“What on earth is going on?” said a bemused chap to his friend halfway through Aphex Twin’s mind-bending set at All Points East Presents Field Day, both of them rooted to the spot, as the electronic pioneer delivered a multi-sensory assault on the senses.
The pair wouldn’t have been the only ones questioning what they were witnessing as the producer, real name Richard David James, closed out the one-dayer at Victoria Park in the most intense manner.
Die-hard fans down the front were loving the barrage of noise being unleashed, but for more casual spectators it was a lot to take in, clearly too much for those among the 50,000-strong crowd who decided to leave before the set had finished.
They surely wouldn’t have felt short-changed as they headed for the exits, though, after a jam-packed day of acts at the top of their game playing on weighty sound systems that did their music justice.
London-based DJ and producer Tsha will have won over a healthy number of new fans with her performance on the West Stage (mirrored by the near-identical East Stage at the opposite side of the site).
It was her first live show in the UK, she announced near the start of her set, but there were no signs of nerves as she and her band delivered a polished performance, highlights of which included Sister and Dancing In The Shadows from her brilliant debut album.
Producer and multi-instrumentalist Sbtrkt, real name Aaron Jerome, packed out the Cupra North Arena for his early evening set, which saw him cover new material and cuts from his eponymous debut album.
In Wildfire, featuring the vocals of Little Dragon, Jerome knows he has a hit that will always spark an incendiary response from the crowd no matter how many times he’s played it since its creation, and it was no surprise when he finished his set with it, much to the delight of the crowd who were more than happy to sing along to every word.
After revered producer Jon Hopkins showcased some of his finest-ever releases and fresher music, it was time for Bonobo (aka Simon Green) to play his only live London show of the year, providing the perfect backdrop to the setting sun.
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New Zealand-Australian vocalist Jordan Rakei made a welcome cameo appearance for Shadows in what was a slow start to the set, before the intensity gradually ramped up to a crescendo of Otomo – one of Bonobo's heaviest tracks, which sent the crowd into a frenzy, aided by dazzling visuals and lasers.
It was then time for the mass migration from the West Stage over to its counterpart, with shrewd programming allowing fans to see Bonobo and Aphex Twin in full, where the mysterious icon closed out the day in uncompromising fashion.
It certainly wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but those who were present won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.
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