We were welcomed back to The Cotswolds for the latest instalment of Big Feastival - that brings together music, food and family fun which takes place on Alex James’ idyllic farm - and we were not disappointed by what we found. We came last year as a family of three - and this year came back as a four with a four month old to really test out the family friendliness - more on that later. Thankfully the weather was dry, and we were still clinging onto the summer, just.
On Friday, Lightning Seeds were the first band we saw take to the stage with their signature blend of alternative rock and pop. Formed by Ian Broudie, their catchy tunes, including “Pure”, “The Life of Riley”, “Lucky You”, “Change”, and “Marvellous”, had the crowd singing along and dancing. No sign of “Three Lions” though. I guess no matter how many times they sing it, it doesn’t bring it home!
Next up was Natalie Imbruglia, but unfortunately due to some logistical issues with equipment, she was only able to play three acoustic songs - “Wrong Impression”, “Shiver”and “Torn”. A shame, but she was very apologetic and thankful for being lent some equipment to put on a small show. The catchy vocals are timeless and they did well given the circumstances..
The festival did well to keep things on track, and next up and on time was Baby Queen, with an energetic performance. Fairly new for us, but a track like “Internet Religion” certainly got us intrigued to hear more.
We took some time in between sets to head off and enjoy the other main feature of the festival - some food! The festival is well known for being foodie, and everything we saw all weekend looked good. We decided on some Jamaican Jerk Chicken at this point and were not disappointed. The only problem we found was there was almost too much choice, and we struggled with what to choose. This is never a problem though, and just made you make a careful decision.
Back on the main stage, Jake Shears brought his unique brand of glam rock to the festival. Best known as the lead singer of Scissor Sisters, Shears has also released solo music. His flamboyant stage presence and catchy tunes had the crowd dancing along to songs such as “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’”, “Take Your Mama”, “Laura”, and “Creep City”. This set was really full of energy, and the multiple outfit changes were a sight to behold, albeit somewhat surprising ripping off clothes in front of you!
Just in case anyone was struggling with energy at this stage, the festival had booked Example to lift the crowd onto another level, and there was no doubting his ability to do this. His fusion of hip-hop, electro, and dubstep has earned him a dedicated fanbase. At Big Feastival, he performed songs such as “Kickstarts”, “Changed the Way You Kiss Me”, “Watch the Sun Come Up”, and “Stay Awake”. Having been away for a little while, it’s great to see Example back on stage where he belongs.
Sub headlining the day were The Vaccines, who delivered a high-energy set that had everyone singing along. Formed back in 2010, The Vaccines are an indie rock band known for their catchy tunes and energetic live performances.
Having seen them recently down the road at Truck Festival, and countless times over the years, we knew this was going to be a good show. The band, led by Justin Young keeps the hits coming and the crowd are well and truly warm for the main event of the day. Crowd favourites like “Post Break-Up Sex”, “Wetsuit” and “If You Wanna” always sound so good live!
Headlining the first evening was Sigrid. Originally from Norway, Sigrid is a singer-songwriter who first gained attention with her debut single “Don’t Kill My Vibe”. Sigrid’s stunning vocals and catchy pop tunes were the perfect way to end the night. Her performance at Big Feastival showcased her impressive vocal range and songwriting skills as she performed songs such as “Strangers”, “Plot Twist”, and “Dynamite”, as well as newer song “The Hype”. Again, we caught Sigrid a few years back at Truck Festival, and it was good to see her progress up to a headline performance.
Saturday’s mainstage acts were Newton Faulkner, The Cuban Brothers, Everything Everything and Katy B, before a Faithless DJ set again got the crowd in the mood for Tom Grennan to headline. Unfortunately we weren’t on site on Saturday, but the people we spoke to all said it was a great day, and the music didn’t disappoint.
We were however back on Sunday, which had an equally impressive lineup, and this time the family were in tow. The K’s kicked off the day with their energetic indie rock sound. Formed in Earlestown in 2017, The K’s are a four-piece band known for their high-energy live performances. I had been desperate to see the guys play for a few years now after discovering them, but dates/times just didn’t work. It was great seeing them on stage and they sounded even better in real life. They will keep growing, and seemed to earn some new fans on the day.
Mae Muller was next up in a dazzling red dress, with soulful vocals and catchy pop tunes had everyone dancing along. Originally from London, Muller is a singer-songwriter who first gained attention with her debut single “Jenny” and her entry into the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
Next up, an actual Spice Girl. Melanie C brought her iconic pop sound to the stage. Best known as Sporty Spice from the Spice Girls, Melanie C has also had a successful solo career. Her performance at Big Feastival showcased her impressive vocal range and catchy pop tunes - with a few Spice Girls tracks mixed in for good measure.
After that, man of the hour Rick Astley took to the stage. Seemingly popping up at every festival going this year (with my favourite show being the hour he spent with this evenings headliners Blossoms at Glastonbury doing The Smiths covers), Rick delighted the crowd with his classic hits. Originally from Lancashire, Astley first rose to fame in the 1980s with his hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. His performance at Big Feastival had everyone singing along to his timeless tunes, where he spent time engaging with the crowd and thanking his band. A large sign had been made in the front row stating Rick should be Prime Minister - however when Rick read it he did mention who would want that job!
We also spent a fair amount of time away from the main stage today enjoying the Little Dudes Den, where there are countless activities to keep children entertained - from the race cars, Big Top Tent, Circus tent and Parents Pitstop, which had amazing baby changing facilities and a chill out area for feeding. This is what makes this festival stand out as family friendly - not just saying it’s family orientated, but providing facilities to accommodate this.
Headliners this evening were Blossoms, who closed out the festival with their infectious indie pop sound. Formed in Stockport in 2013, Blossoms are a five-piece band known for their catchy tunes and energetic live performances. With tracks like “Your Girlfriend”, “Honey Sweet” and “Charlemagne”, they keep the crowd going during the last few hours.
We still have a few areas of the festival yet to discover, and are hoping to get back next year to tick off all the boxes!
Overall, Big Feastival was a resounding success. With its unbeatable combination of great music and delicious food, it’s no wonder that this festival continues to be a favourite among music and food lovers alike. If you’re looking for a fun-filled weekend with top-notch entertainment and mouth-watering cuisine, be sure to add Big Feastival to your calendar for next year!
Photo Credit: Russ Fujak
On Friday, Lightning Seeds were the first band we saw take to the stage with their signature blend of alternative rock and pop. Formed by Ian Broudie, their catchy tunes, including “Pure”, “The Life of Riley”, “Lucky You”, “Change”, and “Marvellous”, had the crowd singing along and dancing. No sign of “Three Lions” though. I guess no matter how many times they sing it, it doesn’t bring it home!
Next up was Natalie Imbruglia, but unfortunately due to some logistical issues with equipment, she was only able to play three acoustic songs - “Wrong Impression”, “Shiver”and “Torn”. A shame, but she was very apologetic and thankful for being lent some equipment to put on a small show. The catchy vocals are timeless and they did well given the circumstances..
The festival did well to keep things on track, and next up and on time was Baby Queen, with an energetic performance. Fairly new for us, but a track like “Internet Religion” certainly got us intrigued to hear more.
We took some time in between sets to head off and enjoy the other main feature of the festival - some food! The festival is well known for being foodie, and everything we saw all weekend looked good. We decided on some Jamaican Jerk Chicken at this point and were not disappointed. The only problem we found was there was almost too much choice, and we struggled with what to choose. This is never a problem though, and just made you make a careful decision.
Back on the main stage, Jake Shears brought his unique brand of glam rock to the festival. Best known as the lead singer of Scissor Sisters, Shears has also released solo music. His flamboyant stage presence and catchy tunes had the crowd dancing along to songs such as “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’”, “Take Your Mama”, “Laura”, and “Creep City”. This set was really full of energy, and the multiple outfit changes were a sight to behold, albeit somewhat surprising ripping off clothes in front of you!
Just in case anyone was struggling with energy at this stage, the festival had booked Example to lift the crowd onto another level, and there was no doubting his ability to do this. His fusion of hip-hop, electro, and dubstep has earned him a dedicated fanbase. At Big Feastival, he performed songs such as “Kickstarts”, “Changed the Way You Kiss Me”, “Watch the Sun Come Up”, and “Stay Awake”. Having been away for a little while, it’s great to see Example back on stage where he belongs.
Sub headlining the day were The Vaccines, who delivered a high-energy set that had everyone singing along. Formed back in 2010, The Vaccines are an indie rock band known for their catchy tunes and energetic live performances.
Having seen them recently down the road at Truck Festival, and countless times over the years, we knew this was going to be a good show. The band, led by Justin Young keeps the hits coming and the crowd are well and truly warm for the main event of the day. Crowd favourites like “Post Break-Up Sex”, “Wetsuit” and “If You Wanna” always sound so good live!
Headlining the first evening was Sigrid. Originally from Norway, Sigrid is a singer-songwriter who first gained attention with her debut single “Don’t Kill My Vibe”. Sigrid’s stunning vocals and catchy pop tunes were the perfect way to end the night. Her performance at Big Feastival showcased her impressive vocal range and songwriting skills as she performed songs such as “Strangers”, “Plot Twist”, and “Dynamite”, as well as newer song “The Hype”. Again, we caught Sigrid a few years back at Truck Festival, and it was good to see her progress up to a headline performance.
Saturday’s mainstage acts were Newton Faulkner, The Cuban Brothers, Everything Everything and Katy B, before a Faithless DJ set again got the crowd in the mood for Tom Grennan to headline. Unfortunately we weren’t on site on Saturday, but the people we spoke to all said it was a great day, and the music didn’t disappoint.
We were however back on Sunday, which had an equally impressive lineup, and this time the family were in tow. The K’s kicked off the day with their energetic indie rock sound. Formed in Earlestown in 2017, The K’s are a four-piece band known for their high-energy live performances. I had been desperate to see the guys play for a few years now after discovering them, but dates/times just didn’t work. It was great seeing them on stage and they sounded even better in real life. They will keep growing, and seemed to earn some new fans on the day.
Mae Muller was next up in a dazzling red dress, with soulful vocals and catchy pop tunes had everyone dancing along. Originally from London, Muller is a singer-songwriter who first gained attention with her debut single “Jenny” and her entry into the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
Next up, an actual Spice Girl. Melanie C brought her iconic pop sound to the stage. Best known as Sporty Spice from the Spice Girls, Melanie C has also had a successful solo career. Her performance at Big Feastival showcased her impressive vocal range and catchy pop tunes - with a few Spice Girls tracks mixed in for good measure.
After that, man of the hour Rick Astley took to the stage. Seemingly popping up at every festival going this year (with my favourite show being the hour he spent with this evenings headliners Blossoms at Glastonbury doing The Smiths covers), Rick delighted the crowd with his classic hits. Originally from Lancashire, Astley first rose to fame in the 1980s with his hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up”. His performance at Big Feastival had everyone singing along to his timeless tunes, where he spent time engaging with the crowd and thanking his band. A large sign had been made in the front row stating Rick should be Prime Minister - however when Rick read it he did mention who would want that job!
We also spent a fair amount of time away from the main stage today enjoying the Little Dudes Den, where there are countless activities to keep children entertained - from the race cars, Big Top Tent, Circus tent and Parents Pitstop, which had amazing baby changing facilities and a chill out area for feeding. This is what makes this festival stand out as family friendly - not just saying it’s family orientated, but providing facilities to accommodate this.
Headliners this evening were Blossoms, who closed out the festival with their infectious indie pop sound. Formed in Stockport in 2013, Blossoms are a five-piece band known for their catchy tunes and energetic live performances. With tracks like “Your Girlfriend”, “Honey Sweet” and “Charlemagne”, they keep the crowd going during the last few hours.
We still have a few areas of the festival yet to discover, and are hoping to get back next year to tick off all the boxes!
Overall, Big Feastival was a resounding success. With its unbeatable combination of great music and delicious food, it’s no wonder that this festival continues to be a favourite among music and food lovers alike. If you’re looking for a fun-filled weekend with top-notch entertainment and mouth-watering cuisine, be sure to add Big Feastival to your calendar for next year!
Photo Credit: Russ Fujak
