So we’re on the eve of this year’s All Points East and the giant blue tents and even bigger outdoor stage take over of East London’s Victoria Park, get your kettles on, it starts tomorrow, tomorrow being Friday 9which I guess is almost today night). Stormzy headlines the opening day, Aphex Twin on Saturday and yeah I know, what has any of that got to do with Organ? Giant arm and a leg ticket price festivals you need a bank loan to pay the door price let alone buy a beer and surely we should be getting more excited about Nest Fest over at the Bird’s Nest over in Deptford (we are actually Nest Fest looks rather tasty, five days of free music, Thursday 24th until Monday 28th August).

Well yes, All Points East is one of them big expensive music festivals but it is in our local park and we can hear it bouncing off the walls over here in our Hackney bunker and well, there is the in The Neighbourhood bit which is actually free to get in and hey, you know, ICJ and to pay is to fail and all those other Red issues. We’re just back from the Thursday night press preview calm before the storm of Friday. Debbie just did her thing on one of the smaller stages in front of hundred or so media people, that took some doing, respect to her, real soul, singing your heart out to a collection of media people sucking on the free cans of gin and wolfing the pizza, she pulled it off, tough gig, heartfelt songs, short sharp couple of songs, impressive…

So yes, we’re gearing up for the first night of this year’s All Points East over here in East London and there goes Sampha catching clouds in freefall like Jonathan Livingstone Seagull and who’s going to catch our ear like Willow Kane did last year? Going to have to go some to get anywhere near the almost religious experience that was Nick Cave on the closing day of 2022’s week of gigs before we even think about how brilliantly defining Idles were, as well The Smile out there in the afternoon sunshine and Sleaford Mods in the big tent, that and the Adrenalin of Jehnny Beth and quite a few more, last year was rather good and we’re not massively excited about The Strokes headlining next weekend but there is a decent band or two on the bill that day, Be Your Own Pet are playing, Warmduscher should be fun, Black Midi are almost certain to be a highlight, and on the days when there isn’t a big festival day happening, there is the free In The Neighbourhood days where you can just walk in and find all kinds of bands, art, performance and who knows what? We know Trapped in Zone One are providing some art and that Sunday promises the East London Gospel Choir Performing Paul Simon’s Graceland at 7.30pm, just after the Hackney Proms and all their Irish folk and Afrobeat and Indian flavours and who knows what? Oh and this Sunday’s In The Neighbourhood free festival kicks off at 11am with the World Cup Final up on a big screen on the main stage for all those who have just noticed the World Cup has been on all month… 

Fine thimgs we’re looking forward to at All Points East 2023…

1; Black Midi on sometime during the day and no doubt stealing the show the day The Strokes play….

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2: Long time Organ favourites Be Your Own Pet on the Stokes bill as well and well, they’re sounding as good as they always did, not quite as raw these days …

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3: Ms Banks doing her don’t mess with me thing on Stormzy’s day

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4: London African Gospel Choir performing Paul Simon’s Graceland, on a 7.30pm, free entry on Sunday 22nd August as part of the in The Neighbourhood thing…

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5: Warmduscher, catch them on The Strokes day as well, are The Storkes looking like the least interesting band on that day?

5 and a bit – Knucks, he was good last year, he’s further u pthe bill this year on the Stormzy day…

5 and and another bit more, Haim, headlinding on the final day. August 28th,,, ’cause sometimes pop is good….

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Back in the days when they really were raw….

More blackness…

Previously on these pages….

ORGAN: Five unexpected things from All Points East – Party Dozen, Willow Kayne, Amrit Kaur, Knucks, The Dinner Party and…

And if all that is way too big for you then over in Deptford at the Birds Nest you’ll find a five day free festival with a million bands playing and maybe even Organ DJ or two and a whole loads of bands we’ll say more about tomorrow (or maybe the next day)