Wide Awake returned to Brockwell Park this year, with a stellar lineup of acts, in the baking
London sun. Will Griffin took in the sights and sounds of the Brixton festival.
After making our way through the Brixton crowds, we stumbled in to catch the end of
Canada’s Cola. Following last years stunning debut Deep in View, they captivated a strong
crowd for the early 2pm start, closing with new single Keys Down if You Stay. Vocalist Tim
Darcy’s often monotone delivery makes for strong juxtaposition with the bands driving guitar
lines.
"Brockwell Park itself is a perfect landscape, and allows for a festival that has more atmosphere and character than most weekend offerings"
Beginning our walk through the festival, Los Bitchos were next on our list. With their funky instrumental offerings, they were the perfect mid afternoon booking, bringing joyous guitar
lines in the sun. Even if you don’t enjoy Los Bitchos’ music, you’d be hard pressed to
dislike them as people. With crowd interaction throughout the set, they brought early joy to
our afternoon at Brockwell Park.
After a brief pit stop for some food, we squeezed into a packed tent for possibly the most
exciting act on the lineup - Jockstrap. Despite a somewhat obscured view and an acute case
of what must have been sunstroke, we left amazed. Jockstrap have the unique ability to
write sonically interesting pop bangers. Take Glasgow or Concrete Over Water for example.
Ellery and Skye excelled in front of a superb crowd. It’s hard not to think Jockstrap will be
headlining the festival circuit in years to come.
After a further pit stop for a cold pint, we waited patiently for Black Country, New Road.
Having been lucky enough to catch them touring unreleased material in 2021, I was
incredibly excited to see how their again stunning new material, as seen on their 2023
release, Live at Bush Hall, was received in person. There are few bands that leave you after
a gig feeling you have witnessed something truly special. But as the sunset on Brockwell
Park, it was hard to not feel that way about what Black Country, New Road had produced.
Moving from the joyous opener of Up Song, to the delicate beauty of Laughing Song and Turbines/Pigs, I was entranced, and silent from start to close. It is difficult to find a band more exciting, and innovative than Black Country, New Road, offering consistently refreshing material, in an ever diluted scene.
After a dance through a twilight Habibi Funk set that included a euphoric spin of Let’s Dance,
we opted to close a joyous day with a Daniel Avery live set. As darkness fell, Avery began
with a swirling, building ambient piece that seemed to last 10 minutes. In front of stunning
visuals, Avery’s silhouette moved across the stage building his live sound, before launching
into his entrancing dance material. Avery’s offering was in sharp contrast with the often
alternative offering we’d seen at the festival, but it was almost more remarkable as a result of
that. It was clear, as Avery gradually developed the driving sound, that his talents are
extensive.
Leaving Brockwell Park, it was hard to feel that Wide Awake is not one of the more special
day festivals the UK has to offer. Brockwell Park itself is a perfect landscape, and allows for
a festival that has more atmosphere and character than most weekend offerings. If next year
is anything like this years offering, I will be in attendance.
Edited by: Ali Glen
Images are the writer's own. Video courtesy of Jockstrap on YouTube
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