There are few vantage points better in London on a hot summer's day than Alexandra Palace. Back for its sixth year, the Kaleidoscope Festival was set to rock with the sun blazing over the capital. And with it being a World Cup year, and England doing really well, this party had all the ingredients of a cracker. And so it proved.
Music, Comedy, and Football Combined
Music, comedy, culture, family, and football — the day festival up in the clouds was as good as Harry Kane hitting a match-winning goal. For the record, England were playing Norway in their sixth game of the tournament with a kick-off time of 10pm, straight after the festival. The match was being shown on a big screen indoors. But before that, there was a bit of partying to do.
Our 18-year-old reporter had been to Kaleidoscope once before, but with her dad and his friends, and always wanted to come back with her own friends. This year, the festival paid homage to classic London sounds — garage, house, and drum 'n bass — which was right up her street. And who better than Roni Size and Groove Armada to get the party started? That's exactly where the day began. Superb.
A True Kaleidoscope of Experiences
Kaleidoscope is true to its name and has a bit of everything. Later, the reporter and friends dropped in on Russel Kane, the Hip Hop Karaoke, and Bez's Acid House Experience before finding a spot for the headliners, Rudimental. As she said, there aren't many places better in London on a day like this, and when the sun set behind the main stage, framing the skyline, they had a moment.
If they hadn't danced so hard all day, they would have joined the England fans in the West Hall for the match — but their feet were hurting. The reporter concluded, "Thank you, Kaleidoscope, it was great fun. I'll hopefully be back again next year… and Dad, you can come if you want!"
