LIVE FROM THE PIT: ALL POINTS EAST 2026

There is something different about a festival day built around one band. Before the gates had even opened at Victoria Park, Sunday at All Points East already felt like more than a collection of performances. Fans arrived dressed as characters from TWENTY ONE PILOTS' lore, while the queues became a sea of band shirts and handmade creations that were traded between strangers, creating a community before anyone had reached the stages. When the gates opened, the excitement only grew. Fans made their way towards the main stage, with some half-running despite staff asking everyone to walk, desperate to reach the barrier. Inside, every stage was full, with crowds ranging from younger teenagers to adults. Despite the size and energy of the festival, fans looked out for one another, calling for security when something happened and making sure those around them were okay.

HALF•ALIVE

HALF•ALIVE opened the day with a set balancing familiarity with the unexpected. Alongside recognisable favourites such as “RUNAWAY” and “still feel.”, the band introduced several new tracks, including four live debuts. It was an ambitious choice for an early festival slot, but one that paid off by giving the crowd something they could discover alongside the songs they already knew. Rather than simply relying on familiar material, HALF•ALIVE offered a glimpse towards what comes next. The combination of established songs and new material made for an exciting start to the day.

HOT MILK

HOT MILK brought an immediate burst of energy to the East Stage. Their short set moved between the band's heavier punk-rock moments and more emotional material without allowing the momentum to drop. “HORROR SHOW” and “90 Seconds to Midnight” provided plenty of energy, while “BREATHING UNDERWATER” showed the more vulnerable side of the band. The crowd responded quickly, creating a lively atmosphere despite the early position on the bill. There was little time for anything unnecessary, but that only worked in HOT MILK's favour. Every moment felt concentrated, leaving the audience wanting more.

PVRIS

PVRIS offered a change of pace from the intensity of HOT MILK. Led by LYNN GUNN, the set relied on atmosphere and control rather than constant movement, allowing the band's blend of electronic textures and alternative rock to take centre stage.

“Oil & Water” provided a quieter moment, while “Use Me” and “Snakes” brought back the heavier side of the performance. The contrast worked particularly well in the festival setting. Rather than trying to compete with the louder performances around them, PVRIS created their own atmosphere. It was a reminder that commanding a festival stage does not always require being the loudest band on it.

ARTIO

ARTIO brought one of the day's most fitting surprises to the Rising Stage with a live debut performance of “Hometown”, originally by TWENTY ONE PILOTS. With the headliners' fans already making up a large part of the festival crowd, the cover immediately connected the smaller stage to the main event. It was a moment fans could instantly recognise and share, while still allowing ARTIO to retain their own identity. Long before TYLER JOSEPH and JOSH DUN took the East Stage, their music was already becoming part of the wider festival experience.

NOVA TWINS

NOVA TWINS turned the North Stage into one of the day's most physical spaces. AMY LOVE and GEORGIA SOUTH combined heavy riffs, electronic influences and an unmistakable stage presence, with “Antagonist”, “N.O.V.A” and “Drip” giving the crowd plenty to react to. The pit quickly became a sea of movement, but the energy never lost the sense of community seen throughout the festival. Fans continued to look out for one another as the crowd became more intense. NOVA TWINS' music is built to be felt as much as heard, and the packed North Stage demonstrated exactly how effective that becomes in a live setting.

REN

REN's performance felt less like a conventional festival set and more like stepping into a story. Animation was used alongside the songs to build a narrative, with the visuals and music working together rather than simply existing as separate parts of the show. Moving between rap, guitar and theatrical storytelling, REN created a world for the audience to step into. The appearance of CHINCHILLA for “Chalk Outlines” added another memorable moment, but the strength of the performance came from the way every element contributed to the wider story. REN demonstrated how music and visual storytelling can become one experience.

NOAHFINNCE

NOAHFINNCE had one of the day's most difficult positions, performing just minutes before TWENTY ONE PILOTS were due on the main stage. With fans already finding their places for the headliners, there was every possibility that the crowd would disappear early. Instead, people stayed. The performance also marked NOAHFINNCE's return to live shows after more than a year away, making the response particularly significant. The short set was energetic and unapologetic, proving that even with the biggest performance of the day waiting nearby, the audience still had a reason to stay until the end.

TWENTY ONE PILOTS

By the time TWENTY ONE PILOTS appeared on the East Stage, anticipation had been building for hours. Yet the extended headline slot came with one major advantage: nobody really knew what to expect. Festival sets can often be predictable, with limited time forcing bands towards their biggest songs. Here, TYLER JOSEPH and JOSH DUN had considerably more time to move through the band's history while leaving room for surprises, with All Points East being a longer set than previous festivals this year. The biggest surprise was the live debut of “Robot Voices”, performed with EMI GRACE. The audience's reaction made it one of the night's standout moments, particularly following EMI GRACE's recent signing to TYLER JOSEPH's record label, ARR0.

The band's crowd interaction was less surprising, but no less exciting. During “Ride”, somebody was always likely to end up on stage, but the question was who. This time, a security guard was brought up, creating a moment that felt spontaneous despite being a familiar part of TWENTY ONE PILOTS' live shows. The B-stage brought the performance even closer to the crowd. A medley incorporating the car became one of the night's biggest spectacles as it was set alight, while “Message Man” brought back the Blurryface paint ritual. The extended production allowed the show to move between spectacle and the more personal moments that have become such an important part of the band's performances.

The crowd became part of the production too. During songs such as “The Contract”, and “RAWFEAR”, fans held platforms above their heads for TYLER JOSEPH to stand on. With “Trees”, the moment became even bigger as both TYLER JOSEPH and JOSH DUN stood above the audience, with drums also being held up for them to play together. JOSH DUN had his own moment of spectacle during the drum show, climbing the drum tower while giving the crowd a view of the festival name printed across the back of his shorts. Throughout the day, Bandito Camp had also given fans the opportunity to become part of the world. Ukuleles were available to play, Bandito-inspired tape could be worn, and fans could sign their names onto a flag. Later, JOSH DUN, dressed as the Torchbearer, carried that flag during the performance, bringing the names of fans directly into the show.

“Downstairs” was another particularly exciting inclusion, having not been played frequently live. Its appearance demonstrated exactly what made the longer set so effective. Unlike a shorter festival appearance where the audience can have a fairly good idea of what is coming, there was genuine uncertainty over what would appear next. When “Trees” finally closed the show, it felt like the natural conclusion to a day built around connection. TWENTY ONE PILOTS did more than headline All Points East; they made the festival feel like a shared experience, where the fans were not simply watching from the crowd but were part of what happened on stage.

Words: Con Macadam

Photos: Lizzie Jones