Kew The Music 2025 (Review)

Where to start? Kew the Music is one we wonder why anyone would miss. This is simply a
beautiful event. Book your tickets for next year.

Hard to start with the highlights. So many. One unique element of it is you bring your own
picnic, if a pre-paid-for hamper isn’t your bag . We filled our own – with plenty of pink
prosecco and our favourite treats and it was all part of the real treat that this place is.

Civility and passion, could those not oft put together words describe it? And I have to
mention the civility of the toilets – pictured below impeccably clean, plenty of loo-roll and
liquid hand sanitizer – it is the small things…

Small however, it was not. Kew was heaving. After all our years of festival reviewing, it’s
hard to remember this many people crowded around one stage. But the size of the crow
just added to the great atmosphere, so relaxed yet also heaving with anticipation, sun ray’s
striking through, people happy and peaceful, sitting on the dry grass wherever there was
room.

Gypsy Kings came on and everyone. Just everyone stood up, all the adjectives don’t quite
describe it – pure energy. Pure energy from the crowd and pure energy from the players. I
have always listened to the gipsy kings but never seen them live. I won’t go back. One of
the younger band members from the two families who founded it, Reyes and Baliardo during
his brilliant solo guitar playing was just looking down at his guitar and smiling at it. Can’t
explain how moving it was.

For all the criticisms from Flamenco purists to Rumba lambastas that this diverse band has
faced since forming in 1979, these players all nailed it. Completely! Beautiful voices, and the
love that was in the group – so clearly family members, – the pride and the skill overwhelmed
Kew – it’ll be a performance that stays with me.