Arriving at Victoria Park to the sound of Le Tigre blasting from the sound system by Goddess, I have a feeling it’s going to be a good day… And I’m not wrong!
Ensuring we arrive with plenty of time to nab a beer from one of the (very well staffed and efficiently run) bars before Hastings ones to watch HotWax take to the stage, I’m ready for a day of good vibes and fantastic music from predominantly female artists in the East London park.
Starting bang on time at 3.35pm on the West stage, GIHE faves HotWax kick off their set with the sultry, seething tones of ‘Barbie (Not Yours)’. Looking out at an ever increasing crowd, seemingly consisting of both a large devoted existing fan-base and festival-goers coming across them for the first time, the young trio deliver each immense offering with a truly immersive stage presence – their sparkling, driving energy emanating throughout. As the rich, gravelly vocals of Tallulah flow effortlessly, bassist Lola darts across the stage with a fierce charisma, and drummer Alfie’s pummelling beats pound consistently, and I’m instantly captivated by their visceral power; I can certainly see why they’ve been garnering so much hype over the last few months. Treating us to songs from this year’s EP A Thousand Times, as well as newer songs such as latest single ‘Drop’, HotWax ripple with excitement whilst losing none of their polished-yet-gritty grunge-fuelled sound. “It’s such an honour to be on this stage with so many amazing artists”, Lola gushes at one point, and I can’t help but share their sense of excitement and pride at their recent success – it’s clearly so well-deserved, and I have every confidence that they’ll continuing wowing us with their blistering offerings for a long while yet. Whilst clearly not taking any of it for granted, they ooze a quiet sense of confidence and self assurance that makes it hard not to become utterly engrossed in all they’re creating. Even when they’re told they only have two minutes left, they make every second count; delivering a ferocious rendition of fan-favourite ‘Rip It Out’ to close the set. So, thank you HotWax for kicking off All Points East in style, and thank you to my GIHE team mate Kate for introducing me to this exciting new band… I can’t wait to see and hear more from them very soon!
After a little break with some cajun fries in the sunshine, we make our way to the East stage in time for Nashville’s Be Your Own Pet. Part of their first UK tour in over ten years (and their first time on a festival stage in fifteen), they prove themselves to have lost none of their immense punk-rock energy as front woman Jemima Pearl instantly immerses the crowd in her magnetising charisma, emanating a raw empowering presence throughout. Declaring it a good day – “Trump got arrested and our new album came out” – Pearl leads the way in delivering a gloriously raucous set filled with both classics like ‘Becky‘ and ‘Bicycle, Bicycle‘ and new, but no less exciting, offerings from said album (Mommy). A pretty magnificent return to form from a noughties favourite.
Staying put at the East stage to be spellbound by the beautiful emotion-rich splendour of Angel Olsen, we then head back West to witness the raging ferocity of Amyl and The Sniffers. Having been keen to catch them live for some time now, the Aussie punks exceed expectations. As front woman Amy Taylor’s playful allure and boundless seething energy race throughout each riotous offering, I don’t even mind getting completely soaked to the skin as the heavens open and the crowd – very fittingly – mosh along to ‘Monsoon Rock’. And it doesn’t seem to bother Taylor either – “I had a feeling you’d be getting a bit wet today…”, she jests cheekily, as she continues to swirl around the stage; charming us all with her quirky, effervescent spirit.
After indulging in some tasty vegan macaroni cheese to keep me going, I’m ready to live the dream of seeing total hero Karen O in real life for the first time. And calling the experience dreamy is no exaggeration. The minute the Yeah Yeah Yeahs take to the stage, an all-encompassing majestic splendour takes hold, and I’m left completely under their spell. Whilst they remain refreshingly nostalgic (so many memories of dancing to them at The Pad in Bedford throughout the early noughties), they seem to have mastered staying relevant and truly exciting; creating a live experience like no other. From the surreal, enchanting spectacle of giant eyeballs floating through the crowd, and the band’s refreshing tongue-in-cheek wit throughout (like when O stuffs the mic down her pants), to the heartrending grace and shimmering emotion of ‘Maps’, the “Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ love song” – which O movingly dedicates to the late Sinead O’Connor – it really is the perfect set; a sparkling balance of spine-tingling rippling emotion with fierce, chaotic energy. An experience I’ve been waiting on for twenty years, and won’t be forgetting for another few decades I’m sure.
Whilst The Strokes don’t really fit with our GIHE ethos, what I will say is that I really enjoyed their set. Despite the frustration of not being able to hear everything clearly because of sound issues which were out of the band’s hands, they delivered a fantastic array of favourites, with a joyous energy and slick musicianship.
Mari Lane
@marimindles
Get In Her Ears 