R&B/Soul
Live review: Jorja Smith and Tems fire up All Points East with a huge opening night in Victoria Park
All Points East opened its first weekend with standout headline sets from Tems and Jorja Smith, backed by a packed multi‑stage lineup across Victoria Park.
All Points East roared back into east London on Friday (21.08.26), opening its first weekend with a sublime double‑header from Jorja Smith and Tems.
The festival once again delivered a broad, multi‑stage lineup, pulling in thousands to Victoria Park.
Before the night's main attractions, the crowd had plenty of time to explore the event's many activities - Instagrammable photo spots, food stalls, brand installations, and most importantly, an eclectic range of music.
Across six stages, the lineup included Maverick Sabre, effortlessly moving between hip-hop, neo-soul and rap; south London's pop gem Katy B; Dublin collective Bricknasty, with their unique blend of hip-hop and R'n'B; funky-house pioneers Crazy Cousinz; DJ, singer and visual artist Nia Archives; and many more.
Tems took to the East Stage first, backed by her exceptional five-piece band, backing vocalists and dancers. The Nigerian star lit up the crowd with her charisma.
Visibly excited to perform, she told the audience: “I want to speak to my people. I love you all! This energy is incredible.”
The crowd erupted as the first notes of her hit Burning rang out.
One of the standout moments of the set came when Tems invited rapper Dave on stage to perform their hit Raindance.
The Grime star was greeted with huge enthusiasm from the audience, who sang along to the entire song.
The setlist also featured Higher, from Tems’ debut EP For Broken Ears (2020), her hit collaboration with Wizkid, Essence, as well as her new single What You Need.
Across the 40-minute performance, Tems showcased her unique style that blends R'n'B, pop, Afrobeats and neo-soul, proving exactly why she is a two-time Grammy winner.
It was then time for Jorja Smith to shine.
The headline slot at one of London's biggest festivals could not have come at a better time for the English singer, who released her third studio album, What Are The Odds, on the very same day.
Despite the buzz surrounding her new release, Smith chose to open the set by going back to the beginning, performing her Dizzee Rascal-sampling debut single Blue Lights, from her acclaimed debut album Lost and Found (2018).
The set had a distinctly celebratory feel, with fans thrilled to hear the new tracks live - and they were not left disappointed.
Smith was joined by an endless roll-call of special guests. Odeal joined her on stage to perform Coming Home, while Kyla later appeared for I Lied, You Lied, from Smith’s latest album.
An emotional clip of a teenage Smith singing Katy B was aired before Katy B herself joined her on stage to perform her hit Katy on a Mission. Loyle Carner also made an appearance, joining her for their collaboration Loose Ends.
Another highlight came when West Stage headliner Nia Archives joined Smith for several songs. They were later joined by rap sensation AJ Tracey to perform Crush and Ladbroke Grove, the latter of which contains a sample of Smith’s song Wandering Romance.
Well known for her ability to move effortlessly between genres, from R'n'B and soul to pop and rap, Smith challenged herself further on her new record, venturing into dance-inspired territory. She brought that energy to the festival, transforming the massive arena into a dance floor as she finished the show with the energetic tracks On My Mind and Be Honest.
The festival continued over the weekend, with Lorde headlining on Saturday, followed by Deftones at Outbreak Fest on Sunday. The second weekend will see Tyler, The Creator take on a two-day headline slot on Friday (28.08.26) and Saturday 29.08.26), before Twenty One Pilots close out the festival on Sunday (30.08.26).
Rating: 9/10
