Day 5 at All Points East: Dermot Kennedy expertly serenades a crowd of adoring fan

 

TEN DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE IN EAST LONDON

FRIDAY 18 AUGUST > MONDAY 28

 AUGUST

 

MUSIC FESTIVAL, FREE COMMUNITY MIDWEEK ENTERTAINMENT

Including Outdoor Cinema, Live Music, Sports & Wellbeing, Kids & Family Activities and many more!

 

SUNDAY 20 AUGUST > WEDNESDAY 23 AUGUST

www.allpointseastfestival.com

Dermot Kennedy, Olivia Dean, Chromeo, and AURORA brought sunshine sounds, mystical pop and aching ballads to Luno Presents All Points East 2023 as east London’s celebrated music festival continues.

 

Four years after he had propped up Mumford and Sons’ bill, singing sensation Dermot Kennedy returned to All Points East to show why the pole position is now his. 

 

Backed by a string section and choir, Kennedy conjured a heartfelt communion. “If you take one thing from this music, it’s to cherish the people who care about you,” declared Irish troubadour to a rapt and passionate crowd. 

 

Delving into his hit catalogue, the singer treated fans to the powerful widescreen rush of hits ‘Power Over Me’ and ‘Don’t Forget Me’, and more intimate moments, such as ‘Innocence and Sadness’ (“This song came into my life at the right time… these were words and a message I needed to hear,” he told the crowd). 

 

Kennedy’s rich rasp captivated the audience. Declaring the performance “a dream” show, phone torches were held aloft for ‘After Rain’, and a climax was reached through the likes of ‘Outnumbered’ and a closing ‘Something for Someone’ that confirmed a new festival headliner has arrived on the circuit. 

 

A charismatic Olivia Dean touched down on the East Stage with a stunning set that heralded the arrival of a major talent. At one moment, the young Brit was leading her versatile backing band, the next, she was playing solo acoustic guitar or piano. In the process, the versatile artist showcased an effortless musicianship that has underpinned the fine collection of songs that make up her Mercury nominated debut album, Messy.

 

Offering a hip-shaking cover of Kelis’ ‘Millionaire’, the buoyant mood moved seamlessly to poignancy, when she prefaced her song ‘Carmen’: “This is for my granny Carmen, who came to this country…and I’m a product of her bravery. This is my love letter to her and the Windrush Generation, who deserve to be celebrated for what they did for this country.’ Break-up song ‘The Hardest Part’ followed, before ‘Dive’ closed out a show that proved that her partial namesake Olivia Rodrigo better look over her shoulder. 

 

Funk feels were in abundant supply under the canopy of the North Stage, as Canadian duo Chromeo set to work dispensing good vibes to a heaving tent. The Day-Glo charms of ‘Juice’, ‘I Must’ve Been High’ and ‘Night by Night’ kept the carnival atmosphere pumping, but what sent the crowd into overdrive was special guest La Roux. Introduced by the duo as a ‘national treasure’, the temporary trio tore into their recent reworking of La Roux’s ‘Bulletproof’ (renamed ‘Discoproof’) for its debut live performance. 

 

Baroque pop, electro and Scandinavian folk made up the eclectic offerings on the East Stage from the mind of Norwegian sensation AURORA. It made for an utterly bewitching proposition in a set of style and substance. The diminutive artist prefaced the Enya-esque operatics of her song ‘Queendom’ by pumping her fist in the air and declaring, ‘Here comes a song for the gays’. As the song unfurled, AURORA seized the moment, by parading a pride flag around the stage, clasped in her fist. This was followed by an aching ‘Runaway’ and powerful eco-anthem ‘The Seed’. A penultimate ‘Cure For Me’, replete with its irresistible electro-calypso hook, had the audience transfixed. 

 

The nylon strings of Nick Mulvey‘s Spanish guitar and his warm soulful croon made for a honey-sweet proposition on the East Stage. The former Portico Quartet man cut a cheerful figure, smiling, and encouraging crowd participation. They didn’t let him down, as they backed him by harmonising for the pastoral strum of ‘Unconditional’. Mulvey had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he wrapped up with the electric syncopated charge of ‘Juramidam’ and a beautiful ‘Fever To The Form’.

 

James Vincent McMorrow took to the stage alone at All Points East and ushered hushed reverence in awe at his effortless, piercing tenor and warm acoustic tracks.  It was a powerhouse solo show that appeared to affect performer as much as audience. “I’ve missed this,” McMorrow announced mid-set. “I’ve been in the studio. I make music for other people. I didn’t think I wanted to do live shows anymore, but I do.” 

 

Additional highlights from day five of All Points East included Moncrieff, Rachel Chinouriri, Aby Coulibaly, Aine Deane, and more, while the day kicked off on The 6 Music Stage with the sounds courtesy of Flo Dill.

 

Monday night finds pop rock sisters Haim close out All Points East 2023 with a European exclusive show supported by Girl in Red, Confidence Man, Lizzy McAlpine, Tove Lo and more.

 

All Points East

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Day tickets, Multi day tickets, Group tickets and payment plans available.

Available from www.allpointseastfestival.com