Friday afternoon at The Museum Gardens had a different feel to Thursday’s synthesiser garden party with a (slightly) younger and much more feminine crowd.

Review and Photos by Stuart Duthie

Our first treat was Joshua Idehen, a storyteller poet and rapper for the gentle middle classes, accompanied by Ludvig Parment on the decks. His lyrics were polite but incisive, making his point with humour and grace. You were not going to feel his spit rain on you in the front row, only his words.

Next up was Moonchild Sanelly who struck a big character on the stage. Having listened to her material and seen her collaboration list, I was curious to see her live and looking forward to her set. It was a different vibe from the previous synth-laden night, less garden party, more attitude. But why the lip syncing? I didn’t get it. In the Crescent, and live, she would be electric. On the bigger stage, I wasn’t so sure, but she got the good people of York moving.

She finished with Big Man, her collab with Self Esteem. By this stage, any pretence of singing had gone as she ad-libbed over the top of the track. I was hoping that Self Esteem would make a cameo, but it wasn’t to be.

We then hauled the handbrake on, swung the back end out, and changed direction. In fairness, less back-end swing than moonchild’s, really the “moon” was the only link between these artists. I had already been given the nod by one of our other reviewers that The Big Moon were worth a listen. Mercury nominated, but new to me, and I suspected new to many here, they performed a nice set with some interesting songs including their bands stated favourite You remind me that I am dying and it’s good to be alive – what a great title!

Then, suddenly, the crowd seemed to double, to swell, and on came Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem, in a burst of emotion. The handmaiden imagery, the driving beat, the choreography, and the lyrics formed a powerful blend that were a whole continent away from the jovial audience chatter of the garden party. With Rebecca appearing to fight back tears, it was impossible not to be caught up in the passion of the performance.

This was not an artist I knew well beyond the radio plays, but with an excellent live reputation. This performance made me realise I had missed something. Beyond the first songs it was a brilliant combination of the style of dancing popularised by Michael and Janet Jackson, but this was no syrupy pop; this dug deep into our modern-day existence. As such it was an arresting experience.

Part way through the set Moonchild returned to the stage, this time on a live mic and so much better for it. I had really hoped to see them both perform together so I was so pleased it happened.

Beyond the first songs, the vibe changed to that of the school production, held in the gym hall. Don’t misread this as amateurish as it certainly was not, but the lack of fancy stage lighting kept this real. This was still very much a show, a polished performance, one with practiced choreography but one without the us and them, the lit and the unlit. What came through tonight over and above the songs and the dancing was the emotion, no more so than in the penultimate song I do this all the time, which you would have heard many times on the radio. Tonight’s performance of this was captivating, starting acapella, with the band tiptoeing back onto the stage to pick up the backing as Rebecca got going.

Well done to York and Future Sounds for putting this on just at the point where I thought we needed something a bit edgier, a bit more thought provoking.

On the surface the acts were quite different but there was a link between the music tonight. Perhaps it was the challenge of being female in an increasingly divided world and the call for strength and empowerment.

The crowd might have been a little smaller than last night, but if you didn’t come it was your loss! Mind you they more than made up for it with more dancing and a greater connection. Whereas last night was a reunion, a trip down memory lane, time travel back to school days, tonight was bang up to date – a little grittier, a different emotion, and a great flavour to add to the Museum Garden mix.

Joshua Idehen, Moonchild Sanelly, The Big Moon and Self Esteem played at The Museum Gardens, York on Friday 10 July 2026.