Kaleidoscope festival review: Outstanding one-day event

In fact, with the striking vista of London and some of its most notable landmarks behind its main stage, the Alexandra Palace one-dayer could claim it has one of the best festival settings in the UK - and surely few would argue.

But of course, it’s not what can be seen behind the stage that shifts tickets to a festival, it’s what happens on it, and Kaleidoscope had that covered too with an eclectic mix of acts across its four stages.

Pardon the cliché, but there really was something for everyone from youngsters experiencing their first taste of a festival through to festival veterans, with a line-up featuring household names in music and comedy alongside rising stars destined for big things.

Two of the first three acts on the main stage (aka the Hilltop Stage), prove this point, with former Fun Lovin Criminals frontman Huey Morgan – perhaps now better-known for his weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music – performing with his new band, followed by the fast-rising Antony Szmierek, who has been enjoying recent airtime on the aforementioned radio station.

Huey Morgan performing (Image: Lloyd Winters)

The Mancunian spoken word artist, who fuses indie and hip hop to great effect, was met by a fairly small, subdued crowd as he took to the stage, with many attendees still making their way through the gates, but with catchy songs and amusing on-stage antics in between them – including running through the crowd and asking people to chase him, much to the kids’ amusement – it wasn’t long before his audience had swelled significantly. There’s a reason his fanbase is rapidly growing.

Over to the Fringe Stage, located inside Alexandra Palace, and Simon Amstell might have been forgiven for toning down his usual risqué material given more than a smattering of the vast crowd that had gathered to watch him were under 10, but instead the comic didn’t hold back.

It was rather amusing, it must be said, seeing parents hurriedly leading their tots out of the venue with their hands cupped over their ears, having realised Amstell’s tales of psychedelic drug use and graphic sexual encounters might be a little too punchy. The fact it was clearly too inappropriate for some only seemed to encourage Amstell, who even called out the kids who dared leave his set early. “Why are you leaving now!?” he asked two teen girls as they stood up and ran across the front of the stage towards the exit, much to the crowd’s amusement.

Simon Amstell performing (Image: James Berry)
Dance music lovers had an absolute feast to enjoy over at the Cloud Stage, with garage pioneer Artful Dodger followed by the legendary pairing of Mr Scruff and Erol Alkan: two masters of their art who both know how to perfectly craft a set. Choice cuts covering a broad range of genres from the pair built the atmosphere up to a crescendo which came in the form of a fantastic set from headline act the Ministry of Sound Classical: a 50-strong orchestra which perform some of the most recognised and cherished dance tracks from the 90s through to today.

The atmosphere in the crowd was electric from the very first track as the orchestra, led by composer David Mahoney, delivered a history of dance music reimagined in jaw-dropping style. And the set only got better as it progressed, with dimming daylight giving way to dazzling visuals and lasers which complemented the music. The highlight of the set came arguably with a rendition of Eric Prydz’ trance classic Opus, and closing the performance – and the day’s festivities – with timeless Faithless hit Insomnia, which ensured everyone left on a high.

Ministry of Sound Classical performing (Image: Lloyd Winters)

It would be remiss of me not to mention the organisation of the event, which was superb. There were plenty of food stalls, bars and toilets dotted around the site and queues were kept to a minimum, with fair pricing. Moving between stages was a breeze and at no point was there a crowd that felt too large or overbearing, ensuring the multi-generational attendees were kept in good spirits all day – aided by the weather.

With so much choice, deciding which London day festival to attend can be tricky, but Kaleidoscope should be a serious consideration for all ages. With a packed schedule of kids’ entertainment and its safe nature it’s particularly well-suited to families, but the diverse billing – coupled with an unbeatable setting – makes it appealing to all.