City Splash 2025: Culture, Sound – and a Little Rain (Review)

Despite looming legal tensions around the use of Brockwell Park, City Splash 2025 burst through with defiant joy, filling South London with rhythm, resistance, and rum punch. Now in its fourth year, the festival welcomed around 30,000 attendees on May 26 for a day that merged Caribbean and African music, food, and community spirit—offering both electrifying highs and a few off-key notes.

From midday, Brockwell became a vibrant landscape of flavours, fashion and family. The scent of jerk chicken curled through the air, while bold prints, handmade crafts, and heritage books lined the walkways. Every corner buzzed with conversations, dancing, and the unmistakable energy of homegrown culture. With six stages and over 60 performers, the day wasn’t just a music festival—it was a living archive of diaspora creativity.

Reggae veteran Tarrus Riley delivered the day’s most talked-about set. Backed by a razor-sharp live band and joined in soulful interplay with Dean Fraser, his performance was equal parts serenade and sermon. Meanwhile, Spice’s appearance dripped with charisma, and Teejay’s high-octane set had bodies moving before the first drop. Valiant kept the momentum blazing, proving himself more than just a rising name, while DJs like Nate, Seani B, and Larni expertly bridged past and present with irresistible blends.

However, not everything ran smoothly. Headliner Popcaan—long anticipated and dearly loved in the UK—took the stage nearly an hour late. When he finally appeared, his set was marred by technical issues and a lack of spark. For many, it was a letdown, one that was magnified by social media’s real-time reactions. Some fans left early, others voiced their frustration online, and a few questioned whether the headline slot had been misjudged.

Away from the main stages, the Rastafari Reasoning Corner offered a contemplative counterpoint. Under canvas shelters, elders and community leaders led open discussions on identity, history, and spirituality—reminding festival-goers that culture runs deeper than entertainment. This space, and initiatives like the Rise Up programme (which mentors Caribbean artists through a week-long residency), showed how City Splash continues to invest in the long game, not just the line-up.

Still, logistical gripes popped up: long VVIP queues, some rushed set changes, and scattered issues with sound and timing. For a festival operating at this scale, these growing pains stood out more starkly this year—particularly when compared with the otherwise seamless vibe.

Yet, there’s no denying City Splash’s heartbeat. It remains one of the few UK festivals that centres Black culture not as a trend, but as its foundation. Every detail—right down to the food curation by Black Eats LDN—speaks to a festival built by and for the community it celebrates.

Founder Ben Ryan’s vision, sparked over a decade ago, was always to create a space where Black music, voices and stories could take centre stage. That spirit was undeniable in every skank, side-eye, and bass drop. Even as the clouds gathered—literally and metaphorically—City Splash proved again why it’s become such a vital date on the UK’s cultural calendar.

Verdict:
City Splash 2025 wasn’t flawless—but it was full of soul. A slightly stormy celebration with room to grow, it still brought the warmth of community, culture, and connection in a way few events can match.

“Fabfestival couldn’t make it to City Splash this year, but luckily our man Justin Nguyen was there – and he’s kindly sent us his review. All we can say is… Respect!“