Live review
Jo From School, Blood Wizard, Y & more make a lasting impression at East London Block Party 2025
26th July 2025
The single day music festival takes over Shoreditch to show off London’s local music community.
Gone are the days of blistering summer heat in what feels like a streak of stormy July days that’s brought life to a lull. As Londoners recover from June’s endless lineup of music festivals, they’re also getting back in touch with things closer to home. Insert the East London Block Party, a collaborative, day-long festival held by Shoreditch venues Strongroom, Dream Bag Jaguar Shoes, Colours and The Old Blue Last hosting alternative indie artists such as Frank Lloyd Wleft, Goldheart, jo from school, Blood Wizard and Y.
Upon first arrival, visitors find themselves at The Old Blue Last, a 300-year-old pub that’s supposedly haunted by Shakespeare. And while there are no ghosts or ghouls out tonight, there are plenty of men with moustaches. Once guests head up its tight stairwell, they’re presented with complementary cupcakes available for the venue’s opening act with Tilly for a Wake and Bake, kicking off the event.
Just a skip up the road, Strongroom hosts one of the festival’s first performances of the day. A cheeky country accent sings out above a silly slide guitar: despite their English origin, Frank Lloyd Wleft embody Americana folk in a near method approach with their performances, and it translates well with their audience. The dance floor seamlessly transforms into a fusion of ambitious line dancing (and moshing), before Goldheart enter to keep the energy going. With arguably the best on-stage chemistry of the day, they hop around and swing their hips to the beat of their own drums - as well as a fun flute accompaniment.
Shifting gears at Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, Lighthaus are ironically set in the venue's dark basement. The only thing that can be made out are hanging stained-glass cubes lit up by fairy lights and a projector shining down on the bassist as he counts off into his band's first song. Synth meets metal here in a sound that matches the murky, dark surrounding. Though the group are performing at arm’s length, the band uses a make-shift wall of amplifiers and stacked synthesisers to add a layer of depth and a barrier between themselves and the audience in a cave-like construction.
First at DIY's own stage at Colours is jo from school, with an intimate set with songs named after farm animals with a charming, hypnotic falsetto that sits atop a sea of sounds pulling newcomers in deeper like a ripcurrent. From quips about mini skirts and deep thank yous to her backing band for learning songs the night before, jo from school’s songs leaves attendants longing for her music to be available to listen back to, or to at least follow up with an encore performance.
Then comes Blood Wizard, clad in patchwork tattoos and cut-up black muscle tanks to emulate a sexy blend of punk rhythms. It’s drummer Adrian Cook’s birthday, and frontman Cai Burns fittingly improvises a guitar riff of 'Happy Birthday'.
Finally, Y greet an excitable throng eager to witness their wonky rock. All but the tenor sax are dressed in the band's uniform: a red Y graphic tee, a red jumper, a red beret, a red bass guitar and an electric red guitar to match. Each song showcases a completely different approach, a different sound, but there's a skilful formula to their chaos, typified by their guitarist and bassist briefly switching roles for a quick number before returning to their normal spot. As the sounds of an improvised saxophone bounce off the walls, the crowd mashes and boogies in a swelling energy of joy.
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