The beloved GALA Festival returns to Peckham Rye Park over the Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 24th– Sunday 26th May) for their 9th annual kickstart to the festival season. This melting pot of music, creativity and culture becomes the beating heart of South London every year – warming up the community for the summer in sight.
It’s safe to say the ‘24 lineup has GALA-goers spoilt for choice, so we’ve put together a Broke Mag MUST SEE guideline to help you navigate the terrain – complete with a diverse range of artists and vibes we recommend to maximise your festival experience.
In addition to familiar faces such as Crazy P Soundsystem, Job Jobse, Chaos In The CBD, Joy Orbison and Interplanetary Criminal, we also want to bring to light the fine selection of emerging and
underground talents sprinkled across the bill.
Compiled of five stages (Main Stage, Patio, The Pleasure Dome, 1908 and Cornerstone), GALA serves up an assortment of electronic and live offerings, spanning a variety of genres noted in our whistle- stop tour of the 3-day roster:
FRIDAY
MUST SEE:
Nightmares On Wax b2b Bradley Zero @ Patio (NTS)
Nightmares On Wax has been producing and mixing funky, soulful electronic tracks since the 80s,
establishing an OG status throughout the international house scene. Paired with the bouncy, bass-
infused influence of Bradley Zero, we are looking forward to catching round 2 of this collab live in
the flesh, after rinsing the Soundcloud recording of their first b2b for Rhythm Section in 2023.
… AND DON’T MISS:
Josey Rebelle @ The Pleasure Dome (Deviation)
Expertly blended, differing strains of spacey house and electronica – her style grown from the
historical influence of black artists and communities that pioneered the scene.
Goya Gumbani @ Cornerstone (JUMBI)
Massage your brain with hazy, lo-fi hip-hop bars and beats, injected with sounds of R&B, Soul and
Jazz.
Cristale @ Main Stage
Lyricist and poet Cristale brings a a fresh, feminine essence to the highly male-dominated drill/UK
rap scene. Her wordsmith ways have gained recognition in the industry, including a notable feature
on popular drama Top Boy’s score, with her track ‘Roadents’.
SHERELLE @ 1908
We caught SHERELLE’s GALA 2023 set and – can confirm – it is the place to be for your festival’s
staple Jungle-DnB shell down. There’s no question that we’ll be back for another dose of her high-
BPM blending of the bass spectrum.
SATURDAY
MUST SEE:
John Talabot @ Patio
John Talabot is renowned for his curation of hypnotic, progressive mixes that take listeners on a
mystical journey, weaving through a complimentary contrast of sounds: a pinch of ambience, acid,
and a dash of heavy kicks to create a dark yet dreamy atmosphere.
… AND CHECK OUT:
Eris Drew b2b Octa Octa @ The Pleasure Dome (Adonis)
The synergy between this dynamic duo allows them to bounce off one another, concocting a
seamless fusion of Drew’s Chicago house roots in conjunction with Octa’s twinkly club-dubbed
creations.
Tai Lokun @ Main Stage
There is no doubt Rinse FM resident Tai Lokun will have the Main Stage crowd jumping with her
eclectic selection of groovy, high-energy house, techno, breaks and electro.
Yu Su @ 1908 (Refuge Worldwide)
Yu Su is known for her versatile integration of downtempo and psychedelic beats, with a mind-
bending yet serene, atmospheric aura to her art.
Michelle Manetti @ Cornerstone
Michelle Manetti has become a household name in London’s dance music community – their drool-
worthy collection of classic house tracks brought to life as she sneaks up the tempo and keeps
bodies moving tirelessly.
SUNDAY
MUST SEE:
DJ Paulette b2b Prosumer @ The Pleasure Dome
DJ Paulette earned her stripes as the first female resident of Manchester’s legendary Hacienda – the
venue that paved the way for house music history to be made in the UK.
B2B partner Prosumer is equally esteemed in the field; his time spent growing up in Germany
(European hotspot for electronic music) established him a rich knowledge and passion for the scene.
Expect this legendary pairing to dazzle the dancefloor with elated disco and funk – grooves
guaranteed!
.. AND TO ADD TO YOUR AGENDA:
Peach @ Patio (The Pickle Factory)
Endlessly in awe of Peach’s savvy track selection, we can count on her to put a spring in our two-step
with bold beats and expertly curated electro.
Tarsza @ 1908 (Rush Hour)
Prepare to shake a leg as Tarsza shifts through percussive house, garage and electronic soul.
DJ Emz @ Cornerstone
DJ Emz captivated us with her HOT GIRL CENTRAL mixes, merging new era and old school Hip-
hop/R&B with Afrobeats and Dancehall to create an unfaltering party vibe.
Sadar Bahar @ Main Stage
The soulful swing of disco groovers is the backbone of a sunny* festival Sunday.
*Disclaimer: not my fault if it decides to rain – but a Sadar Bahar set itself feels like the sun shining,
so get TF down!