We Out Here through five key performances

Delivering a well-rounded musical programme alongside talks, wellbeing activities, charity representation and a huge community radio presence, We Out Here set an example for growing festivals honouring their underground roots

Nestled within the sleepy county of Dorset, We Out Here has established a hotly-tipped name for itself in the UK festival scene since its arrival in 2019. Founded by musical mastermind Gilles Peterson, each fundamental element of the festival embodies the energy of having been put together by a team who love what they do – an energy that has continuously set it apart and helped earn its loyal network of attendees. 

The 2024 edition featured its most expansive line-up yet, interweaving soul, hip-hop, house, electronica and everything in between. André 3000 and Sampha topped the bill, joined by legends spanning genres and generations. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Brian Jackson and Ron Trent provided moments of nostalgia, while rising talent like Loraine James, Yaya Bey and Obongjayar represented fresh innovation within a variety of genres.

Alongside a bursting musical line-up, We Out Here presented an equally well-curated programme of talks, wellbeing activities and charity representation across the weekend, with each component coming together to create an idyllic festival atmosphere. Rather than being an event to wind up for, there was a feeling that this was a space people attended to wind down. From record shopping, book releases and zine making to foraging and gong baths by the swimming lake, the festival cultivated a culture of connection, exploration and creativity. And naturally, with a legend of the airwaves as its founder, there were also big efforts to include community radio within the festival. The WOH Radio stage and area became a hot spot to check into each day, with local stations from all over the UK taking on hosting duties throughout the weekend and broadcasting live via Worldwide FM.

It’s these touches that fuel We Out Here as a thriving festival that authentically celebrates the diverse, ever-evolving jazz scene. Its roots are firmly planted in the underground despite growing in size, showing the demand in 2024 for festivals who partner carefully, programme thoughtfully and platform conscientiously. 

Here are the five performances we’re still thinking about.

André 3000

As the Sunday afternoon sun shone relentlessly on a scattered crowd, our August cover star and a man of utmost legendary status André 3000 entered the main stage. What followed was an improvised sonic journey under the umbrella of his unexpected 2023 album New Blue Sun. Despite the anticipation for a spellbinding performance, it struggled to hold the attention of all of Sunday’s sleepy crowd. Pushing forward to escape the chatter, we still managed to find those aptly hypnotised by André and his band’s plethora of woodwind instruments nestled closer to the stage. He continuously thanked the crowd for their energy, explaining: “Everything that we doing right now, we making it up on the spot and we never know which way we gonna go, so we appreciate y’all giving us something to go by.” It was a performance that paid off for those who stayed tuned in, but the magic seemed to be lost on some.

Corinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae’s 2023 revival album Black Rainbows was – simply put – a masterpiece, and it was only elevated by the live experience. Between spaces of ethereal softness, where the band played like a lullaby behind soulful vocals, and the punk-charged punch of others, the set was nothing short of an adventure. An equally gifted storyteller, Bailey Rae narrated each song before playing, revealing the lived experiences of others throughout history, space and time. With plenty of transcendent moments, it was a confident, powerful performance from start to finish and she engrossed the main stage audience for every minute of it.

Nick León

The TraTraTrax alumni came ready to deliver on Friday night. Putting Latin-influenced sounds on the vast We Out Here musical map, he tumbled through track after track, all hinged together by hip-shaking claves and choppy beats. The Miami-based producer has an effortless approach to any stage he inhabits, never seen without a cigarette between his lips and making light work of mixing a flawlessly curated dance set that rumbled up the energy needed to take us into the night. 

Aja Monet

Aja Monet’s poetry should be studied on the curriculum. The Grammy-nominated activist and blues poet nourished our Sunday afternoon with a performance that felt like it should’ve been mandatory to attend. Behind a music stand covered in flowers and foliage, she cruised through melodic, deeply moving poetry that left the crowd in tears and urged to act. Her radical poetry and its soundtrack were revitalising enough for anyone to take home the courage to make change in their lives – a firm reminder that festivals, stories and music can transform our lived experiences. It was a truly surreal honour and magical moment to be amongst a crowd so energetically impacted by Monet’s masterful strings of words: “Silence is a noise too.”

Brian Jackson

It is easy to become overly acquainted with the calibre of music you’re in the presence of at We Out Here, and a poignant reminder of that came on Saturday afternoon, when the lingering morning clouds made way for the sounds of Brian Jackson. A standout performance from last year’s edition, an air of anticipation could be felt in the voices of WOH regulars as they signalled towards his slot in the programme – and they were not to be disappointed. Jackson’s performance and message proved to be another timeless reminder of music’s political force, with the artist taking a moment mid-way through his set to speak on oppression, freedom, and solidarity shared between generations seeking a better tomorrow, before settling into a hair-raising performance of Winter in America. It is the constellation of moments like this that make We Out Here a consistently worthy endeavour for music lovers.