Carpark opened the night, setting the bar high with an energetic set full of fan favourites. Dancing around the stage, the indie-rock trio were met with the challenge of a word-perfect front row and a slightly hesitant back of the crowd, first drinks in hand. The band shared their excitement about sharing the “fun line-up with the girls”, and the crowd’s head-nodding soon became dancing with ‘Born To Be Average’ before slowing the pace with dreamy ‘Happy On Mars’.
Drawing the audience in and ever closer to the stage with a driving cover of t.A.Tu’s ‘All The Things She Said’, Carpark’s 2022 track ‘Don’t Want You’, made it clear the band has created a fresh take on nostalgia-rock.
Despite not releasing any new music since their 2024 EP ‘Born To Be Average’, the band announced, “Carpark are coming back this year”. With irresistible dance beats from drummer Loda, the trio closed their set with ‘Suburbs Of Hell’. If the audience were not warm already, they were by now.
Next up was Lala Hayden, commanding the stage with ‘Honeymoon Suite’, the first track from her latest EP ‘Viva Venus’. Encouraging the audience to say hello to someone new, Lala Hayden spoke to the importance of finding human connection before performing ‘Rush Of Love’.
Bringing a sassy sexiness in ‘Slice’, Lala Hayden showed off the vocal versatility within her electro-pop discography. Perhaps the most touching moment of the night, Hayden described her next song, ‘Monster’, as about being “bombarded with messages of not being good enough”, the track especially poignant as she shared her pregnancy; “I’m joined by my daughter tonight”. For the finale, the soloist handed out roses to the crowd before performing ‘Beast’, a song that could soundtrack a montage in a coming-of-age movie.
Headlining the night was CATTY, bringing Lesbian anthems and tales of “sh*tty breakups”. Opening with ‘Bella Donna’ and ‘I Gotta Be Cool’, the crowd was loud and hanging onto her every lyric. Perhaps the most shocking revelation of the night was the anecdote that ‘I Don’t Miss You (I Just Miss Your Mum)’ came from CATTY pretending her ex’s mum was hot - don't believe every lyric you read!
Anger and grit dominated CATTY’s angsty performance of ‘Actress’; “I won’t forgive and I won’t forget". Known for lyrics with gut-punching relatability, the crowd reaction to ‘Wish I Gave You Hell’ and ‘I Dated A Monster’ prompted a tongue-and-cheek reaction from CATTY, “I’ve only dated one monster, you sound like you’ve dated a few, bad luck”. Pop-hit ‘Healing Out Of Spite’ still got the rockstar treatment from CATTY, hair flying and knees on the floor as she interacted with her adoring audience. Describing the next track as her theme tune, an electrifying performance of ‘Rumours Are True’ told the relatable story of coming to terms with who you are and your sexuality; “everyone thought I was gay but I wasn’t in on the gag”. Closing her set with her latest single, ‘Joyride’, CATTY shared, “it feels like [this song] is changing my life a bit”. With a musical-theatre style opening made for the stage, CATTY’s incredible live vocals prompted the loudest reaction of the night.
The after party, and impromptu meet and greet, was soundtracked by Ellie Dixon’s debut DJ set. On brand with her latest era, she was rocking a chainmail hat whilst playing infectious club hits. An eclectic combination including The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘My Humps’, Charli XCX’s ‘Guess’, and Nelly Furtado’s ‘Maneater’ was followed by Dixon’s recent single ‘Knight Shift’, as the alt-pop sensation closed the opening night of CloseUp Festival with “you’ve been at the knight club, buy me a drink”.
Maisy Neale
Images: Maisy Neale
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