Having enjoyed immense line-ups at All Points East over the last few years – including being blown away by legends like Sleater Kinney, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gossip, The Strokes and The Postal Service, to name a few! -, I was super excited to be able to head back to the increasingly desert-like terrain of Victoria Park to catch some incredible bands for their Outbreak Fest showcase last week.
Thankfully, I arrive just in time to catch Philadelphia’s Mannequin Pussy on the West stage, who I’ve been meaning to see for a couple of years now, as a big fan of their raw, emotion-filled punk anthems. Despite experiencing “every band’s worst nightmare” with an amp blowing up after the first song, Missy and co aren’t deterred, and – after a short interlude and plans to send FX Amps “a strongly worded email” – they blast straight back into an energy-soaked rendition of 2024’s ‘I Got Heaven’. Immersing the crowd in their gritty, swirling energy and fierce charisma, the band slow things down slightly as they dedicate the impassioned sentiment of ‘Control’ to the “fellow girls in the audience”, before raging back into the angst-driven power of anthems such as ‘Pigs Is Pigs’. A perfectly energising and empowering start to the day before I dash off to the ‘Rising’ stage to catch the last few songs of another incredible band…
A ‘supergroup’ of sorts, formed by Tummyache’s Soren Bryce and Daniel P. Carter (known for hosting Radio 1’s Rock Show), Reclus.É have been on my ‘must see’ list since first coming across their immense debut single ‘A Muted TV’ a couple of months back. And they don’t disappoint. Oozing an utterly captivating seething emotion throughout, Bryce flits between a raging energy and soaring majestic splendour, delivering each powerful offering with a fierce sense of urgency and spellbinding allure. And, closing the set with an impassioned and poignant call to “Free Palestine. Fuck Trump, Fuck Nigel, Fuck any rising fascists… We’ve got to stick together”, Reclus.É instantly cement themselves as new favourites; a band creating hard-hitting genre-defying anthems whilst not being afraid to speak out against those in power, at a time when this is more important than ever.
After squeezing into the youthful crowd around the X stage to catch some the buoyant energy of LA’s Clarion‘s first ever show in England – “let me see you fucking jump!”, I treat myself to the “life-changing” experience of an extremely tasty vegan burger from The Hogless Roast before heading over to the main East stage for a welcome wave of nostalgia for a few songs from the timelessly cool, forever lovable Interpol. After singing along to classics like ‘Evil’ and ‘Obstacle 1’, we race back over to the X stage for the last couple of songs from South Africa’s Ecca Vandal. And, although I’m only able to catch the end of her set, I’m instantly blown away by her immense swirling energy and raw power. I hope she returns to the UK soon!
Returning to the West stage for a punk-fuelled trip down memory lane, getting to witness AFI live for the first time feels pretty special. As they kick off with ‘Girl’s Not Grey’, I’m instantly transported back to being 17 and listening to a recorded cassette of Sing The Sorrow on repeat and – although admittedly I stopped following the band as I got older – the fierce, enthused spirit and colourful charisma of front person Davey Havok and tight musicality of the band still resonate deeply, especially as I find myself remembering all the words to 2000’s ‘Days Of The Phoenix’.
Rushing through the dust back to the East stage, I make my way through the adoring crowd just in time to join everyone in singing along to ‘You Should Not Be Doing That’ as Amy Taylor and co. (including temporary bassist Lakota Vella) command the stage as if it’s where they’ve always been meant to be. Having fallen in love with Amyl And The Sniffers back in 2023 when they played a very wet West stage (read our review here), I continue to be awe-struck by their raging ferocity and Taylor’s utterly beguiling playful allure as they power through an eclectic set of offerings from each of their three albums. From the racing energy of 2021’s ‘Security’ and ‘Guided By Angels’, to the raw tenacity of earlier anthems from their 2019 debut like ‘Got You’ and ‘Some Mutts Can’t Be Muzzled’, and the catchy empowering spirit of faves like ‘Me And The Girls’ and ‘Tiny Bikini’ from 2024’s Cartoon Darkness, every single song emanates a completely infectious joyous allure. Alongside Amy’s trademark cheeky, girlish allure, however, are songs with a real resonance and sense of rebellion, highlighted by her between-song chat which fluctuates between that teasing charm and poignant statements like “No future: that’s what we’re gonna have with all this heat and shit – fuck that.” And, dedicating the more mellow ‘Big Dreams’ to “all the queer people, all the trans people, and all the voices being silenced”, she doesn’t hold back in calling for a “Free Palestine and fuck all this right wing shit. We won’t stand for it.” Her consistently fearless attitude and boundless energy for using her platform to speak out for what’s right only adds to the huge love and adoration I (and evidently the rest of the crowd) feel for the band, and – as they end the set with the frenzied rage of ‘GFY’ – I’m left feeling grateful that powerful women like Amy are being given a platform to say what needs to be said, and being able to be their completely awesome selves on stage, no doubt inspiring and motivating countless young women and queer people to do the same.
Next up, it’s back to the Rising stage to catch Dublin ones to watch Brooki. Having built a reputation purely on the power of their live shows across Ireland and UK, they immerse the crowd fully as they deliver soaring vocals and dark hooks, and I instantly understand the hype. Whilst this young band have not yet released a single, they have managed to build an impressive following through word of mouth about these incredible live performances, and now – having witnessed their soulful, grunge-fuelled power and gritty majestic allure in the flesh – I can completely understand why. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Brooki – I’m quite sure they’ll be headlining events like this in the not too distant future.
As the sun sets over Victoria Park and an orange dusky (/dusty) glow settles, I head back to the main East stage for the day’s headliners. Having initially delved into Deftones in an attempt to impress a guy I had a crush on who had an Around The Fur t-shirt when I was about 15, I continued to spend a great deal of my teen life absorbed in their music, and have continued to seek refuge in their angst-driven alt-metal soundscapes well into adulthood, though have never had the opportunity to see them live. Until now, 25 years later. Despite having a beer can thrown at my head (another, less welcome, blast from the past), I’m not disappointed. Far from it. Kicking off with personal favourite, ‘Be Quiet And Drive’, Deftones deliver an incredible, and varied, set; the sound is full and rich, the energy and enthusiasm of Chino is high, and the atmosphere in the crowd is equally excited. As his silhouette bounds across the stage throughout, thanking us for coming and commenting on what a great day it’s been “filled with beautiful people and beautiful music”, I’m grateful to finally be seeing a band who’ve meant so much to me over the years, for whom my love has long outlasted that t-shirt guy… And, hearing 50,000 people yell “Shove It, Shove It, Shove It!” in unison along with the band, so long after it initially blasted through the earphones of my CD walkman, is pretty special.
So, thank you All Points East for curating what felt like a really special day all round. A wonderful mix of nostalgia and completely fresh new music, the organisers have managed to balance showcasing established ‘legends’ and bigger names, whilst giving a platform to newer, upcoming bands; and all who seem perfectly in-keeping with the mood of the day, building up to Deftones’ headline set.
Words: @marigetinherears
Photos: @khaliphotography (Mannequin Pussy), @perry_gibson (Amyl & The Sniffers)
Get In Her Ears 