Festival Review: Down The Rabbit Hole 2022

Set in the idyllic Groene Heuvels of Ewijk. Down the Rabbit Hole feels like you have entered an Eden the moment your feet step off the free shuttle bus.

The Artists:

This year’s edition included the greats: Gorillaz, Erykah Badu, HAIM, The War on Drugs, The Smile were the Still Listening favourites at the top of the 2022 bill. Further down the listening was pretty decent too, inclusive of acts like, St. Vincent, Little Simz, L’imperatrice, Amyl and the Sniffers, Phoebe Bridgers, and Viagra Boys and despite musical heartthrob for all, Clairo, dropping out last minute, it was a pretty healthy line-up all in all.

The headliner’s day splits were intuitively curated, warming up with summer girls HIAM the first night, Gorillaz and Bicep carry the party through the weekend, Erykah Badu and The War on Drugs make for chill viewing as the sun sets on the final evening.

DTRH’s line-ups aren’t overwhelming, they don’t have you making compromises within the first sentence of sifting through the day splits. The line ups intentionally allow for the audience to experience the sets at a dreamy pace.

The stages:

There are three main stages – Hotot, Fuzzy Lop, and Teddy Widder and they all take it in turns to pop off consecutively (Teddy Widder especially will have you dancing like a maniac until the sun rises).

There are other secret spots dotted around the grounds and in the woods, but we’ll leave that up to you to find, it’s more fun that way.

The Vibe:

Reminiscent of British festivals like End of the Road, Secret Garden Party or Shambala, this festival feels more intimate and special compared to Mojo Concerts’ sister festivals, Lowlands and Best Kept Secret - it’s a good thing, there was always space to dance and experience you’re chosen artist the way you want to. Down the Rabbit Hole’s sacred nature is something emulative of Glastonbury: no in your face advertising, lots of thoughtfully designed interactive spacing and chill out areas and an abundance of lush greenery and woodland that makes you feel like you are living in a painting at times. Down the Rabbit Hole is a festival you want to leave clean. No one is setting tents on fire here (ahem Reading).

Hospitality:

Dutch hospitality here is second to none, even amidst the blistering sun and intermittent wasp mini swarms that pool over the beer taps, every vender or steward felt genuinely happy to serve as part of the Down the Rabbit Hole experience. When one of our writers lost their wallet in the grounds one of the nights, you bet it was handed in lost and found and looked after until collection on the last day.

Amenities:

Showers and toilets that aren’t reminiscent of a farmyard stable or a hole in the ground.

Portable phone chargers that actually work and don’t leave you considering declaring bankruptcy to use.

Multiple token exchange points - that also serve as great meeting points.

A camping supplies store - for any last minute bits you forgot.

Real cute little coffee / toasty vans dotted across the campsites - for that nice little morning pick me up.

A big fuck off lake - Need some time to take it all in? Reflect over the vibrancy of the last 24 hours? Make some new festival friends? This is the place.

Wrap up:

You’ve not slept in days, yet you leave the site feeling restored, you’ve touched grass (literally). You’ve held St. Vincent up as she sings New York into your collective soul, experienced that same musically spiritual connection on a hill meters away as a guy in an inflatable dinosaur costume conducts a ripple of hands to rise in their thousands to The War on Drugs. Down the Rabbit Hole proves that a festival can do it all.