Duran Duran @ BST Hyde Park 2026

Duran Duran @ BST Hyde Park 2026 (Sienna Lorraine Gray)

Early festival-goers were rewarded by Californian and Kansas-raised electro-pop artist Sophie Grey., whose glittery purple two-piece perfectly matched the shimmering afternoon sunshine. Accompanied by a keytar throughout her set, Grey showcased tracks from her recent EP Just Another Sonic Monday, with Maybe, Baby and On Hold proving particular highlights as she impressed with her futuristic electro-pop sound.

There could be few better ways to kick-start an afternoon in Hyde Park than Groove Armada. Tom Findlay and Andy Cato took to the decks for a seamless DJ set that quickly transformed the Great Oak arena into an open-air dancefloor, filling the Royal Park within minutes. Celebrating his 53rd birthday, Findlay looked delighted to spend it soundtracking a sun-soaked London afternoon, while the pair’s trademark blend of house, funk and electronica proved the perfect warm-up for the day ahead.

A later appearance on the Rainbow Stage was made by Melanie C, who kept the party going with a hugely enjoyable DJ set. Celebrating 30 years since the release of SPICE, the former Spice Girl treated fans to Who Do You Think You Are? amongst an infectious selection of pop classics before closing with a crowd singalong to 2 Become 1. It wouldn’t be her only appearance of the day.

Melanie C with Scissor Sisters @ BST Hyde Park 2026

Melanie C with Scissor Sisters @ BST Hyde Park 2026 (Simon Reed)

Nile Rodgers & CHIC turn BST Hyde Park into the world’s biggest disco, sweeping across The Great Oak Stage with the effortless confidence of a band that knows it owns half the nation’s party soundtrack. From the opening groove of Le Freak to the irresistible pull of Everybody Dance and I Want Your Love, Rodgers conducts proceedings with a grin, a Stratocaster and what appears to be a direct hotline to everyone’s dancing feet. Even those claiming they’re “just watching” get caught bouncing around by the second chorus.

Nile Rodgers & CHIC @ BST Hyde Park 2026

Nile Rodgers & CHIC @ BST Hyde Park 2026 (Simon Reed)

The hits arrive so quickly they barely have time to take a bow. Rodgers’ extraordinary songwriting catalogue stretches well beyond CHIC, taking in Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out, Sister Sledge’s We Are Family, Madonna’s Like A Virgin and Material Girl, before Daft Punk’s Get Lucky reminds everyone that his influence and massive body of work remains as relevant as ever.

We Are Family unites the crowd (I can see what appears to be two strangers booty bumping in time to the music), while Get Lucky and closing number Good Times provide a masterclass in feel-good funk, with Duran Duran’s John Taylor joining Rodgers for the finale. Rodgers remains a charming ringmaster throughout, proving that at 73, he still has the energy to power the show and his million-watt smile. The result is a punchy, joyous set that leaves the crowd smiling, sweating and quietly wondering whether disco might actually be the answer to everything.

With a giant inflatable pair of scissors towering over the stage, Scissor Sisters waste no time reminding everyone exactly why they’ve been so sorely missed.

The show opens with I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’, led by the charismatic and expressive “Eternal Twink” Jake Shears (who I, and many others, last saw being erm, “enjoyed” in last year’s BDSM rom-com Pillion). Shears is an exceptional presence, and his high-quality falsetto voice and infectious energy never needed the draggy, flamboyant trappings, but it sure makes life more fun. “Now we’re cooking. Now we’re cooking with grease,” Shears beams after Laura, and from there the band barely pause for breath.

Missing from the stage is Ana Matronic, who is sitting out the current schedule of performances to focus on historical research and her successful history podcast, Good Time Sallies. How do you replace a larger-than-life character like former co-founding frontwoman Ana Matronic? With two larger-than-life frontwomen. Amber Martin and Bridget Barkan look like they’ve been kidnapped from the final night at Studio 54. They have a special brand of glamour; raunchy, sleazy and exquisite. Amber Martin cries out to the crowd, “Everyone, get your tits out!” Given the average age of this Gen X audience, the same joke titters across the crowd about us needing to peel up the hem of our dresses.

Scissor Sisters @ BST Hyde Park 2026

Scissor Sisters @ BST Hyde Park 2026 (Simon Reed)

Crowd-pleaser Filthy/Gorgeous activates the audience, the people jumping in time with the chorus holding their wobbles in place just as a pair of comically giant inflatable cockeyed breasts arrive on stage, bouncing independently of each other. Yup, apropos Scissor Sisters, thanks for representing.

For an extra shot of pop sparkle, former Spice Girl Melanie C makes an appearance ahead of her Rainbow Stage DJ set. Performing with trademark athletic energy, she slips seamlessly into the band’s chaos for a rockin’ mash-up of Take Your Mama and George Michael’s Freedom with Jake Shears. As their time on stage comes to an end, Shears reminds Hyde Park that London has always been Scissor Sisters’ spiritual home, dedicating Only The Horses to the city before thanking fans for their years of support.

Just as I began to reminisce about their long-ago Brit Awards performance with a farmyard of Muppets, to wrap up their set is Music Is The Victim; the band are joined by a demented-looking version of a Mr Snuffleupagus-esque two-person puppet. As the heat cranks up a few notches, I feel terrible for the person in the rear of that costume. For all the campy frivolity, they comfortably navigate across genres. Their finale proves their solid rock credentials as they bust out powerhouse rock and rhythm & blues. Scissor Sisters are epic performers with bags of (albeit adult-orientated) added value.

With an expansive career that has never ceased, Duran Duran have an incredible repertoire to draw from. Opening with Is There Something I Should Know?—a song which is likely not the first Duran hit to jump to mind—it’s easy to forget that it entered the UK charts at number one upon release in 1983. Core members and guests fill out the eight-piece band and, seconds in, we can hear how tight they still are. They all look “refreshed”, whether by procedures or style updates; it is effective. Roger Taylor beams from behind the drum kit, Nick Rhodes is resplendent in an ‘eyeball suit’ designed by Joshua Workman, John Taylor sports bright newly-bleached hair and Simon Le Bon wears casual but chic summer whites.

“Hi London… do you reckon it’s time for Bond?” Le Bon grins before the unmistakable opening of A View To A Kill, swiftly followed by Hungry Like The Wolf. The crowd barely have time to catch their breath. Le Bon charms Hyde Park with effortless star power. During A View To A Kill he proves he still has the pipes, singing without any perceptible adjustment for the deepening of his voice and comfortably hitting the notes.

Duran Duran @ BST Hyde Park 2026

Duran Duran @ BST Hyde Park 2026 (Bethan Miller-Carey / @bethanmillerco)

With England due to face Mexico in the World Cup later that night, Le Bon abandons his usual dedication for Ordinary World to “those less fortunate”, instead offering it to the England football team. “I believe they can overcome the cauldron that is the Azteca,” he tells Hyde Park to huge cheers.

What I am interested in, though, is Le Bon’s vocal delivery, which is holding up beautifully. Ordinary World is a complex song requiring range, power and steady breath control. Where he starts to waver, he drops his voice down into the music and the guitar solo picks up an intricate, richly melodic fill. It’s always a joy when a band who stick together continue to develop and play in such a unified way.

The visuals take a leaf from the Roxy Music playbook, with highly stylised conceptual sequences of glossy magazine-quality female models doing sexy things in time to Come Undone, a version of New Moon On Monday with a stripped-back intro, and The Chauffeur. The Chauffeur is a song that rarely makes it into a Duran set; it is a treat at twilight, the perfect setting. Le Bon tops his head with a driver’s cap for kinky effect, as dancers undress each other in a choreographed sapphic roleplay magnified on the big screens. Le Bon then busts out the trademark ocarina, which rounds out the number. He plays a mean ocarina—who knew?

Taking a moment to introduce Nile Rodgers, who has returned to the stage after performing earlier in the day with CHIC, Le Bon harks back to a song they wrote together in the 1980s, remarking, “It makes us seem so old, but not really, because music keeps you young,” before treating the crowd to Notorious. Ahead of Free To Love, Simon Le Bon performs the role of Bruce Dern from the 1966 movie The Wild Angels (more familiarly known as the speech from Primal Scream’s Loaded). Well timed to continue the Pride weekend celebrations.

The cooling temperature wakes the park up just in time for a high-energy and ear-shatteringly loud White Lines—a quick reminder to those attending British Summer Time gigs: bring or buy ear protection. The setlist is a fantastic mash-up of classics like Girls On Film, more recent tracks like Invisible from 2021’s Future Past, and unexpected covers and mash-ups including Psycho Killer, Evil Woman and Super Lonely Freak. I begin to wonder if these adventurous set choices are in preparation for their newly announced Halloween spectacular at London’s O2 Arena later this year.

Ahead of the inevitable encore choices, Save A Prayer is slotted in. The band request audience participation with the creation of a dreamy mobile phone galaxy just as darkness falls, while Le Bon picks up a guitar for the perfect softening of the sound.

There is still one final burst of energy left. London Calling and The Wild Boys send Hyde Park into one last frenzy before the unmistakable opening of Rio brings the evening to its inevitable, euphoric conclusion. As Roger Taylor’s final drum roll rings out across the park, thousands roar their approval after two hours of timeless hits. On a day where disco ruled the afternoon, camp reigned supreme and one of Britain’s greatest bands reminded everyone exactly why they’ve endured for nearly five decades, BST Hyde Park once again proved itself one of the capital’s defining summer events.

Live review of Duran Duran @ BST Hyde Park 2026 by Sarah Sievers on 5th July 2026. Photography by Simon Reed. Additional photography of Duran Duran by Sienna Lorraine Gray and Bethan Miller-Carey.

Mumford & Sons Celebrate A Homecoming To Remember At BST Hyde Park 2026

Bedazzled in a jacket glittering with the faces of Marvin Gaye and John Lennon (yes, that fabulous), Stevie is led onto the Great Oak Stage and launches into a rousing – if technically troubled – version of Lennon’s Imagine. The mic, clearly unready for transcendence, cuts in and out. Ever the consummate professional, Stevie isn’t fazed. With an easy shrug, he shifts gears straight into Master Blaster, followed by a funk-fuelled Higher Ground that gets the field shaking their funky groove things.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

The setlist is surprising and unpredictable, even with the expectation of classics from the Wonder songbook. From nowhere, we’re treated to a sweet, twangy rendition of 1930s crooner Jimmie Davis’ You Are My Sunshine, which melts delightfully into the full-bodied groove of Sunshine of Your Love.

Not one to take himself too seriously, Stevie checks in with the audience, flashing that familiar smile: “Y’all gooood?” (We are.) Then – as if things aren’t already glittering enough – out strolls the UK’s own Corinne Bailey Rae for a honey-rich cover of Sly & the Family Stone’s Everybody Is A Star.

Wonder reinvigorates his catalogue, rolling through hit after hit: Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours, Don’t You Worry ’Bout A Thing and My Cherie Amour – songs far too often annihilated by wedding bands – now reclaimed with their original power. Stevie admits to wanting to bring back an In Square Circle era song to “do over”, which he does to great success with the help of KJ McNeill, whose vocals on Stranger On The Shore of Love melt into Stevie’s with silky richness.

Things take a jazzier turn with a rowdy, freewheeling keyboard odyssey courtesy of Eddie Harris (not to be confused with the long-passed saxophonist). Then Jada Spight – bringing an almost alarming level of American enthusiasm – along with Janice Watts and Zuri Harris, gives Stevie a well-deserved breather as they perform classics from Anita Baker and Aretha Franklin.

In one of the night’s most playful turns, Zuri joins Stevie at the piano – teasing, joking, and stealing hearts with shimmering soul vocals. Cue a scat call-and-response with the crowd – pure Stevie fun – before he settles alone at the piano for a moving rendition of Always.

I Just Called To Say I Love You is interrupted by the gremlin microphone, but Stevie, ever the showman, restarts with grace – and then lets Hyde Park carry the chorus. It’s a full-throated, sun-drenched moment of shared joy: couples sing to each other, mothers sing to children, friends sing!  I’m alone, but I sing to the woman working at the coffee van – she sings back. The tempo rises again with a storming version of Living For The City (the crowd, by now, acting like a gospel choir on Red Bull), which spills into the full-tilt party mode of Sir Duke. Everyone is dancing: The crowd. The security team. The litter pickers.

And just when it seems things might settle, the bassline to I Wish drops. I hear a gig-goer say to their friend, “Aw, this is from Wild Wild West!” Will Smith has a lot more to answer for than that – slap!

Stevie’s family are celebrated along with him; Isn’t She Lovely features a harmonica solo so pristine it slices through the song’s potential for saccharine. His son Mandla Morris shows his range on a cover of Keith John’s I Can Only Be Me, followed comically by a dad lecture about social media disconnection. “Get your heads up,” Stevie urges, with another mic stumble for good measure. Happy Birthday becomes a perfectly timed opportunity to honour his daughter, whose birthday it is.

The inevitable encore of Superstition loses nothing for being held back. The sheer force of keys, fat horns and full-throated vocals blows everybody’s hair back. As and Another Star are a bonus to a music-loaded evening, which leaves the crowd filled with joy and optimism.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

Live review of Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 by Sarah Sievers on 12th July 2025. Photography from Isha Shah, Bethan Miller-Carey & Chloe Hashemi.

Dance, Shadow And Harvest Under The Full Moon: Van Morrison, Yusuf Islam And Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts At BST Hyde Park 2025

Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park

Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park (Trudi Knight)

Van Morrison and his band bring cool relief, easing the crowd into the day with sultry summer blues, as the sun drips down in copper light across the park. He’s a class act, proficiently picking through a curated set of hits, slow grooves, and covers. He opens with Into The Mystic, meanders through Roosevelt Sykes’ Night Time Is The Right Time, and finishes with a slinky version of Gloria (originally by Morrison’s long-ago band, Them).

When Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) arrives on stage, he looks as fresh and unaffected by time as a Hollywood star. He could be a poster boy for decades of wholesome, clean living. I doubt Morrison or Young could say the same.

He opens with the timeless and beautiful The Wind, its familiarity and charm holding the audience spellbound.  Each song is met with warm affection. He quietly dedicates Midday (Avoid City After Dark) to Van Morrison, saying simply: “I just love him.” Before The First Cut Is The Deepest, he teases, “This is an oldie – I don’t know if you’ll remember it.” Judging by me and my fellow gig goers, I think he’s on safe ground.

He points to the sky – barely on the cusp of twilight – noting it’s a full moon. A perfect cue for the nostalgic, whisper-sung meditation on gratitude, Moonshadow.  Before launching into blues number The Road To Find Out, he takes a moment to plug his book, Cat On The Road To Find Out, joking that it will “clarify what people got wrong and what people got right.” His blues chops shine again on Big Boss Man.

Between Where Do the Children Play? and The Little Ones, he stumbles over the pronunciation of his band members’ names, rushing to deliver a heartfelt statement about global violence, marking the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia and highlighting the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

He ends his set with three perfect hits: the wistful If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out (immortalised by the 1971 film Harold and Maude), Wild World, which sees his drummer hit the crescendo in a state of joyful elation, and Peace Train, which runs slightly over his allotted time. “Everyone needs to hear this song today,” he asserts, and yes, we do.

Nothing quite prepares the crowd for what Neil Young brings. He starts gently, easing in with Cowgirl In The Sand, before unleashing the fuzz-drenched, distorted guitars that earned him the title ‘Godfather of Grunge’.

Micah Nelson’s band, The Chrome Hearts, have taken over from brother Lukas Nelson’s Promise Of The Real as Young’s latest musical apprentices. They intensely follow his lead, taking notes on orchestration in real time. They’re a hard-rocking band – heavy on reverb, feedback, and raw energy.

The rock numbers stretch out, studded with lengthy guitar breaks and chaotic fills. At times, Nelson hammers an upright piano – is there anything more Americana rock ‘n’ roll than that?  Cinnamon Girl is a swirling mass of guitars and throbbing bass, with Young’s reedy, high voice soaring above the dirge. Before Why Do I Keep Fuckin’ Up? he shrugs: “It’s nice to be here. Sometimes we do things right, and sometimes we do things wrong.” Southern Man tightens the sound, and then we’re treated to a brief, soothing acoustic interlude with Needle And The Damage Done and the lovers’ favourite, Harvest Moon. Compared to the jam-heavy rock numbers, these acoustic moments are short and sweet.

Young dives straight back into the fire, ripping through Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) before settling at the organ with his harmonica for CSNY’s Name Of Love, and rounding off the main set with acoustic classic Old Man.  But he’s not done. Young has the energy and passion to keep going, and the crowd show no sign of wanting him to stop. He tears into Throw Your Hatred Down, followed by a specially extended, almost never-ending version of Rockin’ In The Free World – designed to test the patience of the BST organisers and the 10:30pm curfew.

If you want rebellious music – if you want the true spirit of rock ’n’ roll – nothing beats the original. And no one does it better than Neil Young.

Live review of Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts + Yusuf Cat Stevens @ BST Hyde Park 2025 by Sarah Sievers. Photography by Trudi Knight.

Northern Attitude In London: Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams & Friends Light Up BST Hyde Park 2025

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks (Jennifer McCord)

Paris Paloma starts early in the lineup with a range of songs from her forthcoming album. She offers pretty, folkloric songs with pertinent modern messages on the female experience. Her explosion is largely thanks to her song, Labour, which became a viral phenomenon. The original release was a delicate acoustic song. The message of the disproportionately engendered workload resonated with so many women that they stitched it into their TikTok videos, harmonising with their own vocals. Paloma harvested the voices and re-released the song as the anthemic Labour (Cacophany). Which, in turn, gained incredible traction and made her well-known across social media. The late afternoon crowd do not disappoint in bringing the sense of solidarity created online to life in the real world. The chanting chorus becomes a chant, shouted in frustration and catharsis.

Paris Paloma

Paris Paloma (Jennifer McCord)

Anna Calvi cuts an angular feminine silhouette against the blood-red backdrop as the crowd grows and settles in. She introduces her set with a dreamy guitar solo, demonstrating her dual skill with vocals and instrumental balancing both with beauty and technique. Her velvety vibrato drifts across London as she stands strong and understated in a black 80s power suit and sunglasses. She throws her head back and shreds her guitar to Suzanne & I. The melodies are, in a moment, mysterious and, in the next, crashing into a drum-smashing crescendo. Lush melodies and echoing chords give her music a Lynchian atmosphere. She remains effortlessly cool as the weather begins to warm, winding down her set with her foray into pop, Don’t Beat The Girl Out Of My Boy.

Anna Calvi

Anna Calvi (Sharon Lopez)

Brandi Carlile wakes a restful crowd with a charismatic shout-out, “How ya doin’ London, you angels?!” Before launching into country-tinged rocking Broken Horses. Overwhelmed, disbelieving and joyous to play such a substantial gig, the Seattle-based frontwoman cannot stop smiling. Her happiness is infectious. Taking in the scene, she recalls the bygone days of playing small venues like London’s Borderline. With a warm generosity, she takes time between songs to thank her band of 25 years. What a tight and talented band they are. They are composed of two pairs of siblings, twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth, the classically trained Sista Strings: Monique and Chauntee Ross on cello and violin, alongside Dave MacKay on keys and the human dynamo Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums. Amongst the high-energy rock are tender songs that take advantage of the close three-part harmonies of The Eye and The Mother.

Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile (Phoebe Fox)

A recording of Tom Petty’s Running Down A Dream blasts as the stage is set, and chains of sparkling jewels and ribbons the colour of an oil slick hang from a mic stand in the centre. Like a Chekov’s pistol, a crescent-shaped tambourine decorated in fabric swathes is conspicuously placed on a plinth behind. The audience takes a collective in-breath before releasing a cry of awe at the arrival of Stevie Nicks in her trademark velvet Victoriana jacket and multi-tiered skirts. Time has stepped her down from her high-heeled boots, now replaced by bejewelled trousers and trainers to make her iconic twirls more achievable. Her opening number of Outside The Rain showcases her barely changed voice as the music smoothly transitions into Fleetwood Mac classic Dreams.

Between songs, her rambling stories start to lose the crowd, which disintegrates into chatter. Periodically, she hits a razor-sharp punchline, but vamping is not her strong suit. A lengthy preamble brings her to Gypsy. A note on the mysteries of the feminine: Hollywood films would have you believe that women, left to their own devices, spin around hysterically on beaches and mountaintops to benefit their loved ones’ future memories of adoration. The truth is that women only voluntarily spin and twirl whenever they hear Stevie Nicks sing Gypsy. This is demonstrated by hundreds of bohemian garments being fanned and swirled with wild abandon. It’s a beautiful sight.

She tells another anecdote: “I decided in my 18-year-old arrogance to record this song, and I did… two years ago!” The song is Buffalo Springfield’s For What It’s Worth she explains it was not written as a political song (it was originally about the Sunset Strip in LA) but that it can be interpreted as a caution and a reminder to engage in the events of the world in particular to vote. Having once convinced a fractured Fleetwood Mac to reform for President Clinton’s inauguration, it is clear that the threat of Trump returning to power is at the forefront of her mind. Also on her mind are her dearly departed friends; she notes tenderly that the last time she shared a stage with Tom Petty was here at Hyde Park in 2017, only weeks before his death. In tribute, she plays a rousing cover of Free Fallin’, which unites the audience into a giant choir.

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks (Jennifer McCord)

Mid-career numbers like Stand Back and Belladonna keep the audience engaged, but Gold Dust Woman ignites a passionate response. She casts the lyrics like a spell, set back in a half squat like she’s channelling her message into the cosmos. Given the legendary rock ‘n’ roll mythology surrounding the doomed relationships and affairs within Fleetwood Mac, I like to think somewhere out there is Lyndsey Buckingham on the receiving end of all that psychic energy, feeling a sharp pain in his SI joint and thinking to himself, “Hmmm… Stevie’s playing somewhere…” A friendlier voice, in the form of expert vocal coach Steve Real, joins the stage to step into Don Henley’s part for the gentler romance of Leather And Lace. Real is a singular talent, and the thoughtful harmonies are exquisite.

When Stevie Nicks leaves the stage between songs, the break gives her stalwart band opportunities to open up some delicious bluesy guitar solos and drum fills, which act as segues—no more so than on the instantly familiar intro to Edge Of Seventeen, a 43-year-old song which still conjures up the urgency and thrill of youthful desire.

A much-demanded encore of mega-hit Rhiannon is quickly chased with a surprise guest vocalist, Harry Styles. Styles stepped in to partner Nicks in lieu of Tom Petty on a slinky version of Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around. He stayed to perform an emotional rendition of Landslide, which Nicks dedicates to her late, beloved former bandmate Christine McVie. The photo montage of McVie and Nicks of images taken through the ages encouraged the shedding of tears and unavoidable quivering lips on the faces illuminated by the screens.

Stevie Nicks’ music is a gift passed between generations, particularly meaningful to those who experience girlhood and womanhood. These thoughtful songs have broken barriers to convey love, power, yearning, reflection, and forgiveness. Songs formed by one woman’s experience are sure to outlive her and be carried forward by generations persuaded of the value and power of a 21st-century woman. In her own words, “Rock on, ancient Queen.”

Live review of BST Hyde Park 2024 featuring Stevie Nicks at Hyde Park, London on 12th July 2024 by Sarah Sievers

Rock DJ Robbie Williams Entertains Us With The Glamour And The Party At BST Hyde Park 2024

Opening act Lambrini Girls show how the spirit of punk lives on shouting through songs of the modern-day perils of being a woman, including, Big Dick Energy, Help Me I’m Gay and the glorious call out of street harassment, White Van Man. They don’t see the point of remaining on stage when they can get right into the crowd to get their point across. Expect to see much more from this dynamic, Brighton-based three-piece band.

Lambrini Girls, Dog Day Afternoon, 23/7/1, Rockshot Magazine

Lambrini Girls, photographer : Pauline Di Silvestro

The Buzzcocks open with the rousing What Do I Get? They look almost obnoxiously young, tanned and summery. Life seems to have been kind since the 70s. They offer up a mix of classic and new songs. More recent songs like, Senses Out Of Control sound fresh and perfectly at home in their catalogue.

Stiff Little Fingers deliver a tight set of a dozen songs including a lovely cover of The Specials, Doesn’t Make It Right in honour of the late, great Terry Hall. Frontman, Jake Burns, segues and observations add some charm, he promises, “to keep the gibber banner to a minimum”, but he has some valuable things to say. By way of an intro to My Dark Places, he reflects on the period when he turned 50 and how he was in a deep depression he felt he could only keep it bottled up. He advised men, of any age experiencing depression to definitely do not do that, “Talk to a friend, a family member or a professional but do talk”. A healthy portion of the crowd seemed to endorse this message.

Stiff Little Fingers, Dog Day Afternoon 23/7/1, Pauline Di Silvestro

Stiff Little Fingers, photographer : Pauline Di Silvestro

Arriving to the throbbing synth film score intro to Clockwork Orange. Generation Sex is a supergroup comprised of Generation X and the Sex Pistols: Paul Cook, Tony James, Steve Jones and Billy Idol. They rip into the Sex Pistols Pretty Vacant. The performance is relaxed, and they slink into a comically apathetic chorus of, “We’re pretty vacant and we don’t ca…re….” Idol sounds most like himself on Generation X songs and recalibrates a touch for Sex Pistols songs, without trying to impersonate a notably absent Johnny Rotten. Barely moving around the stage, Idol brandishes his trademark snarl to emphasise aggression where there might have once been furious dancing. Getting a huge laugh from the crowd, Cook is the first to admit, “I fink I pulled a muscle. This one, not the other one.”

In some ways, punk has always absorbed the outcasts, they were a group literally defined by otherness. Ahead of Kiss Me Deadly, Idol comments on what it was like being a punk in 77. “Those days it was dangerous to be a punk, there were so many other youth groups who were determined to kick the shit out of you”. In 1977 could it have been predicted that the same gobby, spitting, punching punks would become the most polite, considerate, and inclusive crowd? What a joy it is then, to see the grace with which older and disabled people are integrated into the audience. People in wheelchairs are given space to get closer, and fans with canes compare designs (in one case glitter, or tiger print). Perhaps a shameful omission then is that there was no BSL interpreter.

Wrapping up the set, Idol does triple duty taking on the role of Sid Vicious on a sedate finale of My Way.

Generation Sex, Dog Day Afternoon 23/7/1 Pauline Di Silvestro

Generation Sex, photographer : Pauline Di Silvestro

Blondie (who could be considered co-headliners for the number of fans who have turned out just for them) take the stage with great bravado, re-introducing Glen Matlock on bass who has become at least a touring member of the band. They efficiently zip through a tight set of greatest hits, opening with One Way or Another, a rowdy version of Hanging on the Telephone, jaunty Sunday Girl and slick Call Me. The synth parts of the later supplied by Matt Katz-Bohen on keyboard guitar (which beyond practicality seems to be having a resurgence).

The sheer power of this band blows everybody’s hair back with Atomic the clarity of Harry’s voice still so clear and melodic. She only wavers a little on the incredibly challenging vocal of Rapture, ever the pro she makes tiny adjustments to regain control. The rap portion of Rapture has mellowed over the years and is mildly less jarring in its delivery if not its content. Harry is still full of energy dancing through the guitar solo, switching her hips and surveying the crowd with an impervious attitude. She addresses everyone, “If we are your dream, then you, you are our dream.” You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone as cool as Debbie Harry is at this stage of her life, incredibly today marks her 78^th Birthday.

Harry remarks that their 1978 release, Detroit 442, is inspired by Iggy Pop painting a picture of the longevous and appreciative relationship between both acts.  The set strides along with 00s chart topper Maria and a flawless performance of Heart of Glass, with Harry looking regal, dressed in a mirrored poncho. The beat from the trail off of, “oooo-oo-woah-oh” becomes the bass of disco classic I Feel Love with Debbie’s haunting vocal layered on top before transitioning into the riff of Sex Pistols hit God Save The Queen. They ease off the gas a little with X Offender before wrapping with Dreaming.

Blondie, Dog Day Afternoon 23/7/1, Pauline Di Silvestro

Blondie, photographer : Pauline Di Silvestro

The headline set starts with Rune by Noveller (aka Sarah Lipstate) who picks out a heartbeat on guitar before elaborating into an ambient wall of sound by bowing her guitar in dreamy swirls – suddenly the spell is broken with an explosion of barking dogs as Iggy Pop shoots onto the stage like a bullet, disrupting the serenity, the whole band (including a brass section and clanking piano) take up the cacophony.

They blast through songs from Pop’s solo career and time with The Stooges, like the awesome Raw Power – which is.

Pop’s body may look worn; veins raised above the outline of his muscles, the folds of his tanned skin stretched over a strong frame, and his hip (injured long ago) forced out at a disquieting angle, but he moves like lightning and is electrifying as he gyrates around the stage.

Iggy Pop, Dog Day Afternoon 23/7/1, Pauline Di Silvestro

Iggy Pop, photographer : Pauline Di Silvestro

The Passenger is a crowd-pleasing joy that energises the whole audience before he slams into Lust For Life, then drifts into a hypnotic rendition of low-fi reggae The Endless Sea which brings everyone back to calm.

Bringing out core hits so early on has thinned the crowd dramatically by the time he rips through Death Trip. After a little banter with the crowd, he rests for a moment for a dreamy, blues-laden reworking of The Stooges I’m Sick Of You.

Ahead of tearing the place up with Search and Destroy and before an extended encore, including Nightclubbing and Frenzy: A sleazy jazz intro acts as cover until Pop sticks the mic in his trouser band and starts barking and panting, the audience has to hope he’s going to play Now I Wanna Be Your Dog because if he’s not, he’s having some kind of breakdown. He writhes around the stage and drops down on the bridge to tell the audience “I fucking love you”.

We love you too.

Review of Dog Day Afternoon at Crystal Palace Park on 1st July 2023 by Sarah Sievers. Photography by Pauline Di Silvestro.

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