Festivals
22nd August 2025
House, UKG, and techno dominate the Victoria Park festival on its fourth day.
Amid rising clouds of dust, Barry Can’t Swim, also known as Josh Mainnie, takes the stage for his first-ever headline performance this Friday at All Points East. Recently achieving success in the UK Dance Charts with his 2025 album 'Loner', Barry is anything but lonely, presenting a lineup filled with uplifting club music. Before the main act, The Blessed Madonna electrifies the West Stage with her vibrant house tracks. Among all the performers tonight, she emphasizes the political nature of dance, displaying provocative messages on the main screen with each sun-drenched track she plays (“World leaders go fuck yourself! Tabloid media thumb screws reality!”). This serves as a crucial reminder of the underground roots of rave culture, especially in a time when the far right is tightening its grip on Britain. Shygirl's wild club pop offers an escape, demonstrating her ability to match the energy of the dusty park around her. Sporting a playful silk bow tie and accompanied by graceful backup dancers, the London artist keeps the momentum high, urging her audience for “ENERGY, ENERGY!”. There’s no shortage of hits; she opens with the dazzling ‘Cleo’ and includes fan favorites like ‘Freak’ and ‘Fuck Me’ before delivering a powerful remix of Charli XCX’s ‘365’. But that's not all; prepare for Confidence Man, who are determined to dominate every festival this season. The Australian dance group kicks off strong with an impressive lineup of crowd favorites – including ‘ALL MY PEOPLE’, ‘I CAN’T LOSE YOU’, and ‘NOW U DO’ – but they have an even bigger surprise in store. JADE enters next, performing a choreographed routine to her collaboration titled ‘gossip’. The crowd loves it, making it a significant highlight of an already eventful day.
Finally, it’s time for Barry Can’t Swim, who makes a dramatic entrance by sounding a siren before launching into a visually stunning performance with ‘The Person You’d Like To Be’. He announces that it's his birthday and is committed to celebrating in style, accompanied by a full orchestra and some of the most impressive laser displays Victoria Park has likely ever witnessed. He shifts between everything from the alluring sounds of acid house to the uplifting salsa themes of ‘Kimbara’. Special guests also join the vibrant show: Låpsley performs a heartfelt version of the sensual, piano-centered ‘Woman’, while Irish poet Jack Loughrey, known as somedeadbeat, shares his monologue on ‘Deadbeat Gospel’. Following performances of ‘Still Riding’ and ‘How It Feels’, Barry wraps up with the classic ‘Sunsleeper’, leading to an impromptu chant of ‘Happy Birthday’ from the crowd. While Barry may not be able to swim, he certainly knows how to deliver an outstanding lineup.
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House, UKG, and techno dominate the Victoria Park festival on its fourth day.