All Roads Lead To All Points East

by | Jun 10, 2019

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The first festival of the year for me was All Points East. A last-minute decision to head down meant I didn’t get to spend as much time at Victoria Park as I’d have wanted, but I packed the hours I did have with some great music. The weekend lineups were quite a bit more chilled than the rock-heavy Friday bill topped by Bring Me The Horizon, with Mumford and Sons headlining on Saturday and Bon Iver Sunday.

Jade Bird at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Jade Bird at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Vaccines at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Vaccines at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Dizzee Rascal at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Dizzee Rascal at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

On Saturday I was accompanied by my photography protégé: my seven-year-old daughter, Phoebe. It was her first festival, so I was keen for her to enjoy herself. The security were great from the start, high-fiving her as she went around the park, with one even stacking some blocks up at the stage railings so she could take some photos of Delilah Montague while she performed. The weather was incredibly hot, so it was a brief stay, but long enough for us to take in some of the great acts on a fantastic and fun lineup, such as the incredible Jade Bird, The Vaccines, and Dizzee Rascal.

Kokoko! at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Kokoko! at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Kokoko! at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Kokoko! at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Kokoko! at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Kokoko! at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

On Sunday, the first act for me was Kokoko! from Democratic Republic of Congo who play on extremely interesting instruments made from up-cycling materials such as metal, cans, engine parts, and plastic containers. They sound great and start the day off with a real party atmosphere.

The Staves at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Staves at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Crowd at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Crowd at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Delilah Montagu at All Points East (Phoebe Lyme)

Delilah Montagu at All Points East (Phoebe Lyme)

Victoria Park is a reasonably small festival site – when it’s quieter you can walk end-to-end in under five minutes – but packs plenty in. If you wanted to avoid queueing for food and drinks, you could upgrade to VIP and chill out in the small private area behind the main stage where there were comfy seats and picnic benches to relax on without the crowds, which was ideal if you just wanted to hear the main stage all day and sunbathe in peace.

Julien Baker at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Julien Baker at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Julien Baker at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Julien Baker at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Julien Baker at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Julien Baker at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The good weather was briefly threatened by a few drops of rain as Julien Baker walked out onto the West Stage. She thanked everyone for coming and said she didn’t mind if nobody stayed to watch her, but the American indie singer needn’t have worried. Her brilliant and enthralling performance was enjoyed by a huge crowd.

Crowd at All Points East (Phoebe Lyme)

Crowd at All Points East (Phoebe Lyme)

Ezra Furman at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Ezra Furman at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Ezra Furman at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Ezra Furman at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Opening with one of my favourite songs at the moment, Restless Year, Ezra Furman’s set was one of the most impressive of the weekend. His vocals remind me of Jack White’s at times as he screams down the mic. Ezra has a UK tour booked for November this year and, with his new album Twelve Nudes due out at the end of August, it will be great to experience his new material.

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

The Tallest Man On Earth is one of my favourite performers. Having seen him in the intimate setting of Union Chapel, I was interested to see how he would take to a more open area. It didn’t take him long to make his mark, as the man born Kristian Matsson ran out into centre stage to welcome the crowd with a big jump. He sounded great throughout his set and was a brilliant choice for the chilled evening line-up on the main stage.

Mac DeMarco at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Mac DeMarco at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Crowd at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Crowd at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Mac DeMarco at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Mac DeMarco at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Mac DeMarco’s laidback stage presence was great to watch as he wandered around, cigarette in hand, swinging and catching his microphone, while banging out some funky jazz tunes. He was well loved by the audience as evidenced by the signs and banners they waved around. Not sure what his hand stand and roly-poly were all about, but it was entertaining to see!

John Grant at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

John Grant at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Bon Iver at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Bon Iver at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Bon Iver at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

Bon Iver at All Points East (Paul Lyme)

To me, John Grant was less so. I didn’t really get what he was trying to do. I think his performance is supposed to be a bit kooky, but it just came across weird and a little boring.

Bon Iver were much more impressive. Their set was a lot more “arty” than I was expecting, as the dark stage didn’t shine much light on the performers, led by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. They spent a lot of time behind keyboards, but the show looked good, sounded great, and was well deserving of a headline slot. After they’d finished their performance they treated fans to two brand new songs pumped out over the PA system as the crowds headed home, exhilarated after another long day of music.

Coverage of All Points East at Victoria Park, London on 1st and 2nd June 2019 by Paul Lyme and Phoebe Lyme.

Henge performing at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea

Henge Bring Psychedelic Rock From Parts Unknown To Portsmouth’s Wedgewood Rooms

Recently, the dirty deeds of squillionaires running their private space tourism businesses, and the world laughing at...
Yungblud (Tom Pallant)

YUNGBLUD Announces Bold Fourth Studio Album ‘Idols’

British rock trailblazer Dominic Harrison – AKA YUNGBLUD – has officially announced his highly anticipated fourth...
REEF (Press)

REEF Celebrate 30 Years Of ‘Replenish’ With UK Anniversary Tour

In a year packed with big anniversaries and nostalgic reunions, one of Britain’s most beloved rock acts is marking a...
Wolf Alice (Press)

Wolf Alice Return With Euphoric New Single ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’

London’s genre-defying quartet Wolf Alice have returned in full bloom with their new single, Bloom Baby Bloom—a vibrant, effervescent track that signals a fresh chapter for one of Britain’s most dynamic modern rock bands. Released after a period of relative silence since their Mercury Prize-winning 2021 album Blue Weekend, the single has sent ripples through the alternative scene, sparking excitement about what might be next for the group.

Pet Needs (Vanessa Söllner)

Pet Needs Are Primetime Entertainment At The Old Church

It’s lunchtime in sunny Stoke Newington, the part of London that really feels like a village. Most of the crowd lined up outside the historic Old Church are making this the first stop on their weekend, and as they mingle among the old tombstones with beers in hand, the anticipation is fizzing in the air. For the fourth year in a row, Pet Needs are about to kick off their Fractured Party weekender, and we’ve so far beyond ready for it.

Alice Phoebe Lou @ Roundhouse (Sam Eve)

Alice Phoebe Lou Enchants London At The Roundhouse

On Friday, 2nd May, 2025, the Roundhouse in London played host to a spellbinding performance by South African-born...
Lizzie Esau @ The Grace (Kalpesh Patel

Lizzie Esau Unleashes Explosive New Single ‘Bugs’ — A Dark, Defiant Step Forward From A Rockshot Favourite

Rockshot Magazine favourite Lizzie Esau continues her rapid ascent through the UK’s alt-rock landscape with the release of her most accomplished single to date, Bugs. A darkly euphoric track filled with emotional grit and lyrical nuance, Bugs sees the 25-year-old Newcastle native confront the chaos of creative self-doubt with ferocity — and catharsis.

EMMMA (João Viegas)

EMMMA Finds Power In Heartache With Stirring New Single ‘Wednesday’s Child’

EMMMA is no stranger to vulnerability — but with her latest single, Wednesday’s Child, the rising UK-based alt-pop artist turns raw emotion into a seismic act of self-empowerment. Released as the next step toward her second EP, the track is a defining moment in her artistic evolution: darker, bolder, and more emotionally fearless than anything she’s released before.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing