'I went to All Points East and one thing struck me on final day - and it wasn't the dust'

The Maccabees promised All Points East would be their best show ever.

For a band who have only just reunited after eight years away it was a huge promise to deliver. Nostalgia was in the air from the start as the Indie favourites opened their set with a montage of their early days before swiftly launching into Latchmere, X-ray and Feel to Follow from 2012’s Given to the Wild.

Gems from their early albums including First Love, Lego and Toothpaste Kisses from 2007’s debut Colour It In quickly followed alongside highlights from 2009’s Wall of Arms.

As is the way in 2025, a surprise special guest has become a staple for any festival headliner and The Maccabees did not disappoint us. They called on the services of their old friend Jamie T to thrill the crowd with rousing singalongs of Marks To Prove It and his own Sticks ‘N Stones.

Jamie wasn't the only star in the vicinity with Florence Welch also spotted backstage ahead of the set to catch her friends in action. The flame-haired singer made a guest appearance with The Maccabees during their Glastonbury 2025 set, describing them as 'like family.' Like the many fans who turned out to Victoria Park, the singer couldn't miss the chance to see the band return on home-turf.

This time it was Jamie who took the honours of joining them behind the mic as Sticks 'N Stones got the crowd dancing after sunset.

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Thanking fans for joining them on the special night, singer Orlando Weeks got emotional as he said: “It's unbelievable that you took that risk, that you paid that money, you put the faith in the love that you had for our band and the love that you had for the occasion that this might be…It’s not lost on us and I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to you for being the gamblers that you are. Thank you for taking the chance.”

The south London five-piece reformed this year after eight years away to play a dusty Victoria Park... a rare face mask advisory was even put in place for the festival, encouraging revellers to shield themselves against the cloudy air. The conditions at the parkwere the result of continuous warm days and minimal rain.

As well as the hotly-anticipated Maccabees reunion, the day festival line-up was packed full of 00s indie finest from The Cribs, Everything Everything, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Futureheads and Dry Cleaning.

As with the headliners, all the bands pulled in huge up-for-it crowds as the wave of guitar-band nostalgia reigns supreme this summer.

All Point East's 'indie' day comes off the back off 'Oasis-mania' with fans living out the best of the 90s by seeing the Gallaghers back with their Live 25 tour. And there were plenty of Oasis t-shirts in the crowd at APE to prove it.

After years of chart dominance by synths, samples and TikTok pop, guitar music seems to be on the verge of a major mainstream chart comeback.

If All Points East is anything to go by, fans of all ages are living for the thrill of riffs, roars and crowd-surfers and mosh pits.

Bank Holiday Sunday was the perfect end to another star-studded All Points East, with not even the dust cloud smothering the energy.