Wide Awake came and gone in a flash, but remains one of London’s exciting new ventures — bring on 2022

You know live music is well and truly back when you’re watching a play fight involving Geordie Greep and trying not to get squashed into an early grave. It’s the little things.

Originally scheduled to take place two years ago, we all know the tale of what got in the way of Wide Awake making its debut as London’s hip new festival. Don’t worry, I’m not going to mention it again.

With the likes of black midi, IDLES, and Black Country, New Road slated to perform, there’s no doubt that they were always going to pique the interest of the many fans that these acts garnered over the, um, thing that interrupted everyone’s lives for a bit and a half. Post-punk popularity soared in 2019 and has only been growing since then. It’s post-punk Brexit at its best, or whatever we’re calling it.

IDLES, a band not without their own controversy, took to the stage at an early afternoon slot, making their politics incredibly vocal as they have come to be known for. With their obvious left-wing politics, they are not a band to keep quiet on the issues working-class people face on the daily; the line “the best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich” says it all. Spoken with such bitter disparity, it’s a shame Boris Johnson wasn’t there to witness their set come to a close with frontman Joe Talbot firmly stating, “if the Tory government won’t support the music industry, we will.” We can only hope.

I’m not one for treks or for following directions, so how I found my way to the Bad Vibrations stage to catch Porridge Radio, I’ve not got a clue. All that matters is that I made it there (and I got the t-shirt to prove it.

Despite not being announced in the initial line-up, I somehow had it stuck in my head that they were already playing. They fit so well with the other artists, it would’ve been criminal to miss them off. Low and behold, they were the band I was most excited for, and they were better than I could’ve imagined. I just wish they’d had a longer set so I could bask in their glory all day.

I just about caught the last half of Squid’s set — no thanks to my general confusion towards the stage layout. As I said, directions and I don’t go well together and, to be fair, it was unexpectedly hot and I was in black trousers.

What I managed to see was exciting; I wasn’t aware that the lead singer was the drummer so it comes as a surprise. Discovering that someone can sing as well as drum will never be less than impressive; discovering they can deliver a memorable performance while maintaining all these skills and adding little twists and turns left me in awe.

One band that has been on my radar since hearing their debut single Hypersonic Super-Asterid earlier this year, is Mandrake Handshake. I’m a fool for a woozy, carefree psych outfit and, by the looks of a member swaying on stage with his shirt off, they’re as carefree as they come. With a nine-strong band, they’re commanding the stage and their music shrouds the crowd with their hazy vibe.

Getting to see Goat Girl — a band that undoubtedly released an album this year that might just be one of the best of 2021 so far — left me wanting more; I wanted to see them in a more comfortable setting, stripped back and playing somewhat close together (isn’t it weird how far apart bands are at festivals?). It felt like the stage was too big for their sound, perhaps their DIY noise would bounce off the walls of an independent venue much better. This simply means I’ll have to venture to a show of theirs this year so I can see what the true Goat Girl experience is like, because I know it’s a good one.

I’m sure many people were here for Black Country, New Road; it’s no surprise after releasing their debut album For the first time this year — it feels as if the whole day has been a build-up to the home run of breakout bands from 2019.

There’s something undeniably charming about the collective from Cambridge. They’ve clearly been a part of one another’s lives for a while; chemistry like that doesn’t just happen overnight. They play as if their lives depend on it — I was worried for saxophonist Lewis at one point, considering how red his face turned while playing.

Although I didn’t gel too well with their debut offering as a whole, I find it translates a lot smoother live, despite the multitudes of instruments layering upon one another and the room for mistakes. If you close your eyes, you might just wake up in La La Land.

Despite leaving the closing of Wide Awake’s first year to shame, black midi are the perfect ending to my night.

I’ve heard many bizarre tales of black midi shows as if they’re some sort of enigma you had no idea you’d witness first hand, so to see them welcomed on stage by a wrestling announcer was something I should’ve seen coming, yet was suitably left in a fit of laughter.

It’s always special seeing the cogs behind the well-oiled machine and the addition of their 22-year-old drummer Morgan Simpson give it his all in the flesh is mesmerising — not to mention they managed to captivate the entirety of the audience and gave a performance I won’t be forgetting soon.

If the line-up next year is anything like this one, count me in.