Forwards Festival 2025

The summer bank holiday in Bristol brings back Forwards Festival for its fourth consecutive year. Set in the expansive and picturesque Downs Park, the festival boasts two main stages, East and West, and this year introduces The Arches: a brand-new tent dedicated to some of the most exciting names in the DJ scene. Forwards already feels undeniably Bristol, and by the end of the day, it certainly sounds it too.

Our first stop is at the East Stage to see Bristol’s very own Ishmael Ensemble. “As we’re back home we wanted to do something special for you” and that they did, by inviting the Rituals Orchestra on stage to enrich their electronic-jazz fusion, alongside special guests including producer and vocalist Grove. As the band played, their sound grew in both depth and energy and so did the audience. With the hypnotic beat of “Ezekiel” from their newest album Rituals, the crowd began to move: hands in the air, bodies swaying, everyone warming up for the day ahead.

They really grew into their space: the first half of the set feeling more reserved, the second opening up and evolving. Some of my highlights included “Feather”, “Blinded”, “Ezekiel”, and “Fever Dream”.

With a local refreshment in hand, we eagerly await the next East Stage act: none other than the iconic Happy Mondays! Still led by the dynamic, wildly entertaining duo Shaun Ryder and Bez (Mark Berry), joined by original members Gaz Whelan and Mark Day, and now featuring the incredible vocals of Firouzeh, the stage is set for a proper Madchester takeover.

Shaun Ryder shouts to the crowd: “Bristol, it’s like being in Manchester!” He’s definitely not talking about the weather, it’s the atmosphere. The energy is electric. Their music seeps into your bones, makes your veins hum; the crowd can’t help but dance, throw their arms around, and let loose. It’s a glorious mix of fans: lifelong followers who know every lyric and first-timers discovering the magic. And that magic is real. These guys are legends for a reason.

There’s something different when you see a band like this: a level of presence, maybe even a level of no f*s given.
Decades of touring, years of chaos, and yet they’re still so rock and roll. Bez hops around the stage like it’s the 90s maybe with slightly stiffer moves, but he still knows exactly how to work a crowd, grabbing the mic for a cheeky shoutout “to all the grandads out there”.

The setlist? A flawless trip down memory lane: “Hallelujah”, “Kinky Afro”, “Loose Fit”. When Shaun introduced “God Cop” with “Bezwick, this is your favourite”, the crowd roared. They also dipped into Bummed with “Wrote for Luck” and “Mad Cyril”. They closed with the anthem “Step On” that iconic piano riff hits and suddenly everyone’s dancing like it’s the last day on Earth. It’s only 3 PM, but they’ve stolen the day. In fact, I’m calling it early: set of the weekend.

Completely swept up in the Happy Mondays haze, we take a moment to breathe before heading over to the West Stage for English Teacher. This back and forth becomes the festival rhythm: one act ends, the crowd migrates en masse to the other stage, like an orderly musical pilgrimage… or at least, that’s the plan. In reality? Herding thousands of people is chaos, so compromises are inevitable. We catch a slice of English Teacher’s set, and they’re effortlessly cool, a little quirky, like they could be playing a tiny venue downtown. They add weight to their lyrics, a sense of something profound, though at times it drifts into abstraction.

The evening is about to accelerate. Hitting the late afternoon slot at The Arches is an Annie Mac. The ultimate DJ, radio royalty, and absolute crowd reader. If this tent isn’t doubled in size next year, I’ll be shocked.

Two hours of pure joy follow: fun, eclectic, unexpected. Annie Mac proves why she’s a master, dropping just the right mainstream hits at the perfect moment, keeping the crowd guessing and grinning. Honestly, I could’ve stayed there all night, swept away in this beach party energy. But another kind of party calls: a big band with even bigger vibes, Afrobeat/calypso/London jazz fusion at its finest.

Enter Ezra Collective. If they’re playing, you don’t miss it. Doesn’t matter what you normally listen to, see them once and you’re converted.
Their world is one of togetherness, acceptance, and expression. Headed up by drummer Femi Koleoso, with bassist TJ Koleoso, keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, and saxophonist James Mollison, they’ve conquered everything from the Royal Albert Hall to a Mercury Prize win for Where I’m Meant To Be. Tonight? They turn the Downs into a carnival of rhythm and soul.

The setlist was pure celebration, amongst it: “Ajala”, “Welcome To My World”, “You Can’t Steal My Joy”, and the beloved “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing” from their recent album Dance, No One’s Watching. The whole crowd sang along to the instrumental tracks like their lives depended on it because being part of that energy is irresistible. For a moment, the world felt perfect.

But the night’s far from over. We dash back to the East Stage for a taste of Orbital, the famous brothers who shaped the UK rave scene. We only catch 20 minutes, but enough to experience their dazzling light show and classics like “Halcyon On and On”, complete with an outro remixing Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” and, brilliantly, the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe”. Millennial hearts = won.

Finally, the day closes with rising star Barry Can’t Swim. With a Brit Award already under his belt, he’s tasked with ending the party and smashes it. His set flows between breezy, joyful beats and deep,
groove-heavy moments, enriched with live strings, percussion, and soulful vocal samples. Highlights included “About To Begin”, “Woman”, Latin-infused “Kimbara”, jazzy-disco “Blackpool Boulevard”, and bass-driven bangers like “Kimpton”, “Still Riding”, and “DeadBeat Gospel” complete with a live performance by somedeadbeat who wrote the poem that features on the track.
Reflective interludes (“Childhood”, “All My Friends”) gave us a breath before the finale of pure dance euphoria: “How It Feels” and “Sunsleeper”.

Leaving the festival felt different from what I’m used to. There was no dagger to the chest, no overwhelming rush after seeing an artist I adore; I kept waiting for that familiar buzz, that euphoria mixed with a sting of nostalgia, knowing I wouldn’t experience it again. I may have not lost my voice from singing, though I definitely lost all feeling in my feet from the hours of dancing.


We were back for a sold out day 2 and so was the sun!
Sunday’s bill promised a real mix. Where yesterday leaned towards the electronic-dance side of things, today gave way to pop and R&B solo artists, plus a healthy dose of alternative and indie bands.

One of the great things about Forwards is that there truly is something for everyone. But in true Bristol style, it’s not just about the music. Among the beats and good vibes, there’s always space for learning, for spreading messages,proving that activism and awareness sit at the very heart of Bristol.

That’s the essence of The Information area: a platform for discussion and debate on pressing issues. This year it hosted voices like Dennis Cough, Zack Polanski, Munya Chawawa, Saffron Music, Carol Vorderman, Gary Stevenson, Zarah Sultana, and Coco Khan.

The afternoon opened with the smooth, jazzy, soulful beats of The Silhouettes Project, a London collective created to launch new artists and build community, with fairness and equality in the music industry at its core. From there, we moved into the high-energy and, for me, slightly confusing sound of Moonchild Sanelly. Clearly, I was in the minority, because the crowd loved her.

Next, it was time to head over to the West Stage for one of the most anticipated sets of the day: Olivia Dean. Her sweet, uplifting voice was about to soundtrack the next peak sunny hour, and we were glad we moved early because the crowd was already packing in.

She opened with her new single “Nice To Each Other” from her upcoming album The Art of Loving, and the response was instant: the crowd sang along as if it had been a classic for years. Olivia ran on stage with a huge smile, greeted by the warmth of her brilliant band. The connection between them was obvious, real synchronicity that translated into the performance.

The hour flew by in what felt like moments. We wandered in her music, wrapped up in lyrics that felt like a warm hug. Her set was personal and deep, yet light and comforting. Olivia Dean had complete command of that stage connecting with her band and, even more, with us.

I smiled throughout, sang with an open heart, and even, shyly, cried. Then I realised everyone else around me was doing the same. She touched something in all of us with “Carmen”, from her first album Messy, dedicated to her grandmother who immigrated to the UK to build a better life, just like mine did, all those years ago. Before playing it, she shared a little story and closed with a line that still feels so relevant, especially now:

“I feel immigrants are brave, brave people.”

It’s hard to pick standout tracks because the crowd loved them all, singing along even to “It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be”, the title track from the new Bridget Jones movie. It’s clear Olivia Dean has built, and is continuing to build, a massive fanbase. Big things are coming for her: I wouldn’t be surprised to see her headlining soon.

She closed by introducing her band, thanking the crowd, and finishing with her biggest hits: “Dive” and “The Hardest Part” from Messy. Before leaving, she turned to us and said: “You have been the highlight of my summer!”

Once we’d finished hugging and wiping our tears, reality hit: the dreaded festival dilemma. Do we try to sprint across to catch Squid and risk losing each other with no signal? Or do we stay put for the next West Stage act? The majority vote said stay which meant Squid will have to wait for another time.

The golden-hour slot was probably the main reason many people came today: Doechii was set to bring one of the hottest shows in rap/pop. But she dropped out last minute, cancelling both her UK shows at Forwards and All Points East without much explanation, leaving fans disappointed.

Fair play to the organisers, though with only days to spare, they pulled off an incredible replacement: Nia Archives. And honestly, there was no better choice. The queen of jungle playing in the home of jungle and drum & bass? Perfect. The Bristolians were ecstatic.

The energy was big, loud, and high-octane. Nia dropped some real crowd favourites like “Baianá”, “Off Wiv Ya Headz”, “Illegal”, plus tracks from her album Silence Is Loud, including “Unfinished Business” and “Forbidden Feelingz”. The crowd let loose, proving once again that Bristol is still the best place for this sound.

The sun was a distant memory, and it was time to slow things down. Jorja Smith, Sundays headliner, took the stage, opening with “Try Me” from her latest album Falling or Flying. The tone shifted immediately: less about high energy, more about depth and vulnerability: “This is probably the biggest show I’ve ever done”.

Jorja isn’t one for huge stage theatrics but definitely felt like you were on her journey as an artist. Her set was part celebration of her roots and part exploration of her evolving sound. It all took a more personal turn when she spoke to the crowd about the time in her life when she left her hometown of Walsall and moved to the big city of London, a move that ultimately launched her debut and groundbreaking, Lost & Found, which became an immediate hit and earned her the BRIT Critics’ Choice Award.
The love for that album was evident in the crowd as they sang along to the tracks “Blue Lights”, “Teenage Fantasy”, and “Where Did I Go”.

There was a clear sense of pride in her work. With Falling or Flying, you get the feeling she’s now exploring her sound with full confidence in what she’s bringing. That came through in the tracks “Broken Is the Man”, “Falling or Flying”, “Go Go Go”, and “Feelings”.

The band wasn’t just background; they were collaborators, elevating every moment with backing singers and instrumentation that gave the show richness. Jorja’s talent is undeniable: more understated than some, but deeply felt. Still, I sensed the crowd wasn’t fully engaged at first, maybe because of the slower tempo, especially after two days of dance-heavy sets.

But Jorja knew what we the crowd wanted. “Alright Bristol, it’s time to party” and the final section flipped the energy. The crowd lit up as she delivered some of her biggest hits: the new single “The Way I Love You”, then “Be Honest”, “On My Mind”, and, of course, the irresistibly groovy “Little Things”.

It might not have been the high-energy finale some expected and yes, the absence of Doechii left a gap, but as the night ended, the vibe was clear: joy, connection, and gratitude.