Grace Jones, Nas & The Roots, Gary Numan, Lenny Kravitz and Jimmy Eat World are among the headliners
London’s summer music festivals couldn’t get more star-studded if they tried, but now a new kid on the block is ramping up the heat with some of the world’s biggest entertainers in pop, rock and hip-hop – giving All Points East and BST Hyde Park a run for their money.
Palace Bowl Presents is the brand new festival taking place at one of London’s most famous open-air venues, the historic Crystal Palace Bowl, over 11 nights from Friday, July 31, until Sunday, August 16.
The festival may be new but the Crystal Palace Bowl has hosted music legends ever since it opened in 1961 from the likes of Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, Lou Reed, Curtis Mayfield, Gil Scot Heron, Ian Dury, Vera Lynn and Bob Marley’s final London show. With just two months to go until Palace Bowl Presents, we dive into everything you need to know about all 11 dates.
Friday, July 31 – Grace Jones supported by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Get ready to pull up the bumper, Studio 54 supermodel turned New Wave warrior Grace Jones will reign supreme over crowds at London Crystal Palace Bowl on Friday, July 31. Doors open at 5pm, with support from pop icon Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as well as 1990s soul outfit Soul II Soul and opening act, California electro-pop singer Sophie Grey.
Jones has won rave reviews in recent years for reimagining her decades-old hits for a new generation of fans, in particular, a dazzling live performance of “Slave To The Rhythm” while twirling a hula hoop for over four minutes. The show starts at 7pm, and general admission tickets are available at Ticketmaster from £61.60.
Saturday, August 1 – Maharajan Festival
The Maharajan Festival dominates the second day of Palace Bowl Presents and bills itself as Britain’s foremost Arab music party. Performers on the bill include Palestinian singer and rapper Saint Levant, Belgian-Moroccan singer-songwriter Dystinct, Palestinian-Jordanian R&B singer Zeyne, and Syrian singer Omar Souleyman. Maharajan aims to honour “Arabic music across all generations, from its foundational legends to its new global voices”.
Multi-lingual rapper Saint Levant came to prominence with his single “Very Few Friends” in 2022, and he has been an outspoken voice for Palestine. His playful stage name also saw him front a campaign by fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent last year. Doors open for Maharajan at 1pm and general admission tickets are available from £77.30.
Sunday, August 2 – Gospel Garden Presents Kirk Franklin
Crystal Palace Bowl will see a gospel festival like no other on Sunday, August 2, with Gospel Garden Presents Kirk Franklin – when 20-time Grammy Award winner Kirk Franklin brings his worshipful blend of gospel, R&B, hip-hop and pop to the stage, supported by other titans of gospel singing – Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Fred Hammond, Mercy Chinwo and Jerub.
The event states: “ Known as one of the most impactful and innovative figures in modern music, Franklin continues to expand the reach of Gospel, redefining its place in mainstream culture.” Doors open at 3pm and general admission tickets are available from £61.60 each.
Wednesday, August 5 – Tom Jones supported by Billy Ocean
The voice of Wales’ biggest baritone, Tom Jones, will boom over crowds at Crystal Palace Bowl on Sunday, August 5, supported by British-Trinidadian singer Billy Ocean. No introduction is needed for Sir Tom, whose repertoire ranges from the 1960s Burt Bacharach-penned “What’s New Pussycat?” to his 2000s number one “Sex Bomb”.
Meanwhile, Billy Ocean became Britain’s R&B singer of the 1980s, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic with “When The Going Gets Tough”. Doors open at 5pm and general admission tickets are on sale for £61.60.
Thursday, August 6 – Gary Numan supported by Marc Almond
The reverberating sounds of New Wave will ring out on Thursday, November 6, as Gary Numan hits the Crystal Palace Bowl accompanied by Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond and Ladytron. Numan’s dystopian, android-like persona saw him reach number one with hits “Cars” and “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” in the late 1970s as a pioneer of electronic music.
Marc Almond’s Soft Cell is remembered for their iconic 1981 album “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret” and its number one single, “Tainted Love”, while Ladytron has revived electronic music throughout the 2000s. Doors open at 5pm and general admission tickets are available from £51.50.
Friday, August 7 – City Pop Waves presents Masayoshi Takanaka
The distinctly Japanese blend of electropop, guitar solos and Canto singing will set the tone for City Pop Waves presents Masayoshi Takanaka at Crystal Palace Bowl on Friday, August 7. Guitar virtuoso Takanaka, now aged in his 70s, will perform an extended two-hour show, while legendary jazz keyboardist Himiko Kikuchi performs her 1987 jazz fusion masterpiece “Flying Beagle” in full.
The mood will be set by opener DJ Ginger Root playing the decks for crowds. Doors open at 5pm and there is now a waiting list for general admission tickets, with the latest batch selling for £95.20.
Saturday, August 8 & Sunday, August 9 – Roots Picnic
Step into the beat as iconic hip-hop festival Roots Picnic takes over Crystal Palace Bowl for the entire weekend of August 8 and 9. Roots Picnic has been a mainstay of Philadelphia since 2007, this event marks its first time in the UK. Saturday will see a two-hour joint performance from acclaimed hip-hop performer Nas, behind the hits “N.Y. State of Mind”, “If I Ruled The World” and “I Can”, accompanied by Philadelphia band The Roots alongside Sasha Keable, with support acts Black Thought, Yasiin Bey, Benny The Butcher and Nia Smith.
Sunday sees rap fusion artist Anthony Hamilton, behind the hits “Charlene” and “Po Folks” headline alongside Musiq Soulchild, with support from Floetry, Robert Glasper and Questlove, Common Bilal, Gotts Street Park with Olive Jones, and sounds on both days from DJ Benji B. Doors open at 2pm and general admission tickets for day one are currently on sale for £78.40.
Thursday, August 13 – Bastille & The Wombats
Bastille and The Wombats will co-headline at the Crystal Palace Bowl on Thursday, August 13, bringing the ubiquitous sounds of 21st century Britpop and alt rock to crowds. Bastille’s “Pompeii” is one of the most played radio anthems of the 2010s alongside their other hits “Things We Lost In The Fire” and “Of The Night”, while Scouse rockers The Wombats’ 2007 song “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” remains their signature tune.
The two bands will be supported by female pop duo Prima Queen and up-and-coming indie rock band Cherryholt, with a DJ set from Propaganda. Doors open at 5pm and general admission tickets are available from £61.60.
Friday, August 14 – Davido & Friends
The King of Afrobeats, Davido & Friends will take over the stage on Friday, August 14, with tickets already sold out. Raised in Nigeria, Davido has propelled Afrobeat charms to the mainstream with hits like “Fall”, “If” and “Eye”, while fellow Nigerian Omah Ley has reached similar heights with the soulful “Soso” and “Understand” and is due to play Wembley OVO Arena in November.
The pair will be supported by a strong lineup – Black Sherif, Gabzy, T x C, Jazzwrld & Thukuthela, Ecool, Morravey and Boi Chase. Doors open at 5pm. Rickets are now entirely sold our although some resales may become available at Ticketmaster.
Saturday, August 15 – Lenny Kravitz
Few rock stars have reclaimed the genre like Lenny Kravitz, who eschewed 1980s gloopy excess and brought rock music back to its earthy roots of soul and rhythm and blues – with a heady dose of funk. The star behind the hits “Fly Away”, “It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over” and “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” will headline the Crystal Palace Bowl on Saturday, August 15.
Kravitz will be supported by American R&B singer Leon Thomas, English soul star Joss Stone, Scottish singer-songwriter Brooke Combe and Texan alt rock singer De’Wayne. Doors open at 2pm and general admission ticket prices begin at £89.60.
Sunday, August 16 – Jimmy Eat World
Arizona alt rockers Jimmy Eat World will forever be remembered for penning the world’s greatest break-up song “The Middle”, as well as the masterpiece “23” and the 2000s staples “Praise Chorus” and “Kill”. They will headline the final day of Palace Bowl Presents in a concert dedicated to US indie rock and power-pop, with special guests Chicago rock band Rise Against, emo legends The Get Up Kids and singer-songwriter Jay Som.
Doors open at 2pm and general admission tickets are available from £79.55.
Palace Bowl Presents runs from Friday, July 31, until Sunday, August 16.
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