Victoria Park was submerged in scorching sunlight for the Saturday of All Points East. The lineup promised a day of diverse, high quality music and it did not disappoint, for the most part any way.
Our day began with Rex Orange County, the young multi-talented writer, producer and performer who struggled to overcome the poor sound system and win the affection of the rather large crowd. Despite the rejoice that accompanied fan-favourite, 'Loving Is Easy', the crowd seemed disinterested with County's performance, which at times became a little too reminiscent of a wedding band. County was not the only one who failed to win The Rodeo's appreciation however, as Stefflon Don and Lykke Li produced two woeful performances, bland and boring being the best way to describe their sets. However, these three hiccups did not diffuse what was otherwise a superb day of music.
Laura Misch opened the Firestone stage with her set of jazz infused pop, layering her saxophone over synth sounds to accompany her stunning vocal. She performed with confidence, but also with a hint of innocence. It was clear she was enjoying her time on stage shown by the beaming smile she wore throughout the whole set.
We then rushed over to the tented arena, partly to escape from the intense sunlight, but mainly to discover the delights that American alternative outfit, BADBADNOTGOOD, had to offer. What we found was an explosion of noise. A set fueled by fast paced, intense, funky instrumental arrangements, driven forward by the sound of a saxophone. It was a set packed with energy that climaxed in the drummer, and ring-leader, instructing the large crowd to crouch down before exploding upwards as the set came to a defiant close.
From one instrumental band to another, we headed across to the North Stage to watch Soulwax. As we approached, their matching white outfits created a distinct image straight away, which was only reinforced by the outstanding stage production. Three unusual drum kits, each sat under a canopy, formed a triangle around a mass of synth machines. They produced an hour-long set of futuristic electronic dance music spurred forward by the pounding drums, a performance which had the crowd in awe and constantly moving.
Then it was time for 2017's Mercurcy Prize winner, Sampha, over on the main stage. Sampha's voice carried well and sounded exquisite. However, he seemed to be swallowed up by the colossal size of the main stage and struggled to get to grips with the performance aspect of the set, looking relatively awkward when not playing an instrument. The next act certainly knew how to perform however.
Throughout each song, Lorde had her game face on, performing each song with intensity and emotion, even engaging in cute dance routines with her posse of dancers during some of the newer songs, including 'The Louvre', where she was raised high into the sky, looking like a Queen on her throne. However, once each track ended a wide smile broke through and her youth showed, as she could not hold back her excitement. She performed with an air of invincibility, charisma coursing through her veins as she raced through hit after hit. She took a moment to slow things down however, performing the beautiful, sincere, 'Liability', sat on the edge of the stage, this being the only moment where this pop princess appeared vulnerable. She quickly returned to her godlike state however, taking the crowd on a trip, performing the all-conquering 'Perfect Places' before launching into the glitter infused banger, 'Green Light'. Before the glorious conclusion, Lorde instructed the crowd to let any jealousy, rage, excitement, any emotion out and use up any energy that was left, which the crowd duly did under a shower of confetti.
As Lorde left the stage the crowd rushed over to see the headliners, The xx, who were already a couple of songs into their show. At times, it felt as if the thousands of people watching were intruding on a romantic evening for The xx's two singers, whilst Jamie stood in the back, serving up some hot instrumental dishes. However, the chemistry of Romy and Oliver, propelled by Jamie's brilliance, is what makes The xx so popular. Their Gothic romance pop music is both haunting yet beautiful, whilst the pop sound of their latest record provided the opportunity to dance. The light show also added to the atmosphere, as did the lightening that surrounded the stage, creating a dramatic backdrop for what was a glorious set.
All Points East was truly a delight. The line up was diverse and packed with talent, the staff friendly and the audience there simply to have a good time.
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