All Points East

All Points East
Name	All Points East
Location	Victoria Park, London, England
Years active	2018–present
Founded	2017
Dates	August
Genres	Indie rock, electronic music, pop, hip hop
Capacity	40,000 (approx.)
Organiser	AEG Presents

All Points East is a multi-day music festival held in Victoria Park, London featuring a range of popular and emerging artists across indie rock, electronic, pop, and hip hop. Launched by AEG Presents in the late 2010s, the festival quickly became a focal point for major tours and headline residencies by acts from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. It has hosted performances by internationally renowned artists and served as a platform for cultural events connected to London's broader live music circuit.

History

The festival was announced amid a restructuring of London's summer events calendar following disputes around Glastonbury Festival permissions and changes to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets' approach to green space management. Early planning involved negotiations with Tower Hamlets Council, Greater London Authority, and community groups connected to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park redevelopment. The inaugural edition occurred after licensing discussions referencing precedents like Wireless Festival, Lovebox, and Reading Festival. Organizers cited models from Coachella, Tomorrowland, and Bonnaroo when designing production, infrastructure, and ticketing strategies, and worked with firms experienced at Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, and The O2 Arena events.

Location and Venue

Sited in Victoria Park, London, the site lies near transport hubs including Bethnal Green railway station, Mile End tube station, and Limehouse station. The park's proximity to Canary Wharf, Hackney Wick, and the River Thames made it logistically viable compared with venues such as Hyde Park and Finsbury Park. Venue setup included multiple stages, hospitality areas, and temporary structures similar to those used at PNC Bank Arts Center and Glastonbury Festival satellite stages. Site planning referenced best practices from English Heritage consultations and followed stipulations in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for temporary events in designated open spaces.

Festival Format and Programming

Programming combined headline residencies, single-day curated lineups, and community-oriented events modeled on series like BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend. The festival employed a mix of single-artist headline slots, back-to-back DJ sets, and curated stages showcasing artists from labels including XL Recordings, Domino Recording Company, and Warp Records. Complementary programming featured art installations inspired by Frieze Art Fair, panel discussions with representatives from PRS for Music and PPL, and family days akin to those at Latitude Festival. Production partnerships involved companies active at Glastonbury Festival, Sónar, and Pitchfork Music Festival.

Lineups and Notable Performances

Headliners included major acts who previously headlined venues such as Madison Square Garden and festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury Festival, and Reading Festival. Notable performers were drawn from across genres: established names from United States pop and rock, breakthrough acts from United Kingdom indie scenes, and electronic artists associated with Ministry of Sound and Fabric. Performances featured collaborations and surprise guest appearances referencing artists who have worked with Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Florence and the Machine, Kacey Musgraves, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Tame Impala, The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, A Tribe Called Quest, Run The Jewels, Skepta, Stormzy, Lorde, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay-Z. The festival also showcased emerging artists who later played SXSW, Primavera Sound, and End of the Road Festival.

Attendance and Economic Impact

Attendance figures compared with established events such as Wireless Festival and British Summer Time weekenders, drawing tens of thousands per day and annual totals rivaling mid-size European festivals like Field Day and Parklife. Economic impact assessments used models similar to those applied by VisitBritain and the UK Office for National Statistics estimating local spending increases affecting businesses in Bethnal Green, Mile End, and surrounding wards. The festival generated employment opportunities analogous to those created by London 2012 Olympic Games cultural programming, and ticketing revenue streams were compared to those reported by Live Nation Entertainment and AEG Presents at other UK events.

Criticism and Controversies

Criticism echoed concerns raised at events like Glastonbury Festival and Lovebox over noise, environmental impact, and park restoration obligations enforced by Tower Hamlets Council. Local campaigns mirrored those that opposed developments near Hackney Marshes and Clissold Park, citing damage to parkland and displacement of community activities. Controversies included disputes over licensing conditions, crowd control comparisons with incidents at Finsbury Park and logistical criticisms paralleling those leveled at Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park during high-capacity years. Organizers addressed complaints through mitigation measures similar to those advised by Environmental Protection UK and proposals for community benefits inspired by agreements tied to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium developments.

Legacy and Cultural Influence

The festival's legacy connects to broader shifts in London's live music ecosystem alongside institutions like Royal Albert Hall, Barbican Centre, and Roundhouse. It influenced programming practices at urban festivals including Lovebox and Field Day and contributed artists to national radio playlists on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music. Cultural influence extended into fashion and media channels covering events such as Notting Hill Carnival and Carnival of Cultures, while its model for urban park festivals informed consultations for future events at Hyde Park and Battersea Power Station regeneration projects. The event also became a case study for collaborations between major promoters and local authorities in post-2010s United Kingdom live events policy.

Category:Music festivals in London Category:Recurring events established in 2018