Bearded Theory 2025

[Nobody Interesting]

11 hours ago, northernangel said:

 

Mary Wallopers, Dexys and MSP have all been recent park stage bookings. MSP may not have actually happened due to covid years bit there is definitely a pattern.

 

 

Last year alone there were 233 acts that played BT - I looked and 8 played Woodies or Other in 2024 GF so finding 3 on the Park does not really back up your point.

I have done BT and GF for years and Woodies and Other are where most duplicates play, the Park only now and again.

[NorthernSoul52]

The more I look at this, the more I like it. Just does the business so far for me.

[itsthehopethatkillsyou]

Bearded is 10k capacity and YNot is 40k so not a comparable experience for me. I prefer the smaller capacity festivals. I think the festival experience is also different than attending a string of gigs, regardless of how many.

 

I like the lineup.

 

At first glance looking forward to seeing:

 

Iggy Pop

Yard Act

Leftfield

Nova twins

The Selector 

Asian Dub Foundation 

Stewart Lee

Zion Train

Bentley Rhythm Ace

Audioweb

 

Not a big fan but Manics will be a good band to see live I should think.

 

A few bands I haven't heard before but checked out the Spotify playlist and liked the sound of:

 

Molotov Jukebox 

Getdown Services

CLT DRP

Popes of Chilltown

Dakka Skanks

 

So lots for me and I haven't really got started on Spotify.

 

 

[Nobody Interesting]

Finished going through the list of 47 acts announced and have 17 'must sees' 23 would see if no clashes, 3 ok might pop head in to see and 4 that don't interest me.

 

The clashes are going to be awful!!!

 

Fat Dog on Thursday are going to be bonkers and amazing.

[Solidgold]

Lots of BT vs Ynot on here.

Been BT 3 times if memory serves me right. Always a laid back festival vibe going one. Kind of place people take kids but it’s not overrun with them. I use to think the days were slightly genre based ,ie Friday rock / indie , Saturday folky, Sunday more reggae R&B, don’t know if anyone else thought that. Not been for 3 or 4 years now but seriously considering after that line up drop. Agree that the undercard / smaller stages aren’t as strong as maybe other festivals, but there is plenty to discover if you can be bothered doing your homework. 
Went YNOT 4 years running. First one probably 2017 or there abouts (madness headlined) , great weather , great bands. Went downhill from there the following years. Seemed to loose its soul. Became overrun with teenagers. Bands aimed at them. Place became a dump at times.

Maybe obvious to say but the lineup attracts the demographic.

I’ve done Kendal last 3 years, somewhat of a happy medium between the two, but for me their headliners aren’t for me , seem to appease the 90s indie man. BT has a good diversity and seriously thinking of giving it another go this year. That said got greenman tickets so got to get funds for that first.

As others have said can’t do them all due to £££. 
would definitely say BT is a good one for couples and or families.

 

just as side note, seen people say how many bands they see at a festival. I plan ahead but in reality what does everyone really watch? I reckon on average I get about 5 full sets a day. I’ve just looked back on clashfinder as I mark off who I seen, on a good day there 6 or 7 , on a bad day , ahem.. 1 or 2 , and I wonder what the hell was I doing all day🍺🍺🍺🍺

Edited October 14 by Solidgold

[Paul ™]

8 hours ago, Solidgold said:

 

just as side note, seen people say how many bands they see at a festival. I plan ahead but in reality what does everyone really watch? I reckon on average I get about 5 full sets a day. I’ve just looked back on clashfinder as I mark off who I seen, on a good day there 6 or 7 , on a bad day , ahem.. 1 or 2 , and I wonder what the hell was I doing all day🍺🍺🍺🍺

 

Last year I saw - 

 

Sprints 

Soft Play 

Tarantism 

 

Brewers Daughter 

Peat & Diesel 

Panic Shack 

Bob Vylan 

Bez 

Bar Stool Preachers 

Mighty Flux 

Flap Sandwich 

 

Beans On Toast 

Jess Silk 

Pet Needs 

Goat Girl 

Dogshite

Kitty Liv 

Slamboree Woodland 

Sleaford Mods 

Bentley Rhythm Ace 

Jim Bob 

808 State 

Janes Addiction 

Orbital 

Chris Liberator 

 

Bodega 

English Teacher 

Jolly Grogsters 

Cherry & Persh

Dry Cleaning 

The Orb 

Steve Davis 

Amyl & The Sniffers 

System 7 

 

Mostly full sets, some just a handful of songs and moved on.

 

 

[Flaminglippy]

Firmly in the 'festivals are great value for money' camp. In reality, even if only see 5 or 6 full sets a day (plus a handful of bands you see partial sets by by accident) over a 4 day festival £300 that's only £75 and you'll pay that for a decent sized headliners own gig nowadays. For me it's the ability to go and see loads of stuff that in 'real life' you wouldn't have the time or money to go and check out. I remember at Truck years ago, watched about 3 songs of the Horrors headline set, decided they weren't for me, was debating going back to tent and instead went to see Dan Le Sac v Scroobius Pip in the dance tent and they ended up being the highlight of the weekend.

 

Feativals are great for punters finding new bands and great for bands finding new fans. Win Win.

Edited October 15 by Flaminglippy

[emmanuel]

1 hour ago, Flaminglippy said:

that's only £75 and you'll pay that for a decent sized headliners own gig nowadays.

Fine but the average band on the lineup isn't quite charging that price in the Midlands. Maybe in London, but last year I've seen some bands on the lineup before and after Bearded for £10-20 at Castle & Falcon and Hare & Hounds. To be fair I don't care that much about the £s.

[Flaminglippy]

1 hour ago, emmanuel said:

Fine but the average band on the lineup isn't quite charging that price in the Midlands. Maybe in London, but last year I've seen some bands on the lineup before and after Bearded for £10-20 at Castle & Falcon and Hare & Hounds. To be fair I don't care that much about the £s.

Fair point. I am from Brum and agree £70 is probably a bit 'top end'...that said Pixies (who I am still convinced will be announced as Sunday headliner) tickets are £60 for The Academy, so are Flaming Lips who headlined Bearded a few years back. Although Academy is such a crap venue it puts me off going to any gigs there anymore. 

Edited October 15 by Flaminglippy

[Nobody Interesting]

2 hours ago, emmanuel said:

Fine but the average band on the lineup isn't quite charging that price in the Midlands. Maybe in London, but last year I've seen some bands on the lineup before and after Bearded for £10-20 at Castle & Falcon and Hare & Hounds. To be fair I don't care that much about the £s.

 

1 hour ago, Flaminglippy said:

Fair point. I am from Brum and agree £70 is probably a bit 'top end'...that said Pixies (who I am still convinced will be announced as Sunday headliner) tickets are £60 for The Academy, so are Flaming Lips who headlined Bearded a few years back. Although Academy is such a crap venue it puts me off going to any gigs there anymore. 

 

We are in Wales and £70 is cheap for someone like Iggy Pop.

Culture Club are that much for the cheapest seats.

[NorthernSoul52]

3 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

Culture Club are that much for the cheapest seats.

 

Only got one song too. True, I think it's called.

[Nobody Interesting]

11 minutes ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

 

Only got one song too. True, I think it's called.

You are thinking of Spandau Ballet.

[NorthernSoul52]

1 minute ago, Nobody Interesting said:

You are thinking of Spandau Ballet.

 

I absolutely am 😉

[spudthemariner]

On 10/13/2024 at 9:07 PM, shi said:

Lots of good points on here. Festivals have got bloody expensive. 

Used to do 3 or 4 a year. Down to 1 or 2 now. 

Theres nothing more guaranteed to turn me into a moaning old git than looking at the prices of gigs now. It's ridiculous.

624 quid to get the family through the gate is probably a bit much for us , sadly. 

 

Your last point is what (long term) worries me to be fair. Although its just myself and my better half, one of the many reasons that we like BT is the fact that it is a 'Family' Festival. Why? Because (in our experience) the more families / kids in attendance, the lower the knobhead count! And unfortunately I'm seeing more and more families being outpriced...I know its just the way of things now, but you do worry that this could effect the general vibe going forward. Especially as the new owners are taking it in a slightly different direction (totally agree with the 6 Music Fest comparisons). For us its still a good weekend (been going on and off since the 'tornado' year), and it still hits a lot of the right notes. But.....🤔

 

All said though, despite saying that we'd most likely 'not' be going next year, that first lineup drop has forced an abrupt

u-turn....haha!

 

[Boomtowner]

On 10/13/2024 at 12:41 PM, IndiePoppyJock said:

 

If anyone feels that BT is not for them due to lineup, cost or whatever, then maybe this forum thread is also not for them. The line up and costs are not going to change, so what’s the point in moaning about it if you’ve already made the decision not to go?

because it's a discussion board

[northernangel]

12 hours ago, Flaminglippy said:

Fair point. I am from Brum and agree £70 is probably a bit 'top end'...that said Pixies (who I am still convinced will be announced as Sunday headliner) tickets are £60 for The Academy, so are Flaming Lips who headlined Bearded a few years back. Although Academy is such a crap venue it puts me off going to any gigs there anymore. 

The difference is with a lot of this though you are attending a gig completely inside and in the dry. You could be watching every band at this while its raining for example. I was at y not and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't great weather and yes I'd have enjoyed it more at times inside and yes I'd have paid more to see it inside dry. You don't just get festivals seen as cheaper for no reasons but you do compromise on sets. 

[Nobody Interesting]

8 hours ago, northernangel said:

The difference is with a lot of this though you are attending a gig completely inside and in the dry. You could be watching every band at this while its raining for example. I was at y not and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't great weather and yes I'd have enjoyed it more at times inside and yes I'd have paid more to see it inside dry. You don't just get festivals seen as cheaper for no reasons but you do compromise on sets. 

Y not only has one outside stage so your point fails a bit on that.

Also with most gigs now you have to queue outside to go through security and I have done that in the rain many times.

It is not clear cut and if you are taking weather into account then you need to take location, transport costs, food costs, drink costs, air quality and so many more things into account if you want  a true statistically accurate comparison.

 

Personally I have better things to do than try and calculate that but if it floats your boat crack on.

BT and other festivals are great value for money and having been to Y not and BT several times BT is far better value and far more enjoyable when everything is taken into account.

[northernangel]

47 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

Y not only has one outside stage so your point fails a bit on that.

Also with most gigs now you have to queue outside to go through security and I have done that in the rain many times.

It is not clear cut and if you are taking weather into account then you need to take location, transport costs, food costs, drink costs, air quality and so many more things into account if you want  a true statistically accurate comparison.

 

Personally I have better things to do than try and calculate that but if it floats your boat crack on.

BT and other festivals are great value for money and having been to Y not and BT several times BT is far better value and far more enjoyable when everything is taken into account.

They are value, some more than others naturally by tastes of each person but I'm generally saying once you're inside the gig is the gig. I don't know how many tents generally but you've obviously got tent overspill, it's still an outside gig. All I'm saying is if you book a gig in an inside space, aside from queueing up or outside whether control you are inside. Transport costs etc etc can be included in both options. Everything else isn't really relevant. I'm talking directly a gig. Both are still generally costing you for a drink but directly watching a gig. If I know a venue or festival is a generally rained on festival then at 37, nearly 38 I'm much less inclined to go for it just as I can't arsed anymore unless it's like Glastonbury or the lineup is super. Festival also means camping etc and if not accommodation vs a gig with parking blah blah.

[Nobody Interesting]

1 hour ago, northernangel said:

They are value, some more than others naturally by tastes of each person but I'm generally saying once you're inside the gig is the gig. I don't know how many tents generally but you've obviously got tent overspill, it's still an outside gig. All I'm saying is if you book a gig in an inside space, aside from queueing up or outside whether control you are inside. Transport costs etc etc can be included in both options. Everything else isn't really relevant. I'm talking directly a gig. Both are still generally costing you for a drink but directly watching a gig. If I know a venue or festival is a generally rained on festival then at 37, nearly 38 I'm much less inclined to go for it just as I can't arsed anymore unless it's like Glastonbury or the lineup is super. Festival also means camping etc and if not accommodation vs a gig with parking blah blah.

 

At your young age I am surprised you don't want to do stuff while you can - I am 60 next year and will only stop, in all weathers, when physically unable.

[northernangel]

14 minutes ago, Nobody Interesting said:

 

At your young age I am surprised you don't want to do stuff while you can - I am 60 next year and will only stop, in all weathers, when physically unable.

Nope, I've done it since I was 18 so most of what I wanted to see music wise I have anyway. I've done my share of standing outside at festivals getting poured on.

[Nobody Interesting]

2 hours ago, northernangel said:

Nope, I've done it since I was 18 so most of what I wanted to see music wise I have anyway. I've done my share of standing outside at festivals getting poured on.

 

I have been gigging since I was 14 and still have so much I would love to see and then you get all the new music that keeps coming.

Glad we are different.

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, Nobody Interesting said:

 

I have been gigging since I was 14 and still have so much I would love to see and then you get all the new music that keeps coming.

Glad we are different.

That's fair. Horses for courses I guess.

[philipsteak]

I know this isn't exactly what you are saying, but "I've completed music" is an odd take to me.

47. Love listening to/watching classics and old favourites, but really love finding new stuff

[NorthernSoul52]

In a sense, I've been fortunate to see all the old classics I'd want to.

 

But the joy of any show or festival to me is catching something old or new and connecting with it in a way you might not expect.

[Nobody Interesting]

Tis a very long way off but as always, any info anyone gets as to who is hen or what day tis always appreciated so I can update y'old Clashfinder.

https://clashfinder.com/s/beardedtheory2025