Community Festival: An Indie Dream

With a stacked lineup inclusive of The Vaccines, The Wombats, and Two Door Cinema Club, Community Festival was a nostalgic, indie dream. The day-fest took place in Crystal Palace Park, and the sun reappeared after what felt like weeks of a chilly London.

I arrived at the festival just as Baby Queen was finishing her set; for 3pm on a Friday, the park grounds were already packed by those so committed to indie that they’d take the day off.

Between sets, classic indie tracks such as “Not Nineteen Forever” by the Courteneers and “Lemonade” by Circa Waves ft. Alfie Templeman sounded through the field and were loudly echoed by the crowd.

The live music resumed as The Vaccines took the stage. Each band member’s mics were adorned with flowers, and frontman Justin Hayward Young had a very animated stage presence, acting out lyrics and making dramatic gestures.

Young spoke about how The Vaccines have been away in Los Angeles recording a new album. They performed a new song, “Heartbreak Kid”, which was very catchy. They’ll be playing festivals across Europe through the end of summer, so definitely catch them if you can!

Since all acts were performing on a single stage, the waits between sets weren’t long at all. Still, the breaks afforded enough time to enjoy the plethora of food stalls. On the lawn, I saw people playing cards, building cup towers, and enjoying the sun.

Next up were The Wombats who performed to a very excited crowd. Lead singer Matthew Murphy shared origin stories about his songs with the audience, expanding on the many that were written in London. Murphy said he used to live in Haggerston; “Techno Fan” is now stuck in my head, as I write this from east London.

Headliners Two Door Cinema Club (TDCC) took the stage complemented by expansive visuals. “I Can Talk” was mirrored by neon heads floating around the screen behind the band. TDCC played a range of tracks from their discography; their set featured slower songs such as “Eat That Up, It’s Good For You”, classic anthems such as “Changing of the Seasons” and newer hits like “Wonderful Life”

The band was vibrant, and the crowd was dancing/on each other’s shoulders as the air cooled into the evening.

Overall, Community Festival was a perfect summer day. If you like indie music, definitely keep it on your radar. Bring your loved ones and go dance. I can’t wait to see next year’s lineup!

Photo gallery by Saloni Jaisingh / @saloni.jaisingh