All Points East Day One: Tyler, the Creator Headlines a Genre-Spanning London Bill
Tyler, the Creator opened his first of two All Points East headline sets in London, referencing his past U.K. ban in a brief onstage remark. The festival's lineup mixed rap, R&B, punk, and shoegaze, featuring acts like Clipse, Turnstile, Rex Orange County, and Sexyy Red. Highlights included a strong showing from emerging U.K. underground artists such as fakemink.
Tyler, the Creator’s Friday set at Victoria Park marked a full-circle moment, given his 2015 U.K. entry ban under Theresa May’s government. His brief onstage jab at the former prime minister underscored how his public standing has shifted since his Odd Future days. The festival’s lineup deliberately mirrored his stylistic range, from Clipse’s precise rap to Turnstile’s hardcore and Love Spells’ dream-pop.
Emerging U.K. talent was a key thread, with fakemink drawing a dense crowd in the North Arena. His debut album arrived in May, and his raw, high-energy performance justified early buzz from figures like Drake and Frank Ocean. The set felt like a release valve for teens who missed Reading Festival, cementing his place in a vibrant underground scene.
This festival moment could reinforce how major artists use curated lineups to spotlight underground scenes, potentially boosting careers of acts like fakemink. It may also signal a broader cultural shift, where once-controversial musicians are now celebrated mainstream figures, reshaping public memory of past bans. For attendees, such genre-spanning bills could broaden musical discovery, while for the industry, it may encourage more eclectic booking strategies.