Love Supreme 2025

Love Supreme is a highlight of the South East’s festival scene, with a family-friendly atmosphere and a bustling yet classy vibe. 2025’s programme featured an all-star lineup of the genre’s legends and newcomers to the scene.

Opening the second “South Downs” stage (which became the main stage for the Friday with a reduced lineup) for the weekend, Matt Johnson (of Jamiroquai fame, not The The!) took to the stage. In a set infused with acid jazz and funk, Matt and his band played tracks from new album Warrior Princess as well as older fan favourites such as ‘Sunshine’ and ‘Interstellar Love’. The crowd had already begun to groove and an upbeat rhythm was set for the weekend to come.

Jamila Woods followed Matt Johnson on the South Downs stage. Bringing soothing R&B vocals over funky instrumentals to the festival, Jamila’s music was a refreshing blast to those in the hot tent in the late afternoon. ‘Boomerang’ was a personal favourite - it was performed absolutely beautifully.

Durand Jones & The Indications headlined Love Supreme’s Friday to a packed crowd. Drummer Aaron Frazer and Durand himself performed glitteringly soulful vocals as the sun set outside the tent. A mere week after the group released their fourth studio album Flowers, they performed a setlist teeming to the brim with new material. There was, of course, time for the hits. Tracks like ‘Sea Gets Hotter’ and ‘Witchoo’ landed well with the audience, which was completely vibrant throughout the set despite a wide range of ages. Durand Jones is a natural performer. In a green jacket, the singer danced and spun onstage between high notes and yelps not too dissimilar to Prince’s. Just over a decade since they formed, The Indications solidified their place as forerunners of the modern soul revival movement.

Playing at Saturday lunchtime on the third “Supreme Standards” stage, Jay Prince performed to a passive yet respectful crowd. Yet another artist with a new album out in the last few weeks, Jay’s material was primarily brand new and not yet road tested. A 45 minute set was perhaps a little long as the songs began to meld into each other after the half an hour mark, but Jay Prince made clear that he is making waves in the British jazzrap scene.

After a bite to eat and a wander around the many vintage clothing stalls the festival had to offer, festivalgoers headed over to Sasha Keable on the main “North Downs” stage. With comparisons to Jorja Smith and Lola Young, Sasha wasn’t particularly standout, though I understand the appeal. Again though, her songs quickly became unrecognisable as they melded into one another.

A two minute walk back to the third stage would find you in the company of singer Liana Flores. TikTok sensation ‘Rises The Moon’ ensured a large crowd for the entirety of her performance. If I had to describe her set in one word I would call it “peaceful”. Liana has a gentle and soothing voice, and her vocal melodies paired with backing instrumentals from a cello, guitar and piano created a sublime and tranquil environment.

War were the first large heritage act of the weekend. Lead singer and only remaining member of the band’s original lineup Lonnie Jordan (who looks incredible for his age) was a bubbly and energetic force onstage, as were the rest of the band. Playing their 70s hits such as ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’, the band blew away a huge audience that were not expecting so much life from a group of musicians in their 70s. Drummer Sal Rodriguez gave up his stool for global hit ‘Low Rider’ and was replaced by The Roots’ drummer ?uestlove in a surprise appearance that fused the new and old generations of funk.

Thee Sacred Souls were a larger group than I had anticipated. A brass section and backing vocalists harmonised with the melodies of singer Josh Lane. Josh himself was sweet and soulful, perfect for a sunny weekend afternoon. The message of the set was one of peace, love and unity. After speaking about the turbulent times we’re living in, Josh jumped into the crowd and performed a few songs wandering amongst the audience, before returning to the stage for ‘Can I Call You Rose?’

By far the greatest set of the weekend, jazzrap duo The Roots and their band performed a phenomenal set of hits, deeper cuts and covers. Rapper Black Thought laid down his rhymes with thunder and precision whilst an eight-piece band featuring ?uestlove on drums curated perhaps the funkiest rhythms I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live. A five-song run of hits (from ‘Step Into The Realm’ to ‘Act Too’) in the first half of the performance set the bar very high to follow. They certainly delivered. The rest of the set was an absolute party, with popular songs interspersed with instrumental solos. The first to perform a solo was Tuba Gooding Jr., who somehow managed to jump around onstage for an hour and a half with a gigantic marching band-style tuba on his back! After a stunning rendition of the band’s biggest song ‘You Got Me’ guitarist Captain Kirk Douglas stepped up and performed one of the greatest guitar solos anyone in attendance had ever seen. Captivating the audience for minutes upon minutes in a blitz of glittering riffs, Douglas proved that his skill on the guitar is unrivalled in the genre. The band finally played ‘The Seed (2.0)’, which was followed by Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Move On Up’. DJ Stro Elliot finished the set with a drum pad solo before the rest of the band re-entered the stage for a synchronised two-step dance. Very few in the audience had ever seen anything like it. Why The Roots weren’t booked to headline is beyond me.

For those who aren’t interested in the musical theatre and theatrical nonsense of Jacob Collier or in Smokey Robinson’s classic R&B (though the ten minutes of his set I caught was good yet plagued by ear-piercing feedback), Kassa Overall was a great alternative on the third stage. The rapper/drummer and his talented band performed a jazz-infused array of tracks from across his discography. Despite a smaller crowd than the other acts headlining their respective stages, the audience interactivity and complete randomness of Kassa’s set combined with the sheer talent onstage made for a perfect end to the day.

The third and final day of Love Supreme was a complete washout at times. Ponchos were handed out but that did not stop clothes soaking completely through in an incessant downpour. The main stage was also running an hour and a half behind schedule, though this was cut down to a mere 15 minute delay by the time Nile Rodgers played due to speedy changeovers between sets.

80s soul band Central Line opened the main stage for the final time this year. The group were dressed just as they had done four decades ago, and the visuals on the screen of the group in their heyday matched their attire. Towards the end of an hour of pure funk and soul, the heavens opened. Funnily, this happened during ‘Walking Into Sunshine’, which the band closed their set with.

Next to take to the stage were relatively new soul duo MRCY and their band. Formed by vocalist Kojo Degraft-Johnson and bassist Barney Lister (producer for Joy Crookes, Rina Sawayama etc.), the group have released two 30-minute long projects over the course of the last two years, of which they performed the majority of. Kojo’s live vocals are nothing short of incredible, and the sun finally came to say hello momentarily as the band performed ‘Lorelai’. Having seen the pair three times, I must say they keep getting better and better as time goes on.

Off the back of UK Official Singles Chart #2 ‘Love Me Not’, pop singer Ravyn Lenae brought her live performance to the Sussex countryside. Singing her collaborations with artists like Childish Gambino, Steve Lacy and Doechii, the younger clientele were more than satisfied with her performance. However, it seemed like the majority of the crowd were waiting for her biggest hit rather than appreciating the rest of the set and thus the music once again fell a little flat for the most part of the set.

90s four-piece girl group En Vogue strutted onstage in sparkly silver glasses adorned with tassels and matching colourful suits. The group performed with a unique sassy and youthful energy, proving that they are still somehow in their performing prime. Their set was filled to the brim with hits, opening with ‘My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)’ and closing with ‘Don’t Let Go (Love)’ and ‘Hold On’. There was also of course time for plenty of covers, including Silk Sonic’s ‘Leave The Door Open’ and a megamix featuring 12 different tracks. Not expecting too much from En Vogue, I was blown away by the intricate choreography and show(wo)manship the group presented. Their set was for sure one of the crowd’s collective fan favourites of the entire festival.

Iconic American guitarist Nile Rodgers brought his tour with his band Chic to Love Supreme for an evening of funk and disco. The set opened with four Chic songs, including ‘Le Freak’ and ‘Everybody Dance’. Despite the weather (which was still pouring down), the audience danced and sang along with every single word. The rest of the set featured songs by Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, Madonna and more, all either written or produced by Nile. Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ was for sure a standout track, with keyboard player Russell Graham performing the vocoder parts, and vocalists Audrey Martells and Naomi Rodgers performing Pharell Williams’s lead. The rain finally eased up for the day just as the set ended with ‘Good Times’. Throughout the performance, Nile Rodgers told stories of his life in music, his awards & accolades and personal experiences with collaborating artists, all between funky riffs and smooth grooves. 

Whilst Maxwell was a tempting headliner for many, over on the second stage Zambian rapper Sampa The Great and her backup singers/dancers created a majestic soundscape richly infused with culture. Sadly, her touring band couldn’t be present due to visa issues, but Sampa herself put on a great show nonetheless. The energy was by far the highest it had been the entire festival long (especially during ‘Energy’, hence the song title), with the audience jumping and cheering for the entirety of her performance. An outstanding end to the festival, Love Supreme 2025 was concluded with spirits high.

Despite abysmal weather and some delays, the quality of music and performance more than made up for any faults found in the festival. The vibe onsite was family-friendly, safe and vibrant, and the festival featured a wide array of non-musical elements including dance/yoga workshops, talks and a Rough Trade record shop tent. Only half an hour from Brighton, it’s easily accessible from Glynde train station after a simple walk/shuttle bus ride to the festival site. The artists were great, the vibe was amazing and it was a weekend well spent.