Little Simz’ flawless headline slot crowned a blistering day in the capital. Performances from WAR, KOKOROKO, Lady Wray, and Joy Crookes shone bright as Simz proved once more why she is one of the UK’s most revered artists.
As the sun blazed above Brockwell park, an undeniable summer vibe permeated the South London heat with undertones of Arsenal winning the league. Spread over five stages, a lineup teeming with the very best in jazz, hip hop, soul, funk, era defining legends, and emerging talent, Cross the Tracks hit all bases.
The temperature was already creeping its way over 30 degrees by the time Midlothian singer-songwriter, Brooke Combe, took to the Mainline. Her r&b infused soul married effortlessly with a calming stage presence, setting the benchmark for a day of thirst quenching music.
WAR continued the refreshments, drawing a crowd of vibrant smiles and funky footwork as keyslamming, notehitting frontman, Loni Jordan, led an iconic performance steeped in nostalgia, and timeless effect. Seamless transitions from platinum selling records like Can’t We Be Friends, and Lowrider, to anecdotal freestyle jazz numbers took their crowd on a trip back through the decades.
“My first time visiting here, I was eighteen years old,” Loni tells me as we meet up backstage before the band’s set. “We ended up doing Ronnie Scotts, and Jimmy Hendrix got up on stage and jammed with us.”
The heat slides off of his cool demeanour as we muse over how it compares to what he’s used to back home. “The thing I love about the UK heat is the humidity,” he explains. “It’s good for your skin, your hair, and your wine!”
As part of their 50th anniversary tour (that has been going on for almost three years), WAR’s set was a tip of the hat to the legends of the game. Their psychedelic funk curated an energy that spilled into the rest of the day, as Lady Wray took to the Terminal stage, just over from the Mainline, with a compelling verbosity, circling her retro-soul and hip hop countenance in permanent marker.
With the day in full swing and the diverse crowd fully warmed to the idea of music in the sunshine, Fabio & Grooverider brought their orchestra to the main stage to deliver live renditions of iconic jungle and drum & bass tracks. The energy seeded by WAR flourished as the legendary duo conducted their journey through the annals of dnb.
Elsewhere, the likes of Knucks, namesbliss, and Paul Stephan brought their contagious energy and lyrical slickness, leaving those in attendance spoilt for choice as sets from KOKOROKO and Joy Crookes overlapped with the other proceedings.
Crookes poured her heart into tracks like Pass the Salt, Mathematics, and Feet Dont Fail Me Now, as the audience swayed, cried and danced their way through a magical performance. She also utilised the home crowd advantage to test out some forthcoming music, which was met with resounding approval.
Over on the Terminal, KOKOROKO saw the day out with their cooling afro-jazz, melting perfectly into the late evening as the sun began to dip behind the trees of Brockwell.
Little Simz’ headline set was the perfect night cap to a day of sweltering talent. Proudly donning her Arsenal jersey, Sims embodied her club’s winning mentality and delivered a performance that was as breathtaking as it was captivating, packed with feminine energy, unrivalled lyrical dexterity and the confidence of an artist in their prime.
Closing out with Gorilla, having dappled her set with popular tracks like Woman, Point and Kill (bringing out Obongjayar who had played earlier on), and Free, the North Londoner made sure the sun-charged audience left the park with their hearts and minds full. As 30,000 pairs of hands were raised towards the stars hanging above the city, Simz couldn’t bite back the emotion, and left the stage looking as blessed as we felt to have witnessed her set.
As a London day festival, Cross the Tracks stands out. Its family oriented atmosphere and all inclusive lineup for fans of jazz, soul, hip hop, and the inbetweens, paired with one of the city’s more roomy and textured parks as a temporary home, make it a definite one for 2027’s calendar.
Words: Tyrone Bulger
Pictures: Dom Le Brun