The energy was electric from start to finish, with support from an incredible lineup including Dermot Kennedy and Mt. Joy.
The day kicked off at the Great Oak Stage with Willow Avalon, a rising artist from a small town in Georgia, USA. She opened her set with ‘Something We Regret’ immediately getting the crowd jumping and setting the tone for the day. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement.
Embracing the country spirit of the event, Willow kept the vibe going with her playful track ‘Yodelayheehoo’ which had the audience clapping along. Next came her viral hit ‘Tequila or Whiskey’ a fan favourite that had everyone singing at the top of their lungs.
Before her final song, Willow shared a story that had the crowd both laughing and gasping. Introducing her hit ‘Homewrecker’ she explained how the song was inspired by a dating mishap. After going on a few dates with a guy, her mum asked for a photo of him. Since he didn’t have many good pictures on Instagram, Willow checked his mum’s account, only to discover recent photos of him and his wife, with captions celebrating their recent wedding.
The next artist I caught was Nadia Kadek on the Birdcage Stage. An up and coming singer/songwriter based in London. Nadia currently has just one official release ‘Feeling It All’ but her set proved she’s one to watch. Performing solo with just her guitar, she delivered a stripped back intimate performance that captivated the crowd.
Nadia slowed things down with ‘Fathers’ a deeply personal song where she reflected on her experience growing up mixed race in Norfolk. Her soft mellow vocals created a warm and emotional atmosphere and it was clear her lyrics resonated with many in the audience. One of the highlights was her song ‘Lemonade’ an upbeat and fun pop track with a catchy hook repeating the line “Who are you without someone to fall into?” The song had people smiling and swaying along.
Despite her minimal setup, Nadia’s storytelling and sincerity made her set feel powerful and intimate.
Next up on the Great Oak Stage was Mt. Joy, delivering an incredible performance that kept the energy high. They played fan favourites like ‘Dreams’ showcasing their signature blend of indie folk-rock. One of the standout moments of their set came when they surprised the crowd with a cover of ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus. The entire festival erupted, people were singing and jumping along and you could hear the chorus echoing all the way from the other stages. It was a perfect cover choice that added to the festival atmosphere and left the crowd buzzing.
Dermot Kennedy opened his set with fan favourite ‘Power Over Me’ instantly setting the tone for an emotional and high energy performance. The crowd went wild, singing along from the very first note. He followed with ‘An Evening I Will Not Forget’ a fitting choice because for everyone there, this truly was an evening that will never be forgotten.
Dermot continued to deliver hit after hit with “‘Outnumbered’ and ‘Something to Someone’ prompting massive crowd sing-alongs, filling Hyde Park with thousands of voices. To close his set, he chose ‘Better Days’ an uplifting anthem that had everyone on their feet, waving their hands in the air. It was the perfect ending and left the audience energised and ready for headliner Zach Bryan.
At exactly 8PM, Zach Bryan took to the Great Oak Stage, kicking off his set with ‘Overtime’ The crowd erupted into a frenzy, the moment everyone had been waiting for all day had finally arrived. The atmosphere reached an all-time high, with fans screaming, cheering and singing along from the very first chord.
When he launched into ‘Godspeed’ the energy soared even higher. Fans climbed onto each other’s shoulders, hands waved through the air and it felt like the entire park was moving in unison. One of the most special moments of the night came when Zach debuted a brand new song, ‘Streets of London’ making the Hyde Park crowd the first to experience it live.
Throughout the set, Zach made small but powerful changes to his lyrics, swapping out locations in his songs for Hyde Park (except, of course, when singing about his beloved Oklahoma). This little touch sent the crowd wild, especially during songs like ‘Motorcycle Drive By’ proving just how much these details resonate with fans.
A breathtaking moment came as Zach performed two of his most emotional and viral songs back to back, ‘Pink Skies’ and ‘Something in the Orange’ As he sang, a stunning sunset spread across the sky, perfectly matching the mood and titles of the songs, it felt like something straight out of a movie.
Another unforgettable highlight was during ‘Heading South’ when Ollie Hawkins, a fan who had been making TikToks for months asking to sing with Zach for his 23rd birthday, was invited on stage. Watching his dream come true in front of 65,000 people was a surreal and heartwarming moment for everyone.
For ‘Hey Driver’ Dermot Kennedy made a surprise return to the stage, and the crowd erupted with excitement all over again. Before starting the song, Zach introduced him with a heartfelt shoutout, saying “I know a really really great man called Dermot Kennedy, and he’s going to sing a song with us. This is one of the best f**ing singers in the world” The chemistry between the two was electric, and their duet became one of the most talked about moments of the night.
To close out the night, Zach played an extended nearly 20-minute version of ‘Revival’ . The entire park was dancing, singing and celebrating as the show reached its high-energy finale which was capped off by a spectacular fireworks display. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day at Hyde Park.
Olivia Brown
Images: @jrcmccord, @BETHANMILLERCO
