All Points East Review 2023 - Stormzy
Credit: Silvia Fox
Personally for me All Points East felt like a spiritual awakening and I’ll explain why soon I promise.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of London, this festival was a celebration of rhythm, melody, and soul to an electrifying extravaganza, bringing together the very best of hip hop, soul, and jazz.
We started the day with Elmiene we immersed ourselves in the captivating emotions that his music has to offer. His humble and down to earth present on stage was heartwarming it made him even more lovable. His velvety voice would transcend you to another world and can tug at your heartstrings. He performed his latest track ‘Mama’ which honestly was a blessing to witness and hear.
We then went to skank out with Ms Banks as she brought electrifying energy pulsating with the rhythm and flow to the stage. Playing all the hits and mixing and matching with well-known current songs and classics. She had us dancing away from the start to the finish of her set.
In a flurry of anticipation, the first haunting chords reverberated through the winds, setting the stage for an evening of enchantment with Sampha. Filled with a sense of camaraderie of fellow music lovers creating an atmosphere of connection. He effortlessly connected with every member of the audience with his beautiful voice leaving a lasting impression on their hearts.
Kehlani came with provocative confidence that was equal parts empowering and tantalizing. As the music swelled, Kehlani effortlessly moved across the stage, gracefully commanding the attention of all present. Her body seemed to move in perfect harmony with the rhythm, evoking a primal energy that captivated us She left her adoring audience with a sense of euphoria and a yearning for more.
Blending together afrobeats rhythms, Caribbean patois, and soulful melodies, their sound resonates with fans from various cultural backgrounds, bridging continents through the power of music. WSTRN's performance was a testament to their undeniable talent, showmanship, and passion for creating music that resonates with people from all walks of life.
Lucky Daye instantly commanded the stage with his magnetic energy, effortlessly transitioning from one song to another, taking the audience on a magical journey. The crowd, helpless against his irresistible allure, surrendered to the intoxicating charisma he exuded.
As the sun set on the city skyline the crowd erupted into cheers, unable to contain their excitement out walks Stormzy. Visually the aesthetics on stage were beautiful a selection of burnt oranges, beiges and browns and the musicians on stage matched the set design colours too. He gave us a soulful start as he showed off his much improved singing voice and his backing vocalists each got their time to shine. Showing off his slower, downtempo and heartfelt songs with ease as we were all drawn in.
The rain had held up all day then Stormzy sang ‘Let the rain fall on my enemies’ (Rainfall) and it actually started to lightly rain, it was poetic really. Half was through the set was changed, all the musicians left stage and a DJ came out and we all knew it was about to go off. He then played all his Big Mike tunes such as ‘Vossi Bop’ and ‘Big For Your Boots’ and ran around the stage with boundless energy it was incredible. His humbleness wore on his sleeves as he spoke on gratitude, shared stories, and reflected on his journey thus far. Creating a sense of unity and kinship rarely seen at such grand spectacles, his performance was a spiritual awakening. We left a few minutes early to beat the rush of the crowd we could still hear him on the outskirts as he ended the set with ‘Blinded By Your Grace Pt. 2’ followed by a plethora of fireworks. He sang the line ‘And the rain was pouring’ the heavens opened and everyone was absolutely drenched. Now if that’s not a spiritual awakening I don’t know what is.
