and increasing loss of soul at the Big Chill. How do you open a bar (Big Chill Bar) and bar/club (Big Chill House) off the back of a festival - festivals and bars are entirely incompatible - one takes place in a field the others in Kings Cross and Brick Lane. Go figure. That says it all, particularly as Big Chill House is a glorified student union - grubby with a shite soundsystem.

It's a sad day. The Big Chill was the first festival I ever want to in 1998 at The Enchanted Gardens, a Victorian landscaped garden with peacocks running around, and attended by a few hundred people. Me and my mate Alex got bollocked for raving the night away to his car stereo - yes you parked next to where you camped.
What can I say? We were young and having it. I've been to four or five since, and won't be going again. It's a pipe dream but I long for the day I can goto a festival with no corporate branding (without mobile phone or alcohol brands trying to sell, sell, sell). If anyone knows of any, please let me know. I beg you. For me this summer's festivals are all about the small and beautiful.

The above clip is of Chilled By Nature, Pete Lawrence's production guise. Here's the statement and maximun respect to you Mr Lawrence. Note the words 'mutual agreement' - usually legalease for 'gagging order' or 'silence clause' - as I'm sure will appear inHeather and Paul's eventual divorce settlement.


Pete Lawrence, the co-founder of The Big Chill has, by mutual agreement with the board, resigned as a director and shareholder with immediate effect, after fourteen years with the organisation.

From humble beginnings, Lawrence conceived an idea for a new type of Sunday multimedia club back in early 1994 and, with Katrina Larkin, created a unique environment in the back rooms at Union Chapel in Islington. This event soon evolved into The Big Chill festival, which rapidly gained respect for its attention to detail, choice of idyllic rural locations, and nurturing of a loyal online community. As it blossomed, it created a unique blueprint for a lifestyle ethos that went way beyond being just a festival, and which has since spawned many imitators, with varying degrees of success.


In the environment of the festival, Pete gave early exposure by programming names such as Lily Allen, Goldfrapp, Amy Winehouse, Gotan Project, Mr Scruff, Seasick Steve, Röyksopp, Zero 7 and Lemon Jelly, and was arguably the catalyst for the chill out boom at the turn of decade. After establishing itself as one of the top half dozen UK festivals, The Big Chill has recently branched out into opening London venues The Big Chill Bar in Brick Lane, followed in autumn 2006 with the three storey Big Chill House in Kings X. Most recently, after several trips to India to research and plan a new type of event there, Pete conceived a proposal to take The Big Chill concept to Goa for what turned out to be a successful first festival in April 2007 on Aswem Beach.


Explaining his reasons for stepping back from The Big Chill, Pete who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, said “For fourteen years I feel as if I’ve been on a mission to create something personally fulfilling, but it is the wider cultural context which interests me even more. There is no greater reward than seeing how peoples’ lives have been affected due to chance meetings at Big Chill events, and one of our most important roles has been as a platform and catalyst for that. At this time, I need to put myself first for once and do things I have not been able to do since the early 90s, like reading books, hanging out and having quality time with my children as they grow up fast, and concentrating on my own music and writing with less time constraints.”


“I have a restless spirit and I want to remain at the cutting edge, coming up with original concepts and fresh directions, and I have lots of new ideas. Who knows what exciting opportunities might bubble up to the surface. I won’t be severing my Big Chill links altogether however as I will be stepping into a consultant role.


"After fourteen years it feels almost like a child growing up and leaving home - a real conflict of emotions, and not easy to let go of, considering how obsessively hands-on Katrina and I have been over the years. Now, for a variety of reasons, and with some considerable regret, I feel that the time is right to step back and let The Big Chill take its own course. I’m leaving behind a great team and look forward to seeing them at future events.”

Pete’s online blog and website is at www.petelawrence.net and is contactable at pete@petelawrence.net.”