All Points East 2024: Day 5

So we come to the final day of All Points East 2024’s second weekend in Victoria Park. After LCD Soundsystem’s euphoric party delivered a poignant tribute both to their friend (and our 20s) on Friday and Justice tore the clouded roof off Field Day on Saturday, it’s the more subdued headline duo of Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service to close off the weekend.

APE know their various demographics, with each day being a well curated event in itself. Today skews notably toward a slightly older male demographic - it’s the only APE I’ve ever had to queue longer for the urinals than portaloos - but thankfully all our sensible walking boots for the forecasted rain weren’t needed and we arrived to beautiful sunshine in time for Wednesday. The alt-country outfit do struggle to rouse the 3pm Main Stage crowd a little, despite the widespread critical acclaim of latest album Rat Saw God, from which most of their set was taken. The intensity of the performance is unaffected though, as they build progressively heavier towards the climax of Bull Believer. Vocalist Karly Hartzman tells us before the song that her screams would be a reflection of her feelings about the situation for the people in Gaza. Lyrics can only explain feelings to an extent and the raw emotion of her anguished howls brought the set to a powerful close.

Yo La Tengo followed with a mere slip of a 35 minute set. It’s a good range of vibes though, with Georgia Hubley and James McNew getting at least one tune each on vocals, showcasing their sweet, gentle melodies alongside Ira Kaplan’s scathing guitar. They round it off with the 10+ minute hypnotic, degenerating jam of Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind. In the end, I’m impressed we got as many as 6 songs.

Glasgow indie mainstays Teenage Fanclub are up next on the West Stage. They’re still on good form and clearly enjoy what they’re doing, with a warm and welcoming set including 90s classics What You Do to Me and The Concept.

I’d been waiting to catch Brooklyn disco revivalists Say She SheThey draw a good crowd into the North Arena, where, with their New York influences proudly on their sleeves, they deliver a relentless set of Chic-esque fun. We’re treated to a couple of classic covers too, with a slinky version of Talking Heads’ Slippery People and a bombastic closer of the Jackson Sisters’ I Believe in Miracles.

Fresh from the Olympics closing ceremony and on the final day of their tour, Phoenix do their best to upstage the day’s headliners. After a statement one-two opening of Lisztomania and Entertainment, it’s a wonder they manage to keep the energy up for the full set. Not to worry, they’ve built an impressive array of hits over the years, as well as an impressive array of backdrops, cleverly integrated around their set up to switch from a grand baroque hall, a mountainous lake scene to disco mirrors from song to song. 1901 brings a triumphant ending, with lead singer Thomas Mars in the crowd (getting his hair ruffled by my idiotically excited self), before crowd surfing back, beer in hand. A good last night of the tour all round, I reckon.

Finally, it’s time for Ben Gibbard’s twin album set of Transatlanticism and Give Up. Death Cab for Cutie’s classic concept album on the theme of long distance romance is first up. It’s clear that the album made a huge impression on some, with devotees singing every word of their tender and soaring indie rock. The crowd join in for a bouncy singalong of The Sound of Settling, and the set is closed off with a beautiful version of A Lack of Color, but during the 15 minute gap after their set, I do get the sense that a larger percentage of the crowd are here for the cult-classic electronica of The Postal Service. Released in 2003, for many indie kids (me included) it was a first introduction to electronic music that meant something. It does, however, have a fluttering and flickering touch that could have found itself lost as a main stage festival headliner. That isn’t the case on the night, with album opener The District Sleeps Alone Tonight immediately sounding full and weighty. Such Great Heights sparks limbs amongst the crowd who have, at best, been waiting 10 years to hear this record live. An encore gives us a closer to remember, courtesy of a superb Depeche Mode cover. Enjoy the Silence, All Points East, this year you’ve finally been loud enough.