A Mighty Finish To Hoopla Weekend 2024

It’s time for one of the weekend’s big guns as I head over to get a good spot for Rita Ora. She’s not due on for another 10 minutes but it’s already busy, however I’m able to get what seems a decent spot next to the sound desk. There’s a bit of a delay (seems the heat may be causing technical issues) and then the show starts with… Rita’s new video. The woman knows a captive audience when she sees one! Soon though, the pop star emerges to huge cheers and the set proper begins with Ritual, her Tiësto cover. There’s another tech issue so she has to restart but everyone is in good form and Rita’s energy and ability to work the crowd is winning the day. Unfortunately, where I’m standing the volume is way too low – this often seems to be the case at London festivals due to noise restrictions, but this is particularly quiet – I can hear people chatting all the way through her set.

Rita Ora @ Mighty Hoopla 2024

Rita Ora @ Mighty Hoopla 2024 (Kalpesh Patel)

Nonetheless we’re all here for a good time and Rita rattles expertly through I Will Never Let You Down, Let You Love Me and Your Song. A cover of ABBA classic Dancing Queen and Praising You get the crowd going. There’s a comedy moment where she goes down to the crowd and asks several people to join her in singing acapella but nobody knows the words, and in the chaos she ends up singing the wrong song herself. But the 33-year-old is so relaxed and good-natured throughout this series of unfortunate events, that we all laugh along with her. She’s a total pro, her performance on point – it’s just a shame the low speaker volume and some technical problems are letting her down. A costume change into an outrageous black number (she got the memo) signals the excellent Black Widow, her collab with Australia’s Iggy Azalea, before new single Ask And You Shall Receive. We didn’t ask, but it’s brilliant and we’re all very happy to receive! Everyone is already on board the Ora Express before her enormo-hit Hot Right Now gets Mighty Hoopla properly jumping.

As fantastic as she is, I’m still picking up far too many casual conversations and decide to head over to the Bump for a bit of Jodie Harsh’s DJ set, hoping it’s a bit louder (sorry Rita). Jodie is loving it and as usual I’m left to marvel at her ability to absolutely boss the decks in full, flawless drag. Soon it’s back to the Pleasure Palace to catch some of B:Rave – to the uninformed, this is festival favourites Old Dirty Brasstards playing non-stop 90s dance classics. It’s as daft and fun as it sounds, i.e. very. I could happily stay for their whole set (Rozalla is set to make another cameo) but absolutely cannot miss the fabulous Jessie Ware’s headline performance, so soon I’m back across to the main stage.

Mother… has arrived. And boy does she know the brief. It’s hit after hit, starting with That! Feels Good! and then an epic run of Shake the Bottle, Ooh La La, Pearls and Begin Again before bringing the tempo down a little with ballads Hello Love, Remember Where You Are and Don’t Want To Fall In Love.

Seemingly conscious that we want to dance again, Jessie obliges by inviting out special guest, Gossip’s iconic Beth Ditto to join her onstage – dueting on a gleeful rendition of the massive Standing In The Way Of Control – and London’s biggest gay disco is truly back underway. Mother is here and she is turning it out for the crowd tonight. Freak Me Now is followed by a medley of Running, Hot N Heavy and her huge title track from 2020’s What’s Your Pleasure, complete with tongue-in-cheek dance moves – it’s a fun, fabulous bit of audience participation and perfectly poptastic. The brilliant run continues with another two hits from that same album, Spotlight and Save A Kiss, both electric. Next she’s joined by Sink The Pink and we all can all agree Beautiful People ARE everywhere, it’s true Jess.

But we’re not done yet – what other way to end London’s biggest LGBTQI party than with Mother belting out a note-perfect rendition of Cher’s 1998 classic Believe? Well, okay one more turn as Jessie treats us to last year’s party anthem Free Yourself. It’s a barnstorming finish and a perfect denouement for Mighty Hoopla Weekend.

I’ve run myself ragged but wouldn’t have it any other way – once again, Hoopla, you have outdone yourself. Stay fabulous, and see you next year.

Live review of Mighty Hoopla Festival 2024 by Sarah Kavanagh on 2nd June 2024, photography by Kalpesh Patel

The Sunday Sun Shines On The Fabulous At Mighty Hoopla 2024

Matt Bellamy of Muse @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Muse Reach For The Stars On Ambitious New Album ‘The Wow! Signal’

Muse have never been a band to think small. From dystopian concept records and politically charged anthems to symphonic rock epics and stadium-sized spectacles, the Devon trio have spent more than two decades redefining what modern rock can sound like. Now, with the release of their tenth studio album, The Wow! Signal, Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard once again prove they’re unafraid to venture into uncharted territory.

Brandon Flowers Returns With First Solo Album In Over A Decade, ‘THRASHER’, Shares New Single ‘Plans’

After more than a decade away from solo releases, Brandon Flowers has announced his long-awaited return with THRASHER, his third solo album and first since 2015’s The Desired Effect. The record arrives on 21 August 2026 via Island Records, with its lead single, Plans, available now.

Download Festival XXIII (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Download Festival Is More Than Just the Metal

I’ve been attending Download Festival since 2005. Every year, as I walk through those gates, I feel something that can be difficult to explain to people who have never experienced it. For a few days each June, I stop feeling like I’m standing on the outside looking in. I belong.

Sophie Grey @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)

SOPHIE GREY. Reaches For The Moon With Euphoric New Single ‘Lunar Highs (Hands Go Up)’

Rising electro-pop artist SOPHIE GREY. has unveiled her shimmering new single Lunar Highs (Hands Go Up), a euphoric slice of synth-driven pop arriving just ahead of June’s Strawberry Moon and setting the tone for a busy summer of high-profile live performances.

Kimberly Schlapman & Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town @ Royal Albert Hall (Kalpesh Patel)

Little Big Town Team Up With Ashley Monroe On Soulful New Single ‘Sucker For A Sad Song’

Country music favourites Little Big Town have unveiled their latest single, Sucker For A Sad Song, a heartfelt collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe, offering another enticing preview of their forthcoming album It’s A Dying Art, due for release on 28th August.

Lucia and the Best Boys @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

Lucia & The Best Boys Continue Their Rise With A Spellbinding O2 Shepherd’s Bush Performance

Fresh from an acclaimed appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival, Lucia & The Best Boys arrive at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire with momentum firmly on their side. Opening for the reunited 4 Non Blondes, the Glasgow quartet seize the opportunity with a commanding seven-song set that feels less like a support slot and more like a statement of intent.

4 Non Blondes @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

4 Non Blondes Return On Their Own Terms At O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

More than three decades after their breakthrough, 4 Non Blondes arrive at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire not to relive the past, but to redefine themselves in the present. Supported by the excellent Lucia & The Best Boys, the reunited San Francisco outfit make it abundantly clear that this tour is not a nostalgia exercise. Instead, it is a bold statement of who they are now — and whether the audience is willing to come with them.

Snow Patrol @ Eden Sessions (Adam Smith)

Snow Patrol Complete The Hat-Trick At Eden Sessions In An Evening Of Heart, Humour And Hits

There are few concert settings in Britain as naturally dramatic as the Eden Sessions. Nestled within a former clay pit and framed by the iconic biomes of the Eden Project, the venue possesses a unique sense of occasion before a note is even played. On this June evening, the Cornish weather appears determined to play its part too. Persistent rain hangs over the site for much of the day, only to disappear almost on cue as Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid walk on stage. It feels as though somebody has edited the weather into the evening’s script.