We report from All Points East festival in Victoria Park, London on Friday 23 August
NewDad (★★★☆☆) deliver what is an almost-hometown show for the London-based Irish band on the festival’s East Stage. They open to an admittedly sparse early crowd that has grown considerably by the time they close with the title track of their debut album Madra. It’s a solid offering of lo-fi shoegaze, with the hints of their major influence The Cure clear across the set, despite the set being blighted with technical issues with singer Julie Dawson’s guitar.
In the Cupra Tent, The Kills (★★★☆☆) provided a more heavy offering than most of this year’s line-up. The duo, singer Alison Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince, ran through a set heavy on last year’s God Games. Despite the grittiness of the songs and the enthusiasm of Mosshart’s delivery, there’s a slickness to the performance that undermines the material. It’s perhaps a consequence of Mosshart and Hince performing to a backing by drum tracks and samples that it feels at times stagnant.
Back on the East Stage, alternative music veterans Pixies (★★☆☆☆), led by vocalist Black Francis, get a muted response from the growing crowds – at least until they pull out their hits (or rather, some of them). Whether it is the band matching the crowd’s energy or vice versa, there’s a feeling of a band going through the motions. The absence of crowd-favourite Debaser doesn’t help matters but Here Comes Your Man puts a bit more life back into the set and their classic track Where Is My Mind? finds the band and crowd finally seeing somewhat eye to eye.
The pick of All Points East’s offerings across six days of was always, undoubtedly today’s headliners LCD Soundsystem (★★★★★), a band with history with the festival, featuring in its debut season in 2018. They delivered a career-spanning set with front-man and band founder James Murphy crooning into his distinctive retro-styled microphone. Afforded more time than their recent set subbing Dua Lipa on the Pyramid stage, they’re also met with an audience there for them rather than the popstar who’s following them – you can feel the difference in mood in the crowd who have come ready to dance to the band’s signature style that merges rock, dance and electronic music. Oh Baby, a lesser-played track which opened their Glastonbury set, is a stand-out moment as is the ultimate set closer All My Friends which sees Murphy and the All Point East belting the refrain in unison. ‘Where are your friends tonight?’ it asks – they’re here.
