A Special Time

Bring Me The Horizon headlined the All Points East Festival in London.

Following the debut in 2018, the All Points East festival which is a ten-day festival, returned to Victoria Park at the end of May. Offering an eclectic mix of music across two weekends with free arts, film and food events in between.

One of this year’s headliners as the Sheffield based heavy rock band Bring Me The Horizon who curated the lineup for their festival day including bands such as Architects, While She Sleeps, Sleeping With Sirens, Pengshui, Yonaka, Nothing But Thieves, Lotus Eater, Black Futures, Idles and many more who played across three different stages.

East Stage (main stage):

Bring Me The Horizon, Run The Jewels, Nothing But Thieves, Idles, Alice Glass, Scarlxrd, Tillie

North Stage:

Architects, While She Sleeps, Sleeping With Sirens, Yonaka, Employed To Serve, Lotus Eater

Firestone Stage:

Happyalone, Vucovi, Black Futures, Pengshui

On the way from the tube station to the festival area, there were many signs and staff guiding the visitors into the right direction which made it easy to find and access. However, the organisation on the side was not as good as there haven’t been enough signs guiding to the different stages nor were the stages labelled with their names. It was quite confusing to get information about the festival itself as well as to find the proper timings for each set. Nevertheless, I managed to get all the information I needed as the bands and other media partners posted about them.

Starting off, I decided to watch Yonaka’s set on the North Stage. The Brighton based quartet captured the audience with heir catchy melodies which animated the fans to dance and sing along.

Next up was the American alternative post-hardcore band Sleeping With Sirens who increased the energy levels in front of the stage. Offering a good mix of older heavier songs and some of their newer anthemlike tunes got the crowd singing all the lyrics on the top of their lungs and enjoying themselves in a big circle pit. Before they left the stage, they played a brand-new song, teasing their upcoming album which hinted a slightly heavier style which the band was known for in their earlier days.

The British metal heads While She Sleeps were next and literally tore the stage apart. Having a well-mixed set list with some of their older and some of their newer songs was greatly appreciated by the crowd who enjoyed themselves running around in circle pits, surfing the crowd and screaming the anthemic refrains on the top of their lungs. As a surprise, Oli Sykes who is the vocalist of the headlining band Bring Me The Horizon, joined While She Sleeps during ‘Hurricane’ which saw the fans lose their minds.

Last band on the North Stage was the Brighton based metalcore band Architects. The quintet is known for their emotive and anthemic songs and offered a good mix of their discography including some of their older songs such as ‘Gravedigger’, ‘Nihilist’, ‘Naysayer’, and ‘These Colours Don’t Run’ or ‘A Match Made In Heaven’, as well as some songs of their latest release ‘Holy Hell’ such as the opener ‘Modern Misery’, ‘Holy Hell’, ‘Royal Beggars’, ‘Mortal After All’, ‘Hereafter’, ‘Gone With The Wind’ and the epic closer ‘Doomsday’. Everyone seemed to have a great time, enjoying themselves surfing the crowd, running around in mosh pits and screaming the lyrics on the top of their lungs.

After Architects finished their set, there were only around five minutes left to head over to the main stage where Bring Me The Horizon were about to finishing off the festival day with an impressive live show. The Sheffield based heavy rock band didn’t fail to impress and surpass everyone’s expectations. Their two hour long setlist included some of their older songs which they haven’t played in a long time as well as some of their newer material. Starting off the set with Mantra, they set the energy levels high right from the start, followed by ‘Avalanche’, ‘The House Of Wolves’, ‘Medicine’ and ‘Wonderful Life’ together with Dani Filth leading into the seemingly heavier part of the set. After a quick intermission they dived right into ‘Diamonds Aren’t Forever’ with the crowd going mental, moshing around in circle pits, and were joined by Architect’s Sam Carter for the emotional track ‘The Sadness Will Never End’. Halfway through the set Oli sat down and took the time to speak to the crowd thanking them for their continuous support and how people came up to the band telling them how much their music has helped them especially after they released ‘Sempiternal’. Slowing it down a bit, the speech was followed by a heartbreakingly beautiful acoustic version of ‘Sleepwalking’ which saw the crowd belting every single word of the song on the top of their lungs. Leading into their final part of the set they played ‘Pray For Plagues’, the anthemic ‘Can You Feel My heart’ and ‘Shadow Moses’, as well as they got the crowd dancing during the electronically driven ‘Nihilist Blues’. Finishing off, they were supported by a choir during ‘It Never Ends’ and joined by Lotus Eater’s Jamie for ‘Antivist’ before ending the official set with ‘Follow You’ which had the crowd screaming every word back to the stage. As an encore they played ‘Throne’ and ‘Drown’ which left the crowd hyped and excited.

Overall, it was a great festival day with an amazing lineup, great bands and an engaging crowd. The bands and fans seemed to have a great time enjoying themselves moshing and singing along which was highly appreciated by all the bands.

The organisation and accessibility of information prior to the event could have been a tod better. Nonetheless, the staff on site were friendly and helpful. It definitely was a special time!