EMF at Cindyfest 2025

A shameful three weeks late ( typically poor service from yer humble blogger ), but it's time to visit the deep, dark depths of the Forest Of Dean for the cultural event known as Cindyfest. It's a festival. In Cinderford. It's Cindyfest. To be honest, even though I live about half an hour away from Cinderford, I'd never heard of this mini festival before - but this year it saw the triumphant homecoming gig for those ravetastic Forest scamps EMF which made it a must.

This was our third EMF gig in the last 7 or so months and we were definitely up for seeing them again, even though we were all sweltering through a prolonged heatwave. Sarah had been a bit dubious about going out in the heat, but I convinced her it would be cooler in the evening, we'd be fine etc. We actually left home at 7:30 in the evening and, even at that time, it was a sticky 32 degrees in the shade. Phew! A pint of cider definitely helped, as seen above. You can also see a blue plaque which had been awarded to the EMF boys for services to music which was very proudly displayed on the clock tower in their hometown. And, in front of that clock tower, was a stage...

After we'd run the security gauntlet into the beating heart ( or *bleating heart* - little Forest joke there ) of the town, we had a quick cone of chips ( how '70s! ), caught half of support band Vendetta Deluxe's set ( very old school New Wave ) and then the Forest Posse themselves emerged to thunderous applause and drunken cheers. They start early in the FOD. After the now inevitable intro from Cinderford town crier Jer Holland ( whose voice almost conked out during his cry... ) the band kicked into The Day The Music Died ( "You kept it alive" ) and the party started.

Well, to be honest, after that first song the set was a bit lacklustre for a while, with some sound problems and lack of focus affecting I Believe and Lies - two old favourites that didn't really ignite. Then EMF wheeled out new song Hands In The Air which seemed to reinvigorate them. This song, which had premiered on their recent US tour, sounds like it should be just a happy-clappy Rave anthem but is actually deeper than it at first seems and is clearly about the ongoing erosion of democracy in the Land of the Free ( as was ) by that orange lunatic they call President.

Following this with a hypnotic Getting Through ( see hypnotised crowd above ), they then launched into Reach For The Lasers - their hymn to old school ravers and DJs - and the crowd went nuts. Sarah and I got our glow-sticks out ( of course! ) and bounced along to this newly-minted classic, and the whole of Cinderford sang their lungs out to the mid-song medley of iconic dance choons: Gonna Make You Sweat / Pump Up The Jam / Breathe / Blue Monday - just wonderful, life-affirming stuff. Frontman James Atkin, resplendent in his "Life Ruined My Drugs" T-shirt did his familiar spiel about the band not being the energetic young pups they used to be ( who is? ) and said they "don't get out much". Apart from the US tour... and the upcoming double-headline tour with Jesus Jones. Sorry, James, but we're not falling for it - there's plenty of life left in the old EMF dog yet.

As the set built and built, with the likes of Children ( love, love, love that song! ) and a majestic ( and appropriate ) Long Summer Days sounding magnificent, it was clear the band were overwhelmed at the reception they were getting from their hometown crowd. James and guitarist Ian Dench both reminisced about the early days of the band, their rise to stardom, and the support they've always had from the FOD fans. It was enough to bring a lump to the throat of any old raver. ( And, no, that wasn't just a dodgy disco biscuit going down the wrong way. )

The inevitable Unbelievable and Neil Diamond / Vic Reeves banger I'm A Believer whipped the crowd up into a Forest frenzy before the epic set closer, Inside, finished us all off. So to speak.

But there was more yet to come. The band came back out to encore with their rapturously-received Depeche Mode cover, I Just Can't Get Enough ( not really sure why they play this, but it's great fun ), and the obligatory Rave anthem that is E.M.F itself:

"E! Ecstasy! M! From my mind to my feet! F! From us to you!" ( And that's the clean version. )

One of the great things about this performance was seeing keyboard player Derry Brownson back with the band. He's been off for a while with a serious illness but the crowd were overjoyed to see him on stage and he took the spotlight for the rap on E.M.F. 

Also sharing the spotlight were young members of the EMF family who came out to dance and take the final bows with the band. There was also a bloke in a dinosaur costume, as seen above, menacing James from the edge of the stage. It was that kind of night.

Another fantastic night out with the Forest boys, my fifth time seeing them in fact. Their homecoming had been ( yes, I'm going to say it ) unbelievable.