The Maccabees: All Points East
After a semi-busy summer, The Maccabees returned to their hometown for what was described as an "indie carnival" by CMAT, and what is objectively the biggest gig of the band's career.
In Victoria Park, which could have been mistaken for an Arizonian dustbowl, the indie legends alongside friends old and new put on one of the shows of the summer. A lineup that featured noughties indie heroes The Cribs, The Futureheads, and Bombay Bicycle Club, alongside the next generation of UK indie, Divorce brought their country-tinged sounds to a rapturous crowd in the same tent that Black Country, New Road continued their fascinating evolution later in the day. Westside Cowboy will, by rights, be remembered as indie legends in future decades too, alongside the rabble-rousing Man/Woman/Chainsaw, who both provide exciting examples of the future amongst the rose-tinted looks into the past.
All eras of British indie are embraced and welcomed. Those in their thirties mourn the early 2000s, when indie sleaze ruled the roost. Teenagers in the 2010s are forever stuck there, just as the kids of the 2020s will likely be going on about their own class for the rest of their lives. The whole lineage was on the lineup at All Points East
The Maccabees' breakup in 2017 was different to other band breakups; they had not had a fallout, they're were no legal cases. In fact, it was quite the opposite; they'd done the near impossible, calling it quits whilst at the peak of their powers. After the release of 2015's 'Marks to Prove It', the band had hit the top of the charts, and a sold-out tour, the band went their separate ways.
It wasn't over, though. The Maccabees themselves thought there was unfinished business. Felix White said before the announcement of the show.
“In the intervening years, we’ve been to All Points East a lot, separately. It’s become a bit of a landmark festival for us, always checking who’s on the line-up. I’d go and have a great time throughout the day, but there was always this pinch of regret watching headliners that we could’ve done it ourselves one day too. I thought that moment had passed, and it was something I was prepared to come to terms with that I was always going to miss. I think we’re all kind of shocked and excited that we get to do it together again.”
The build-up to the show could have led to disappointment, and with the venue becoming a haze-filled dustbowl, there was potential for the show to be littered with problems. However, every review of the show has been nothing but positive. A celebration of the past, present and future. The future of a scene that the mass media is saying is dying. In a brilliant quote by Lucy Harbron of Far Out Magazine, "the future of indie lies in the small fonts." She's right.
Fans of The Maccabees didn't need to be disappointed; their Glastonbury slot, which saw them bring out Florence Welch, had been one of the best Maccabees shows ever and one of the performances of the weekend. All Points East was always going to be a triumph.
All eras of The Maccabees were visited again. Early cuts 'Latchmere', 'Lego' and 'X-Ray' transport many fans back to 2007 with their earnestness and energy. Frontman Orlando Weeks thanked the 50,000-strong crowd for "getting the band back together" before rifling through 'Kamkura', and 'Wall of Arms', 'First Love' received one of the biggest songs of the night
'Love You Better' was interrupted by the dust, but fans didn't let it ruin the moment, whilst the band cut out, a 50,000-strong army of backing vocalists rose up to the occasion.
Glastonbury got Florence Welch, All Points East got Jamie T. He joined the band on stage for 2015's 'Marks to Prove It' and his own songs 'Sticks n Stones'. There's something quite beautiful about seeing the survivors of the indie scene on stage together.
'Something Like Happiness' brings the main set to a close, and the band returns for an encore of 'Toothpaste Kisses', a song which has soundtracked many an indie romance, the criminally underrated 'Grew Up at Midnight', and of course, fan favourite 'Pelican'.
That was that; the band left the stage, leaving the thousands in attendance wondering. What's next? No further shows have been announced. Is new music on the way? Or will the band disappear again?
Thanks for reading
Jack