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WE OUT HERE 2024: REVIEW
WE OUT HERE 2024: REVIEW
24th September 2024
by ARCHIE ROWLINS
Tastemaker, DJ, broadcaster, and all-round music aficionado, Giles Peterson, returned this year with his meticulously crafted We Out Here, with a line-up just about as broad in its musical scope as its sheer magnitude.
The festival stands out as one of the greatest in the UK’s repertoire in terms of daytime live music programming with this year’s headliners: André 3000, Matthew Halsall, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Sampha, and nighttime artists such as Moodymann, Joy Orbison, Ron Trent and Shanti Celeste for immersive and energetic atmosphere.
The first act to kick off our weekend was a real treat, as Mercury Prize-nominated composer, arranger and alto-saxophonist, Cassie Kinoshi, alongside her ensemble, seed, and turntablist NikNak, performed a powerful hour of soul-trembling contemporary jazz. It was then time for DJ, Broadcaster and Vinyl enthusiast Haseeb Iqbal, with whom we have seen perform at Bristol’s incredible Analogue Lounge recently, to take centre stage at The Bowl. Unsurprisingly, Haseeb rocked the place, jumping from sun-soaked reggae, heavy dubbed-out steppas, and everything in between—as well as an exclusive white-label dub from Iqbal himself. This was aptly followed by the legendary Aba Shanti-I, a sound system veteran who treated the packed-out crowd to an excellent selection of dubbed-out tracks in the melting heat.
As the evening sun began to set, the crowd swarmed to the main stage to catch a glimpse of Sampha, who’s set centred around his soulful piano ballads, with (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano serving as a poignant highlight which hushed the audience into mesmerised silence. The performance took an unexpected turn when the entire band gathered around a singular drum kit, transforming the stage into what felt like an impromptu jam session, which we also had the pleasure of experiencing at Green Man Festival this year.
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the Wimborne fields were ushered into darkness, the festival’s energy shifted gears, with Joy Orbison taking the reins to guide the night-time crowd into a different sonic landscape. Orbison brought a vibrant energy as he played out a blend of 2-step and electro tracks, accompanied by playful but sleek visuals that added an extra layer of immersion to the performance. However, his performance served as somewhat of a catch-22 as at the back of the crowd where there was room to dance, it was admittedly a struggle to fully appreciate the sound, which lacked clarity and impact due to the distance of the speakers. Meanwhile, closer to the stage, the dense throng of festival-goers left little wiggle room for dancing, or even wiggling. This meant that despite Orbison’s skilful mixing and engaging track choices, it lacked in full immersion.
A major highlight for the weekend was the Tomorrow’s Warriors Big Top Stage, showcasing up-and-comers from the jazz-centric talent development organisation. Boasting alumni such as the aforementioned Cassie Kinoshi, as well as Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Sons of Kemet and the Ezra Collective – who headlined last year’s instalment. This year’s programme boasted an extensive roster of rapidly rising musicians and groups. When we entered the Big Top, we were treated to the sweet sounds of Big Massive, comprised of Ky Osborne on keys, Michael Amosu on drums, Nathan Dawkins on bass, Finn Hori-Ohstrom on trumpet and finally Jack Jules on saxophone. The collective killed their hour, playing a distinct fusion of jazz and hip hop with a sprinkle of some jungalistic rhythmic flair.
Only about 100 metres from the Big Top was the Studio Monkey Shoulder stage, another particular highlight for us. Despite its somewhat corporate aesthetic, it displayed a stellar line-up of artists from all over the UK, such as 2-Step and house legend, El-B, Bristol-based Electro artist and head honcho of label Pressure Dome, Yushh, the Manchester-based and multi-faceted, Chunky (who as well as his own set, hopped on the mic for numerous others), London duo IZCO and Reek0, who have been leading the dance music/doobie rap crossover, and last but certainly not least, Frazer Ray, who delivered an absolutely slammin’ hour of classic jungle and drum and bass.
Re:ni b2b Mia Koden was the next stop and the start of the Saturday night programming. The set was an excellent fusion of dubstep, electro, 2-step and the odd curveball. It ended with a masterfully executed mix from Martyn’s DCM remix of Broken Heart into a trap-style 808-boosted mix of J Dilla’s classic Don’t Cry, creating a melancholic unification of an iconic dubstep trap and an equally iconic hip-hop beat.
Once again, We Out Here nailed the final set of the night, with Saturday night featuring the genius and staggeringly talented, DjRUM from 2:00-4:00 at The Grove. As the festival reached its twilight hours, DjRUM took command of the dance-centric stage, weaving a sonic tapestry that captivated the late-night crowd. His set was a masterclass in electronic music fusion as he seamlessly blended elements of breakbeat, dubstep, and ambient textures into a hypnotic journey through a broad range of bpms. As the clock ticked towards closing time, DjRUM shifted the pace up a gear playing some deep jungle cuts such as Baby D’s Casanova (Down To Earth Remix). He then undercut this uptake in pace perfectly as he transitioned into some deeper ambient tracks, demonstrating the producer’s ability to maintain energy while exploring deeper, more contemplative territories and showing why he was chosen for this coveted closing slot.
The set served as a fitting denouement to Saturday’s musical variety, leaving those who had made it to 4 am with a sense of awe and fulfilment as they made their way back to their tents.
As we reached the final day of the festival, we started off with legendary dub and reggae Soundsystem Channel One. The iconic duo of Mikey Dread and Ras Kayleb set the perfect tone for the day, and the crowd began to gather as the first dubplates dropped. Channel One’s selection was a true journey through reggae history, seamlessly blending classic tracks with contemporary cuts, all unified by their signature dub treatment. The set was more than just a performance; it was a cultural experience, a living link to the Soundsystem movement that has influenced countless genres. As the sun climbed higher, Channel One’s positive energy and conscious lyrics set and uplifting mood that would carry through the rest of the day.
Once we had our fill of dub, we made the journey back across the festival site to Lush Life for Berlin-based jazz group, Moses Yoofee Trio. The group displayed their sonic mastery as drummer Noah Fürbringer delivered tight and varied rhythms, reinforced by Roman Klobe’s funky electric bass, and all tied together by pianist Moses Yoofee, who’s also made his mark in the dubstep scene under his alias “Yoofee”, as he darted around his array of synths to create some truly mesmeric lead lines and melodies
The main Sunday headliner of this year’s instalment needed no introduction, but, hey, why not! Often revered as the greatest rapper of all time, and one-half of the pioneering hip-hop outfit, Outkast, Andre 3000 subverted everyone’s expectations last year as he released aethereal, meditative, ayahuasca fuelled: New Blue Sun (his debut solo album).
Having seen a recording of a previous performance of the album prior to the performance and with a certain level of apprehension, it was a surprise to experience a sense of renewal and renaissance; André evidently looked to portray this theme, as in a telling interview with NPR, he explained that the album and its name was meant to represent that what ‘the next world or the next beings will be under a bluer, cooler burning sun. […] this whole direction is a new world for me.’ Like a bacon sandwich on a weary hungover Sunday morning, André replenished and revitalised, a perfect summary to the weekend.
Overall, We Out Here 2024 was a grand success and the festival is certainly moving from strength to strength, boasting an increasingly diverse and impressive line-up as well as delivering on excellent programming, stage design, unique features—such as the scaled up interactive 909 drum machine, good overall sound and a great atmosphere. I’m very much looking forward to what Giles and the team have to offer for next year!
Tickets for We Out Here Festival 2025 are now available HERE!
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