Split over seven terrific stages, Wide Awake’s thoughtfulness in planning their placement was evident. They were all reasonably distanced to get to and from each, which made it more seamless to navigate. No legging it at top speed to get miles away to maybe catch the last minute of a set here! The positions of the stages minimised sound clashes as I couldn’t hear other stage performances at any of them. Each felt like it’s own little world.
Every stage could easily have been all ‘headliners’ at any chosen moment in time, the quality of music was consistently outstanding, exciting, and varied.
Between the stages were plentiful paths of stalls and inspiring creatives. You could browse merch and records with legendary Rough Trade, and unique and influential Third Man Records. Learn from and support Music Declares Emergency who reminded us ‘There Is No Music On A Dead Planet’. Glitter up your faces with the sustainable and environmentally conscious My Lilac Rose to get in full festival culture mode showing off a painted face to shimmer under the sun.
The first band I saw were Deep Tan on the Disco Pogo Stage, an intimate size stage yet with a lot of standing space with an all day crowd around it. For a 12.30 slot just after the gates had opened they had a substantial and adoring audience. The super cool new wave goths were just right to kick everything off, exhilarating and cool, sensual and rocking hard, intense yet dreamy.
The New Eves were next up for me on the Shacklewell Arms x So Young Stage. The tent was bursting at the seams for everyone to hear their magic. They cast their spellbinding unapologetic poetry via cello, violin, and flute alongside guitar and central sounding drums, with vocals which sound both rustic yet emotionally poignant. Expect any venue The New Eves play in to continue to burst those seams. They are phenomenal.
Hannah Diamond followed on the Moth Club x Wonderland Stage, which from the outside looked like the classic festival dance tent. Her stage was adorned with beautiful big pink bows, as were much of the front of her audience who were definitely big fans, singing and dancing along to every word while wearing their iconic bright pink and purposely cute outfits. It was a fun time, and Hannah was clearly enjoying herself.
So from new wave, to spellbinding folk, to pure pink dance-pop, we turn back to the Disco Pogo Stage for a punk riot with the Lambrini Girls. They have never – and I guarantee will never – do a show to forget. This band know how to rally up an audience and get them eating from the palm of their hands. All eyes were on them from start to end. A vigorously captivating, politically engaging wild ride of pure raw punk. Songs about transphobia, queerness, toxic masculinity and the state of much of the world were brought to life in intelligent, hard-hitting songs to jump around to. It didn’t take long for singer Phoebe “I’m Jason Derulo” Lunny to be standing on shoulders in the crowd after finding their ‘gay legend’. Always a band to experience live.
For an entirely different direction altogether in how to front a band, Dry Cleaning played on the Wide Awake x KEXP Stage. Their post-punk unconventional spoken word style could be expected to not be heard clearly in a festival setting, but what a foolish assumption to make as front woman Florence Shaw so eloquently presided over all of us with her set of mind boggling brilliant lyrics. They were such a highlight, and it was special to see a South London formed band in their local Brockwell Park, Florence mentioned how they walked down the street to the festival.
Experimental, electronic, ethereal vocalist Eartheater captured another packed tent in the Mothclub x Wonderland Stage. A fascinating mix of genre blending which cover so many sounds, yet the one constant is a pure and powerful vocal which sounds like no other. Eartheater is a really unique artist and it was brilliant to see so many people experiencing alternative pop live. This is precisely what Wide Awake does, they find artists born for live performance and we get to soak them all up in an exciting environment, lucky us! It was in the same tent where Alice Glass later played, a defining voice in pop culture with instantly recognisable vocals, she performed an arrestingly visceral set.
As the day was nearing the end, the legendary Slowdive with icon Rachel Goswell on guitar and vocals took to the Desert Daze x Bad Vibes x Manchester Psych Fest Stage, to soundtrack a fading sun with some of the best backing on screen visuals of the day. Dreamy and immaculate, they showcase their musicianship and standard of excellence in everything they do. It’s a privilege to see such a formative and musically important band.
As the hot air of the day started to go and be replaced with a slight evening chill, the environment suited their sound. Wide Awake placed their set perfectly, a warm familiarity yet remaining cutting edge after all these years. A massive highlight.
After the blissful daydream of Slowdive, and nearing the tenth hour of being on my feet, the energy and joy of Wide Awake kept me dancing for Byrne’s Night, (a collaborative celebration of Scotland’s David Byrne of Talking Heads, and poet Robert Burns of which Burns Night is a special Scottish celebration). New Orleans powerhouse Alli Logout from punk band Special Interest blew everyone’s minds with her voice and rendition of Psycho Killer. She was INCREDIBLE. Joining the collective were also Asha Lorenz from rock band Sorry, Sarah Meth, Charlotte Adigéry, Theo Bleak, Nikki Belfiglio the fabulous front woman of Bodega, Joni Samuels from the brilliant Fräulein, and a packed stage of many other talents all singing Talking Heads songs. It was extraordinary fun.
A £10 deposit is already available to secure a ticket for Wide Awake 2025.