BY GREGORY ROBINSON
The third day of All Points East 2025 arrived with a heatwave, and lots of dust. The festival had issued a warning on social media ahead of the day because of the extra dry conditions, but nothing quite prepared revellers for the thick clouds billowing across Victoria Park. People were offering each other puffs from their blue asthma inhalers, a level of chivalry I’d never witnessed at a music festival, or any gathering, for that matter.
At times, it felt like raving in the middle of a desert, albeit one within a 20-minute walk of the tube and populated by glitter, vapes, and yuppies. If you weren’t breathing in dust, you were probably inhaling second-hand clouds from someone’s fruity vape. Apparently, this is all part of the charm, so say the regulars. And despite the haze, spirits were high. The second weekend drew a stylish crowd of young professionals and electronic music lovers, many of them clutching ubiquitous cans of White Claw.
The Blessed Madonna was a standout of the day, drawing one of the most energetic crowds of the weekend. Her set, a powerful blend of remixes and high-octane edits, featured tracks like Funk on You (Whitesquare Remix), Take Me to the Top by Metrodome, and Elisir by Gigi D’Agostino. It hit its stride just as the sun dipped, casting a golden haze across the park. A few dancers, undeterred by the dust, responded to the thumping beats by cutting shapes with reckless joy, kicking up even more dust in the process.
Shygirl had the crowd wrapped around her finger from the jump, even getting them to moan along with her in a moment equal parts cheeky and fun. As dancers twirled and frolicked around her on the pink-hued stage decorated with a disco ball, she delivered sex-positive euphoric club anthems like Freak, 4eva, and Mr Useless.
Confidence Man delivered an energetic set that was unapologetically camp. Day Four headliner Jade made a surprise appearance, emerging to perform her gloriously fun acid house collaboration with the band, titled Gossip – and the crowd went wild.
All Points East is a great time… just be prepared to party hard and leave looking like you’ve been to a rave-themed archaeological dig.
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