Wide Awake 2025:

A Sonic Manifesto In Brockwell Park

Part Three

An Alternative Take with Kenny McMurtrie

Pics by Captain Stavros

You've read the headlines: Kneecap closed Wide Awake 2025 with a set that was as politically charged as it was musically compelling. But to focus solely on their performance would be to overlook the rich tapestry of talent that graced the stages throughout the day.

Wide Awake isn't just a festival; it's a statement. This year, the grounds of Brockwell Park were dry and sunlit; a stark contrast to the storm of ideas and sounds that filled the air. From overt political declarations to subtle social commentaries, the festival was a crucible of contemporary thought and artistry. So, let’s dip right into it. 

What was it actually like at May's most controversial alldayer? For the most part, pretty normal, just an ordinary six stage music event, and reasonably priced to boot, given the number of acts appearing. Although, you may have felt a bit put out by the email which came in 24 hours before, asking you to try to flog a reduced-price ticket to any mates who were dithering about attending. Those legal bills don't pay themselves.

Living in Edinburgh, the extraction of cash from public places is a regular thorn in the side of various groups and residents. What ameliorates things are the advance consultations and opportunities to alter or reject markets etc. being set up (most recently a proposed city centre six-month ferris wheel erection was rightly shot down in flames). One council over from Brockwell Park, that process seems to be in place but the event, and others in the Brockwell Live grouping, seem to now be on a shaky peg for 2026.

In the here and now though, plenty of people were making an honest living from it and although you could hear it a couple of miles away disturbance, other than to the parkland, was probably minimal. Nearby pubs no doubt did alright from those wanting to offset the cost of an onsite beer too (only a difference of around £1.50 as it turned out).

Performance-wise, my first port of call was the MOTH club stage to catch Gaye Su Akyol and her massive platform shoes. A pretty funky way to kick things off. In relatively quick succession afterwards Hello Mary, Sextile and Mermaid Chunky all got a look in, so a burst of engaging indie, one of seemingly unoriginal, retro dance music, and the main stage filled with a rake of costumed dancers and a crowd pleasing, buoyant, and bouncing performance featuring more musical elements than I can name ('jazz' doesn't really do it justice). An early highlight for sure.

Back to the MOTH club stage then for W.I.T.C.H., paying particular attention to Jacco Gardner's basswork which stood out well in the mix. They've a new album out next month so something to look forward to if the UK summer fails to arrive. Next up at the Shacklewell Arms stage were one of the highlights of my 2024; Gurriers. A great act who, at least in the small halls I'd seen them in previously, break the barriers between performer and audience on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, today they started with the worst sound of the event and the stage height, along with its having actual barriers, limited their ability to engage too much for my liking. Seeing them in the stage's namesake venue would have been so much better. Over on the Bad Vibes stage, Warmduscher were similarly underwhelming but then having only previously seen them on a similar sized stage elsewhere, I was prepared for that. Probably little chance of seeing them in a small room nowadays though. The singles were good but much else feels like filler and they're choice of all wearing black was hardly original.

Marie Davidson, in Daniel Avery's dance tent, successfully livened things back up strutting her stuff in between tweaking the knobs and dials to keep the tempo high. Last thing before being joined by my co-reviewer there was time to take in the mainstream as Nadine Shah was on the main, Wide Awake stage. As solid and polished a performance as ever saw the inclusion of Spider Stacy on one number (which was apparently "mental" for Nadine). Global politics started to get a mention now, setting the scene for later sets wherein the bleeding obvious was stated to the already like-minded throng with no solutions being proposed, turning things into the usual ego-massaging echo chamber.

Skipping ahead to the final act, I took in solo it was possible to easily get right down to the front at Bad Vibes for Peaches, coming on twenty minutes after Kneecap as she did. Adorned in what looked like the contents of a shredder she put in an energetic performance for the 100 or so folk who preferred her over the headliners & was at one point joined on stage by two dancers dressed as vaginas. Say no more.