Cross The Tracks kicks off summer 2026 with a bang

The soul and jazz festival entered its seventh year with enthusiasm, securing its staying power as a symbol of diversity in music and a celebration of South London.

The Cross The Tracks day festival has a special place in my heart. Londoners tend to keep themselves very busy: sometimes it’s hard to get the ones you love together, especially for a camping festival. But, each year, when the sun decides to peek out on the May bank holiday, CTT officially begins the summer and serves as a focal point for my friends to meet and dance, as I’m sure is the case with many others. It’s become a tradition, a staple of sharing live music and immaculate vibes. This year solidified its run.

Being based in Brockwell Park in Brixton/Herne Hill, the last couple of years have seen the festival deal with planning problems due to legal battles around the environmental impact and access concerns of the festival site. Its sister indie festival, Wide Awake, part of the Brockwell Live event series, has taken a hiatus year in 2026, and questions still remain over the future of events in the park altogether. CTT returning to the park this year felt like the right move, whilst still being mindful of critiques of the cost and exclusionary elements of the festival (or any ticketed festival).

CTT always promises an attractive lineup, with a huge variety in genre and style.

I started the day with ease, enjoying the harmonies of R&B legend Lady Wray. Her sound was joyous — her effortlessly powerful voice echoed through the stage. She gave praise to the sunshine and everyone left in a better state.

Next up was the iconic 1970s funk group WAR, famed for ubiquitous crowd-pleasers Why Can’t We Be Friends? and Low Rider (if you don’t recognise the title, you will 100% know the infectious riff). The defining soul sound of the multi-instrumental group engaged the audience, as families and revellers alike basked in the strong sunshine and bopped their heads. Lead singer Lonnie Jordan was a charming host, at one point holding a song note for a minute, then proudly declaring, “Well, I’m 78 years old.” One can only dream of having his impressive lung capacity at that age!

The positivity of the tone set by WAR continued as the day progressed, and more crowds poured in. I caught snapshots of Australian soul singer Don West, whose sound harnesses nostalgia and a warm, dreamy production comparable to Jungle.

Despite it being in South London, Arsenal tops abounded with the attendees and performers. The fashion and accessory game of the festival-goers was on point; energetic bursts of colour adorned people from all backgrounds. And plenty of sunglasses, cameras and wacky props to help find friends in the throng!

The Godfathers of drum and bass Fabio and Grooverider stole the show, playing clean old skool jungle with live instrumentation by the Outlook Orchestra. It’s the collaboration you didn’t know you needed. The epic strings, bassy trombones and sleek piano created a cinematic atmosphere, as the two originators took us through the history of the drum and bass movement. It stood as an earnest tribute to one of the UK’s prime genres. Iconic doesn’t begin to describe the feeling I had watching this historic set!

Moses Yoofee Trio next delivered a vibrant and dynamic jazz set, a quintessential groove. They are remarkably consistent live and always worth checking out. Nigerian singer Obongjayar also controlled the crowd at Terminal stage with his danceable set, gliding between sweet soul and raucous punk-y Afrobeat.

Sub-headliner Joy Crookes’ set gave rise to her talents as a classic soul singer, particularly shining on her big hits such as Two Nights, though she got the biggest roar from the crowd when she dedicated her set to the indomitable trio of South London, Palestine and Arsenal. This trifecta represents the diversity of the city and the spiritual heart of CTT. The lyrics and references of When You Were Mine particularly resonated: “Shoulder to shoulder, smile with a Brixton shine.” Crookes always radiates a nostalgic sound, and her music is simply infectious. Even when the pace slows down, she leaves you craving more.

British rapper KNUCKS moved the crowd in the D-Railed tent — the hip-hop beats hit particularly hard as the mood of the day moved into dusk. A few rewinds were definitely in order. This is where I saw the most energy from the people; it was a heroic slice of hype in preparation for the climax of the entire festival.

As always with these events, the time completely ran away with us. Before we knew it, the sun had set, leaving an orange and pink blaze over the not-so-distant London skyline. The best-made plans of which artists to see fell by the wayside: R&B singer Mereba, jazz producer corto.alto, dub stalwart Channel One and highlife groovers KOKOROKO were also on my list, but you simply cannot make all your favourites! These clashes are difficult to manage, but a perfect illustration of the variety of CTT’s line-up — wherever you end up, you will enjoy.

The meat of the day: Little Simz earned her headline slot with an electrifying performance at the Mainline stage. It was packed out before the introductory bass of her savage offering Thief, where the UK rapper takes fiery potshots at former collaborator Inflo. By this point, aware we were approaching the end of CTT, people were dancing the night away – keen to use up all their excess energy. She kept her pace consistent throughout, never letting up or failing to hype the crowd up.

It’s hard to pick a favourite song or moment from Little Simz because they all hit so hard. I particularly loved her bringing Obongjayar on stage for Point and Kill and Lion. As he sings, “We don’t care for what they say, that’s my superpower,” it felt like a good mantra for Little Simz’ brand of perseverance. The superstar was characteristically humble at the end of her hour slot, thanking everyone who had ever played a song of hers, bought her music or merchandise, or supported her in any way. Her emotions were on full display on her face as she thanked the roaring fans, alongside her brilliant support band, one last time.

The day came to a close. New connections were made, and old bonds were strengthened through the medium of music and joy. We went into the sticky night feeling satisfied, with tired knees and memories to relish, stepping towards the uncertain, but never boring, London summer before us. Until next time.