This weekend Brighton hosted the inaugural Wildlife festival, curated by Rudimental and Disclosure who also closed the show on each night. Artists over the weekend, handpicked by the two hosts, included George Ezra, Earl Sweatshirt, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Jamie xx and Years and Years. With over 70,000 tickets sold, the debut festival had a lot to prove.
Karen Harding opened on the main stage on Sunday; greeting guests at 2pm when the gates opened with the contagious radio favourite Say Something. Jimmy Napes, who has previously collaborated with Disclosure and Sam Smith, was next on, playing a set of R & B singles, backed by electric pianos and a full backing band. MJ Cole, who played the Treatment VS Bedlam stage later on in the day, was brought on stage by Napes to perform the track ‘Making of Me’, from one of his latest EP’s.
Dornik opened the Big Top stage, gracing the festival with his soul and groove sounds, giving an alternative to punters who didn’t fancy raving to Treatment DJ’s in the other tent at three in the afternoon. Lxury followed on from Dornik, the producer played tracks from his latest EP ‘Into The Everywhere’ along with the Disclosure produced hit single JAWS.
Adorning the main stage mid-afternoon were Years and Years. Coming onto stage, lead singer Oli proclaimed that this was the largest crowd they had ever performed to, a fitting celebration after the success in the charts of their latest single King, which they performed alongside Desire and new single Shine, whilst also promoting their debut album out on the 10th of July ‘Communion’. The three of them attracted one of the largest crowds of the day, a visual representation of their ever growing acclaim and fan base.
Skepta and JME followed on the main stage. Skepta wore a white hoodie and khaki trousers whilst JME went for the more casual attire in a Boy Better Know hat and a T shirt with a blown up version of his face on it, also deciding to casually glide round stage on a Segway. In probably one of the liveliest sets of the day – with mosh pits being encouraged profusely – the pair performed songs such as That Ain’t Me and Shutdown, whilst also bringing fellow rapper Wiley on to perform a rendition of Boy Better Know’s Too Many Man.
One of the most highly anticipated acts of the day were Wu-Tang Clan, who opened their set with Bring Tha Ruckas. After insisting the technicians turn up the music as loud as possible, the group worked their way through hits such as Cream and Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nothin Ta Fuck Wit, drawing attention to their debut album ‘Enter the Wu –Tang (36 Chambers) and thanking fans in the crowd who had bought the album released 20 years ago and supported them since. Even though they perhaps haven’t maintained the stage enthusiasm they heralded 20 years prior (stage movements were limited to shuffling round and trying not to bump into each other), they definitely have maintained their, as they put it, ‘True Hip Hop loving fans’; the crowd being a sea of W hands raised in respect to hip hop and the clan.
Jamie xx played the Big Top, spinning tracks from his new record ‘In Colour’, seeping the hit single Loud Places in throughout his set. The stage was adorned with a large glitter ball, and purple strobe lights, a tinge of nostalgia to disco, also throwing it back with references to northern soul, blues and jazz music, mixing them all and ending triumphantly with Gosh.
Annie Mac in her ‘Raving’ mac, provided the backing tracks to the sunset on the main stage, and the warm up before Disclosure, who brought the inaugural Wildlife to an end on Sunday night, with stunning visuals provided by designer Kate Moross and a host of special guest appearances. Throughout the week the brothers, Howard and Guy Lawrence teased revealing new music at the festival, and they didn’t disappointment, playing both tracks from their debut album ‘Settle’ and their newly announced latest album ‘Caracal’ due out in September. The brothers opened with White Noise, before going into F For You, whilst they stood on isolated elevated platforms, surrounded by strobes, effects and screens; Howard singing and playing bass guitar at points, with Guy in charge of beats and percussion. Special guests included the ‘beautiful and talented’ Lion Babe who strutted in front of her silhouette on the screens behind and performed Hourglass. Promoting themselves as seekers of new talent, the duo also had Nao and Kwabs on stage retrospectively singing new tracks Willing and Able and Super-Ego. The most exciting guest of the night however was Gregory Porter, who performed Holding On, who got so into it he started doing his own fist pumping version of raving on stage. Returning for an encore, the brothers sent an ode to Sam Smith before closing their set with Latch, and thanking the huge Wildlife crowd.
Wildlife is confirmed to be happening again next year.
