Does All Points East have more headliners than it knows what to do with? Those who attended the Friday night of All Points East to see Cleo Sol and Sault et al. were treated to a multi-dimensional headline performance that spanned five hours. Next weekend, Raye’s All Points East day is essentially a double billing with Florida rapper Doechii, who has had an exponential rise to fame over the past 12 months, making her just as sought-after as the headliner herself (and that’s without mentioning Tyla as the special guest).
I would argue the same happened last night, albeit spread across multiple stages, with Overmono, Sammy Virji and Chase & Status all delivering headliner-worthy performances in Victoria Park.
The requisite gunfingers day of All Points East began with the ever-reliable Shy FX, followed by an electrifying back-to-back from dance DJs Jyoty and Ahadadream. This set felt like a real treat in particular: Punjabi-Dutch selector Jyoty is selective with where she plays, never plays the same set twice, and her sound blended perfectly with Ahad’s. The pair offered a smorgasbord of electronic tracks from across the globe – as well as a few crowdpleasers, such as PinkPantheress’s Illegal – keeping the crowd on their toes.
Then came Joy Orbison on the West Stage with what can only be described as the most unintentionally funny set in All Points East history. As Joy O and SP:MC played to the crowd with a festival-friendly set of UKG and bassline, the crowd played back. Revellers clambered on each other’s shoulders for a chance of appearing on the Coldplay kiss-cam-style roving camera, doing their best dancing or even offering a little nudity for a chance of a big “WAHEEEEEY” from the crowd. It was a welcome addition to the set, especially considering how Joy O’s music (however brilliant) really lends itself better to nighttime, not blinding daylight. He was very much playing to the masses here, but the masses lapped it up all the same.
Next up was Overmono with a 50-minute set on the East Stage that could have comfortably been two hours longer. The buzzy Welsh duo took fans on a breakneck journey through highlights from their debut album, as well as the more anthemic non-album tracks, such as their cult collaboration with Kwengface and Joy Orbison, Freedom 2, and their life-affirming tearjerker I Have a Love. Both vocalists came out for these tracks, bolstering the crowd’s energy. Once again, the performance was somewhat limited by the unavoidable reality of daylight, even if APE’s very impressively seamless mainstage screens did make a real difference. But it’s okay: in a few years, Overmono will be ready to take the APE headline slot, and the sun won’t be a problem then.
As the sky finally decided to dim, Londoners flocked to Sammy Virji, the viral producer known for his addictive, chart-topping brand of UKG, earmarked by his telltale ringtone tag. Virji has been behind so many dance anthems of the last two years; his roster was practically bursting with household tracks. The kind of tracks other DJs pull out as easy wins, including Daga Da, The Shellaverse and Hot in Here. The crowd was packed, and Virji never lost them for a moment, even if the West Stage doesn’t feel quite optimised for dance music.
Finally, it was time for Chase and Satus over on the mainstage. For many, this was a nostalgia-driven pilgrimage: most people’s first experiences of the London duo came in 2009, during their mammoth End Credits era. But Chase and Status are far more than an easy nostalgia win. Last year, the London-born duo became the first English band since 2010 to have four singles in the UK top 40 simultaneously following the release of album 2 Ruff, Vol. 1, including the ubiquitous “Baddadan”.
Chase and Status’s headline set felt anything but nostalgic. An incredibly fast-paced performance for true DnB lovers, the set raced through recent hits, occasionally laced with vocals from older tracks. But it was the 2020s tracks that won over the crowd the most, including Baddadan, Disconnect (featuring Becky Hill) and Backbone (featuring Stormzy). They saved no expense on the pyrotechnics, with giant flames lighting up the crowd every other drop.
In a dream world, it’s the time and money (and hour of the day) I’d have liked to see Sammy Virji and Overmono get too, considering their headliner-worthy sets and devoted fanbases. I guess we’ll just have to wait a few more years for that.
