In a time where independent festivals such as Cosmic Roots, El Dorado, and Bluedot are forced to cancel due to a combination of poor ticket sales and ever-increasing production costs, it is both exciting and relieving to witness when brand new events flourish.
Returning to South London’s Southwark Park for its second year, RALLY festival offers a unique flavour of creativity to the festival scene. Centered around community and collaboration, GALA & Bird On The Wire team up with local venues Ormside Projects and Avalon Cafe, plus radio platform NTS, to curate a deeply thought-out line-up of high-grade talent from all corners of the indie and electronic spectrum. An equally inspired array of visual art installations and creative workshops curated by the likes of Corbin Shaw and Connor Kawaii populate the festival’s pretty tree-lined grounds, drawing in revellers as they gallavant from stage to stage.
Following an onslaught of torrential downpours in its inaugural edition, causing headliners Obongjayar and Princess Nokia to pull out at the last minute, 2023’s event wasn’t the breeziest of beginnings for RALLY. Early forecasts for 2024 threatened similar challenges, however, whilst the day wasn’t short of heavy rain, RALLY’s commitment to adapt and respond to previous inevitable teething issues shone through and shook off the looming festival-cancellation-curse with no hesitation. Attendees did their part too, showing up in force (and maximum gorp) — a flock of umbrellas bop in unison as Pearson Sound draws for his signature broken techno wobblers at Visionaire, one of RALLY’s four stages. Offering no form of rain protection, those who fancied a soundtrack of electronic music on the heady side of things were forced to surrender to the elements, and that they did.
Following on from the Hessle Audio honcho, Berlin’s Lena Willikens and Moopie teamed up for a back to back set that continues on the theme of rhythmic and groovy with tunes such as Batu’s “Zeal” cutting through. The rain temporarily clears and crowd members clamber out of their ponchos and punch the air as the pair transition into 4×4 house and techno. Christian AB and Ogazon take the reigns for what is their first ever back to back set, though, the synergy of their selections suggests otherwise as they seamlessly glide through melodic groovers. Seeing out Visionaire is Call Super, who never fails to inject the perfect dose of silliness into his sets — a clubby high-pitched-vocal edit of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Games” gets the place popping before he brings it home with The Capris’ 1959 ballad “There’s A Moon Out Tonight”.
A few muddy strides from Visionaire is Agnes, a rectangular, steelwork structure that houses its roster of performers (curated by NTS) in the middle, whilst crowds on multiple levels surround them, making quite the spectacle. Particularly coming alive at night, pulsating strobes dance their way down the stage which is surrounded by speakers to cater for the spilling crowds from all corners. Mysterious London duo Two Shell are the perfect pilots for this weird and wonderful ship — they navigate warping yet danceable breaks before ramping it up to genre-breaking levels. Their 2022 big-hitter “Home” gets both the steelwork dancefloor and its dancers bouncing. Agnes sees earlier performances from indie trio, bar italia, experimental figure Actress, and Danish artist and producer, ML Buch, who through her sedative, soothing vocals and fuzzy shoegaze makes time stand still.
Marking their first London festival show in seven years, electronic outfit Mount Kimbie close down Channel, RALLY’s main stage. Given the versatility of the festival’s lineup, this billing feels apt. The band who newly expanded as a four-piece, smoothly bridge the gap between full-throttle head-shakers and vulnerable acoustic. And they do this with flare and control before waving goodbye to their locked-in (and slightly damp) audience. The likes of singer songwriter Nilüfer Yanya and jazz musician and spoken word poet Alabaster DePlume dazzle the crowd earlier in the day. As the latter enthusiastically delivers his lines, a torrential washout hammers down on the crowd – some retreat to nearby trees, whilst a strong contingent stick it out and reel in the special atmosphere.
Tucked in the trees, Mill House, RALLY’s fourth and final dome-shaped stage offered some shelter from the elements but more importantly provided an eclectic lineup of some of the most exciting selectors around. Netherlands DJ Marcelle uses the form of DJing as an instrument as shen masterfully forges an unpredictable story that takes many turns. Legend of the scene Move D turns the dome into what feels like a loose house party as he plays unbelievably euphoric house and disco that forces the silliest of dance moves. It’s a Mill House party!
In the space of just two years, RALLY festival has forged its own unique identity with a richly rewarding lineup, and artistic aesthetic that pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved at an independent London festival. Community and collaboration can create something wonderful.