Review: Rally 2024

Rally festival took place last Saturday on what might have been one of the wettest days of the summer so far. For some it might have been enough to put them off but for those who did decide to brave the elements, the effort was rewarded by some of the most interesting music programming on the festival circuit this year.

This did feel like a rally of sorts. A strange sort of coming together showcasing the best in emerging underground music – sounds from off the beaten track and a programme notably devoid of the ‘big names’ which seem to dominate the current festival circuit.

Rally is the culmination of input and collaboration from an array of crews, labels, musicians and promoters from across London and beyond. It was founded as a celebration of artistic counter culture and offers something different from the overly saturated proliferation of London ‘festivals’.

Whilst notable headliners came in the form of Mount Kimbie and Marie Davidson, the reality of Rally was rooted more so in the discovery of new artists and bands.

Upon arriving at the park, we were greeted by the ethereal sound of Montañera who has been hotly tipped and profiled of late. Her delicate, dreamy vocals echoed clearly and distinctly between the trees atop spaced out ambient textures and beautiful, melodic percussion.

Dressed in traditional Colombian attire, she herself was a vision of colour and grace against a backdrop of grey and umbrellas. Perched on the Channel stage, scattered onlookers watched as she serenaded them through a special set which felt deeply personal and she managed to form a close bond with those who had become caught up in her celestial charm.

Wandering further around the park we used the opportunity to assess the infrastructure and setup of what is a relatively new addition to the London event circuit. Southwark park lends itself nicely to intimate spaces, dissected by pathways and features which make each stage feel like they operate on their own terms to their own audience.

We danced to Kiara Scuro as people began to warm to the deep red haze of the Visionaire stage. It were as if a UFO had decided to prop itself up in the corner of the park, the control room beckoning with sound which would later give way to a sprawl of dancers who enjoyed sets from the likes of Lena Willikens, Moopie, Call Super, Danielle. Pearson Sound and more. This was certainly the most focussed and distinct dancefloor of the day.

Following this we proceeded toward the newly modelled Agnes stage. An intricate structure with raised perches nestled between coloured scaffolding and plastic units. The stage allowed for 360 access and created an intimate feel for those who could get close to the inner circle. Whilst intimate within, at a distance it was at times difficult to hear or see what all the action was down the front. Then again, that’s perhaps because this was arguably one of the busiest stages of the day.

Chanel Beads welcomed a vast crowd to their early afternoon set. The New York based group have dominated the DIY scene overseas of late and have been heralded for success. It appeared that the word had gotten out over here too with a huge number of heads turning out to watch their rain soaked performance of material taken from their debut album ‘Your Day Will Come’.

Whilst in parts, a little rough around the edges, the essence of the music was very much there and rooted in the angst and blunderings of the present day. Haunting violins danced between angst driven vocals and the moody sleaze of the city.

Meanwhile Sam Akpro was making his own references to the murky streets and misdemeanours of city life on the Channel stage, demonstrating that London has just as much conviction when it comes to distorted, guitar laden grit.

As the afternoon unfolded before us, turning quickly into the evening key highlights came in the form of ML Buch and Nourished By Time who struck quite the figure in a dazzling white dress shirt as he reeled off hits from his acclaimed album ‘Erotic Probiotic 2’ to a crowd seeking shelter and refuge in more ways than one.

There is a real sense that Rally represents something different to a different group of people who are fed up and tired with the repetition and familiarity of mainstream festival culture. Rally has tapped into something special in the sense that its offering is unique and not necessarily defined by the same limitations and demands of other events choosing to focus on the new and the abstract before all else.

The evening began with a riotous performance from bar italia, who in true punk form were noticeably late. Perhaps their guitar pedals got a bit wet or something.

However, their set was excellent and led to a lot of rather damp moshing down the front. Brownie points if you managed to avoid the ever growing mud bath beneath. Their music was apt for the rainy, moody occasion and their set was very well received by a fierce crowd who were destined to have fun no matter what.

As night fell, everything begins to become a bit blurry. It had been a long day, the red haze of our friend Agnes the UFO in the corner was all encompassing, as if acting as a beacon in the dark and luring us into the trees.

Marie Davidson powered energetically through a high intensity set, rallied by booming vocals and rugged percussion which saw us off galavanting into the night. Her raw energy is infectious and was rapturously received.

This was our first time attending Rally but soon after we were informed that the previous addition had been just as wet. Perhaps there’s still something about the underground – it can cast a shadow over all else when it’s truly done well. The rain, the mud and the grey might have hung thick but the smiles were radiant and we left with a pocketful of sunshine.