State Fayre, a brand new rock, country, folk, and 'Americana-inspired' festival in Chelmsford, Essex, challenged everything I thought I knew about big music weekends. The country, folk, and rock line up was a dream, featuring headlining acts like Kings of Leon and Alanis Morissette, alongside appearances from Black Crows, Skunk Anansie, Razorlight, and new country star Stephen Wilson Jr.
The event's vibe was a far cry from my past festival experiences, which were marked by chaos and a sense of disorganization. But State Fayre was different - the atmosphere was relaxed and authentic, with cowboy hats galore, the scent of BBQ, and a giant ferris wheel creating a country-inspired vibe.
Even though the line up was undeniably millennial, plenty of up-and-coming stars were given the chance to shine. Brenn!, who has amassed 427k TikTok followers and released viral tunes such as 4runner, sang with his signature gravelly tone. Next up was Kingfishr, who reached Instagram fame with songs The Sun Will Never Settle and Killeagh. Watching these new artists perform was pure joy.
The main event on Friday night was Kings of Leon, who opened with Find Me and followed with all their old classics such as The Bucket. The crowd was electric, and though everyone was dancing, it wasn't the usual collision of bodies the late evening at live music is known for. The atmosphere was unmatched, and whether it was the respectful nature of the older clientele or the sticky heat, there was plenty of space to dance, jump, and scream.
The next day, I caught Razorlight's performance, which left me feeling relaxed and at ease. One of the only main artists on the lineup I'd never listened to was Skunk Anansie, but as soon as the band's frontwoman Skin said 'it's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong', I was hooked. Then, it was time for Alanis, who kicked off her set with a montage of her best bits through the years.
The sentiment of Alanis' music transcends time, where young people now can say 'I feel the same way', too. Her set was kicked off with One Hand In My Pocket, with a backdrop of her quote 'wholeness over wellness' setting the empowered tone of the show ahead. Hands Clean, accompanied with a gem-embezzled guitar, allowed the set to take a more emotional turn, and the full power of her voice was captured in You Learn.
The night ended with a bang, with You Oughta Know bringing the energy and rage right back up. While probably too mainstream for a super fan, Ironic has been my favourite since playing my 2000s Pop Queens disk in my pink CD player. The grit of her voice stood out from Brittney and Madonna, and hearing it live felt like a full-circle moment.
Overall, State Fayre was a revelation - a festival that challenged everything I thought I knew about big music weekends. The line up was a dream, the atmosphere was relaxed and authentic, and the performances were pure joy. Whether you're a fan of rock, country, folk, or all three, State Fayre is definitely worth checking out.
