Kew Gardens is one of the most magical spots in London; somehow it doesn’t feel like London at all. Most people have either been or heard of Kew Gardens, but did you know the UNESCO World Heritage site also plays host a music festival every summer. We attended Kew the Music and we found it to be one of the most laid back, enjoyable ways to spend an evening in London.

Summer 2023 had a marvellous line up including The Vamps, Hacienda Classical, Bastille, The Human League, Jack Savoretti, and Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra – the latter of which is exactly who we decided to check out for the festival’s final show.

Kew the Music is unlike any other music event in London that I’ve been to. Unlike practically every other day festival, and even some camping weekend festivals, at Kew the Music you are allowed to bring in with you whatever food and drinks you wish – including alcohol.

Attendees are encouraged to bring picnic blankets, camping chairs, and set up for the evening. However, of course if you are not that organised or just don’t fancy lugging everything with you there are bars and a range of food options to try – not as many as I would have expected for a festival of this size though, and veggie options were a bit limited. However, we managed to snag a pizza and some incredible churros.

Music-wise the day started off with the gorgeous pop band, Germein, comprising three sisters from Australia. There was a lovely balance throughout their set of upbeat songs to get the crowd moving and ballads with beautiful harmonies and their melodic voices. One of our favourite tracks they played was Talking – highly recommend checking them out if you’re a fan of Haim.

Next up was Elles Bailey who brought a bit of attitude to the stage, with more of a rocky feel to her music that was welcomed by the crowd. Her voice has a richness and depth which was complemented by the band – the guitarist, Elles explained, was standing in and had learnt the entire setlist in just a mere few hours which was very impressive. Give Long Road Ahead a try if you’re new to Elles Bailey.

Finally, Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra took to the stage, even arriving a bit early, which is practically unheard of in music, but highlighted Holland’s immense professionalism and respect for his audience. As is commonplace with Jools Holland performances, he cultivated a selection of guest artists that brought a vibrancy to the stage, including some of his former Squeeze band members and vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall, and Sumudu Jayatilaka.

Whereas the earlier performances from Germein and Elles Bailey were met with a relatively subdued audience, as soon as Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra strutted out pretty much everyone was up on their feet dancing despite the heavy rain. At one point after a seriously intense downpour, Holland claimed to know a song to get the rain to go away which miraculously seemed to work and we enjoyed a beautiful orange sunset – before more rain.

Although Kew the Music seems to appeal to a more mature crowd, with the ability to bring camping chairs and use a proper toilet (not a portaloo) perhaps slightly more appealing to those of our parents’ generation, I think this is still a festival that will surprise people of any age. I for one would love to return and see what Kew the Music has to offer next year...

Date: Sunday 16 July 2023. Website: kewthemusic.org.

Words by Mollie Kate Cohen