A cold Friday evening in October probably means little out of the ordinary for most University students. On Friday the 9th October, as the temperature was dropping alongside drizzling rain, a magical forest was being carefully constructed within Lakota, the Bristol fan-favourite club for house, garage, and DnB.
The Enchanted Forest, hosted by Lost Track of Time, took over both Lakota and the adjacent Coroner’s Court for a 2,000 people capacity event. The event spanned over five different rooms, each with different moods, decor, and of course varying DJs. Throughout the night, The Enchanted Forest saw DJ sets from Lost Track of Time, Spike Island Sounds, LTT regulars Thea and Nigel Grace, as well as student DJs such as Jas, Celia, and Frazr, performing amidst rooms adorned with varying degrees of magic.
Contained within the enchanted forest were possibilities for several different magical nights. Entering through the main room, you can choose to trickle into the adjoining Coroner’s Court, and from there go to the smaller Red Room: a room hosting tech-house music, immersive decor, and as the name would suggest, red lighting. Up the stairs (which were dripping with tendrils of fake ivy, and met at the top with a giant disco ball), you could visit either the Moon Club and The Nest.
Suitably to the night, the crowd committed to the theme, with most girls dressed as some variation of pixie, fairy, or forest nymph, with suitably colourful and whimsical makeup, and the boys dressed as boys. Possibly exclusive to my uni house, we all donned face gems stuck onto our faces with varying levels of skills.
Beyond the decor, the night had fire performers, dancers and projection mapping, and the production is clearly part of why Lost Track of Time sells out events of around 2,000 people. It’s less about headliners than shared atmosphere, with everyone dressing up and buying into the world around them. The hazy whimsy of The Enchanted Forest made a big club feel connected and intimate, which is rare.
Stas Forte
The Enchanted Forest is coming to back to Bristol this January. As winter rolled in, the October installment of it was a welcome escape: a chance to dance without distractions and, as the name promises, lose track of time.
Featured image: Lucy Downham
Will you be going to The Enchanted Forest in January?
