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Just a couple of months ago, London was singing and dancing its way to 10pm sunsets. Glitter-faced girls and lads sporting (un)ironic dodgy shirts filled every park, empty baggies sprinkling the grass like confetti. The joys. Now, it’s dark before five o’clock and festival season is but a distant memory.
If you're missing all of that madness, take heart. Some of London’s biggest blow-outs are already treating us to lineup announcements for next year – so you can start saving up the pennies and counting down the days. And we're not just talking about the real-life Sugababes headlining Mighty Hoopla: here’s three other festivals to feast your ears and eyes on.
Gala
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This three-day Peckham Rye Park weekender was one of the first London festivals post-covid, and boy, did it come back with a bang. With a lineup focussing on variations of underground electronic music (but mostly house and techno), and some live instrumental acts thrown in for extra jazzy measure, it's returning in 2022 with long-term collaborators Rhythm Section and Horse Meat Disco.
The first acts announced for Gala's 2022 edition include Gerd Janson, Goldie, Job Jobse, Shanti Celeste, and Josey Rebelle. Brilliant Corners' Giant Steps sound system will bring the noise, meanwhile the Thursday lineup will shift the focus to live music, with Children of Zeus, Nu Genea, Ezra Collective founding member Joe Amon Jones, and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 playing across bass, soul, jazz and Afrobeat. More lineup announcements will follow in coming months.
Gala. Peckham Rye Park, SE15 3UA. June 2-4, 2022. Tickets from £40.
Junction 2
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Also taking place across the Jubillee Weekend in June, Junction 2 is taking over Boston Manor Park with a spectacular roster of names from across the dance music spectrum. The star-studded lineup includes hypnotic electronic producer Jon Hopkins, joined by Four Tet, Midland, Chaos in the CBD, Nina Kraviz, Avalon Emerson, Ben EFO, Adam Beyer, and Robert Hood. That's without mentioning other electronic heavyweights Amelie Lens, Ben Klock, Richie Hawtin, and Dr Rubenstein, as well as all the other acts in the already packed programme. Not one to miss.
Junction 2. Boston Manor Park, TW8 9JX. June 3-4, 2022. Tickets from £45.
Cross the Tracks
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Arriving in 2022 with its third edition, Cross the Tracks is still a bit of a newcomer to the London festival scene. But with tasteful, groove-heavy curation across soul, funk and jazz, as well as a focus on street food and craft beer, it's already cemented itself as an anticipated name in the saturated events circuit. Taking place in Brockwell Park across six stages, the festival has a laid-back, open arms appeal, meaning you'll more than likely find all sorts of ages having a boogie. The 2022 edition is already promising big things with funk-trio headliners Khruangbin, as well as Joy Crookes, Patrice Rushen, and rapper star Mereba. Other highlights include a live set from soul-house producer Romare, stellar selections from Radio 1 DJ Jamz Supernova, some feel-good funk from Norman Jay MBE, and many more names.
Cross the Tracks. Brockwell Park, SE24 9BJ. June 5, 2022. Second release tickets from £39.50.
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Check out our list of London’s best music festivals.