Tyler, The Creator opened his set at Victoria Park on August 28th with a bang, literally. He introduced “Big Poe” with fireworks, positioning himself as an unstoppable force. A full-size train carriage, part of a fictional Underground station, served as his entrance. Fifty thousand spectators watched as he disappeared inside and re-emerged on the runway, with pyrotechnics detonating around him.
Tyler, The Creator, the festival’s headliner, didn’t ease the crowd into the evening. He tore through his discography, playing tracks like “She,” “Earfquake,” “Noid,” and “See You Again” without pause. At one point, he paused to share his history with London, mentioning XL Recordings as his first label. It was an explosive performance, a masterclass in festival theatre.
All Points East, now in its eighth year, has transformed from a series of large outdoor concerts into an institution. The park’s layout is now familiar, and the programming has finally matched it: massive headliners surrounded by genuinely interesting artists, not just token support.
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The festival’s sound quality has improved this year. The East Stage screens received significant upgrades, and the overall production had the expected scale for an AEG operation. All Points East, finally, feels like the festival it always promised to be.
Tyler, The Creator wasn’t the only attraction. The undercard brought together artists from diverse musical backgrounds. Rex Orange County, Mariah the Scientist, Clipse, Rochelle Jordan, Ecca Vandal, and Turnstile performed, each occupying different spaces on the musical spectrum. Yet, the day held together surprisingly well.
Turnstile, the only real alternative-rock band on a bill dominated by hip-hop and electronic music, proved to be a surprising choice. They headlined Outbreak in the same park last year. Now, they opened with “Birds” and spent an hour making people dance and mosh, despite the pouring rain. They won over both fans and new listeners.
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Ecca Vandal, earlier in the day, provided another bridge between worlds. Her bedroom-punk snarl and enormous choruses sounded like a Gen Z content machine fed an entire history of alternative music. Over on the X Stage, Rochelle Jordan looked like she’d stepped out of an 80s disco club, combining sleek R&B with restless electronic music. She revealed to the crowd she was born in High Wycombe, demonstrating how an artist can move from the margins to the mainstream without abandoning either.
All Points East has learned to build a day around a headliner rather than simply placing one on top of supporting acts. This year’s festival showcased the proof: a day that held together despite its diverse lineup, with an improved sound system, and a production that matched its world-class headliner.