Sunday saw 35,000 fans gathering in the sun for a non-stop indie-anthem fuelled party. Community saw both huge and smaller bands alike inspire lively crowds and jubilant, booming sing-alongs.

Part of what makes the festival such an enjoyable day is the calibre and talent of the earlier artists. Bloxx are slowly making their way up festival time sheets, and for good reason. They played older, nostalgic songs as well as new music, and the N4 stage provided the perfect atmosphere for these vibrant, bouncing tracks. Dedicated fans joined newly-interested guests to party to their catchy indie-pop tunes. Walking between stages, it wasn’t rare to hear someone talking about how sick Vistas were; the late addition to the line-up was a huge favourite, and their light-hearted, cohesive discography makes it easy to see why.

Sea Girls were one of the bands starting the day over on the main stage, and despite the early hour, saw one of the avid and enthusiastic crowds of the day. The band know how to put a setlist together; there wasn’t a single song that fell flat, and the mood seemed to only amplify as the songs rapidly followed each other. The warm weather didn’t stop people jumping about to every chorus, opening up mosh-pits at any opportunity, and screaming the lyrics to their mates. Sunglasses were thrown off peoples’ heads and any remaining drinks were tossed: the band proved once again that their music is the epitome of indie festival entertainment.

There is just something about Gerry Cinnamon that is reminiscent of being fourteen years old; the period in time when you first discovered The Kooks, started wearing fishnets with a cliché bucket hat and using the lemon emoji at any opportunity. And yet, his set was one of the most talked about among the earlier acts: people still love the classic Gallagher-esque style of Cinnamon himself, and just how nostalgic and classically indie his tunes are.

Kate Nash provided a heart-warming set, and one of the unquestionable highlights of the day has to be the pop artist leaping into the crowd, continuously dodging the security that tried to pull her out. Other artists came down from the stage to greet fans, but Kate leaped over the barrier and squeezed her way through the packed crowd, performing an entire song completely surrounded by her fans. Her fabulous pink sequined gown and infectious happiness topped off the set, making it one of the most brilliant surprises for guests who were seeing her for the first time.  

The headliners, of course, did not disappoint. As the sun started to set on North London, Blossoms took the stage with their adored anthems, playing ‘At Most a Kiss’, ‘Blown Rose’, and ending with ‘Charlemagne’. Flares were let off, people were on their mates’ shoulders: it grew to be a triumphant, celebratory set of the bands’ work. The rowdy mood escalated with each song, and by the last song it was difficult to spot a single person not having an absolutely class time. Fans off all ages came together to jump around to the Stockport-born festival favourites, and as the set ended, fans were more than ready for The Kooks.

The Kooks finished off the day, and the crowd was staggering. The bands’ entire career was spanned over the course of the set, with well-known hits intermingled with slightly more unfamiliar tracks that the dedicated fans adored. Pritchard sitting down at the piano to play ‘See Me Now’ was easily the most endearing moment of the night, moving every festival-goer and creating a beautiful sense of community and emotion. The band skillfully commanded the mass of people, oscillating the atmosphere of the set from frenzied and lively to touching and emotive. The crowd didn’t stay serene for long though, as ‘Jackie Big Tits’ and ‘Naïve’ saw explosive reactions from the thousands of people gathered in Finsbury Park.

Community continues to be so popular largely because its chosen bands consistently deliver legendary moments of fans coming together in glorious renditions of huge indie anthems. However, the festival name is beautifully apt as the 2019 date has shown that it really is the people, who collectively karaoke Oasis hits on the walk back to Finsbury station, that make the festival the astounding success that it is.

Header Image by Harry McCulloch