With temperatures soaring across London, it would have been easy for festivalgoers to seek shade rather than stand in the scorching fields of Hyde Park. Instead, thousands flocked to BST Hyde Park from the early afternoon, swarming around the Great Oak, Rainbow and Birdcage stages to celebrate some of the best of contemporary folk, indie and Americana, headlined by an unforgettable performance by iconic British band Mumford & Sons that was equal parts passionate, joyful and packed with unexpected surprises.
Aside from the headliners, The Great Oak Stage featured other big names like Holly Humberstone, whose ethereal presence and effortless charisma immediately won over the growing crowd. Opening with “So It Starts”, she balanced introspective songwriting with a confident romantic energy, moving seamlessly through favourites including “To Love Somebody” before bringing her set to a close with “Scarlett”.
Likewise, The War on Drugs proved exactly why they remain one of the most beloved live acts around. Their atmospheric sound washed across Hyde Park as fans packed in front of the stage, with songs including “An Ocean Between the Waves” drawing massive cheers from the crowds before the band closed with the euphoric “Strangest Thing”. Their polished musicianship on stage – honed after well over a decade and a half of beloved work – translated effortlessly to the audience, creating one of the day’s biggest singalongs before the headline act.
The depth of the day’s line-up on the main stage was equally evident through performances from Cliffords, whose set included “Shattered Glass”, “Expressions” and a stirring closer in “Bittersweet”, ensuring there was plenty to discover beyond the festival’s biggest names.
As always, BST Hyde Park’s smaller stages continued to champion some of the best adjacent emerging talent. Alongside standout performances from Stella Lefty, Bec O’Malley and Cliffords, the day’s programme also showcased rising artists including CAAMP, Divorce, Cassandra Coleman, Heidi Curtis and Dermot Henry, offering festivalgoers plenty to discover long before the evening’s headline performance.
Over on the Birdcage Stage, Bec O’Malley’s brought an irresistible blend of Liverpool grit, Manchester attitude, Irish folk traditions and Americana influences to showcase how and why his rise has been so meteoric over the past few years. A huge crowd gathered to listen to his feel-good set and his latest single “Let You Go”, with the audience clapping and dancing along from start to finish.
By the time Mumford & Sons took to the Great Oak Stage, anticipation had reached fever pitch. Opening with “Begin Again”, the band immediately had Hyde Park in the palm of their hand, with Marcus Mumford proving once again why he remains one of Britain’s most fascinating frontmen. The band’s performance barely gave you room to breathe throughout the evening as they effortlessly moved between emotional verses and anthemic choruses, while theirtrademark harmonies sounded as lush as ever.
What followed was less a concert than a celebration of the great British summer. Every chorus was met with thousands of voices singing back in unison, with “I Will Wait” sparking one of the loudest reactions of the night, as did many of their other hits.
The surprise guest appearances only elevated their performance further. Stella Lefty returned to join the band for “Badlands”, a fitting full-circle moment following her fun Rainbow Stage set earlier in the day. Then came the first of two unforgettable guest appearances as Hozier emerged to perform “The Boxer” and “Awake My Soul”, sending the crowd into raptures.
As if that wasn’t enough to appease the crowd who had travelled from far and wide (some for several days) the evening delivered one final twist when Shania Twain appeared for a joyous rendition of “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” after sharing the stage with the band for their track “Here”.
As fireworks lit up the London skyline during an electric closing performance of “The Cave”, Mumford & Sons’ headline performance celebrated their return to the festival in a manner that highlighted exactly why it has become one of the premier festivals to the headline in the UK since its inception in 2013. On one of the hottest days of the summer (so far), the band ensured the lasting memory wouldn’t be the unrelenting heat, but the overwhelming sense of joy and unity shared by everyone gathered beneath the rosy Hyde Park sunset.
BST Hyde Park runs from 27th of June to 12th of July. Find more information here.
