"All shine, no rain... one of London's best day festivals"
Read the reviews: RALLY 2025
Mixmag
“All shine, no rain... one of London's best day festivals”
"While you can never have too much of a good thing, the current saturation of London's day festival circuit means that to truly be heard above the noise, events need to showcase something really, truly special. Enter RALLY, which returned to Southwark Park for its third edition on August 23. With its late-season position and leftfield programming, RALLY has managed to become one of the most tipped events in the capital's underground dance music calendar. Forgoing the urge to compete with the jam-packed line-ups of London's contesting day parties, this all-dayer offers attendees the opportunity to cleanse their festival-gorged palate and catch a range of cutting-edge live sets and extended, unique DJ sets as the season concludes."
"2025 felt like a slam dunk — finally showcasing its unique knack for put cutting-edge art and music side-by-side, while still creating an environment that was vibrant, intimate and best of all, fun."
"To truly get to the heart of what this festival is about, you just need to look at the day's knock-out performances. Scottish multi-hyphenate TAAHLIAH's heavenrise live show - which featured a dithering blend of acoustics and blistering electronic - set an otherworldly tone at the Agnes Stage, followed shortly by the silky, moody sonics of legendary Japanese artist POiSON GiRL FRiEND. The Agnes Stage was the setting for much of the festival's biggest live performances, with UK rock-meets-techno trio Moin gathering an eye-watering crowd as they drilled through their trademark spine-tingling, gritty noise and hypnotic synths, not long before much-talked-about London duo Bassvictim took over with a rowdy set as the sky began to darken."
Crack Magazine
“The pull of RALLY is not about major artists or A-List names.. it encourages exploration and wonder."
"The third time was a charm at RALLY this year. While previous editions flexed an equally thrilling line-up of indie newcomers and cutting-edge electro, this was the first year in the festival’s short three-year history that freak storms didn’t dampen the proceedings. Yet past bad weather hasn’t stopped RALLY from quietly becoming one of the summer’s most exciting small festivals. Stacked with IYKYK artists, this year’s thoughtfully curated line-up spanned live jazz, emotive avant-pop, UK rap, ambient and synth wave. An impressive roster of cult DJs – including Hessle Audio’s Ben UFO Vlada and Nosedrip b2b Orpheu the Wizard – joined experimental live artists like Astrid Sonne, Geordie Greep, and Moin.”
"Beyond the music, what makes RALLY special is its grassroots feel, partnering with local artists and galleries like IKLECTIK, Trackie McLeod and Studio Chapple. Sculptural hangings, inventive stage design and overhanging trees make for a dreamlike setting while the ease with which you can walk from stage to stage allows punters to catch a little bit of everything. After all, one of the festival’s key tenets is discovery. Floating Points headlined this year’s mainstage, but the pull of RALLY is not about major artists or A-List names. Instead, it encourages exploration and wonder."
Read: RALLY 2025 through five key performances.
Ransom Note
“A modern celebration of the who and what of London at present. Well curated, well booked and very cool."
“What sets RALLY apart is the vibe: intimate, odd, and full of the kind of magic that happens when you chuck art kids, ravers, crate-diggers and curious locals into Southwark park on a midsummers day."
“It’s unique in that it’s not trying to be MASSIVE – the production is relatively muted compared to some of the over the top extravagance of the London daytime festival circuit these days. Less fun fairs, more small tents and better vibes all round."
"RALLY is really a modern celebration of the who and what of London at present. Well curated, well booked and very cool. This year was perhaps its biggest yet but it still managed to retain the core, grassroots sensibility of what is now arguable a staple of the London calendar."
Dance Wax
“RALLY keeps bringing fresh flavour to the festival circuit, showing tenacity and vision in carving out its place.”
“2025 marks the South London festival’s third edition, after two rain-soaked years that nevertheless cement its identity: a celebration of independent art built on community and collaboration. This year, though, the organisers finally exhale—the sun blesses Southwark Park, sparing everyone the frantic dash for cover. (Slightly) less gorp, more golden rays. RALLY feels both intimate and expansive, its programming inspired and immaculately curated."
"Artists from across the spectrum perform on stages that defy the standard black-box build—architectural designs that lift performance into spectacle. Across the leafy site, installations and immersive spaces break up the flow, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to genuine connection."
Broke Magazine
"One of this summer’s more intriguing lineups…"
"A lot of care & attention had gone into transforming Southwark Park for RALLY. Some striking art installations welcomed you through the barriers before we settled in for Speakers’ Corner Quartet celebrating Arthur Russel on the Channel stage. An easy, bluesy, jazzy performance from one of the most revered outfits in London was a wonderful (if slightly belated) introduction to the festival. We made a point of taking in the entire festival site, which had the sort of quirky, quality of life touches that are sometimes lacking in RALLY’s more commercial counterparts. The venue itself was beautiful, with a homely feel that dropped your inhibitions and immersed you in the festival for the duration."
The Upcoming
“RALLY offers a more appealing vision, advocating not just for artistic discovery but also social responsibility."
"RALLY Festival’s third iteration continues its mission to showcase the UK’s grassroots sector. With each year featuring a specific theme, 2025’s is “a common purpose”. Now broadening their scope across multiple art forms, RALLY sees collaboration between various independent promoters, arts organisations and a limited number of corporate partners."
"In fact, there’s a visible effort to keep such sponsorship to a minimum. This comes at a fitting time, one where larger day festivals are experiencing boycotts protesting their corporate financiers. In this climate, RALLY offers a more appealing vision, advocating not just for artistic discovery but also social responsibility."
"An afternoon spoken-word programme on the Skehans stage gives a platform to upcoming local artists. Visual pieces crop up across the site, from miniature worlds encased in glass houses, to a vague human-like figure sculpted in epoxy clay. Through bringing various artistic media together, the value of “common purpose” starts to become apparent. Community organisations hosted by Rally range from fighting local gentrification on Old Kent Road to directly supporting Palestinian families in Gaza. Ground-up local action is given a platform here, a refreshing alternative to RALLY’s questionably funded counterparts."
