Gala Festival 2024 has delivered another unforgettable weekend of pure musical joy. This year, marking the festival’s ninth edition, saw the event continue its proud Bank Holiday tradition: celebrating dance music of all shapes and sizes.
Since 2016, Gala has distinguished itself in the crowded festival scene with a focus on quality over quantity and has gained a loyal following while maintaining its intimate feel. I made the pilgrimage to Peckham Rye Park with some friends on Sunday, eager to capitalise on the sacred extra day of holiday and get stuck into the mix with a tequila-laced cocktail. This year’s stellar lineup brought together legendary acts and rising stars across five stages, requiring some rather diligent setlist mapping to squeeze in as much good stuff as possible.
We made a beeline for the mainstage to see Crazy P, where frontwoman Danielle Moore donned an effortlessly cool fedora and green suit like a vogue version of The Riddler. This was my second time seeing them this year and truly confirmed, you can never have too much Crazy P. The band played some new music too which set the perfect tone for the day, leaving the crowd eager for more.
A short trot from the mainstage was Cornerstone, taken over by women-founded music platform Born N Bread, who curated a brilliant lineup of rising stars such as Tilly Indigo, DJ Emz and Abigurl. This tent played an array of absolute bangers, including some very welcome 90s and 00s nostalgia that had the whole tent belting out the words.
The mighty Patio stage was next on the list. After seeing Midland’s iconic sunrise set at Houghton last year, I was keen to see what he had in store for Gala. His set, characterised by a mix of house, techno and disco, showcased his masterful ability to read the crowd and seamlessly blend genres, keeping the energy high and the dance floor packed.
Next we headed to 1908, where Antal, Hunee and Palms Trax put on an epic performance with some high energy, drum heavy beats. The stage design was a real highlight too, with the DJ booth smack bang in the middle of a 360 degree dancefloor, ensuring the crowds were getting stuck in from every angle.
The ominous thundercloud that had been looming over the treeline all day finally descended on the park, which was a great excuse for a trip to the Pleasure Dome for some good old-fashioned disco. It’s safe to say Gala veterans Horse Meat Disco know how to put on a legendary show, and crowds heaved into the tent to get a taste of their infectious tunes. No one was safe – not even security – who couldn’t stop themselves from throwing out some outstanding fist pumps and body rolls from the front barriers.
Finally, we bounded back to the main stage for Folamour, who closed the festival with a happy mix of disco-house, including some tracks from his recent Manifesto album that had the whole crowd grinning from ear to ear. With heavy legs and an alarming amount of hay in our socks, it was time to make the slow shuffle out the festival gates and back to reality. Once again, Gala has kicked off the season with a bang, and as we look forward to 2025, one thing is certain: this festival will continue to be a highlight of the summer, a place where the vibes are always great, and somehow, the music is even greater.
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