Mitski, All Points East 2024 • Festivals • DIY Magazine

As the vast crowd hush to pin-drop silence the moment cult hero Ethel Cain launches into opener ‘Dust Bowl’, it’s clear that today’s All Points East lineup is unlike any other. Headlined by Mitski and punctuated by unlikely TikTok favourites, today is curated for a counterculture of music lovers. It’s evident in the complete lack of bar or food queues, and the regular wave of diehard punters gliding en masse from stage to stage to make sure not a moment is missed. There’s an unbroken loyalty on display at all ends of the field, be it for rising star Suki Waterhouse’s retro pop stylings, or beabadoobee further cementing her resounding success story with an effortless, grunge-infused performance in-keeping with the festival’s apparent dress code of baggy jeans. “Some of you have been standing for a long time,” headliner Mitski notes, testament to the dedicated throng who remain front and centre to catch their heroes.

It’s a unique atmosphere for a line-up of breakthrough alternative artists and, having found unexpected fame from ‘Nobody’ landing hard on Gen Z’s favourite content platform, Mitski is a fitting leader to traverse the bridge between mainstream and counterculture. It’s telling that, at the time of the show, beabadoobee’s third album sits at the top of the UK charts - a far cry from what popular music lovers were listening to just a few years back.

The unrelenting charge of cult heroes begins earnestly with Ethel Cain on the festival’s main East Stage, who delivers the likes of ‘A House In Nebraska’ and ‘Gibson Girl’ with haunting precision, playfully declaring the latter as “inappropriate” before washing Victoria Park in its sultry sleaze. Arguably one of the best tracks of the last two years, ‘American Teenager’ offers a fitting soundtrack to today’s proceedings through its tale of turbulent youth, and is unsurprisingly met with perhaps the biggest singalong of the day (challenged only by a throwback cover of Jackie DeShannon’s ‘Bette Davis Eyes’).

As ‘American Teenager’ rings out, the crowds flock towards Suki Waterhouse, who jumps between rousing pop and reserved piano balladry. The multi-million streamed ‘Good Looking’ sees a throng of fans run into the big blue tent for a mass singalong, but it’s the likes of ‘Blackout Drunk’ and ‘OMG’ that carry the biggest weight, packing an alt-pop style that Suki is evidently making her own. A quick cover of Oasis classic ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is certainly enough to keep the older festival goers and parents happy.

Back on the East Stage and preceded by another wave of fans moving as one, beabadoobee stands proud against a green painted backdrop, with early fan favourite ‘She Plays Bass’ nestled alongside grunge newcomers ‘California’ and ‘Take A Bite’. The huge crowd is unsurprising given the success of her third record, but it’s her performance that truly showcases just how she's reached this point. Flawlessly energetic yet brilliantly understated, Bea commands both the crowd and stage with enigmatic ease.

The all-important pre-Mitski showdown pits acclaimed singer-songwriter Arlo Parks against scuzzy-guitar outfit TV Girl, the latter winning out in terms of numbers alone. The flashing lights of the BBC Radio 6 Music Stage sits between both, playing host to the party of the year courtesy of Sexy Lady Massive, a ladies only rave and music collective. It’s the place to be for anyone needing a quick pick-me-up or change in tempo - as is Arlo Parks’ seminal set closer ‘Softly’, which ends in a thunderous crescendo that signals it’s time to head back to the East Stage for today’s headliner.

Cue Mitski, sat on a singular chair on a riser under a glaring isolated spotlight. She moves with precision, gliding across the chair and raising it above her head, at times mimicking with her hands the vast instrumentation that underpins her sound. Her occasional addresses to the crowd are full of a distinctive soft charm - a break from her character, she notes, declaring the set a performance piece of sorts - and across 24 songs, she serenades a respectful crowd who are certainly along for the ride. It might be ‘Nobody’ that draws the biggest reaction towards the very end of the set, but Mitski has clearly reached way beyond social media confines. If fans are looking for substance and authenticity in a scene as hellbent to look back as it does forward, Mitski and all that have come before undoubtedly have those bases covered.