Forwards festival makes its next move with 2023 headliners announced as Aphex Twin and Erykah Badu

FORWARDS FESTIVAL MAKES ITS NEXT MOVE WITH 2023 HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED AS APHEX TWIN AND ERYKAH BADU

FIRST LOOK 2023 PROGRAMME

ERYKAH BADU | APHEX TWIN @(photo above from an aphex twin performance in 2017)

BONOBO | PRIMAL SCREAM | ARLO PARKS | RAYE 

LEFTFIELD | GOLDIE WITH THE LIVE ENSEMBLE

AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS | CONFIDENCE MAN

OLIVIA DEAN  | BIIG PIIG | VIAGRA BOYS 

WESLEY JOSEPH  | JOCKSTRAP  

KATY J PEARSON |  | YASMIN LACEY | FLOHIO 

Clifton Downs, Bristol:

Friday 1 + Saturday 2 September 2023 

Tickets on sale: 10:00 GMT, 24 March 2023

PRE-SALE 10:00 GMT, 23 March 2023 

www.forwardsbristol.co.uk

FORWARDS returns to Bristol this September after its debut last year. Bristol will see two days of music and discussion, driven by its social initiatives to create positive change

The festival for forward thinkers, welcomes a multitude of international music names to its stage for 2023, including headliners the electronic legend, APHEX TWIN, and neo-soul pioneer, ERYKAH BADU. 

Heralded as “a progressive-minded festival” by The Guardian, FORWARDS compliments its incredible musical line-up by offering fans a space for discussion and debate at ‘THE INFORMATION’, featuring a host of experts, disruptors, creatives, writers and thinkers - side by side epic music moments.

More than just a music concert, FORWARDS looks to challenge what metropolitan festivals can be today and how they can do good, from the inside out. 

Tom Paine, Co-founder of Team Love: “We’re proud to be bringing FORWARDS back this year to the best city in the world, and our hometown Bristol. Building on our work from our inaugural year, we are incredibly excited to be able to pull together a musical offering with such an amazing array of talent. It continues to be our aim to make FORWARDS a space which invites debate and challenges the status quo. Offering our audience a place to come together, dance and make memories, while trying to inspire discussions, actions, and to enact positive change through the urgent conversations at  ‘The Information’." 

Jim King, CEO, European Festivals, AEG Presents: “We are excited to see FORWARDS return after its inaugural success in 2022. Offering two days of music and culture, we’re delighted to bring headliners Aphex Twin and Erykah Badu to Bristol. A historic city with an important culture and music heritage that we’re pleased to be a part of.”

Tickets go on sale: 10:00 GMT, 24 March 2023 (PRE-SALE 10:00 GMT, 23 March 2023) at www.forwardsbristol.co.uk. Early bird day admission starts at £49.50, with weekend tickets available from £89.50. Concessions are available for children aged 5-15, local residents and low income individuals. As in 2022, FORWARDS will offer discounted NHS tickets to those that work there. This is their small way of saying thanks for all the hard work and dedication. Gates open 12:00 with the last entry to the event at 20:00.

NOTES          

2023 MUSIC PROGRAMME

FORWARDS drops a first look to its 2023 music programme:

APHEX TWIN is one of the most celebrated and influential electronic musicians of all time. Known for his innovative and experimental approach to music making, fans in Bristol and beyond can expect an unforgettable performance of cutting-edge music and mind-bending visuals.

ERYKAH BADU brings her trailblazing neo-soul genre to Bristol this September, moving the audience in a new soulful trance with an eclectic mix. Erykah is amongst the greatest neo soul performers and has an abundance of awards including four GRAMMYs.

Other 2023 music acts unveiled; Bonobo, Primal Scream, Arlo Parks, Raye, Leftfield, Goldie with the Live Ensemble, Amyl and the Sniffers, Confidence Man, Olivia Dean, Biig Piig, Viagra Boys, Wesley Joseph, Jockstrap, Katy J Pearson, Yasmin Lacey and Flohio.

THE INFORMATION

Following last year's hard-hitting and powerful talks, which saw the likes of Jack Monroe and Jay Rayner discuss the state of food and food poverty to John Barnes MBE and Lawrence Hoo delve into the black experience, FORWARDS is pleased to announce the return of THE INFORMATION in 2023. More details will be announced later this year.

SOCIAL INITIATIVES

Social initiatives are at the heart of FORWARDS festival which commits to creating positive change. A new series of initiatives for 2023 will be announced later this year.

The series of initiatives will include the return of the ‘Capture FORWARDS’ initiative presented by FORWARDS and associated partner BIG TEAM CIC.

‘Capture FORWARDS’ offers young photographers first-hand experience of photographing live events, giving them invaluable access at the early stages of their careers. After receiving 56 entrants in 2022, four lucky photographers were selected to photograph the inaugural festival last September. Celebrating their success, photographers Naomi Williams, Megan Tsz Ip, Jade Ayino and Ismael Abdi saw their work from last years’ festival exhibited at the Trinity Centre in Bristol in February and have since all become full-time professional photographers.

www.forwardsbristol.co.uk
Insta: @forwardsbristol
www.facebook.com/forwardsbristol
www.twitter.com/ForwardsBristol 

Tickets

tickets are not yet on sale - tickets are on sale Friday 24 March 2023 at 10:00.

buy tickets now >

for 2023 tickets are priced as follows:-

weekend: £97.40
Saturday £60.70  or Friday £56.20.

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