Wireless Festival returned for its 20th year with Canadian rapper Drake headlining all three days of the event at Finsbury Park, London, but one festival-goer has shared the claustrophobic reality
A Wireless festival-goer has declared the event “isn’t for the weak” after footage shows him in a tightly packed crowd and really struggling to move. The popular festival returned for the 20th year, taking over Finsbury Park in London.
For the first time, Wireless had one artist performing three set lists across the three days, seeing Canadian rapper Drake take to the stage on Friday, July 11, Saturday, July 12 and the final day of the hip hop festival, Sunday, July 13. The artist has been accompanied by an eclectic mix of special guests including Vanessa Carlton, Yeat, Central Cee and more.
More than 15,000 people are said to descend on London over the course of the three day weekend to catch artists including Summer Walker, Leon Thomas, kwn, Sailorr, Boy Better Know, BigXthaPlug and many more.
Festivals are known for being busy, bustling places with a large turnout of people keen to enjoy live music and the laidback atmosphere so commonly associated with such events.
One festival-goer has offered a “nightmare” insight into their experience in the crowd, though – and it’s not for the faint of heart.
In the claustrophobic clip, which was shared to TikTok, the Wireless fan can be seen standing in the crowd with other festival-goers closely packed around him.
He doesn’t appear to have much room to move, as he extends one arm to record the moment while his other appears to be pinned to his side by his co-attendees. Fellow ticket holders also look as though they can’t move, as the crowd sways and throbs as one.
Over the top of the footage, he penned: “POV: you survived eight hours on your feet in 30°C heat, packed like sardines, getting shoved around whilst holding your bladder in”.
In the caption, he added: “Wireless ain’t for the weak”.
In the comments section, people shared their thoughts with the general consensus being that of dread over being in similar circumstances.
One person said: “The heat, the BO, everyone’s sweat on me, yeah hell NO” while another simply declared: “Couldn’t pay me to go”.
A third said: “This is an actual nightmare, you’ll never catch me in these places”. Someone else commented: “Personal hell [crying laughing emoji] sat at home and saved all the videos so I was basically there lmao”.
Another shared: “I no longer feel jealous that I wasn’t there”.
Echoing such sentiments, another person said: “This is my worst nightmare. I’d have to leave due to being over stimulated and wanting to fight everyone”.
Offering a different perspective, another person said: “Even if MJ [Michael Jackson] reincarnated and was performing – I could not do this. I would die.”
One Wireless attendee shared: “I literally felt like I was gonna pass out at one point, I had to move out of the crowd”.
And another festival-goer pondered: “[I don’t know] how you guys did this, I was sat under a tree for half the day and still fought for my life”.
To which, the original poster replied: “I don’t even know how I [filmed] it, Wireless taught [me] resilience and strength”.
Another added: “Like this is the part they don’t be showing cos festivals are not for the weak”.
Wireless festival shared advice regarding the heat ahead of the festival. They said: “Stay hydrated. Wear suitable clothing for the hot weather – hat, sunglasses. Wear sunscreen – bottles of sunscreen up to 200ml are permitted. Sunscreen will also be available at medical and info points. Sealed water and soft drinks up to 500ml are permitted, one per person. Bring an empty plastic refillable bottle or coffee cup. Waterpoints will be available around the site. Metal bottles are not permitted into the festival.”
Wireless Festival has been approached for a comment.