Rally 2026

RALLY is the lovechild of GALA, one of London’s premier dance festivals, and promoter Bird On The Wire, whose logo is usually spotted on the most exciting gig posters across the city. The lineup reflects this shared Rolodex: experimental, modern and boundary-pushing artists crossing over with your DJ’s favourite DJs. It’s a format that’s hard to nail — Field Day in the 2010s shifted their strategy, and more recently Wide Awake have had to take a hiatus — but when it works, it really works.

Immediately you can see GALA and BOTW harmonising brilliantly, as thredd take to the main stage. The exposed scaffolding stage makes the festival feel DIY, clearly a vibe they’re going for, and a continuation of the staging that GALA have been nailing for over a decade. The trio blitz through a series of three-minute bops from last year’s It’s Lovely, Come On In; no live drums, all programmed. The moody bassline of ‘Horseshow’ sounds huge; the dovetailing male and female vocals on ‘We Don’t Speak Anymore’ modernise The xx. thredd are a classy new band setting the bar high early doors.

Nestled under the tree canopy of Southwark Park, the site is small but well laid out. Before ten thousand fully pack it out, it’s a breeze to bounce between stages to soak up thirty-minute-long sets in the on-and-off drizzle. Next up is spirit blue, who only have three singles out but manage to pull a sizeable crowd as they float coolly between dreamy numbers, in spite of some sound issues. They’re on Agnes, the standout stage in terms of design: again, exposed scaffolding, but laid out so that the audience can wrap around 180 degrees, creating an immersive in-the-round-like effect. Agnes’ corrugated plastic is subtly stained in the colours of the trans pride flag. The site will be used for queer dance haven Body Movements tomorrow — it’s very cool design work between these independents.

It’s time to trial the dance offerings next: ever-reliable selector Parris is on Visionaire, tucked away behind the bowls green. This is a smart move, as it insulates the sound from the rest of the site — lots of the artists on show today are sonically quite delicate. Parris is visibly annoyed by delays to the start of his set whilst staff attach a tarp to the ceiling, presumably to protect the decks. Told you it was DIY.

Once he gets the nod, Parris flies headfirst into his set. Rocking merch from his label, Can You Feel The Sun, he’s certainly trying his best to bring that vibe — Butch’s classic ‘No Worries’ elicits so much glee from one particular raver, who says it takes him straight back to his 2010 Ibiza season.

Up next is Atlanta rapper Vayda in the Skehans tent (yep, another South East London institution getting in on the act). Georgia in the front, Guinness in the back. Bodies are crammed in to catch her spit over a backing track: it’s only half an hour in this tent but that’s plenty — it is sweaty. She’s clearly having a blast and bouncing off the receptive crowd’s energy.

Continuing the Atlanta theme are Coco and Clair Clair. They look cool, but not too serious — they could be RALLY attendees. Coco’s white skirt is flowing as she prowls about the stage; Clair’s yellow-green jacket is zipped to the neck, as she holds her ground with quiet authority. Clair’s vocals immediately bring Purity Ring or Confidence Man to mind — ethereal and dreamy — complementing Coco’s razor-sharp rapping.

The crowd has filled out at this stage. The vibes are good, the beers are flowing, and the weather is starting to play ball. Plans quickly go out of the window as you start to follow your nose, and, frankly, swerve sets where the hubbub of the London crowd could play a decisive role. The delicate electronica of James K becomes one for End of the Road next weekend; instead, it’s the temptation of festival stalwarts Optimo.

Optimo — now Jonnie Wilkes, after the tragic loss of Keith McIvor last year — will always deliver. Pumping tunes are a guarantee, but there’s always a curveball — today’s lands in the form of Bowie classic ‘Space Oddity’, though a version that is heavy on the synths and devoid of any vocals. This happens mere minutes after Aphex Twin’s ‘Heliospan’ is sprinkled in for a handful of seconds. Those sorts of twists on the dancefloor — where you can practically hear the cogs turn in people’s brains as they work out what they’re picking out — are what sticks with you. Priceless.

Back on Agnes, there’s no risk of chatter getting in the way of YHWH Nailgun’s set. The New Yorkers are known for their visceral sound, bombarding you with snarling vocals and heavy instrumentation. The drums are the standout — they sound massive on this rig, even better than on record — drummer Sam Pickard’s setup is heavy on the rototoms, which create a hollowed-out and spacious feel. It’s hard to describe — just go and check them out and you’ll instantly get it. Or better yet, check out our companion piece on this set.

Roman Flügel brings it back to the dance; he’s performing a live set based around his turn-of-the-millennium project Tracks On Delivery. He weaves techno and electro masterfully as the night draws in; the minimal lighting on Visionaire — alongside Flügel’s tunes — transforms the space, making it feel intimate and almost club-like.

On closing duty on Agnes is Daniel Avery. Last week, he closed out his Field Maneuvers set with Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Closer’, and he’s certainly channeling NIN tonight. It’s a pleasant surprise to see a full band with him — live drums and some heavy distorted guitars — letting Avery live his full grunge fantasy. In a self-proclaimed “full-circle moment”, Alison Mosshart of The Kills comes out to perform ‘Greasy off the Racing Line’ from 2025’s Tremor. The set is split into three segments, with the middle section just Avery on stage. The band are back together for ‘Drone Logic’, a fever dream of swirling acid, and a brilliant way to close out RALLY for its 2026 edition.

RALLY is definitely one to circle in your calendar. The vibe is very well curated; the staging is unique; the site is a breeze; the lineup is fantastic. Even if you don’t go, as soon as the lineup drops for the 2027 edition, it will be worth poring over — this year was full of hidden gems the whole way down.