(Credit Jordan Hughes and Alfredo Flores)
Each year, BST books a diverse range of the biggest touring artists in the world to headline their 65,000 capacity festival in Hyde Park. Recent editions are selling out faster than ever before which is testament to the strength of their booking power and the increasing social media attraction for the annual event.
Sabrina Carpenter was arguably the pop star of 2024. Despite an enormous arena tour earlier this year including two sold out shows at the capital’s O2 Arena, she’s managed to sell out not one but two dates here this weekend.
Unlike many other day festivals, the site is incredibly busy as soon as gates open. There is palpable excitement as a crowd comprising mostly of young women in cowboy hats flood the park to take up the various freebies on offer. Yes, there is corporate branding everywhere but many enhance the experience for ticketholders rather than detract from it. American Express hand out free water bottles to cardholders, Lidl have meal deal vouchers and glitter stations and various other units offer interactive experiences and prizes.
Possibly because of the demographic of the crowd, there are no queues for the bar or toilet at any point throughout the day – there are, however, sizeable queues for sweet treats and merchandise.
BST do a great job of programming a suitable supporting lineup and today is no exception. It’s an all-female lineup across the 3 stages of the site with Clairo, Beabadoobee and Amber Mark all playing on the main Great Oak Stage.
(Credit Bethan Millerco)
These three artists all play very impressive headline-worthy sets. Amber Mark’s silky R&B, Beabadoobee’s shoegaze-adjacent alt rock and Clairo’s beautiful jazz-tinged indie all fit the weather and location (both beautiful) perfectly.
The field is divided into various sections depending on how much money fans are willing to pay. So much of the front of the field is completely fenced off for premium ticket holders and so, despite the hefty ticket price, even the first general admission holders to arrive find themselves incredibly far back in the field. It’s probably the largest and most frustrating ‘golden circle’ you will come across. This makes it difficult for anyone outside of those front areas to be properly immersed in the support acts – you are so far removed from the action and often surrounded by people talking, reading kindles or even sleeping on picnic blankets. For most attendees, it’s just a relaxing day in the park waiting for the main act and if you can just surrender to that vibe, you’ll probably have a better time.
There are two small stages tucked away in the corners of the site and it is here where you will feel more like you are at a festival, surrounded by other like-minded live music fans who have made the effort to seek out the lesser-known artists. London alt-pop duo, IDER, particularly shine here and deliver one of the best sets of the day on the Birdcage stage. The crowd grows throughout the set as more passers-by are drawn in by their passionate performances of harmony-laden perfect pop songs.
A peculiar feature of BST is the complete silence between artists on the main stage – there is literally no music playing in the gap between Clairo and Sabrina Carpenter (scheduled for 60 minutes but ends up being 75). This may be to reduce the risk of noise complaints from local residents but does dampen the atmosphere somewhat.
15 minutes later than scheduled, a ‘breaking news’ skit featuring Sabrina appears on the giant screens. For many attendees, the screens are the only view they will have of the headline artist because of how far away the general admission area is from the stage. This does not seem to lessen the excitement as the park erupts into one long scream as soon as she appears for ‘Busy Woman’ from the deluxe edition of her record-breaking 2024 album, ‘Short ‘n’ Sweet’
If you had never heard a Sabrina song in your life, you would not be able to guess from the audience reactions which were the big hit singles and which were album tracks. Every song is greeted with the same thunderous appreciation as every word of every track is screamed (and in many cases, we mean screamed) back at the pop star.
Sabrina’s had such a big year with 4 Number 1 singles in the UK, that she was able to play her enormous hit ‘Taste’ as the second song tonight. Current single ‘Manchild’ generates a huge reaction as the singer is able to showcase the extent of her vocal ability.
Sometimes, it is difficult to hear Sabrina’s vocal. The sound system at Hyde Park is quiet (there are chants of “turn it up”) and the passionate singing from the audience does overbear it. Despite Sabrina’s strong vocal performance, the overall mix was underpowered. Instruments were muddy at times, and her voice occasionally struggled to rise above the screaming crowd—especially during more intimate tracks like ‘Don’t Smile’ (performed from a cherry picker over the crowd). With a less engaged audience, there would be a risk of conversation overpowering the sound system but, fortunately, the Sabrina crowd are all here to sing along and have the time of their lives.
Some parents appear surprised by the swearing in ‘Please Please Please’ or the sexual references in ‘Bed Chem’ (unsubtly performed on a literal bed) despite them dressing their young children in “69” branded tops from the merch desks.
She’s no longer a rising star—Sabrina Carpenter is pop royalty in real time. With charm, camp, and chart-topping power, she’s not just ready for stadiums—she’s already commanding them.
