By Bruno Bridger, Arts Editor 2024/25
I have been coming to We Out Here Festival for the past four years. As a relatively new festival on the circuit, Giles Peterson’s finely curated lineup of Jazz, Afrobeat, Electronic and Experimental music has yet to disappoint in providing fascinating introductions to new artists, surprise collaborations and consistent mainstays of the London Jazz scene.
Every year, without hesitation, I book my ticket months in advance of the lineup release, safe in the knowledge that I will be provided with an incomparable musical experience. The programme for the first day was a characteristic introduction to the unique joys of the festival programme.
Featuring Brazilian Jazz legend Hermeto Pascoal, for what would turn out to be one of his very last performances before his tragic passing in September, alongside rising afrobeat star Florence Adooni and collaborative DJ performances from Don Letts and Daddy G.
We were provided with unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to witness musical greats from across the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as what felt like early access to the burgeoning careers of tomorrow’s legends.
I took advantage of Thursday's quieter schedule, to introduce my friends and family, many of whom were visiting the festival for the first time, to the diverse culinary options on display in Wimborne St Giles.
Little Baobab, purveyors of some of the finest Senegalese Soul food, never fail to disappoint and have developed a cultish following over the years, with the long queues for their intoxicating grilled chicken lasting from midday until deep into the night.
Friday’s programme continued the festival’s focus on showcasing legends of the past, whilst also capitalising on the revived popularity of bygone cultural movements.
Never was this more apparent than during MJ Cole’s triumphant headline set on Friday evening, featuring over an hour of tightly orchestrated two-step garage that predominantly revisited his classic turn of the millennium album Sincere.
Resultingly, with the resurgent rise of garage, in all of its iterations both new and old, the crowd was a pleasant mix of original scene-heads from the nostalgic days of So Solid Crew, Todd Edwards and Pirate Radio, as well as a younger generation keen on witnessing an artist responsible for the genesis of the dancefloor scene of today.
The multi-generational appeal of the performance, and perhaps the festival more broadly was reflected by Cole’s finely curated special guest performances from legends such as Katy B, as well as stars of today such as Hak Baker.
Later into the night, the future of the dancefloor proved to be in good hands, with Ben UFO, Batu, Izco and Bakey, playing pulsing sets to packed out crowds deep into the night.
Izco and Bakey’s set at The Bowl, in particular, affirmed the stage as an all-time festival favourite for me.
Housed in a discreet woodland setting with a bespoke Soundsystem, the stage is formed around an impressive natural auditorium that allows for punters to get lost dancing for hours on end.
I was particularly fond of the festival’s choice to highlight Bristol’s forward-thinking, bass-centric music scene this year.
Not only did Batu and Peverelist, both major proponents of Bristol’s constantly evolving post-dubstep scene, completely blow me away with their sets at the Grove and the Bowl respectively.
But watching these performances in the context of legends such as Smith and Mighty, playing alongside vocalist Tammy Payne in a midday set at the Bowl, helped me to understand the fascinating progression of bass-music that has occurred in Bristol over the last twenty years.
I have always treated Sunday at We Out Here as a time to process the long weekend of great music, food and memories I have just experienced. This year I took the time to explore areas of the festival I had previously overlooked in favour of seeing the bigger names headlining the mainstage.
My wandering luckily led me to ‘Another Sunday Afternoon at Dingwall’s’ in the Love Dancing tent, which proved to be the perfect way to cap off what had been an incredible weekend of music.
The tent, decked out with a custom-built Soundsystem and wooden floors for optimum dancefloor action, was absolutely rammed with punters keen to fit in as much dancing as possible before the festival closed its gates that evening.
Alongside my own amateurish dancing to the eclectic vinyl-only DJ sets from both festival founder Giles Peterson, as well as his close-friend and collaborator Patrick Forge, with whom he founded the renowned club night ‘Sunday Afternoon at Dingwall’s’.
Perhaps the most popular artist on the bill this year was Loyle Carner, also on the Sunday night performance bill, who brought with him an eclectic procession of older hip-hop and jazz fanatics crossing across the field in droves as set times began and, finally, closed for good.
We witnessed some incredible performances from renowned jazz and contemporary dancers in the festival's various stages and DJ booths, that really reinforced the core tenants of the festival. A place built on spontaneous collaboration, discovery and musical freedom.
Featured Image: Benji ChapmanHave you been to We Out Here before?
