EARTH, HACKNEY
pale jay - 16/01/26
The first of two sold-out nights at Hackney’s EartH, Pale Jay’s Friday night performance felt more like a theatre spectacle than your average gig.
Photography by Ben Silver.
The venue’s tiered layout and famously immersive surround sound enveloped the crowd in a dreamy atmosphere – expansive without feeling overwhelming.
The room was gently eased into the night by NZCA Lines, whose ambient, terrestrial set paired with eerie lighting set the tone long before Pale Jay appeared. When he did, joined by a guitarist and electronic keys player, he was met with a roar.
Despite performing the duration of the set in his signature red-knit balaclava (an unconventional fashion choice adopted by fans across the venue), the mysterious musician did a remarkable job of commanding the space. Invited into his alien-esque world, he encouraged the crowd down from the benches to dance. The show took on a warm, communal feel, quickly turning the open room into something intimate and shared.
The set closed with magnus opus, ‘Under the Magnolia Tree’. Jay handed red tulips to a surprisingly tearful crowd, before a final burst of red confetti filled the room – a tender, joyful end to a beautifully immersive night.