The Beat Goes On: Forwards Festival 2025
Bristol’s favourite summer festival has once again delivered an unforgettable weekend of music, energy and good vibes. From live indie bands to drum and bass DJ sets, Forwards Festival brought something for everyone to enjoy as attendees ranged from groups of friends to families, with even babies attending their first fest!
Forwards 2025 opened its doors at noon on Saturday 23rdAugust. Kicking off under blue skies with a light breeze in the air, sunglasses and suncream were essential as crowds made their way to Bristol’s well-known Clifton Downs. Saturday set the tone with a more forceful and electronic lineup in comparison to Sunday’s acts. Upon arrival, Annie Mac’s set at The Arches, an intimate yet lively stage, was the place to be. Mac mixed groovy house and classics that got the whole crowd two-stepping. As the sun continued to shine and energy levels lifted, festival goers rushed to The West Stage to get a good view of rising jazz band Ezra Collective. The band took home the gold medal for the set to bring the biggest boogies all weekend, as they stole the show with their up-tempo and immersive performance - band members even danced with members of the crowd! As dusk fell, electronic music duo Orbital transformed The East Stage from upbeat to chill with their unique visuals that synced perfectly with their euphoric sounds. Closing the night was Barry Can’t Swim, whoseprogressive live set proved why he’s one of the most exciting names on the rise in the music industry. His set included areconstructing of his recent album, which appeased to fans who danced for the whole ninety minutes; the perfect way to round off day one at Forwards.
Sunday kept the momentum rolling. Starting the day off was Olivia Dean who offered a warm-hearted set as we eased into the second and final day of the festival. Her soulful voice carried beautifully as the entire audience sang along the lyrics to her latest summer hit “Nice to each other”. Following was LTJ Bukem who flooded the The Arches with power as he performed an hour of pure rolling drum and bass, reminding the crowd what Bristol’s music scene is known for. Nia Archives continued the drum and bass flow, shaking the floor with her most famous remixes and production. Forwardswrapped with Jorja Smith’s mellow yet stunning set. Her flawless vocals kept the atmosphere going, despite ongoing crowd chatter which was distracting and disrespectful,considering her superb performance.
All in all, the music was nothing short of brilliant this weekend and we hope that everyone had as much fun as we did! We are very excited to return to Forwards Festival next summer.
By Scarlett Beasley and Yoyi Clark