All Points East is always a good idea, especially when Tame Impala are headlining
When the video intro to Tame Impala melts into a chaotic, perpetually reverberating feedback and you question if it’s your brain- you know you’ve pushed it too far.
Our second day at All Points East was another success. I’ve said it already and I’ll say it again, this year’s overall essence is just 10X better.
You can chat to randomers, all having the time of their life. All there with the same objective of catching Tame Impala mixed with a scattering of debauched fun in the run up.
You see, festivals can have a tendency to feel forced. So much sensual stimuli that you just retreat into your own head and have an internal nightmare party you try to mask with a two-step and a smile.
This was far from the case yesterday with Tame Impala, at Gorillaz, or I imagine, for the remainder of their dates with headliners Disclosure and Nick Cave.
It’s obvious when you boil it down, there’s a simplicity in manageable bar queues, short walks to all the stages and lineups that have you reminiscing your youth and excited for the future.
To be able to fully live outside yourself for a day and be truly grateful for everything around you is rare.
Disclaimer, I’m writing this 37,000 feet in the air, above the clouds on the way to Morocco, but I promise this isn’t the altitude talking.
Listen, I’m not sure I should write this, but often the best thing you can explore is the stories of the people there. And All Points East draws a pretty decent crowd. But I should touch on the music, I suppose.
Here’s who I’d give my overall praise to-
- GOAT were weirdly wonderful and scared my brother’s sensitised brain with their masks.
- MYD kneaded out a fair share of festival bangers to alleviate the dread of the full morning of rain
- Working Mens Club catered to the edgy herd with their thumping indie techno tracks and agitated stage presence.
- Tame Impala were the colourful blast of optimism you expected, with confetti cannons and the classics that make a rare live appearance in the UK as express by Kevin himself, “Well, we finally made it back to London. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been f***ing waiting for this”. A little quiet though.
We’ll be covering a few more shows including Disclosure tonight and then heading over to Cala Mijas in Spain.
Follow us for the updates. May even cover some snake charming from here in sunny Marrakesh.