Part two of our summer music festivals 2023 preview zeroes in on the capital. (Part one on Europe is here, part three on the UK follows.)
London once again has an impressively large selection of festivals to choose from again this year. Whether your preference is for big/small, indoor/outdoor, seated/standing, emerging acts/established names you’d be hard pressed not to find something that appeals. As always, some of these events offer the only chance to see some of these artists in the capital this year while others are playing their first London shows in years. We have rounded up 11 of the standout events. Have a read below and get a booking.
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All Points East
All Points East (including Field Day)
APE returns once again to Victoria Park with another carefully curated set of days that cater for particular musical outlooks and tastes. It begins on 18th August with a headline appearance from Stormzy with the UK’s premier rapper also choosing the supporting names (that include Kehlani, Sampha, Knucks and Lucky Dave with others still to be confirmed).
Field Day comes next on 19th August, the collaboration between the two events going from strength to strength as Aphex Twin makes his eagerly awaited return to east London alongside the likes of Bonobo, Kelela, Jon Hopkins, Fever Ray, Sudan Archives and many more.
The Strokes appear on 25th August and are joined by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Angel Olson and various others while the line up for 26th August includes Jungle, Erykah Badu, BadBadNotGood and more. Dermot Kennedy headlines on 27th August with support from Olivia Dean and US trio Haim top the bill on 28th August alongside Confidence Man, Snail Mail, Tove Lo and more. It doesn’t feel like its position as London’s premier music festival is going to come under threat anytime soon.
All Points East takes place at Victoria Park, London from 18-28 August. More information can be found here.
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Meltdown
Meltdown
If you prefer your music events to be of the seated/indoors/comfortable variety you’ll be wanting to check out the shows taking place as part of this year’s Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre. This year it is curated by Christine & The Queens and brings together a selection of artists that is both populist and diverse. Christine & The Queens will play two shows on the final weekend of the event, no doubt playing from last year’s Redcar les adorables etoiles (prologue) and previewing tracks from forthcoming new album PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE. There will also be performances from Sigur Rós & London Contemporary Orchestra, Django Django, Kokoroko, Warpaint, Oxlade, serpentwithfeet, Let’s Eat Grandma, Bat For Lashes and Soap&Skin alongside club nights and other events.
Meltdown takes place at the Southbank Centre, London from 9-18 June. More information can be found here.
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Somerset House Summer Series
Somerset House Summer Series
Over on the north bank of the Thames, Somerset House’s Summer Series returns with what looks to be their strongest line up for a good few years. The eleven nights showcases a balanced selection of exciting breakthrough artists alongside some weighty, crowdpulling names for what should be another great event.
Highlights include Alison Goldfrapp serving up tracks from her new album The Love Invention, acclaimed LA trio Gabriels playing what will be a highly anticipated show and esteemed NYC guitar act Interpol revisiting their back catalogue. South London’s Greentea Peng brings her R&B/soul to the scenic courtyard setting while rising artists like Olivia Dean and Beabadoobee are sure to make positive impressions. Young Fathers showcase new album Heavy Heavy while Tinariwen and The Comet Is Coming will add global/jazz sounds to the mix.
Somerset House Summer Series takes place at Somerset House, London from 6-16 July. More information can be found here.
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Mighty Hoopla (Photo: Luke Dyson)
Mighty Hoopla
Those of a pop persuasion should turn their eyes in the direction of Mighty Hoopla. The organisers promise a weekend of joy and liberation that festival goers will remember forever as Brockwell Park welcomes the likes of Róisín Murphy, Jake Shears, Kelis, Kelly Rowland, Aqua, Beverley Knight, Soul II Soul, Years & Years and many more. Hopefully the weather will be kind for what will undoubtedly be a multicoloured, extroverted explosion of pure pop party pleasure.
Might Hoopla takes place at Brockwell Park, London from 3-4 June. More information can be found here.
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Wide Awake
Wide Awake
Wide Awake might be smaller in scale than the likes of All Points East but they have delivered another strong line up that plays to their strengths as an event that brings together some of the hottest new guitar names with some carefully selected alternative big hitters.
The more familiar names include Caroline Polachek, Alex G, Osees, Oneohtrix Point Never, Daniel Avery and Black Country, New Road. Arooj Aftab, Jockstrap and Tirzah all arrive fresh with critical acclaim while Gilla Band, Warmduscher and Viagra Boys all should go down a storm. As always, the line up is packed with other artists just waiting to be found and loved. Get down there early and be sure to discover your next new favourite band.
Wide Awake takes place at Brockwell Park, London on 27 May. More information can be found here.
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Cross The Tracks
Cross The Tracks
Also taking place at Brockwell Park again this year is Cross The Tracks, which looks to consolidate its position as London’s premier soul, jazz and funk festival. Returning for its fourth edition, the event boasts a line up that includes Anderson Paak’s NxWorries, Masego, Kelis, Alfa Mist, Ezra Collective, Gilles Peterson, Roy Ayers, Chelsea Carmichael, Lunch Money Life and many more. We can’t think of many better ways to kick summer off early.
Cross The Tracks takes place at Brockwell Park, London on 28 May. More information can be found here.
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GALA
GALA
GALA takes place a few miles down the road in Peckham over the same weekend and promises an uplifting inclusive, genre-spanning celebration that places community at its heart. The line up includes Jordan Rakei, Overmono, Amadou & Mariam, The Orb, Congo Natty, Nubya Garcia, Leon Vynehall, Romare and a long list of others. They’re now in their seventh year and it promises to be an excellent weekend.
GALA takes place at Peckham Rye Park, London from 26-28 May. More information can be found here.
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BST Hyde Park
BST Hyde Park
BST Hyde Park returns with another selection of heritage acts and big names but also adds in a couple of contemporary choices this year to their ten day event. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Billy Joel, Take That and Guns N’ Roses might be considered the sort of names you’d expect to see playing Hyde Park but this year also sees headline slots from Pink, Lana Del Rey and Blackpink. If you want a festival with a real sense of event located bang in the middle of the capital this is the one for you. There’s also the usual, free mid week programme of live music, arts, cinema, workshops and family activities.
BST Hyde Park takes place in Hyde Park, London from 24 June to 10 July. More information can be found here.
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Visions
Visions
Visions once again returns to its multi-venue Hackney home with a typically forward-thinking line up that focuses on the new. Spiritualized headline with the likes of Katy J Pearson, Just Mustard, Scalping and Pale Blue Eyes also booked to appear. The emerging bands further down the bill will no doubt go on to play bigger venues so why not take the opportunity to see them in intimate surroundings while you can?
Visions takes place across various venues in Hackney, London on 22 July. More information can be found here.
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South Facing (Photo: Luke Dyson)
South Facing
South Facing consolidates its position as one of the most promising newcomers on the London festival circuit with another strong line up of reliable crowdpullers. This year sees appearances from the likes of First Aid Kit, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Rudimental, Craig David and two double bills that will no doubt appeal to music fans brought up on all things Creation/of a certain generation – namely Primal Scream and The Jesus & Mary Chain and James and Happy Mondays.
The venue of Crystal Palace Bowl has a long history (pre-South Facing) of hosting famous names (artists to have previously played it include the likes of Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Elton John, Lou Reed, The Cure, Gil Scott Heron and Curtis Mayfield) and this year’s shows should add to their growing reputation as a festival to look out for.
South Facing takes place in Crystal Palace Bowl, London from 28 July to 13 August. More information can be found here.
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Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope, set in the grounds of Alexandra Palace, claims to have the most scenic festival site in the capital, offering panoramic views across the city, as well as the chance to explore hidden corners of the historic Palace and 196 acres of award-winning park. Now in its fourth year it continues to offer the capital’s festival goers something different and this year sees Hot Chip, Gaz Coombes, George Fitzgerald, Elvana (an Elvis fronted Nirvana tribute, why of course), Girls Of The Internet and Antony Szmierek all lined up to play. There’s also DJ, comedy and spoken word stages and a host of family friendly entertainment options.
Kaleidoscope takes place at Alexandra Palace, London on 15 July. More information can be found here.
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Kew The Music
Kew The Music
A sliver of Kew Gardens will again be given over to champagne bars, picket fenced deckchair gardens and a laid-back, picnic blanket vibe as Kew The Music returns with smooth music from the likes of The Human League, Bastille, Jack Savoretti, , The Vamps, Jools Holland and Hacienda Classical. One of the most relaxed festivals we’ve been to knows what it does, and does it well.
Kew The Music takes place at Kew Gardens, London from 13 to 16 July. More information can be found here.
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Greenwich Summer Sounds
Greenwich Summer Sounds
Taking over the Old Royal Naval College on the banks of the Thames, the brand new Greenwich Summer Sounds is formed of a series of concerts headlined by household names, of the order of Nile Rodgers & Chic, Tom Jones, Black Eyed Peas and Kaiser Chiefs. As locations for music watching go, the sun setting over the UNESCO world heritage site will take some beating. Arrive early for support names including Scouting For Girls, Ellie Sax and The View.
Greenwich Summer Sounds takes place at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, from 4 to 8 July. More information can be found here.
• Additional words by Michael Hubbard
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