More about: The Chemical Brothers

The sun is shining on All Points East day number two. Following the Gorillaz performance of the previous evening, Field Day offers a vastly different, high-energy alternative to the smooth grooves of Friday. With doors swinging open early afternoon, the joyful spirit is already lofty.

With German industrial titans Kraftwerk taking the stage, the 3D glasses are dished out, and the spectacle of minimalist electronica serenades the festival-goers buzzed on canned wine and halloumi fries. In a mixing pot of hedonistic, electronically-charged commotion celebrating summertime frivolity and the agency of dance music, The Chemical Brothers, now in their third decade, arrive to rapturous cheers. Within seconds the simmering build-up intro of 1997 hit 'Block Rockin Beats' rings out, preaching to the loving congregation of lively attendees with its full throttle, no-nonsense up-tempo vigour. In the mood for electronic mayhem, the crowd is suitably hyped, and the Chems deliver the goods. 

Two mechanical structures flank both sides of the stage. Colourful lightbeams shimmy over the public whilst the classic pounding rhythms of 'Go', 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl', and the genre-defining 'Chemical Beats' soundtrack the overcast sunset on Victoria Park. Focused on the task, each song falls into the next like a well-thought-out procession of falling dominos. Reliant on the crowd's energy, the Chems keep the party going with the underrated title track from their 1997 album 'Dig Your Own Hole' before the vibrant immediacy of 'Got To Keep On'. Blasting through a set-list of hits and inspired mixes, a parade of animations play on the cascading screens to the right and left of the stage, finding the duo embracing the relationship the genre has with futurism. Closing the evening on 'Galvanize', an expected but wise choice, certainly sums up their familiarity with such an event. 

Knowing the routine by now, festivals to The Chems are second nature. Their power to cultivate a rollicking show is unmatched, and the crowd are in agreement. One may look for the cage of predictability to be somewhat shaken more. Still, with such a considerable arsenal of dance classics and adoring fans to their name, it's unlikely such stability will be toyed with anytime soon. 

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More about: The Chemical Brothers