HENLEY Festival returns this year to mark its 40th anniversary and began the five-day celebrations on Wednesday, July 6.
By its second day, Thursday, July 7, it had well and truly settled in.
The day began with Flo Blue, who brought a breezy, lounge jazz to the Bedouin tent, complimenting its summery aesthetic.
Breathy, soaring saxophone riffs were paired with Flo’s bright, confident vocals, and layered over shimmering accompaniment on guitar and keys.
The band’s cover of Blue World by Mac Miller was a particular highlight, followed by the title track of their original EP, Just Listen, which cemented the trio as one of the must-see acts of the festival.
Craig David was the headline act of the festival’s Floating Stage, with over an hour of consummate R&B.
As the sun began to set, crowds were visibly excited from the off, coming to a head with a cover of Justin Bieber’s Love Yourself.
Theresa May MP was also spotted dancing and clapping along.
This was followed by a brand new track from his new album, 22, due to release later this year.
He closed the set with many still waiting for some of his most loved songs, 7 Days and Re-Rewind.
They weren’t waiting long, however, as he was called back on for an encore, when the crowd burst into shouting and singing.
Andy Parsons performed to a well-packed comedy tent in the afternoon, with an immediate easy charm that pulls you into the world of his set.
The set jumped between the difficulties of over-eating and self-indulgence, political commentary on Boris Johnson’s resignation, and issues of free speech and cancel culture.
Andy Parsons has been performing comedy for 30 years, which a masterful, thoughtful set evidenced clearly.
The evening closed with a late-night stand-up set from Maisie Adam, ahead of her UK tour later this year, Buzzed.
Her endearing, optimistic style shone through immediately, with upbeat, disarmingly daring, and playful set.
She spoke about her recent engagement, with charming material based around her partner’s attempts at a romantic proposal, leading to a hilarious exchange with audience members about a stag party in Prague.
The set was the perfect close to the night, showing that stand-up is as much of a strength to the festival as its musical offerings.
As well as its performances, the festival is home to a number of exhibition spaces, displaying a wide array of art pieces.
Jack Milroy’s intricate designs, made from carefully cut-out printed media arranged in long, 3D strips was among some of the most vivid at the festival.
His exhibits included an arresting combination of classic comic books, cartoon characters, and pin-ups in a bright, eye-catching, and textured visual experience.
Among the other pieces on display were some of the work of Australian artist Ester Erlich, whose striking portraiture work stood out.
Her piece Scarlet made for an imposing artwork in the space which felt like it was viewing you as much as you were viewing it.
Babak Ganjei’s stark written pieces became prophetic almost overnight, as a piece about the Prime Minister’s resignation was imbued with instant topicality.
The Henley festival continues through until Sunday, with acts like Tom Jones still yet to take to the stage.
