London (All Points East) Roll call

[Csar]

Haven't found any legit streams on YT (besides the fake pre-show clips). This is the longest recording I could find yet.

[sneakerbeater]

It was a tricky night, i havent had the best run of chems shows recently. Alley pally show last October, i was well up for - only to be ruined by intoxication. For a reserved person i have always had a dark side that likes to party hard. The truth is i cant keep up with myself anymore. So i was looking forward to All points east, in the safe company of my wife.

I've not been to a proper festival for god knows how many years. It was pretty reassuring to see that the average punter was at least in their 40s - it was nice i found my people, the people that I would have partied with in a random field 20 years ago. I wasnt there long before I realised the major problem, you go wanting to see x y and zee but when you look at the set times every one clashes! Would love to have seen Jon Hopkings but he clashed with something, would like to see have seen hot chip but they clashed with primal scream. The sceam we fantasic, I have loved that band getting on 30 years, where does the time go?

This festival marked to beginning of the summer festival season, higher than the sun had some resonance it had not been a bad day. For sure unsettled weather had not been forecast. I had defiantly not planned for any rain of biblical proportion. But a some point towards the end of the screams set the heavens opened (this is such a british review where the weather takes center stage). The rain just cleared the open air arenas. We took cover under some trees, other people not so lucky took refuse under poster they had peeled of walls. I had hope this was passing shower but as time went on it wad clear this was not the case.

The rain contiued till just before the chems set started, by then we were drenched.  For me It just killed the night, it literally put a dampener on the evening. We tried being up front but the wife got annoyed with the crowd.The left speaker stack didn't sound to healthy either! Musically it started with Go, not exactly a live killer. I'm sure its meant to be a crowd pleaser, to appeal to the masses. But reading on here we all seem to have the same point of view. I was hoping to hear more of the new album in the set than we got. Hello where is my Bango?? I don't think I really thought before the set started that it would be a standard 90 minute set, of course we were not to get the reel.

I find the festival set frustrating, the last time i saw them at a festival was in Hyde park around when further released and it wasnt best show i've been too. I dont think the show work outdoors as well as indoors. Maybe over the year I have been spoilt width the multitude of shows I've seen since the mid 90s. Im kinda missing the small intimate show, would love to see a no geography in a roundhouse sized venue. But I think I can't see the chems a festival again.

Btw what where those elitest VIP viewing towers all about? I can't stand thing like that aren't we all in this together?

I still love what Tom and Ed do, and Im sure I will see them next time around, just wasn't feeling it this time round

[Bosco]

Thanks for sharing a few words, Sneaker.

I'm sorry to hear from a few board members here it wasn't the greatest experience. I know you've been around the block enough where I don't need to explain to you festival sets can be hit or miss. And even myself, I've had a couple let downs in experience at festivals where I saw the Chems. But I do want to give a shout-out to the major festivals out there like Coachella, Fuji Rock, and Glastonbury (the later 2 I've never been to). Despite their sets being vulnerable to common festival problems, they seem to carry an atmosphere that can't be matched at smaller festivals and even solo shows.

For example, Coachella 2011. It was an awful feeling waiting for a delayed Chemical Brothers set. As the audience was waiting over 40 minutes, I was feeling the pressure and I wasn't even performing.  Once they were on, a flawed visual presentation plagued the entire set. I had some very mixed emotions the entire show.

There was an audience orgainzed "Glow-ruption". Thousands upon thousands of glowsticks were at the ready to be launched in the air during 'Don't Think', at the cue of "just let it flow" ( I know, corny as shit). But with the delay, as soon as Galvanize fully kicked in, a full on assault of glow-sticks hit the air and set the tone of the show. Bless those Coachella attendees, they were not going to be denied a good time and the premature "glow-ruption" was exactly what the crowd needed to put everyone in motion.

It still isn't my favorite performance that I saw from The Chemical Brothers, but I frequently see people refer to this set as being one of their main highlights ever at Coachella. Even during the rest of the festival weekend, I was hearing beaming remarks about The Chemical Brothers. It was talked about like the flaws never existed. So for that, I respect the hell out of crowds that are seeking the essence of a performance. And this isn't some drunkard festival were people are shitfaced to have fun (they designate alcohol in a drinking area)... ok maybe some pills, but it's very much a non-obnoxious PLUR type music fan experience. What I'm trying to get across is, the reaction is genuine.

Long story short, some festivals are worth it, some are not.... And some of us have no choice or it will be another 17 year wait.

Oh yeah, fuck the rain at festivals, nobody wants to trek through the mud.

[whirlygirl]

Sneaker, I totally feel you on this one and I'm sorry to read about these things you mentioned that soured your experience. My husband and I joked recently that he is so grateful I'm am not dragging him to Coachella or other festival again to see the Chems this time around. Not that we would anticipate a bad show (some of my most fond, and event bittersweet live music memories have taken place there) but crowd anxiety is kind of a 'thing' for us nowadays, and that can be a challenge navigating at an event like that to see and experience music that is so communal by nature. I hope the next time you get to see the Chems it will be in a more intimate (and climate controlled!) venue 😊

[sneakerbeater]

Ah yes I remember the Coachella stories of years gone by. Wasn't the set finished after believe to make way for the kings of Leon? The kings of fucking leon! That kinda put things into perspective.

Whirly girl you have an uncanny knack of hitting the nail on the head with what you post. Your crowd anxiety totally get that, it's hard to be uninhibited and go with the flow in these crowds, it  wouldn't have been so in the more care free days.

I think my experience has been the polar opposite to what you guys had last week. The nice thing was that after the show I could catch up on the forum and see what you guys got up too without spoilers. Hopefully they will add a third leg to their extensive (as branded by zane lowe) US tour. I think the brothers definitely felt the love last time round.

I'm looking forward to Glastonbury on the telly next month. I'll proper get to enjoy, it really is an event at home these days with the bbc's coverage. It be nice to enjoy it with my kids

[graysquire]

It be nice to enjoy it with my kids

Ha! I'd love that, but after many years of trying still haven't won my kids round...

I'm glad that I didn't go for the All Points East.  I've never really been one for festivals (having to deal with tanked up kids...) but the line up for this looked fantastic, and figured it might be worth making the 400 mile trek to London.  Hearing about the clashes with Jon Hopkins, Scream and Hot Chip I'm glad I didn't - will just need to wait very patiently until Glasgow in November... 

I'm one of the fortunate ones - all my Chems gigs have been indoors, except Trafalgar Square, which wasn't your typical outdoor/festival show!

Saying that, there's a few outdoor shows lined up this summer - single stage, though... First one is a new festival (Playground) in my local park - cracking setting, and a 10 minute walk home! Groove Armada, Hot Chip, Django Django, De La Soul, Lauryn Hill, and a "special guest"... can't see it being Tom and Ed, but hey, wishful thinking...  and then The Cure/Mogwai/Twilight Sad the following week.  If it's a typical Scottish summer no doubt it'll be pissing down each time...

[robclemz]

My two cents on the APE set.
For my first ever experience of seeing the Chems, it was definitely one of the best live acts I've seen. (sorry, but Justice @ o2 Brixton 2017 was a tad better!) But I totally want to see the show again indoors, possibly at the Cardiff show if they don't add a London date.
The rain dampened the mood sure, but everyone at the front was completely dry by the end due to all the bodyheat (strangely no sweat or anything).

One thing that surprised me was how bright the SG lights were. I honestly couldn't look at them for the fear of epilepsy (something I don't have, but it was just so strong!). This was a real bummer as SG is my all time fave CB song. However, I'm glad I actually experienced the HBHG Visuals before they're inevitably dumped pretty soon (although they took out the Neon Furniture part of it, which I was a bit bummed out about).


I loved hearing the transitions cleaned up from the US leg a week earlier. Much much more consistent. (no setlist alterations, bar the exclusion of the encore) The transition into Wide Open works so much better now and I vividly remember being surprised at how well I thought it flowed.

Unfortunately I had to start leaving the front of the crowd at the start of Galvanize, and finally reached the back of the crowd just as Tom was doing his thing @ the end of Block Rockin Beats.

I do have a few videos, but they're all shot in 4K and will take awhile to upload - I'll do my best to post them though!

Bonus Pics:

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[Soloman Tump]

A late review from me.

Had a great day at APE. First London one-day festival in a few years and overall it was well organised, a good lay-out (no sound bleed between venues). loads of food and bars.

The day started well with DMX Krew in the X-dome place, plenty of room to dance and punchy sound.

Later on saw Lane 8 and Roisin Murphy who were both very enjoyable.  Jon Hopkins played a fantastic set, never seen him live before and it was pretty much the show stealer as we realised it was raining so stayed in that tent and missed the start of the Chems.

Lost my friend in the crowd, and the 4G network was blocked up so couldn't contact him.

So I enjoyed what I saw of the Chemicals but was hampered by the rain and then losing my rave buddy, was also pretty drunk by then. We ended up both leaving the site separately and travelling back across london solo... pretty much almost meeting up back at his house in Richmond at the same time!

Not much to report on the set itself, sorry.  But I had fun.