ANDY BURNHAM MAY HAVE BANNED OUTDOOR BBQS, BUT THAT DIDN’T STOP THE LINEUP OF ALL POINTS EAST TURNING UP THE HEAT

By Sophie Clark | Muck Rack Portfolio | Press Invite

All Points East’s strong suit is mastering a lineup, and that was in full display on Friday with Brit-heavy, star-studded stages to kick off the East End’s summer celebration.

We started off at the jungle/drum and bass tent with an energetic set from ShyFX to get us moving and ready for the dancing to come.

Then, took a quick break from dancing to get into our feelings with Tems, whose stage presence and voice is second to none, before getting limber again for an electric set from Nia Archives.

I have to confess, I’d only ever seen Nia as a DJ before, so I didn’t know she could sing as well live as she did at All Points East. At one point, a woman behind me said “I think she might be the coolest girl alive.” Watching her groove around the stage in a silver mini dress getting the crowd hyped up with every beat drop, I have to agree; the coolest girl alive.

We then legged it all the way across the park to get a good view for Jorja Smith, and thank goodness we did because Jorja Smith was a pitch perfect headliner.

Sometimes festival sets can feel limited or constricted, but she managed to weave a beautiful musical and personal story throughout her hour and a half on stage; starting off with more emotional tunes before getting into dance tracks and then ramping up to her big radio hits and crowd pleasers.

Two standout moments were bringing the choir that she formed in her hometown of Walsall up on stage to sing with her, showing a London crowd that while she has a lot of love for the city, she still holds strong to her Midlands roots and is committed to giving back.

And when she followed a video of her covering a Katy B song in her school uniform to bringing the legend herself out on stage. I felt so invested in Jorja’s story, drive, and success. I’m so happy that she’s being celebrated in the way that she fully deserves and has clearly worked so hard for.

Katy B was not the only music royalty she brought out. We were treated to an incredible lineup of UK stars, from AJ Tracey to Loyle Carner, who lit up the crowd with their sets and clearly have a lot of respect and love for Smith.

The best part about a festival is becoming an even bigger fan of people after seeing them in person, and I can certainly say I’ll be seeking out more Jorja Smith shows in the future.

In terms of drawbacks, it’s not the festival’s fault that it’s been the driest summer on record, but I would strongly advise people going to future days to bring sunglasses, a face mask, and a refillable water bottle. I was willing to push through discomfort to dance, but I felt extremely hoarse towards the end of the day because of the dust plumes rising from the parched park grounds.

Other than the ecological stress, it was a gorgeous day, and the acts certainly showed up for fans old and new.

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Photo Credit: @BETHANMILLERCO