Cross The Tracks Festival: Little Simz Headlines a Sweltering Bank Holiday Weekend in Brockwell Park
By mid-afternoon on the bank holiday Sunday, 30-degree heat had turned Brockwell Park into a blur of Jubel cans and sunburnt festival-goers.
Umbrellas appeared everywhere, repurposed as makeshift shade against the relentless afternoon sun.
And from every corner of the Cross The Tracks festival came the feeling of summer beginning properly, with thousands squeezing the most out of a long weekend in south London.
Throughout the day, crowds in their mid-twenties shuffled between stages with drinks in hand. The festival’s line-up encouraged it: soul on one side of the park, jungle and drum and bass on another, with hip-hop drawing thousands near the main stage by sunset.
Lady Wray drew one of the first large crowds of the day, with songs from her latest album, Cover Girl, pulling festival-goers steadily towards the stage. The Virginia-born singer first emerged in the late 1990s after being discovered by Missy Elliott and appearing on Elliott’s debut album before launching a solo career of her own. She remained largely stationary throughout the set, and slower material, such as “Time”, caused some groups to peel away in search of drinks or shade. But the energy returned quickly when she closed with the more upbeat “Guilty”.
WAR brought something looser and far more playful. The California funk group, formed in the late 1960s, still revolves around founding member Lonnie Jordan, the sole remaining original member. More than five decades after WAR first started, Jordan knows precisely how to win over a festival audience. “We brought the sunshine from California,” he told the crowd at the main stage, already melting in south London temperatures.
Audience participation during songs such as “The Cisco Kid” didn’t quite materialise, many younger festival-goers simply didn’t know the words. But that hardly mattered once the unmistakable grooves of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” and “Low Rider” started.
Elsewhere, Australian soul artist Don West delivered one of the day’s more relaxed performances. At times, conversation from the crowd threatened to overwhelm slower songs, but West embraced the easy-going mood of the crowd. His commentary between songs was packed with innuendo, well-suited to the heat and late-afternoon atmosphere.
Back on the main stage, Fabio & Grooverider with The Outlook Orchestra transformed Brockwell Park into a high-tempo jungle rave. Saxophones, percussion and harmonicas filled the stage. A conductor stood at the centre of the orchestra, guiding the set through the evolution of jungle and drum and bass from the 1990s to present day drum and bass. The set began slightly shakily, perhaps unsurprising for their first show of the year involving a full orchestra complete with a conductor. But once the band hit its stride, the entire field moved with a fervent energy.
Few artists feel as tied to South London as Joy Crookes. Raised in Brixton, and still writing with her hometown lovingly referenced throughout her lyrics, she carried the festival into an intensely personal set. For some songs, Crookes picked up a guitar for a more understated performance, before moving through older favourites including “Trouble”. Three unreleased songs also appeared, including one written for a new partner about the “trust issues every south London girl has.”
There was remarkably little filming from the audience, who focused closely on Crookes moving across the stage in a mesmerising silver outfit. The set picked up pace near the end with "Feet Don’t Fail Me Now" before she closed with crowd favourite “When You Were Mine”.
By sunset, the crowd around the main stage stretched deep into the park. People were waiting long before Little Simz was due on stage, eager to secure a view for the festival’s headline performance. The Mercury Prize-winning rapper arrived with the confidence of a headliner, entirely aware of her rising status. Giant screens panned repeatedly across the audience, revealing just how many people had packed into Brockwell Park for her set. And she gave them reason to stay. It was a phenomenal performance that made it clear why she earned the top spot, showcasing a polished production that looked entirely ready for a Glastonbury slot later in the summer.
Lighting changed dramatically from song to song, from green washes flooding the stage during “Venom” to flashes of red for “Lion”. During the latter, Obongjayar joined her on stage after an earlier set elsewhere in the festival, bringing an additional burst of energy. What separates Little Simz is her control of pacing. She understands when to slow down a crowd and when to push it forward again. One moment, the audience listened intently during the more reflective passages of “Only” and minutes later they exploded into “Gorilla”. At one point, she pulled off her jacket to reveal an Arsenal shirt to huge cheers from the London crowd.
By the closing stretch, few people had left. The crowd remained packed deep into Brockwell Park as Little Simz brought a sweltering day at Cross The Tracks to an end.
Cross The Tracks once again proved itself a festival that can balance an ambitious mix of soul, jungle, jazz and hip-hop with a genuine sense of community and a line-up that continues to champion British artists. Now in its seventh year, it shows no sign of losing its identity.
YOU CAN ALREADY FIND TICKETS FOR NEXT YEAR'S CROSS THE TRACKS HERE!
REVIEW BY
Nicole
I love writing about music venues where artists first started out and the rich histories behind them. London is full of iconic spots that musicians performed at earlier in their careers, which have inspired cover bands and lots of new artists hoping to follow in their footsteps.
