‘If the gradual sanitisation of the festival experience is the ailment, then the illustrious Beat-Herder is the remedy.’ Review By Cameron Whittaker

Photograph by Emie Grimwood

The very essence of Beat-Herder is appreciating the little moments. Yet, it is the tireless work of the organisers that catalyse these moments to happen regularly and more importantly, organically.

The festival, celebrating its 20th birthday, has trimmed some of the proverbial fat since 2020. (This year had some alleged significance for humanity?) Attendances this year numbered around seven thousand from a previous high of twelve, and a weekend ticket will set you back somewhere between £165 and £250. As the kind of person who shudders at the thought of a pint being over a tenner, and as a first time punter to this fiercely independent festival, I decided to throw myself into everything Beat-Herder had to offer. 

If you have this weekend eyed up in your calendar, your taste in music will likely lean electronic. A breadth of House, Techno, Drum & Bass, Jungle, Breaks, Dub, Reggae, Trance and every sub genre of the like should satisfy all inclinations. Time and time again however, I met people from the surrounding area that come regardless of the music on offer. You can even find rock bands and solo guitar acts around the festival if you know where to look. The Oasis cover band got a decent main stage attendance despite the rain, for example. A solid selection of top billed acts included Armand Van Helden, Goldie, 4am Kru, and Hybrid Minds. Looking at previous line up iterations in recent years, they have been stronger. Yet, this is a festival consolidating after a really tough period for the music industry. I, for one, am incredibly pleased they have managed to survive. 

Around the site you will find sixteen vastly different stages. From the standard Main Stage, to the whimsical Toil Tree’s forest experience; The Ring seduces you with an enclosed dust bowl set up, while the madness of The Fortress feels like raving on the set of Takeshi’s Castle. Some of my favourite moments of the weekend came from partying in the selection of smaller stages. The Parish Church was exactly what it sounds like – except, the vicar was blasting Ragga Jungle and his congregation (me) were dancing on top of the pews. Amen! Many others such as Hotel California, The Garage, and Gubba Gumma all had their own delightful quirks; showing just how much loving time and effort had gone into designing these surreal stages. 

BH&DWMSC is a stage built up entirely like a working men’s club and a great place to grab a pint while listening to the music, comedy, or even the talent show that took place. Drinks were reasonable throughout the weekend – a pint of Jubel would set you back £6 which isn’t really any more expensive than the pub these days. Spirits and cans were even cheaper.  

The crowd were a real mix of young and old ravers and the occasional family which felt like a nice balance. Some have been coming for the last two decades, while the next generation brought real energy to various sets throughout the weekend. Over the previous few years, especially since covid, I have felt that crowds and atmospheres have been heading in the wrong direction. Whether you want to blame TikTok, the gap where live events didn’t happen, or the fire sale of independent venues – maybe a combination of all of the above – is a debate for another day. But Beat-Herder was a refreshing change in pace from all this. There was a real buzz, especially in the smaller venues, from people who were there solely to enjoy the music. It was genuinely noticeable that phones were not out to record the entirety of an artist’s set. Countless times I got chatting and dancing with different people, bonding over just what a good time we were having. But that’s no surprise considering the entire festival does just feel like one big, happy, mental family.  

It is also no surprise that what brings this all together is the competent and hardworking team that make up Beat-Herder. As stated in the programme, it takes almost three thousand people to build the festival up each year. But the core team of just six do an exceptional job with the resources available to them. The staff across the site are helpful, knowledgeable and seemingly just as excited by the music as you are. Transitions between sets are seamless and security is not too intrusive, with most being up for a good laugh (a big shout out to Steve if you’re reading this). 

If this still has you balancing precariously on the fence, then you’ll be pleased to know that alongside the exceptional party atmosphere, there is a variety of different activities for you to get involved in. You could be tempted by the metal work tent into making your own jewellery. Perhaps a stroll down the ornate Main Street may find you wanting to get your palms read, or wanting a tattoo, or wanting a trim (skin fades only, no wolf cuts sorry). There are also, littered around the site, shops to get clothes and festival essentials. Like almost everything else over the weekend, it feels like the sellers were quality with very little tat being flogged like at some of the bigger names on the festival circuit. 

It is testament to the festival that poor weather on the Saturday and Sunday did nothing to dampen the party. Delicious sunshine on the first few days made way for torrential rain and mud, yet stages filled up all the same. The size of the festival really comes into its own here as the seven thousand capacity meant that sets were not overcrowded, nor were they empty. There was always room to boogie with an atmosphere that was, at many times, raucous. 

The Monday after the weekend had finished, I was genuinely a little depressed during the day (no I hadn’t taken any disco biscuits before you ask). I was just sad that I wasn’t going to get to walk back into the main site, and that anecdote should tell you everything you need to know about Beat-Herder. Not only did I have a mega time partying, I also met a ton of people including campers, staff, organisers and artists that made the entire experience effortlessly cool. Artists repeated the same thing to me: They have been attending the festival for years and it was a dream come true to get up on stage and perform – and it’s not hard to see why. In a world that seems at times to be getting ever more depressing, I had so many moments through the days and nights that made me remember why I love music so much. 

I hope this does justice to one of the best weekends on the summer calendar. I will most definitely be buying my ticket for next year’s festivities. 

Beat-Herder tickets for 2026 go on sale on the 31st July. 

Photographs by Emie Grimwood