EVE. Photo Credit: Angela H (@lens.on.point)
Much like the weather, Cross the Tracks festival held in the heart of South London’s Brockwell Park was also quite unpredictable. The jazz, soul and funk fest was at risk of losing its feet due to the last-minute cancellation of headliner and queen of neo-soul Erykah Badu due to illness, a blow that was felt deeply by her fans.
Despite this disappointment, the festival’s lineup and speedy re-orgnization by teams behind the scenes ensured the day was far from a letdown. Among the standout performances was the Canadian jazz ensemble BADBADNOTGOOD, who delivered a set that left an indelible mark on the audience. Known for their genre-blending style, BADBADNOTGOOD navigated seamlessly through a repertoire that included both original compositions and unique covers but they did miss out their Tik Tok viral hit ‘Time Moves Slow’. Their performance was a masterclass in musicianship and creativity, captivating the crowd with their improv prowess and deep grooves. The band’s synergy and musical energy was incredible underneath the sunset.
The ever-changing set times because of the Erykah Badu shaped hole in the programming actually worked out for the better in some cases. Alt-hip hop producer Madlib was originally set to perform a DJ set at 2pm in the afternoon — a really waste for a hip hop legend who has shaped so much of that avant-garde jazz infused hip hop sound. He was then rescheduled to be the penultimate act to close out the stage — a more fitting slot for someone of his stature. Madlib brought out longtime collaborator Freddie Gibbs for an impromptu set where they performed hits from their joint albums Piñata and Badana. Gibbs was allegedly about to board a plane back to the States after performing at Rinse FM’s Project festival before he got the call from Madlib.
Ten years on from their first collaborative album and they’ve still got it, Gibbs’ signature gritty, rapid-fire style combined with Madlib’s hard-hitting beats.
Eve, the iconic rapper and actress, brought a dose of classic hip-hop flair to the festival. Her performance was a run through of all her classic banger like “Who’s That Girl?”, “Satisfaction” and “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”which had the crowd singing word for word. She even featured a dancehall section where she danced to hits such as Shabba Madda Pot. Eve’s commanding stage presence and charismatic delivery reminded everyone why she remains a powerhouse in the industry.
The festival also had stellar acts on the smaller stages such as jazz songstress Summer Pearl, the king of lovers rock Dennis Bovell and Motown inspired soul band Thee Sacred Souls.
90’s supergroup En Vogue delivered slick choreography and had incredible stage presence. I did feel that they weren’t quite the right fit for the rest of the programming of the festival nor did I think they quite worked as the headline act to close out the festival.
Cross The Tracks 2024 managed to overcome the significant hurdle of losing its headliner, thanks in large part to unforgettable performances by acts like BADBADNOTGOOD and the surprise set from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib. En Vogue’s set was sleek and extremely polished but unfortunately couldn’t quite compare to the Queen of neo-soul Erykah Badu. Despite the setback, Cross the Tracks has cemented itself as THE festival to be at for hip hop, jazz and soul heads. How about Erykah for next year?
