Another glorious summer afternoon of blue skies and warm sunshine provided the perfect backdrop for day four of this year’s BST Hyde Park festival. Tens of thousands of music fans packed into the vast parkland, stretching far back from the Great Oak Stage where Mumford & Sons were set to headline, following an eagerly anticipated support slot from American rock favourites The War on Drugs.
The War on Drugs delivered exactly the kind of driving, expansive set that seems made for long journeys with the roof down and the volume up. Frontman Adam Granduciel, sporting a polka-dot shirt and jeans, looked every inch the understated rock star as his long hair swayed gently in the afternoon breeze. Near the front, the bass reverberated through the crowd, each pulse felt as much as heard. Opening with Who’s That, before moving seamlessly into favourites including Red Eyes and Pain, the band’s trademark motorik rhythms and atmospheric guitar work created a set that flowed effortlessly from one song to the next. By the time the rising, emotional crescendo of Strangest Thing brought proceedings to a close, Hyde Park was warmed up and ready for what was to come.
Mumford & Sons eventually took the stage a little later than scheduled, with Marcus Mumford emerging in sunglasses to shield his eyes from the slowly setting sun. Along with fellow band members Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, they were an expanded nine-piece ensemble, complete with an adaptable brass section cum backing vocalists. The band demonstrated the benefits of a fuller live sound, giving both newer material and older favourites greater depth.
The early part of the set blended songs from recent release Prizefighter with selections from breakthrough debut Sigh No More. Marcus was an engaging focal point throughout, displaying his versatility by moving behind the drum kit while continuing lead vocals during Lover of the Light. Between songs he repeatedly expressed his affection for London and appreciation for the crowd. "We spend a lot of time in the States, but this is our home," he told the audience after joking that "the Yanks just don't get football".
One of the evening's highlights came when Hozier joined the band on stage, drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night. Introduced by Marcus as "the kindest man I know in music", he added his distinctive vocals to Awake My Soul, before the set rolled into Little Lion Man. More than fifteen years after its release, the song remains one of the band's defining moments, prompting a singalong that rippled across much of Hyde Park.
Yet BST's scale remains both a strength and a weakness. The enormous video screens helped ensure the action was visible to fans positioned far from the stage, but the slight delay between live performance and screen feed can create a disconnect – it’s a little difficult feeling fully immersed in what was happening on stage when you’re right at the back. To their credit, the band worked hard to counter that distance. Marcus ventured into the crowd during Ditmas and spent much of the evening moving restlessly across the stage, making sure all corners of the audience received attention.
The biggest surprise arrived during the encore. Shania Twain, fresh from an appearance with Harry Styles at Wembley Stadium earlier in the day, joined the band for a spirited performance of Man! I Feel Like a Woman! The novelty of the collaboration delighted the crowd and clearly amused Marcus, who laughed: "You don't get it – you don't realise how significant this is for me!"
The night ended with The Cave, accompanied by triumphant brass and a burst of fireworks above Hyde Park. It was an entertaining and generously paced set from a band clearly enjoying being back on a London stage. While the sheer scale of BST can sometimes dilute the intimacy that makes Mumford & Sons most effective, the strength of the songs, a handful of memorable guest appearances and an enthusiastic performance ensured the crowd went home satisfied.
Photo credit: Bethan Miller
