Heading to Bearded Theory at the end of this month? Here's our handy guide of artists you should check out...
Set in the heart of The National Forest in Derbyshire, the multi-award-winning independent family festival Bearded Theory returns for its fourteenth year on 25-28 May 2023. Yes, you did read that right – the festival is in Derbyshire, and I’m pretty sure I can hear some of you booing from here.
Nottingham offers some great live music, but we understand that sometimes you have to travel slightly out of bounds when it comes to festivals. So, here are LeftLion’s recommendations if you’re planning to head to Bearded Theory at the end of the month.
Interpol
It would be silly for us not to include one of the headliners out of this list, wouldn’t it? The band at the top of the bill are the legendary Interpol, who were at the forefront of the New York City alt-rock buzz in the early '00s. Expect to hear tracks from their most recent album The Other Side Of Make-Believe alongside classic hits like Evil and Rest My Chemistry.
Yard Act
Releasing one of the most critically-acclaimed debut albums of 2022, the post-punk extravaganza that is The Overload, Yard Act are a band you don’t want to miss. They will also be headlining Dot to Dot in Nottingham’s city centre on the same weekend, so you’ve got double the chance of catching them in the Midlands!
Viagra Boys
If you were lucky enough to go to their Rock City show back in January, you’ll know exactly why Viagra Boys are on this list. Formed in Stockholm in 2015, expect to hear tracks from their most recent album Cave World, performed with a punky ‘IDGAF’ attitude. And what I say next may surprise you, but be prepared to DANCE.
Opus Kink
This band don’t even have a full-length album out yet, but the hype is real. They combine punk and jazz sounds in an unusual genre fusion that you might think doesn’t work, but it just does. It’ll be unlike anything you will have ever heard before, and you may be a bit confused at first, but you’ll come away wondering how they managed to pull it off.
Beans on Toast
This fella loves Nottingham so much, he’s basically turned it into his home away from home, and we accept him as one of us. Go and show him some love when he performs at Bearded Theory and if you like what you hear, head down to The Foolhardy Folk Festival at the Arboretum in August – he curates the entire thing.
ALT BLK ERA
You’ve probably heard us talk plenty about this duo before, but if you want to catch them live this month, Bearded Theory is the place to do it. West Bridgford-based sisters Nyrobi and Chaya have talent and vision beyond their years, with their unique brand of nu-metal sounding like nothing that’s ever been created before. Prepare to have your minds blown!
Girlband
Another band from Notts, with self-proclaimed "top-notch energy," Girlband have plenty of sing-along tunes that will be perfect for the festival setting. According to their Bandcamp page, the all-girl trio channel the likes of Khruangbin, Wet Leg, Lost Bitchos and Big Moon with a no-nonsense attitude. If this sounds up your street, then thank me later.
Bearded Theory will take place at Catton Hall on 25-28 May
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