Festival Review: Stormzy - All Points East Festival // Victoria Park, London // August 2023
All Points East had a powerful performance from Stormzy on the main stage on Friday night. Filled with warmth, style and finesse, Stormzy stormed. From fireworks, fire and torrential rain, Stormzy loved All Points East and All Points East loved him right back.
Here in Victoria Park we are waiting for Stormzy, it feels like the entire city of London is here ready to enjoy the evening ahead. The set design on the stage is soft and inviting with beautiful silk drapes surrounding the stage, the spotlight being tested and beaming across the stage in preparation. Everyone here is unbelievably excited, I met lots of fans who have been there since the beginning and some who joined the clan from the Louis Theroux documentary. I took my Dad along with me to this show, a 61 year old and he adores Stormzy, no matter what time you became a fan of Stormzy, you are welcomed in with open arms.
“Fire + Water” starts playing and out walks Stormzy and the festival screams back at him, he is joined by an incredible group of singers all darned in retro burgundy leather jackets, with mustard lights, everything feels cool - very cool. He starts going through his most recent album “This Is What I Mean”. Joined by Debbie who sings so effortlessly alongside Stormzy, her vocals smooth, strong and with ease.
As he continues he says, “You have changed my life. changed my family's life, I will never stop saying thank you”, his grateful and soft persona shines through the now-falling rain. He roars into “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”, supported by the festival singing it back to him and he is genuinely so grateful to be where he is, it radiates over the crowd. He says, “I can’t believe there’s this many people…London I love you from the bottom of my heart. I know every artist says that but this is my hometown...I will love you till the day I die and I’ll never stop saying ‘thank you’.”
A birthday shout-out to Marcus in the crowd was a coliseum of people pretending to be Marcus frantically waving their arms on people’s shoulders to get a chance with Stormzy while Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday to ya gets played.
This Is What I Mean is such a great track and he talks about how this album reflects a specific time in his life, when he was living a lot in solitude and figuring out his thoughts and feelings and looking into himself - stillness.
He says, “This is what I mean came from about stillness in a world filled with distractions, a world that is built to distract you, the main goal is to know yourself.” The music for “Take me to the Water” envelopes over the festival site and this song feels healing, people are singing their own song and the harmonies are filling the sky. I found myself feeling so peaceful and held, it was a magical special moment for Stormzy and the audience.
Stormzy has disappeared backstage while the lights are being moved and Sampha comes out singing and holding us all in his hands with his powerful vocals.
Soon enough, the stage is blackout and the singers have left. All we see is DJ Tiiny center stage and we all know we’re about to be amazed.
Stormzy is bounding across the stage, jumping and rapping with everything he has. He is topless in the down pouring rain from the heavens as Big For Your Boots, Know Me From and Toxic Trait gets bass blasted to a jumping festival for 30 minutes. The fire and the red flashing lights coming from the stage is hot and this performance is on fire, he is fierce, powerful and strong.
I found myself in a mosh pit full of women having the time of their lives, smiling and jumping as high as they can. It was exhilarating, with thumping bass, and our hearts ablaze in this second act of the show.
The finale of the fantastic show had a beautiful gospel of Blinded by Your Grace, filled with cataclysmic harmonies and even more rain! Everyone left with the biggest smiles, good memories and an even greater love for Stormzy.
All Points East is on for another weekend with The Strokes, and Jungle headlining so be sure to get those last-minute tickets - I promise it will be worth it!
Words by Hannah Kane
Photography provided by The Outside Organisation // Photo credit: @khaliphotography
