Top 5: Music Festivals in London This Summer
I mean sure, there's literally snow on the ground right now, but to be honest what better reason is there than that to start dreaming of summer? This year, The Tung will be hitting a record number of festivals right here in our very own capital city, and we couldn't be more excited about it. There are a lot of them on offer in London from May through to July, and it can be tough to decide where to spend your time and money. With that in mind we decided to whittle the options down a little so that you can make informed decisions about which festivals you should be hitting over the sunnier months. Let's get into it...
What: Gala
Where: Peckham Rye Park
When: Sunday 27th May
Gala has evolved pretty rapidly since its inception 3 years ago but nonetheless, it remains true to its ideology – an intimate one-day party with great food and great music. 2018 sees their biggest line-up yet and is one that is receiving plenty of plaudits for its genre diversity. Big names such as Midland, Derrick Carter, Honey Dijon and Maurice Faulton have been added to the ranks along with GALA regulars Horse Meat Disco and Norman Jay MBE. This year also marks a change of venue for the festival from Brockwell Park to Peckham Rye Park, a move that has paved the way for collaborations with Peckham’s own Brick Brewery and label Rhythm Section. We can’t wait to be Honest Burger in hand, with Bradley Zero on the ones and twos, savouring the fact that the following day is a Bank Holiday.
What: All Points East
Where: Victoria Park
When: 25th - 27th May
All Points East Festival is a brand new festival taking over Victoria Park. The line-up has us practically dribbling, with headline performances from LCD Soundsystem (Friday), The XX (Saturday) and Björk (Sunday). Yep, we were speechless to when we first read who we'd be seeing in the last weekend in May, and that was before we'd even clocked the rest: Beck, Lorde, Justice, Sampha, Kelela, Young Fathers, BadBadNotGood Superorganism, Chromeo, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and so so many more. Oh, AND there’ll be London summer festival exclusive sets from The Black Madonna, Hunee, Omar S and Shanti Celeste. The festival is the first part of a ten-day event, and is followed by a four-day Tower Hamlets community-focused programme culminating in a performance from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on 3rd June. This being the brainchild of promoter extraordinaires Goldenvoice UK, All Points East promises to be one of the biggest and best events of the summer.
What: Junction 2
Where: Boston Manor Park
When: 9th June
For those of you who are looking for something a little more genre-focused, we think Junction 2 might be just the festival for you. Now in its third year, it’s an electronic music festival with a simple message: great sound, high-end production, an obsessive attention to detail, no short sets, no VIP, no plastic tents, and like-minded people. The biggest draw of all, as it should be, is the rock-solid electronic music policy: across five stages Junction 2 are welcoming the likes of Nina Kraviz, Carl Cox, Dixon, Joy Orbison, and Maya Jane Cole to the decks. Taking place at Boston Manor Park, the festival merges natural beauty, green fields, rambling rivers, woodland pathways and hidden enclaves, all dominated by striking industrial features. It's a little oasis in the midst of all the big city madness.
What: Field Day
Where: Brockwell Park
When: 1st & 2nd June
This year Field Day is re-expanding into a two-day festival, packed full to the brim with boundary-pushing artists for its first edition in its new venue, Brockwell Park. Keen not to be outdone by last year’s extraordinary Aphex Twin booking, this year they’ve continued to bring in the big guns by inviting neo-soul superstar Erykah Badu to headline the Friday. The Barn, which launched at Field Day last year, will make a welcome return on the Saturday, and will play host to the likes of Four Tet (live), Nils Frahm, and Floating Points. As if all that wasn’t enough, keep a look out for UK festival exclusives from Cornelius and Fever Ray, plus sets from Princess Nokia. Madlib, and Mount Kimbie (live). Field Day pride themselves on the state of the art sound and lighting they bring to the table, so this should be one to remember.
What: Lovebox
Where: Gunnersbury Park
When: 13th & 14th July
After last year’s bumper crop of bookings - including Frank Ocean, Solange, and Jame xx to name but a few - it's difficult to imagine this year’s lineup topping it. But have no fear, because it looks like they’ve done just that - headlining this year are Childish Gambino, Skepta and N.E.R.D. Like many of this year’s London festivals, Lovebox is undergoing a venue shake-up and will be moving from Victoria Park to Gunnersbury Park, where festival-goers will become acquainted with the likes of SZA, Mura Masa, The Internet, The Blaze, and Cashmere Cat. Lovebox has always been one of our favourites, and if the line-ups anything to go by, our affection for it won’t be waning anytime soon.
Image credit: John Lubbock
