All Points East: Sunday 18th August

At All Points East on Sunday, the festival closed with an outstanding lineup which included Strawberry Guy, Ethel Cain, Suki Waterhouse, Beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, TV Girl, and the headliner of the evening Mitski. This eclectic blend of indie music created an exhilarating atmosphere in Victoria Park on a warm summer evening. Muse had the pleasure of attending All Points East festival to review these brilliant acts
Strawberry Guy
Among the high-energy acts at All Points East, Strawberry Guy offered a serene and introspective break with his dreamy, lo-fi pop infused with classical influences. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Debussy and The Beach Boys, his music has an ethereal quality that captivates the audience, offering a soothing contrast to the festival's more electrifying performances.
A rising star on the indie scene, Strawberry Guy’s set was a calming interlude, giving the crowd a moment to breathe and reflect. As he humbly remarked, "I never thought releasing tunes in my bedroom would lead to this," the audience could sense the genuine gratitude and emotion behind his performance.
Accompanied by a piano and a string quartet, his set was a stunning blend of classical arrangements and lyrical beauty. The haunting melodies of ‘Dirt Tree’, ‘Sun Outside My Window,’ and the viral hit ‘Mrs Magic’ resonated deeply, each note carrying a sense of introspection and heartfelt emotion. The artist humorously referred to ‘Mrs Magic’ as the ‘sad Mario meme TikTok sound,’ a nod to the song's unexpected rise to fame in 2019.
As he closed his set, Strawberry Guy left the audience with a heartfelt message: "Thank you for letting me pour my heart out to you." It was clear that the connection between the artist and the crowd was a mutual and deeply felt one.
Ethel Cain
One of the undeniable highlights of All Points East was Ethel Cain’s performance—a captivating experience that left a lasting impression on everyone present. Known for her unique voice and the haunting, gothic atmosphere she creates, Ethel Cain has firmly established herself on the alternative music scene, and her set was a testament to why she’s become such a standout figure.
Her stage presence was refreshingly simple yet profoundly impactful. Dressed in nothing more than a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans, Ethel Cain let her ethereal vocals and deeply moving lyrics take centre stage. The minimalist approach allowed her raw delivery to shine, creating an emotional journey that felt surprisingly intimate, even amidst the festival’s large crowd. The cinematic atmosphere was palpable, particularly when she crouched low on the stage, drawing the audience into her world with every note.
The setlist was a mix of her haunting originals and a surprising cover. With ‘Thoroughfare,’ she introduced a touch of country flair, even whipping out a harmonica to the delight of the crowd. Her self-aware humour shone through when introducing ‘Gibson Girl’ with, "this one is a little inappropriate," before diving into the darkly seductive track. The crowd was fully engaged, especially during "American Teenager," where the chorus became a communal sing-along, and her cover of ‘Bettye Davis Eyes,’ which she dubbed "the greatest 80s pop song of all time."
Ethel Cain closed with a nod to the venue, saying, "It’s been a while since we played in one of London’s beautiful parks. Thank you for having us." With just two guitars, bass, and drums, she created a mesmerising atmosphere that was both intimate and grand—a perfect blend of simplicity and emotional depth that resonated long after the final note.
Suki Waterhouse
Suki Waterhouse might have initially gained fame as a model and actress, but at All Points East, she proved her prowess as a musician with a set characterised by dreamy, romantic sounds and lyrical beauty. For Suki, the experience of performing on such a stage was "so surreal," as she shared with the crowd, adding a poignant note: "When you think you are at an end, it might be the beginning."
Draped in a flowing white outfit that matched the ethereal vibe of her music, Suki exuded confidence with a sultry, captivating stage presence. Her performance felt like a journey through her musical evolution, spanning years of songwriting. She acknowledged this when introducing a track with, "This is another one me and Jules wrote eight or nine years ago," contrasting it with the anticipation for her upcoming album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, set to drop in less than a month.
The crowd’s energy was undeniable, particularly during the chorus of ‘Blackout Drunk,’ where everyone joined in, creating a moment of collective emotion. ‘To Love’ and ‘Good Looking Boy’ were also clear crowd favourites, their emotionally charged melodies resonating deeply with listeners.
With her melodious and soulful set, Suki Waterhouse not only showcased her versatility but also left the audience eagerly awaiting her next musical chapter. As she playfully teased, "I need to do a Europe tour, I’ve been slacking," it was clear that this performance was just the beginning of something much bigger.
We were spoilt for choice with the incredible line-up at All Points East yesterday with several sets running simultaneously so here’s a brief overview of what we caught of Beabadoobee’s and Arlo Parks’ sets:
Beabadoobee
Beabadoobee delivered a self-assured and impressive performance at All Points East, marked by her signature blend of catchy melodies and grunge-inspired guitar work. Highly engaged with the audience, she had the crowd buzzing, especially during ‘Take a Bite,’ which sent fans into a frenzy.
Performing tracks from her latest album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, along with beloved hits from Beatopia and Fake It Flowers, Beabadoobee showcased her versatility. She opened the set with serene bird and nature sounds, a cool juxtaposition to the electric guitar that followed. Swapping between electric and acoustic guitars, she kept the energy high throughout, even sharing the exciting news: "I just released a new album and found out two days ago that it got to number one."
Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks captivated All Points East with her soothing vocal style, which beautifully conveyed both vulnerability and strength. Her high-energy performance, enhanced by excellent lighting, kept the crowd engaged as she danced around the stage, creating a deep connection with her audience.
She performed a selection of tracks from her acclaimed albums, Collapsed in Sunbeams and My Soft Machine. Songs like ‘Softly,’ ‘Too Good,’  and ‘Caroline’ were standout moments, all met with enthusiastic responses from the crowd. Arlo Parks’ set was a perfect blend of emotional depth and dynamic stage presence, leaving a lasting impression.
TV Girl
TV Girl is an American indie pop band hailing from San Diego, California consisting of Brad Petering, Jason Wyman and Wyatt Harmon. The band's musical influences include a range of genres including indie pop, lo-fi, electronic music. They were joined on stage by two backing singers, and their vocals shone through during the performance.
Brad promised the crowd that “a full spectrum of emotions will be covered during this set”, and TV Girl certainly delivered with a set that ranged from hypnotic pop to more upbeat hits. Their lyrics are unapologetically honest and delve into themes of sex and relationships.  The band opened the set with ‘Pantyhose’ from their French Exit album, and the crowd were immediately immersed in their dreamy indie electronic pop sound. ‘Taking What’s Not Yours’ was a highlight of the set, and seemed to be well loved by the crowd as a sea of phones appeared to record one of the band's viral hits. The sampling used in ‘Taking What's Not Yours’ is from a ‘Don’t copy that floppy’ that was an anti-piracy campaign in 1992.
Throughout the set, the band's creative use of synths created a sound that sets them apart from other artists. Halfway through the set Brad made a joke about Grapes Upon The Vine, which was their first independent release: “When we released our album a year ago, we managed to trick local record store Rough Trade into buying a hundred copies, only to find out that it was immediately marked with a 75% off sticker. Well, we went in today to find that it’s now 50% off!”  During the second half of the set, the band played ‘Cigarettes Out the Window’, a song that gained the band a lot of exposure.  The set ended with the band’s most streamed song: ‘Lover’s Rock’, much to the crowd’s delight.
Mitski
Mitski was the headliner of the evening, and throughout the day you could feel the crowd’s anticipation build for her set. As a performer, Mitski has a stage presence like no other artist. With her arms raised above her head conducting gestural movements as if she is attempting to cast a spell on the crowd, the first song ‘Everyone’ played. While we were unfortunately only able to watch half of her set (as panic over the queue for the tube loomed in our minds), the first half included ‘I Bet on Losing Dogs’, a song that explores Mitski’s experiences of getting into relationships that she knows are doomed. Mitski also played hits from The Land is Inhospitable And So Are We, her seventh studio album which she released in 2023. ‘The Frost’ created an emotional atmosphere which continued as the singer moved on to play ‘The Deal’, Mitski’s lyrics took the crowd on a moving journey through her feelings of being crushed by life and being willing to sell her soul to the devil. Mitski’s stagecraft is enigmatic, when she is singing it feels utterly mesmerising  and you are unable to look away even for a second. Her interactions with the crowd showed her strong connection with her fans, who were captivated by her set.
All Points East was a fantastic festival, and the indie pop line up on Sunday was well curated to its crowd. Despite the clashes that meant we missed parts of artists' sets, we watched so many brilliant acts. All Points East is a festival not to be missed.