Festival goers missing out on summer events can experience Tower Hamlet’s All Points East festival online.
The festival – which was to have run from last weekend to Sunday – is posting content on its site as they round off the festival this weekend with a revisit to indie folk band Bon Iver’s set from last year’s All Points East and exclusive playlists from guitarist of The Smiths Johnny Marr, John Maus and Resident Advisor in collaboration with electronic band Kraftwerk.
There will also be a live Q&A and musical performance influenced by documentary White Riot, a film about the 1970s British civil rights movement ‘Rock Against Racism’, as well as archive shows, cocktail-making classes with Kraken rum, free yoga sessions and museum workshops with the Museum of London.
Content has been released daily across the ten days that would have been the third All Points East festival but is able to be viewed “for the foreseeable,” says All Points East.
The festival hub has also collaborated with Tower Hamlets Council in celebrating local partners and businesses. All Points East said in a statement: “Community values are hugely important to us, so we are involving as many local businesses and content providers for our programme. We’ll be shining a spotlight on the amazing local business in the area, from BlueTit boutique salon to The Five Points Brewery Company and many more.”
They added: “Many of these businesses have been impacted by lockdown but they are still doing great things for the local area and keeping spirits high.”
Some of the businesses that have been featured are Yard Sale Pizza in Hackney Road – “a firm East London favourite with their pizza now the stuff of legends,” said All Points East – and community of growers and makers SSAW, who sell fresh flowers from their fields grown just outside of London.
The online festival kicked off with an exclusive gig from artist Jehnny Beth – who previously fronted the punk band Savages – from her home in the French countryside. She was originally meant to be performing at All Points East on the Friday line-up of the second weekend alongside “Godfather of Punk” Iggy Pop and Johnny Marr.
Some of the other artists meant to be performing at All Points East this year were Bombay Bicycle Club, The Kooks, Tame Impala and Lambeth-born rapper Loyle Carner.
Held in Victoria Park every year, All Points East was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Usually the festival offers a host of free activities across the May Bank Holiday Monday and half term week between two long weekends, including live music, an outdoor cinema, creative workshops, street food, pop-up bars, sport and other family-friendly activities.
Past line-ups at the festival over the years have included The Chemical Brothers, The Strokes, Bring Me The Horizon, Mumford and Sons, Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Amazons.
Plans are being made for All Points East to return in 2021, the organisers have said.
All Points East online: www.allpointseastfestival.com/ten-days-of-all-points-east
