Disclosure bring feverish fun to Saturday at All Points East

Yesterday, Saturday 27^th August, it was all about dancing at All Points East in Victoria Park, East London. The lineup was, as always, rather impressive, including big names of the calibre of James Blake and Charlie XCX, as well as less known but very promising artists like HER and Guernsey-born electronic music producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mura Masa.

The most remarkable set was played by HER, an American RnB singer-songwriter and musician, who released her debut EP, HER Volume 1 in 2016, followed by four subsequent EPs. On the Ray-Ban West Stage, she confidently displayed her musical talent, and her fans basked in her skills. Wearing her signature sunglasses, she took the venue by storm, transitioning from electric guitar to piano to drums throughout the course of just one song, all while managing to hit whistle notes. She was supported by her amazing band, including two singers (one of them a 17-year-old!) who weren’t afraid to share the space with a voice that can only be described as breathtaking. One of the highlights of the set was a cover of Daniel Caesar’s famous song Best Part. It was obvious that people were happy to be there, and the whole concert was a joyful shared experience.

Right before the end of the last song, the crowd literally ran to the other side of the park to catch the start of Charli XCX’s performance on the main stage. Accompanied by two vogueing background dancers, Charli dazzled with skin-baring costumes and body-rolling choreography that competed for attention with a digital video screen and various sound effects: a sensory overload. She started with Lightning and said goodbye to an adoring crowd with Good Ones – both great choices. The artist gifted her fans with 1999 (the song featuring Troye Sivan) and Nintendo-core Boys, which she dedicated to “all the gay boys in the crowd”. It was, in a word, a party.

It was no coincidence that some people, probably in need of a recharge, decided to stay behind and get some “rest” before the main headliner, Disclosure, started at 9.25pm. This is probably why James Blake’s set was relatively empty compared to Charli’s. He is not an easy artist to listen to (or watch) live, but the music is undoubtedly unique and has the power to make listeners dance and cry at the same time. Blake himself was also completely on form, willing to engage in banter with the audience one moment and lay his soul bare with his most personal songs the next.

Finally, it was the turn of Disclosure, the brotherly duo formed by Guy and Howard Lawrence. The combination in concert is an experience for all; those who have gone without knowing their music have the same amount of fun as avid fans. The music is feverish and, although their hooks can be repetitive, their beats are ultimately appealing. The live performance and the eagerness of the crowd to be open and fun were a welcome to anyone who loves music and a good time. After an hour-and-a-half of crazy dancing, the show came to an end with the most amazing of surprises: Sam Smith came out to perform Latch and fireworks went off – a great ending to a great evening.

Diletta Lobuono
Photos: Ambra Vernuccio

For further information and future events visit Disclosure’s website here.

All Points East is on at Victoria Park from 19^th until 20^th August and from 25^th until 28^th August 2022. For further information visit here.

Watch the video for the single Latch (featuring Sam Smith) here: