BY JAY ROBINS
The final day of All Points East 2025 carried all the hallmarks of a great festival ending: sunlight, dust clouds, and a sense of community binding together a crowd reluctant to say goodbye. Movement, intimacy, and energy defined the day, with moments that felt as much about connection as performance.
TTSSFU opened with unexpected force. Slotted among gentler acts, they detonated instead – screaming vocals, fierce drumming, and riffs that jolted the crowd awake. It was raw, urgent, and exactly the kind of surprise that makes festival sets so special.
From there, Youth Lagoon shifted the mood into something hypnotic. Trevor Powers’ vocals, delicate yet commanding, floated over synths and rich instrumentation from Rarely Do I Dream. The set swayed between slow, heartfelt tracks and textured instrumentals.
Westside Cowboy, stumbled upon en route to food, proved a reminder that festivals are built on chance discoveries. Their energy was relentless, with the drummer acting as both heartbeat and ringleader. Songs bled into each other, the audience bouncing in unison until the entire set closed in a heartwarming group vocal – an intimate finale to an explosive performance.
Bombay Bicycle Club headlined The West Stage, inviting CMAT for a cameo in a joyful performance, just minutes after she had delivered her own showstopping set on The East Stage.
Performing songs from their new album Forever Howl On, Black Country, New Road transformed the covered tent with layered instrumentation – saxophone, flute, harp, and keys, merged with delicate dual vocals to create something orchestral. The crowd responded in kind, swaying, singing, and holding one another as the set unfolded.
The Maccabees reunited to headline the festival, kicking off their night with 2000’s hits like Latchmere, Lego, and X-Ray, sparking a wave of singalongs. Despite sound issues during First Love and Can You Give It, fans sang along until the problems were fixed. Old friend Jamie T joined them on stage for Marks To Prove It and his own Sticks ‘N Stones, adding to a triumphant night.
Day five closed the festival on exactly the right note: energetic, intimate, youthful, and full of life. Dusty clothes, tired legs and full hearts. All Points East reminded us that festivals are not just about sound – they’re about memories.
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