Wide Awake secures its position as the best place to discover new music in London
The independent festival ran for its third year and did not disappoint, bringing in hard hitters like Molchat Doma, Daniel Avery and Los Bitchos.
Photo: Luke Dyson
The first thing I noticed about Wide Awake’s 2023 lineup was the wide range of artists it boasted from a variety of alternative and far-out genres. The diversity of the acts, from veterans to up-and-comers, added to the festival’s inclusive atmosphere and ethos. Any music lover or culture vulture wouldn’t struggle to find something to groove to!
On a blissfully sunny day in late May, I arrived at Brockwell Park in South London with positive but vague memories of last year’s edition of Wide Awake. This was the first festival of 2023 for me, so I could barely contain my nervous excitement to see so much live music packed into one day.
After a speedy entrance and tactical coffee, I was immediately drawn to my first act of the day: funky and fun instrumentalists Los Bitchos. Their sets always have impeccable vibes, and they delivered that and more. Guitarist Serra Petale choreographed the crowd’s participation throughout the quartet’s catchy psychedelic and Latin melodies, and they never once let up on the feel-good ambience. It is safe to say this set prepared me well to bask in the warmth of Wide Awake’s other offerings.
After meeting up with some friends, next on the agenda was a complete vibe shift and truly who I was most hyped for: Belarusian new wavers Molchat Doma. As a megafan of theirs who is also learning Russian, their set blew me away; not just because I could understand (some of) the lyrics. Lead vocalist Egor Shkutko’s long hair flowed in the gentle breeze as his deep voice rode the dark waves of the music, giving off dystopian but also dancey/synthy vibes. Sounding like an Eastern European Joy Division, this was exactly my kind of shit. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one – I spotted many other festival-goers shuffling amongst the substantial crowd. The pure energy and talent Molchat Doma emanated stuck with me throughout.
As festivals inevitably go, I mainly witnessed incomplete sets after that. I caught the tail-end of Alex G’s sunny afternoon set — who gave a wistful, soothing yet emotionally-driven performance; only marred slightly by a few sound issues with the main stage. I also managed to glimpse a couple of alluring tunes from the unique electro-pop duo Jockstrap, who were well-received in the packed-out Moth Club x DMY tent.
Next were the funny, loudmouth antics of Swedish punks Viagra Boys on the main stage. Again, the sound was slightly quieter than expected for those further back, but they still managed to rock and delight us, especially with crowdpleasers like Punk Rock Loser. The bustling mosh pit did not seem bothered with any sound issues, taking tattooed frontman Sebastian Murphy’s words of advice as gospel: “I want you on your worst behaviour!”
Black Country, New Road next gave a typically poignant and beautiful performance, evoking the mature art rock-cum-pop sound of their latest album Ants From Up Here. Seeing them grow into such a sophisticated style without sacrificing their original experimental sound felt edifying.
As the sun began to set, I had a hankering for the heavier electronic vibes the festival offered, so I opted to check out Joy Orbison; who killed it with a seamless mix of nostalgic UK funky and dance-house. I finished the day with an explosive set from techno-wizard Daniel Avery, who delivered a truly engrossing live session which was both introspective and moved the crowd, securing himself as one of the most enthralling live DJs to see.
It’s worth a mention that I was reliably informed by fellow attendees that Caroline Polachek stole the show (or Festival, in this case) with her very first festival headline, ending it with a masterful and visually captivating performance.
Overall, I was unsurprisingly impressed with the calibre of Wide Awake’s acts and, barring a few sound issues, it seemed to go off without a hitch. The revellers were all there for the love and music, which complemented the festival’s socially conscious ethos. There were informative workshops conducted by the likes of Lewisham Anti-Raids network and Acorn x Shelter, securing the space as one to not only celebrate counterculture but also provide the local community with tools for political action and solidarity.
The spirit at Wide Awake was contagious, I only wish I could've seen more. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event! If you haven’t explored the festival yet, I’ll see you at Brockwell Park in 2024.
