Written and photographed by Isabelle De Polla
Following last week’s coverage of Labyrinth’s Peggy Gou event, I returned to the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich for another of the promoter’s summer showcases: Anjunadeep Open Air. Arriving at 5pm and staying until 11pm allowed me to experience the site in a completely new light, witnessing the transition from late afternoon warmth through sunset and into a night defined by lasers, electronic music and the illuminated Greenwich skyline.
Anjunadeep’s signature sound naturally established a different tone. Familiar tracks drifted through the day, cultivating an atmosphere that felt melodic, warm and unhurried. There was no rush to crowd the stage; instead, there was ample room to explore, converse and uncover the smaller details scattered across the grounds. The crowd reflected this relaxed energy, featuring a broad mix of ages and an vibe centered on settling into the music rather than chasing a single headline moment.
The main stage remained the visual centerpiece. As the sun dipped behind the mirrored structure, the setting transformed. By night, the historic surroundings had shifted again, with lasers cutting through the grounds and Greenwich’s domes glowing purple against the darkness. It is difficult to imagine many London venues capable of offering such a striking collision of heritage architecture and contemporary electronic music.
One of the afternoon’s most enjoyable moments occurred away from the dance floor. The Market Yard added a creative layer to the event and speaking with independent makers made the experience feel less like a conventional festival marketplace and more like an opportunity to discover the people behind the products.
She Draws immediately caught my eye with artwork influenced by her love of video games, alongside original characters of her own creation. Her stall brimmed with illustrations translated onto stationery, gifts, badges and other items. It felt particularly fitting to find an artist whose work bridges gaming culture and personal imagination at an event where diverse forms of creativity were already overlapping.
Another wonderfully tactile discovery was a collection of colourful 3D-printed clickers and characters. Designed as small fidget toys, they ranged from bright geometric forms to bees, animals and expressive faces. These objects almost demanded to be picked up: small, playful, and strangely satisfying to click repeatedly. The custom element added to their appeal, allowing visitors to build something that felt distinctly their own.
Food was another welcome continuation from the previous week’s Peggy Gou event. This time, I could finally put names to a couple of the stalls. Carbonis returned with the steak sandwich I had enjoyed previously and after discovering I had mentioned it in my last review, they kindly knocked £2 off my order. A small gesture, perhaps, but a lovely reminder that independent traders are integral to the personality of these events.
Later in the evening, Papi Chulo proved an equally delightful discovery. Their Mexican street food was exactly what was needed toward the end of a long day, featuring a burrito that tasted genuinely fresh. Even late into service, when some ingredients had run low, the team was still preparing fresh rice rather than simply winding down. It is the sort of detail customers notice, particularly at a festival where late-night food can sometimes feel like an afterthought.
Then there was the Painted Hall. Stepping inside one of Greenwich’s most spectacular interiors while an electronic music event unfolded outside felt almost surreal. The dramatic painted ceiling and towering columns provided an extraordinary backdrop for a bar serving equally memorable cocktails. Ollie, the bartender, became a highlight in his own right, shaking up a daiquiri and a particularly refreshing Paloma amid surroundings that could hardly have been further removed from the average festival drinks tent.
That contrast ultimately became the defining pleasure of Anjunadeep Open Air. You could stand before a vast stage watching the sunset, disappear into a historic painted hall for a cocktail, chat with an illustrator about video games, play with 3D-printed fidget toys, grab freshly prepared street food and then emerge into a Greenwich transformed beneath purple light and lasers.
Anjunadeep may have provided the soundtrack, but the day was about considerably more than the music. Labyrinth made particularly effective use of the Old Royal Naval College by allowing its history, independent makers, food traders, and unexpected corners to become part of the experience rather than mere scenery. From the 5pm sunlight to the final hours of the night, it was a reminder that sometimes the best festival moments happen when you wander beyond the beat.