Cross The Tracks 2026 • Festivals • DIY Magazine

There’s a frenzied excitement in the air in Brockwell Park. It’s not just down to Little Simz’s imminent return to Cross The Tracks; a victory lap for the native Londoner off the back of her album ’Lotus’ and recent O2 Arena headline. There’s also the small matter of the heatwave that’s been threatening to break all week – both are now in full effect, with the residents of Brixton celebrating in their thousands, and it makes for a delicious combination.

Before getting to Simz, though, there’s a whole day’s run-up of jazz, funk and soul perfectly suited to such raised temperatures. An early highlight comes in the form of ‘70s survivors – and funk godfathers – WAR, with an unashamedly crowd-pleasing turn. There’s a spread of ages - from six to 60 - in the crowd, with a particularly lovely abundance of parents dancing with their children. Lonnie Jordan and his band are having a ball, too, with ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends’ and the irresistible ‘Low Rider’ drawing even the most reluctant punters out of the shade to dance.

They’re followed on the main stage by one of the bill’s more thrillingly odd proposals – Fabio & Grooverider, and the Outlook Orchestra. The legendary jungle duo are joined onstage by an entire orchestra, to perform a potted history of UK drum and bass, garage and jungle from the ‘90s onwards. It’s genuinely euphoric, with the breakbeats sounding extraordinary courtesy of the percussion section, and live horns underscoring the joy of this music, reflected in the nostalgic grins of those in the crowd that remember these hits from the first time around.

Over to one of the festival’s most picturesque stages – Terminal, which is in a natural bowl in the park – next, for Obongjayar. Born in Nigeria, the singer is a mesmerising live performer, effortlessly grooving and swaying across the stage. His delivery is instantly recognisable, and he has real range, too, from funk stompers through to softer moments like ‘Adore U’ (a huge Fred Again.. collaboration, performed here as a gorgeous, stripped-back version). Absolutely one to watch.

As the sun starts to set, nearly everyone at the festival is soon drawn back to the main stage, for Cross The Tracks’ two London leading ladies – Joy Crookes and Little Simz. In fact, the only critique of the festival might be that most of the popular sets are split between the main two stages rather than across all five, resulting in a huge crowd travelling back and forth seemingly every hour.

Crowds aside, Joy Crookes garners a huge reception the moment she walks on-stage: wearing a sequinned shawl, she looked every bit the star. A London set is always a big deal for Crookes, but none more so than a Brixton show; as she wastes no time in telling us, she’s South London born and bred, and it feels like a full circle moment to see her performing on home turf. Tracks from 2021’s 'Skin' and last year’s 'Juniper' come interspersed with unreleased cuts that receive just as much love as her hits, but the biggest reception is reserved for closer ‘When You Were Mine’ – a soul ballad set in Brixton itself. Expect to see her headlining on her own merits very soon.

Finally, then, the main event arrives. The screens on the main stage show drone shots of the crowd Simz has pulled, seemingly the entire capacity of the festival gathered at one end of the park. Entering to ‘Thief’ – a track from last year’s 'Lotus' - she cuts a cool silhouette in an oversized Adidas tracksuit, and she stalks around the stage in these opening moments, showing off her lyrical talents in a brazen flex to start the show.

What follows is a blistering set, clocking in at just over an hour long, in which Simz squeezes in so many of her talents. Funny, charming crowdwork? Check – even with the ostentatious move of sporting an Arsenal shirt in South London. Mid-show DJ set, with Simz rapping and mixing at the same time? Check. An ensemble cast of some of the UK’s brightest new talent? (Hello again, Obongjayar!) Check, check, check.

Last year’s 'Lotus' tour felt like a real step up for Little Simz, an artist graduating to bona fide star status, and this headline show confirms as much. Her discography speaks for itself, but on these recent shows it’s felt like the crowd are coming to see her more than anything else – Simz the spectacle, mixing dizzying technical ability with unforced charisma. Effortlessly likeable, expertly assured, it’s surely only upwards from here for the UK’s most prominent female MC.