Festival Review: Parklife 2025
Manchester's sprawling urban rave-up, Parklife brings the party back to the manicured lawns of Heaton Park to kick off the summer.
This year, a stacked line-up has thrown together pop titans, rap heavyweights, and house stalwarts bringing a delicious disorder only a festival of this scale can truly master. Weather wise Saturday was mixed - transparent rain ponchos, pop-up umbrellas and waterproof jackets set the trend for a day plagued by erratic blasts of sun and sudden heavy downpours. One particularly wet turn had a cluster of screaming fans sprinting away from The Hangar where Nautica span their fresh take on UK garage. But despite the clouds, a heady mix of club anthems, R&B bliss and rap throwbacks was forecast across various stages.
Weaving atmospheric pop gems by the likes of Lana Del Rey and Lorde is by no means an easy feat, but for Sim0ne it was just another day at the office. Having schooled herself on music production during the Covid-19 pandemic, the former model is known for infusing house and techno into her energetic sets. Invoking the blunt force of noughties trance, ‘Halo’ prescribed a heavy dose of heartbreak to the Matinee stage soundtracked to a throbbing EDM beat. The Scottish DJ commanded attention when she chopped up 'Outer Space' by The Prodigy and 'Reach Out' by Plastic Dreams, but sprinkling in Kichta's glossy techno edit of 'When I Grow Up' by The Pussycat Dolls was a masterful move, proving this diva knew how to throw a party.
And what better way to kickstart the weekend than spending an hour with the Happiest Man in Dance Music? Emerging seconds after Sim0ne's exit, Australian DJ Yasmina Angele presented limitless optimism, a beaming smile and a mission to bring fun back to club music. Rock & metal fans have always been known for being welcoming, but as MALUGI, Angele wants to bring this strong sense of community to dance music.
Following a stint of Club Heart Broken club nights, a healing haven he toured with Marlon Hoffstadt, larger stages beckoned – enter Parklife. Making a play for Kevin Parker fans, he slid a high-octane rework of 'The Less I Know The Better' by Tame Impala into the mix after his very own 'Don't Stop The Party'. However there was far more fervour for other hits as opposed to his originals, a distinct difference to Sim0ne's audacious palate. In spite of this, MALUGI certainly retained his crown as the Happiest Man in Dance Music drawing a huge crowd to the Matinee stage.
Emerging as one of the most exciting forces in contemporary R&B, FLO has rapidly captivated audiences with their seamless harmonies and undeniable swagger. This London-based trio, comprised of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer, has quickly established themselves as a formidable presence, effortlessly blending nostalgic Y2K R&B influences with a fresh, modern sensibility. Stellar vocal performances threw 'In My Bag' and enigmatic closer 'I'm Just A Girl' front and centre, showcasing the skills of the best R&B trio since Destiny's Child.
As one of the UK’s most successful dance acts in the last decade, nobody has earnt their place on The Valley stage more than electronic three-piece Rudimental. Breaking through with their 2013 hit ‘Feel The Love’, they single handedly brought bass back into the charts. In recent years they have trifled with garage on ‘Break My Heart’ and released collaborations featuring Tiesto, Khalid and Skepsis. On record, they thrive by doing the most, using every instrument that they can get their hands on.
Yet this time around they gutted the live elements, instead cobbling together a triumphant chunk of their discography on the decks paired with classics from Basement Jaxx, Coolio and Benny Benassi. Unfortunately no amount of pyrotechnics and strobe lights could replace the high bar they have set themselves from previous shows, where live trumpets, drums, vocalists and guitars provided ‘Feel The Love’ and ‘Waiting All Night’ with a punchier more human impact.
Some could think that after a rousing set from Rudimental that Jorja Smith could slow things down, perhaps as a winsome antidote to in-your-face bass – however they would be mistaken. Ever since her debut album Lost & Found, the Walsall singer has been fighting off those pigeon holing her as the new Adele, genre-hopping from garage to dancehall easily thanks to her butter-smooth vocals and having big names like AJ Tracey, Preditah and Burna Boy on speed dial.
Her best performance lay in the glimmering warped siren call of 'Blue Lights' where she prowled the stage breezily displaying the easy-going nature of someone popping to Tesco for a pint of milk. While Smith appeared cool, she effortlessly took hold of an active audience. She showcased her stunning vocals on sentimental singalong 'Teenage Fantasy' and swivelled her hips for bubbly dance tracks 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things'. Carrying the torch for the future of contemporary soul, Jorja Smith won over the hearts of Parklife transforming a main stage slot into a wonderfully intimate performance.
On the subject of vocals, rapper 50 Cent has been active vocally in almost every art form other than music. Producer of a recent serial killer docu-series, author of thriller novel and co-creator of crime-thriller TV show ‘Power’, despite no signs of a new album there is no denying the Queens-born hip-hop stalwart has been busy. He has even found time to actively criticise Diddy on social media regularly following the sexual assault allegations made against him, even winning the rights to produce a Netflix documentary to delve into the case further.
Thankfully, Saturday night at The Valley stage did not belong to Diddy or any of the miscellaneous projects listed prior, 50 Cent knew exactly what we wanted – but did he deliver? Following a dramatic countdown, he arrived with a staggering amount of his very best such as 'In Da Club', 'Candy Shop', 'P.I.M.P', 'Just A Lil Bit' and '21 Questions'. Other surprises included his Justin Timberlake collaboration 'Ayo Technology' and a welcome live return for his Mann feature 'Buzzin' which he last played in 2023. Decades on from his debut record, 50 Cent reminded us that his hip-hop legacy shows no signs of fading.
Shuffling into Sunday, the weather was uneven but thankfully didn't spark any major issues. However those hoping to see Josh Baker and Chris Stussy later in the day were left disappointed. The Matinee stage was closed early at 6:30pm with a message on the Parklife app stating "Upon advice of the PL safety team, the show on the Matinee stage has been paused. We will update ASAP."
Thankfully there was plenty more to see like D.O.D, you can see why he was given the Axwell stamp of approval. Spiralling piano house anthem ‘Still Sleepless’ emerged as a sleeper hit in 2024 a whole three years after the release of the track. His lively slot was peppered with an arsenal of old-school anthems to take on KISSTORY – expertly mixed and shot through with 90’s nostalgia.
Many DJs value structure, practice makes perfect especially when developing and rehearsing a set to win audiences over. However structure is not a trait that concerned Marc Rebillet. Nicknamed ‘Loop Daddy’ by fans, a title he has welcomed with open arms, he crafted audacious musical arrangements in real time. His devilish blend of nonchalant charisma and wicked sense of humour is essential to making this work and served as the key to unlock these off-the-cuff creations.
The most exciting part is this means no two shows are the same – for Parklife he sported little more than a pair of blue boxers as he screamed "it's three thirty!" which he instantly looped into a bouncy bass wobble. Known to many punters as a Tik-Tok sensation, to label him this seems reductive. His sets are entirely dependent on audience interaction with him asking the crowd which sounds they liked best "One, two or three?" to which three was confirmed as the most popular choice.
A raucous chant of "get your ass out", a slow zoom of his crotch followed by some 80's Halloween synths all in 90 seconds was by far the most chaotic sequence of the show. When he wasn't making loops, he kicked over an array of colourful inflatable shapes that surrounded him or encouraged wild fan interactions ranging from pep talking a fan to come and scream on a song to labelling one a "good boy". Easily the most unserious man in dance music, Rebillet proved improvisation can be cool.
A far more conventional affair, dance collective Girls Don’t Sync have become a mainstay in UK festival line-ups over the years. Made up of Matty Chiabi, Sophia Violet, Gaia Ahuja and Hannah Lynch, the group will often switch between different members who all contribute to the mix throughout their sets in unique ways. And most importantly, they are constantly moving, dancing and hyping up the crowd juggling dancehall, garage and house. They spliced in celebrated classics from Duke Dumont, Daniel Bedingfield and Robin S. They also enjoyed handing out their own exclusive Parklife merch and Don Julio Anejo tequila shots to fans – generous touches which helped win over a young crowd.
For those lucky enough to have witnessed the Confidence Man set at Parklife, it was clear that their name isn't just a label, they embody it as a mission statement. Much like the daring spectacle of Janet Planet and Sugar Bones dancing nude in a helicopter for their "I CAN'T LOSE YOU" video, their live show was a masterclass in uninhibited, bubbly euphoria – a testament to the infectious energy fans have come to gush over since their breakout appearances at Boiler Room sets and Glastonbury.
Firing off on all cylinders with 'Now U Do' and 'I CAN'T LOSE YOU' their iconic goofy choreography was back with a vengeance. They weren't the only signature components to return, Janet Planet sported her white cone bra and Sugar Bones donned his flashing shoulder pads for the 80's indebted 'Feels Like A Different Thing' and a large screen looped laser pigeons flapping around on a technicolour dancefloor visual 'COOL Party'. Unforgettable and wildly entertaining, Confidence Man continue to up the stakes with a jubilant victory lap.
Ahead of the long-awaited headliner, two different DJ duos took over The Hangar stage. Jonas and Leo equals DJ Heartstring who are a self-professed “nightmare for techno purists” as they incorporated the cheesiest elements of Eurodance into techno music. Highlights included their take on Ciara’s ‘1,2 Step’ which constructed a more aggressive take while maintaining the signature melody of the original. The next duo on the menu was Overmono, comprised of brothers Tom & Ed Russell. Typical ingredients of their sets include rave, breakbeat and UK Hardcore, yet nothing is typical about the pair. Emotive cuts like ‘So Good’ and ‘Calling Out’ lent them an edge in a landscape where often the big beat manifesto is the only option.
In other news, brat summer is over, who is Brat summer? Never heard of her. Lime green is dead, burn those white strappy tops with a Bic lighter – this is the narrative Charli XCX has been touting for some time following what you might call a reasonably successful year for her. Her flimsy attitude towards the end of her most iconic era regularly flips as quickly as the on-again off-again relationship of Ross & Rachel in Friends, see-sawing between playfully confronting headlines declaring the trend dead and outright killing brat summer on social media with a solemn “goodbye forever brat summer” last September. But no matter how many times she denounces the end of Brat, behind the icon the music never misses.
The unveiling of a burnt and bruised brat wall heralded the arrival of the '365' Shygirl remix - enter Charli XCX strutting down a catwalk for Shygirl's verse. "Last year it was Brat summer, is it gonna happen again this year? You think?" she asked slyly before dropping 'Sympathy is a Knife" from what she dubbed "that green album". As usual her matter-of-fact flirtation with continuing the brat summer era would be frustrating if it wasn't so entertaining.
Dedicated to the girls and the gays, the machine-gun synths of 'Vroom Vroom' was an assault for the senses, a hyper-pop fan favourite that has earnt its flowers. The eagle-eyed would notice the metal drainage grates in the centre of the stage which could only mean one thing – the dramatic storm that compliments the epic 'Track 10'. As expected the rainfall came right on queue and the Essex starlet thrashed around in a puddle and whipped her sodden hair for the thrilling climax of her iconic Pop 2 closer.
On anyone else, this heightened level of self-assuredness could look arrogant - yet it’s her brand, rebellion is her mantra. Whether shoving over the camera during 'Von Dutch' or ruminating how fucked up friendship can be before 'girl so confusing', being imperfect and a little bit messy has never been more endearingly relatable.
Of the 2 days, Saturday definitely offered more variety for those looking for a bit of everything. Flo commanded with sultry R&B numbers, Jorja Smith blessed us with neo-soul bliss and 50 Cent reminded us he is one of the biggest hip-hop heavyweights. Sunday certainly had a lot to see with spectacularly improvised antics from Marc Rebillet, a serving of stellar moves and electro grooves a la Confidence Man and of course pop music's favourite troublemaker Charli XCX. Yet at times it lacked the range that made the first day far more accessible, catering to a larger pool of fans - but collectively amidst the inevitable Manchester drizzle and glorious bursts of sunshine, Parklife delivered another hedonistic weekend of pure, unadulterated escapism, cementing its status as the North's quintessential summer shindig.
Words by Oliver Evans
