Concert Review: Turnstile at All Points East

Turnstile’s relationship with the UK has grown quickly, but their hour at All Points East suggested that it now runs considerably deeper than novelty or momentum.

The rain over Victoria Park did little to contain the audience gathered around the West Stage. In fact, the summer-scorched park welcomed a little precipitation. The movement at the front was immediate, yet there was a sense of inclusion beneath the physicality. Turnstile can create disorder without making their shows feel hostile - a distinction central to their widening appeal.

Material from NEVER ENOUGH met the harder edges of their earlier catalogue without dividing the performance into separate eras. BIRDS, DULL and the title track showed how far the band’s sound has expanded, while MYSTERY and BLACKOUT produced some of the set’s most enthusiastic reactions.

That range matters. Turnstile remain rooted in hardcore, but they no longer appear interested in being contained by it. Melody is not treated as relief from the heavier passages; it is woven into the same momentum.

The unexpected turn came with The Stone Roses’ I Wanna Be Adored. Its measured opening briefly changed the atmosphere before the band pulled it into their own performance. In front of a British festival audience, the recognition was instant but it worked as more than just an easy local reference.

Brendan Yates thanked the crowd for making Britain feel like a second home. It could have sounded like standard touring politeness but as witnessed by the reception they received, it did not.

The closing stretch returned the field to full motion, ending with T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION). The title captures something important about the band. Their shows may be loud and physically confrontational, but their central idea is togetherness. The energetic output from both the stage and the crowd are more in expression and celebration, not a negative.

I came away from All Points East thinking less about how big Turnstile have become and more about how close they still feel to their audience. The latter might be the more impressive achievement.

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