Wide Awake festival review: South London one-dayer shows why it’s the perfect way to kick off your summer

In the last twelve months, the internet has given rise to a meme characterised by one phrase: We Are So Back. It’s a simple, catch-all phrase that effortlessly captures the joy of experiencing something – big or small – that makes you feel alive again.

And so to South London’s Brockwell Park for Wide Awake Festival last Saturday, where constant unbroken sunshine was matched by one of the most dynamic, genre-spanning line-ups of the summer. It felt like, to borrow that aforementioned phrase at the beginning of 2024’s festival season: We Are So Back.

Now in its fourth year, this one-dayer has won rightful praise for putting together some of the world’s most interesting emerging and established artists. This means that Brighton psych-merchants Plantoid get the chance to kick things off on the Desert Daze stage with a kaleidoscopic set that goes far in blasting any residual cobwebs from the festival goers. It’s the perfect way to see the day’s start.

Over on the Disco Pogo stage, meanwhile, Lambrini Girls are dishing out a ferocious racket far more intense than that stage’s name might suggest. In one of the day’s stand-out sets, the punk duo’s unrepentant leader Phoebe Lunny spends nearly more time in the crowd than she does on stage and quips that they won’t be on the best side of the security team by the team they finish. That might be the case, but it’s worth it when you see the sense of community they can foster in just 30 minutes.

This is exemplified by their final track ‘Boys In The Band’, which tackles the importance of calling out abusive behaviour. From the way that the track is roared back at them, you sense that they’ve fully converted this latest audience. Mission accomplished.

A little later in the afternoon, it’s Crumb who deliver one of the day’s most interesting sets over on the KEXP stage. They may have existed as a cult proposition, but the sizeable crowd is duly rewarded by the Brooklyn band’s curious blend of Shoegaze (quite fitting given that Slowdive will play later tonight) and escapist dream pop.

Charlotte Adigery & Bolis Popul, meanwhile, are one of the day’s great surprises – dishing up the exact level of funk-laden party-starting that you’d expect from a band who released their debut album on Soulwax’s label. It means that by the time that Young Fathers roll around shortly after, the crowd descending from the top of the hill is ready for the unrepentant energy of the Scottish trio – who remain one of the most thrilling live propositions in the world.

As for emerging talent later in the today, queer-pop provocateur Lynks delivers a show on the Disco Pogo stage that feels like they are destined for much bigger things. The plastic see-through roof of the stage leads them to quip that they’re performing on the “cuntiest Eden Project”, while queer-pop banger ‘ (What did you expect from) Sex With A Stranger’ is dedicated to, err, TFL.  “I’m on the DLR, on my way to fuck a stranger,” Lynks screams. Now that dedication makes sense.

As for emerging talent later in the today, queer-pop provocateur Lynks delivers a show on the Disco Pogo stage that feels like they are destined for much bigger things. The plastic see-through roof of the stage leads them to quip that they’re performing on the “cuntiest Eden Project”, while queer-pop banger ‘ (What did you expect from) Sex With A Stranger’ is dedicated to, err, TFL.  “I’m on the DLR, on my way to fuck a stranger,” Lynks screams. Now that dedication makes sense.

And by the time headliners King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizzard take to the KEXP stage, the South London crowd – including the two lads who dished out fancy dress in tribute to the band – is more than ready to lap up the brilliantly unpredictable antics of the Aussie psych-merchants. It means that – as is customary at King Gizz shows – the setlist is never the same and all the better for it. When paired with their stunning light show and the non-stop shredding of guitarist Joey Walker, they become one of the most brilliantly unique live bands in the world.

All this and, to close things over on the Desert Daze Stage – a stonking hour of David Byrne and Talking Heads covers from the excellent Byrne’s Night Collective. How’s that for variety?

Wide Awake might only be in its fourth year, but it’s going far in proving why it has become an essential way to kick off festival season for Londoners and, on the basis of this line-up beyond. With an ability to champion the alternative and interesting at every corner, it’s an one-dayer like no other. See you there in 2025?