Words by Grace Minghella
Despite being one of the hottest days of the year so far, the weather wasn’t the only thing hot at Milton Keynes Bowl.
I started my day by exploring the festival grounds and seeing everything Bludfest year two had to offer, such as a skatepark in “YUNGBLUD Village”, a pop-up shop to celebrate the release of Yungblud’s brand new album IDOLS, as well as the recreation of the famous Camden pub, The Hawley Arms. All of which were full of people excited for the rest of the day from as early as 12pm.
Photo by @Rubyboland
The first act I got to witness was NXDIA, who took to the main stage of Bludfest with their incredible stage presence, playing some of their hit songs like “She likes a boy” and “Feel anything”. After their performance, the stage felt warmed up for the acts yet to come and the audience was already full of energy! This act was one of my personal favourites.
Next, I took a wander over to Stage 2 and caught the end of Master Peace’s set, with one of the most high energy crowds and performances of the day and in true rock and roll fashion, he finished the set by getting into the crowd and singing and dancing with everyone there. This created such an incredible atmosphere. Next was Nieve Ella, and despite it being the hottest time of the day she still put on an amazing show, even teasing her newest song that is yet to come out “Good Grace”. Her performance was Main Stage worthy, her beautiful vocals paired with her stage presence made her so fun to watch and her music was extremely catchy, making me add her to my playlist shortly after watching her set.
Shortly after discovering all the upcoming talents on Stage 2, I managed to catch BLACKBEAR on the Main Stage. This performance felt somewhat nostalgic with him playing a bunch of his hit songs. I really enjoyed this set and I feel as though BLACKBEAR brought a perfect balance of emotion and energy, giving the crowd a moment to sing their hearts out while still keeping the energy high. One of the standout moments was when he performed “idfc,” with the entire crowd screaming every lyric back at him. It was clear how much the fans connected with his music, and that connection made the whole experience even more powerful.
Next, as the day was getting cooler, the energy most definitely was not… it was time for one of the most highly anticipated acts of the night, Chase Atlantic. The moment they hit the stage, the crowd erupted with so much energy. Songs like “Swim” and “Into It” had the entire audience singing and dancing along. The atmosphere felt surreal, almost hypnotic, as the band delivered song after song with flawless energy. It was clear why they were chosen as headliners.
Photo by @Rubyboland
Closing out the night with explosive energy as usual, was YUNGBLUD himself. His set was nothing short of chaos in the best way possible. From the moment he stepped on stage, the crowd went wild, jumping, screaming, and matching his energy beat for beat.
He played a mix of fan favourites like “parents” as well as oldies such as “Loner” and “Tin Pan Boy”. He also included tracks from his brand new album IDOLS, which the crowd already seemed to know every word to which was amazing, considering the album had only been released the day before. One of the most unforgettable moments of the night came when punk legend Billy Idol joined YUNGBLUD on stage for a surprise performance, shocking everyone. The connection between YUNGBLUD and the entire audience was unreal and unbeatable. He poured everything into his performance from running across the stage, climbing the barriers, and even bringing a lucky fan onto stage with him to perform “fleabag” together. It felt like more than just a gig, it was more of a full-blown celebration of music, identity, as well community.
Photo by @_alannageorgette
Overall, the day felt like a celebration of music rather than a huge festival, giving the chance for smaller artists to get the recognition they deserve as well as creating a fun, engaging and welcoming space for all the people who attended. From start to finish, the atmosphere was buzzing with positivity, passion, and pure excitement. I left feeling inspired, sunburnt, and I’m already counting down the days until Bludfest year three!
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