Festival Review: Chase + Status /// All Points East // August 2025
All Points East: Chase & Status 2025 had that perfect mix of sun, sweat, and basslines… the kind that make you forget you paid £8 for a lukewarm pint. Well, nearly forget.
Things kicked off with jungle veterans Shy FX & Nia Archives, with the latter serving up a drum ’n’ bass appetiser that had the packed crowd bouncing before the main courses even hit the stage. Her set leaned less on cuts from her 2024 Silence Is Loud album, and more on pure pulse-raising energy. By the time she stepped fully into the spotlight, the arena was buzzing. Highlights included a jungle-fuelled “Paper Planes” remix that shook the tent from corner to corner, before she doubled down with her own high-energy selections. “Baianá” sent the crowd into a frenzy, and through it all Nia commanded the stage, grinning like she knew she had us hooked.
The day rolled on with Joy Orbison, who slid in with underground favourites and sent “Flight FM” into lift-off mode. Later, the East Stage transformed into its own atmospheric bubble with Overmono, who delivered mixes perfectly timed with the sunset. Their spacey build-ups drifted across Victoria Park like a summer haze before snapping into focus with remixes of Central Cee, Lil Yachty, and Don Toliver. “So U Kno” swayed the crowd into euphoric unity, while “Zip Code” hit like a hammer moments later. With extended remixes that bent time itself, Overmono carried the audience on a journey that was part rave, part daydream.
Over on the West Stage, Sammy Virji proved distance doesn’t kill hype. He drew a serious crowd; no surprise given the breakout year he’s been enjoying. Though the sound started a little quiet, it hit full stride by the time “Find My Way Home” rattled the speakers. Pyros and trumpets gave his set a carnival flair, while “Victory Lap” might have been the hardest drop of the evening. The Doechii, Fred Again & Skepta remix whipped the crowd into chaos, before Virji dialled things down, returning to house roots and steering into a somber finale as the sun dipped. It was a surprisingly tender close to what had been a fireworks display of UKG energy.
Speaking of fireworks, Chase & Status closed the night like generals leading an army. Their set exploded with a Travis Scott “Hyaena” sample and never once took its foot off the gas. Lasers sliced through the night like sci-fi weaponry, drums thundered without mercy, and every remix landed like an uppercut. “Backbone” rattled the ground just as fireworks burst overhead, delivering pure festival catharsis: loud, euphoric, and everything you came for. Surprise appearances from Flowdan, Trigga, and Tom Grennan kept the adrenaline high to the very end. Everyone left knowing they’d witnessed a proper finale to a day dedicated to dance music in all its forms. For years, All Points East has championed eclectic sounds; and 2025 was no different.
Words by Alex Peters
Photo Credit: Jennifer McCord, Bethan Miller, IsahShaPhotography
