Bearded Theory 2025

[tomato12345]

Pretty much packed here.

Looking forward to it. Part from Iggy, Manics and Ash my plan is just to wonder!

[Jamesh04]

Does anyone have discounted weekend tickets? We’ve been bidding on twickets all day but no luck! Just had some plans fall through and would be more than happy to take someone’s tickets off their hands if they can’t make anymore! 

[IndiePoppyJock]

There’s still tickets available on the Bearded Theory website - think it’s alttickets that it takes you to.

[Pinhead]

Is the crew bar effectively Gail's bar again this year?

[Paul ™]

3 hours ago, Pinhead said:

Is the crew bar effectively Gail's bar again this year?

No the crew bar last year and this year is ran by Silas from Maui Waui 

[Paul ™]

4 hours ago, Pinhead said:

Heh - wonder how it recoverd after being churned up so much last year.

It's all fine, cracked but not too bad 

[Pinhead]

33 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

No the crew bar last year and this year is ran by Silas from Maui Waui 

Is Mr Burnham Jr still serving

[czuk]

When do early bird tickets go on sale? 😄. Second Bearded for us and it was so good. Really enjoyed it

[Flaminglippy]

Think that was pretty much faultless.

[Kurosagi]

Absolutely sublime, had a fab time, such a good festival ❤️

[sadimmock]

Fantastic festival and had a great time.  What a lovely group of people! 

[FrogStupid]

Second one, had a great time again. Best festival.

 

Highlights: Iggy, Manics, Paul Heaton, Yard Act, Leftfield, Irvine Welsh playing Born Slippy, Leftfield, the Vaslines, and Leftfield.

 

Lowlights: This is a very, very minor issue, but who comes to a festival and tells someone dancing to Leftfield they need to "calm down a bit"? I was at the back, but if I'd been 20-30 yards further forward I'd have been one more person dancing. Which I was anyway, just at the back where no-one else was. The "trouble" with me in such situations is that - if I say so myself - I'm a phenomenally good drunk, so I just nodded, laughed, and thumbed up. Wasn't till sobering up a little bit that I realised I should have told him to "f**k off, it's DANCE music. DANCE. The clue is in the name."  

 

I guess I was supposed to nod soberly while standing there with my hands in my pockets?

 

 

Out of interest, did anyone else think the crowd was a bit muted for the Manics? I was down the front, loving it, singing along, but I felt like there was a lot of... well, sober nodding with hands in pockets. 

 

 

 

 

[IndiePoppyJock]

That was my favourite Bearded Theory and other than Indietracks (RIP), my favourite festival experience.

 

We got pretty lucky with the weather, considering what some of the forecast were predicting and that always helps.

 

Some of my highlights

- the complete lack of dicks. The majority of people are really nice and respectful

- cleanliness. I remember going to V Festival and couldn’t believe that I was walking through so much rubbish on day 1. 
- Maui Waui. Love it. The Sneak Eazies were my favourite band. Never heard of them before. Every year, Maui gives me some bands that make make me want to dance and The Sneak Eazies kept me going for the whole hour. brilliant.

- Seeing a real mix of age and gender in the mosh pit of the Lovely Eggs. When Holly started Don’t Look At Me (my favourite song), I made eye contact with a teenage girl, we smiled at each other then spent the next few minutes going mental. I know it’s not for everyone and hopefully we didn’t encroach anyone who didn’t want to be part of it.

 

Other than The Sneak Eazies and The Lovely Eggs, my other musical highlights were Thy Last Drop, Dirty Old Folkers, Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican and Terrorvision

 

 

 

 

[AmyShambles]

Had another top time this year, it really is one of the best. 

 

Highlights for me were Deadletter, Fat Dog, Mik Artistik, Mary Wallopers, GANS, Shonen Knife/Osaka Ramones and Iggy. Had a great time in the silent disco on Saturday night, stayed for the full duration and didn't stop dancing.

 

The past couple of years I felt like food options were pretty crap for the price but shout out to Tikka Guys near Pallet. Really good stuff!

 

See you all there in 2026.

 

 

[elgatonegrofabricwardrobe]

Another excellent Bearded. Good people and great entertainment. Don't think there's anything I'd change about the place.

[Jon F]

Did anyone find out if the person who they stopped Fat Dog for was ok?  Thought band and crowd both handled it really well.

 

Other than that amazing festival - one of the best I’ve ever been to.   Iggy was amazing, 

[gizmoman]

58 minutes ago, FrogStupid said:

Second one, had a great time again. Best festival.

 

Highlights: Iggy, Manics, Paul Heaton, Yard Act, Leftfield, Irvine Welsh playing Born Slippy, Leftfield, the Vaslines, and Leftfield.

 

Lowlights: This is a very, very minor issue, but who comes to a festival and tells someone dancing to Leftfield they need to "calm down a bit"? I was at the back, but if I'd been 20-30 yards further forward I'd have been one more person dancing. Which I was anyway, just at the back where no-one else was. The "trouble" with me in such situations is that - if I say so myself - I'm a phenomenally good drunk, so I just nodded, laughed, and thumbed up. Wasn't till sobering up a little bit that I realised I should have told him to "f**k off, it's DANCE music. DANCE. The clue is in the name."  

 

I guess I was supposed to nod soberly while standing there with my hands in my pockets?

 

 

Out of interest, did anyone else think the crowd was a bit muted for the Manics? I was down the front, loving it, singing along, but I felt like there was a lot of... well, sober nodding with hands in pockets. 

 

 

 

 

From what you've said it sounds like you were in a section of the crowd who were standing and watching rather than dancing, maybe you would have been better to have moved forward into a livelier section. Not everyone dances even to a dance act. If you are trying to watch and someone is flailing around in front of you it's pretty distracting and may be blocking their view.

Having said all that I wouldn't have said anything to you , just moved away to a better spot, there's been many times at festivals and gigs where the people around are , let's say, not to my taste, best to just move away.

 

Agree about the Manics, was a pretty muted crowd, maybe a bit of Sunday night fatigue but I thought the band weren't really giving it 100% if I'm honest, have seen them better. On a more positive note, Iggy was fantastic easily the best I've seen him, his band were great, enjoyed Pan Amsterdam earlier in the day too. The Vaselines were a highlight shame it was such a short set. Even shorter 30 min set for W.I.T.C.H. who were great and just getting going when they had to go. If I had to change one thing about the festival it would be to give established acts at least 45mins, 30mins is OK for a new band but not enough for some of the acts Bearded has.

[Flaminglippy]

1 hour ago, FrogStupid said:

 

Out of interest, did anyone else think the crowd was a bit muted for the Manics? I was down the front, loving it, singing along, but I felt like there was a lot of... well, sober nodding with hands in pockets. 

 

 

 

 

 

Said exactly the same to my mate. It was weird, think they did a brilliant set but virtually no arms in the air. It was a bit odd. 

[Flaminglippy]

36 minutes ago, Jon F said:

Did anyone find out if the person who they stopped Fat Dog for was ok?  Thought band and crowd both handled it really well.

 

Other than that amazing festival - one of the best I’ve ever been to.   Iggy was amazing, 

Yeah, the lad's dad said he was OK on the Facebook forum. Shame it cut the Fat Dog set so short but obviously priority has to be people's health. 

[Flaminglippy]

58 minutes ago, AmyShambles said:

 

The past couple of years I felt like food options were pretty crap for the price but shout out to Tikka Guys near Pallet. Really good stuff!

 

See you all there in 2026.

 

 

Yeah, if you are paying £14-£15 for a little tray of food it should at least taste decent. I tried loads of different stalls over the weekend and nothing really blew me away.

 

Heard one of food stalls holders chatting to a member of staff and said their costs had doubled...I assume they mean cost of the ingredients, fuel etc rather than cost of the pitch but suppose knock on impact is they potentially have cut corners on the end product

[FrogStupid]

14 minutes ago, gizmoman said:

From what you've said it sounds like you were in a section of the crowd who were standing and watching rather than dancing, maybe you would have been better to have moved forward into a livelier section. Not everyone dances even to a dance act. If you are trying to watch and someone is flailing around in front of you it's pretty distracting and may be blocking their view.

Having said all that I wouldn't have said anything to you , just moved away to a better spot, there's been many times at festivals and gigs where the people around are , let's say, not to my taste, best to just move away.

 

 

I get this, but the kid who said this to me was on his way out of the tent from a spot in front of me. He went out of his way to come over, tap me on the shoulder, and say "the band are great, but I think you need to calm down a bit". No-one around me said anything, which they could have. I had space around me, I wasn't bumping in to anyone. I'm always conscious about having room when I'm in the mood for a bit of a dance, so that I'm not impinging on anyone else. I was just, yknow, 'avin a rave. Reason I was at the back was because I'd come from the Manic Street Preachers set, and I'm not a big one for pushing myself through unless I can see clear space. 

 

It is a festival, it is a dance act; how many times do people - you, me, anyone - go to gigs and people are jumping up and down, or dancing, or arms in the air. It's what live music concerts are, and people have to expect dancing and a Leftfield gig, surely? 

[FrogStupid]

31 minutes ago, gizmoman said:

Agree about the Manics, was a pretty muted crowd, maybe a bit of Sunday night fatigue but I thought the band weren't really giving it 100% if I'm honest, have seen them better. On a more positive note, Iggy was fantastic easily the best I've seen him, his band were great, 

 

 

21 minutes ago, Flaminglippy said:

 

Said exactly the same to my mate. It was weird, think they did a brilliant set but virtually no arms in the air. It was a bit odd. 

 

I felt the Manics let the crowd get to them. I thought Nicky looked a bit annoyed by it. Perhaps they could have done more to get the crowd going, and it was a bit of an odd setlist - no Motown Junk or Everything Must Go. That said, I like them a lot and thought they sounded great. 

 

Yes Iggy was incredible. I was near the mosh pit at the front thinking "f**k me, this is LOUD" and yes the band were unbelievably tight. What a legend!

 

Thought it was odd he didn't end with Lust for Life, though. At a festival. 

Edited May 26, 2025 by FrogStupid
missing words

[FrogStupid]

10 minutes ago, FrogStupid said:

people have to expect dancing and a Leftfield gig, surely? 

 

people have to expect dancing ^ at ^ a Leftfield gig, surely?

[gizmoman]

8 minutes ago, FrogStupid said:

 

I get this, but the kid who said this to me was on his way out of the tent from a spot in front of me. He went out of his way to come over, tap me on the shoulder, and say "the band are great, but I think you need to calm down a bit". No-one around me said anything, which they could have. I had space around me, I wasn't bumping in to anyone. I'm always conscious about having room when I'm in the mood for a bit of a dance, so that I'm not impinging on anyone else. I was just, yknow, 'avin a rave. Reason I was at the back was because I'd come from the Manic Street Preachers set, and I'm not a big one for pushing myself through unless I can see clear space. 

 

It is a festival, it is a dance act; how many times do people - you, me, anyone - go to gigs and people are jumping up and down, or dancing, or arms in the air. It's what live music concerts are, and people have to expect dancing and a Leftfield gig, surely? 

I assumed it was someone around you reacting, clearly not, bizarre comment from someone passing through, hard to understand his point in that case, I've certainly got no problem with people enjoying themselves!

[onemoresolo]

Last year’s Bearded was really tough for us, my wife was in a lot of pain after an ankle operation and the night before heading down we got a call from the vet telling us our cat had been found dead. It was tough and go whether we went, and the weather made things really challenging. Despite that, we still had a good time and could forget things for a moment here and there, but it was a really bittersweet weekend overall.

 

This year’s felt like a chance to put things right and we just had the best time. Saw some great bands and just loved wandering round the site. Various musical highlights included Jess Silk on Wednesday night, Chris Hawkins’ DJ set, Antony Szmierek, Vaselines, Shonen Knife, Public Service Broadcasting, the 80s DJ on Thursday at Big Ed, Castle Rat, Mik Artistik, Chrome and Illinspired… and I could go on. Somewhat grateful Saturday was a little quieter for me to recover for Sunday!

 

I’m yet to find another fest like it. Next year will be our fourth and we can’t wait.