Loyle Carner at All Points East 2024

As the final act of a music festival, an artist faces the challenging task of keeping the audience’s energy up after a long day of excitement, while also dealing with delays, schedule changes and technical issues related to nighttime setups and reduced visibility. The late hour demands extra effort, but Loyle Carner rises to the challenge as the headlining act for the second day of All Points East, lighting up Victoria Park with his poetic verses, neon screens and fireworks, capping off the night on a high note.

Carner’s set kicked off with Hate, from his 2022 album hugo, setting a commanding tone for the evening. The song, compositionally akin to a conversational piece of poetry, is rich with heartfelt, reflective lyrics simmering with painful anger. Carner delivered it with palpable energy, accompanied by red lighting and a backdrop of pyrotechnics. As he performed, the depth of his words was matched by the raw emotion in his voice and echoing chants from 35,000 festival goers, creating an electrifying and deeply collective experience.

Following an explosive start, Carner dazzles his fans with Plastic, a track that critiques the superficiality and materialism of modern life by lamenting its “plastic” people, interactions and institutions. His signature introspective, hard-hitting wordplay is paired with a laid-back flow, as the stage is lit up with not Barbie Pink, but Ken Doll Blue.

Carner himself is also a highlight of the production. Despite the crowd calling his name long before he even stepped on stage, Carner endearingly introduces himself to attendees by his full name. He expresses his amazement that the legendary rapper Nas is also part of the festival’s lineup, before giving way to Guyanese poet John Agard’s arrangement of Half-Caste – a reflection of issues surrounding Black and mixed-race identity in the UK that was featured in Carner’s single Georgetown. A more unexpected guest, former Youth MP Athian Athek, also made an appearance to deliver a statement on collective strength in the face of recent events across the country.

While Carner’s songs certainly speak for themselves, his brief comments added a special touch to his rendition of Desoleil (Brilliant Corners). The particular line reminiscing about listening to Nas – who reprised his hip-hop classics on the very same stage an hour ago – made the session particularly resonant. Ending the show with his early hit Ottolenghi, Carner leaves a lasting impression on the audience as the final notes reverberate through the park and the sky is once again lit up by a perfectly well-timed display of fireworks.

Christina Yang
Photos: Sharon Lopez (Loyle Carner)/Ambra Vernuccio (supports)

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

Watch the video for the single Hate here: