Festival Review: Bearded Theory 2026

Bearded Theory has officially become the festival that marks the beginning of summer for me. And not only because of the blue skies, the heatwave and the constant sunshine, but because it marks the beginning of festival season itself. How could you not be happy when your days are made up of camping, discovering your potential new favourite artist, drinking, dancing, laughing and somehow ending up in conversations with strangers who feel like lifelong friends by the end of the weekend?

It was my second year attending Bearded Theory, and once again, it proved why people return year after year. From the headliners to the people camping next to you, it is a festival built on genuinely good vibes and loyal festival-goers who treat it like a yearly reunion. Getting there from Nottingham was also surprisingly easy. We got the train to Burton-upon-Trent and then jumped in a taxi straight to the festival site, making the journey stress-free and ideal for anyone travelling from the Midlands.

Despite the festival starting on Wednesday with artists such as EMF, Meryl Streek and Jools, we arrived on Thursday just in time to set up camp and head straight into the music. The first act we caught was one of Nottingham's favourites, Bloodworm at the Woodland Stage. Seeing local bands playing festivals like this always feels special, and they more than deserved the slot.

Other Nottingham artists we saw across the weekend included Archie and the Astronauts, who continue their rapid rise after winning Future Sound of Nottingham 2025 and opening the main stage at Splendour Festival. It feels like every lineup I look at lately somehow includes them — and honestly, deserved.

Thursday quickly became a day full of chaotic energy and incredible post-punk sounds. A Certain Ratio were fantastic, with the crowd completely locked into their groove-heavy mix of funk and experimental rock. Then came Big Special, who genuinely felt cinematic. Just two men on stage, yet somehow it felt enormous — dark, dramatic and almost like watching a live soundtrack to Peaky Blinders unfold in front of you. Lambrini Girls brought exactly the level of chaos and fury you would expect, while still making the whole field feel like one giant party.

Friday somehow managed to get even better. Rianne Downey offered something completely different. Her warm vocals and stripped-back indie folk sound created one of the calmest moments of the festival, which, under the summer sun, felt very peaceful. Westside Cowboy meanwhile were one of the weekend’s loveliest surprises. Under the blazing afternoon sun, their mix of indie rock and Americana sounded perfect, but what really stood out was the harmony between the lead singer and bassist. The moment their voices came together felt genuinely magical.

She's In Parties also delivered one of the dreamiest sets of the weekend at the Woodland Stage. Their dark, shimmering shoegaze sound felt almost hypnotic at times and gave the festival a completely different atmosphere for a while.

One of the best band discoveries of the weekend for me was Panic Shack, which brought chaotic party energy to the Pallet Stage on Friday afternoon. Their set felt messy in the best possible way — loud, funny, unapologetic and impossible not to dance to. Sir Chloe was another huge highlight for me personally. I have listened to her music for years, so finally getting the chance to see those songs live felt like ticking something off my musical bucket list. Being surrounded by people singing along to tracks I have obsessed over for so long made it even better.

Then came Sprints, who delivered one of the best sets of the weekend. Their energy was unreal and when they closed with Little Fix — a song I have been obsessed with for ages — it genuinely felt like the perfect ending to an already brilliant set. Over at the Meadow Stage, Los Bitchos proved you do not need lyrics to completely command a crowd. Their psychedelic cumbia-infused instrumentals had everyone dancing non-stop and seeing how much fun the band themselves were having somehow made the entire performance even better. Later that night, Roni Size turned CODA into a full-on rave. It was impossible not to get swept up in the atmosphere.

One of my favourite moments of the entire festival, though, came from seeing Smag På Dig Selv again. I first saw them last year at Convoy Cabaret and genuinely had not stopped thinking about them since. Their low bass saxophones sound absolutely unreal — unlike anything I have ever seen before — and getting to experience them again, on the very same stage, felt like such a treat. Loud, weird, experimental and unforgettable in the best possible way.

Saturday somehow raised the bar again. Warmduscher were absolutely incredible and easily one of the best live bands I have seen in a long time. Their set felt sweaty, chaotic and completely unpredictable in the best possible way. I already know I need to see them again. Thankfully, while temperatures remained ridiculously high throughout the weekend, the festival handled it brilliantly. Security staff regularly handed cups of free water into the crowd, which honestly made such a difference and helped keep everyone safe while still enjoying themselves.

Toots and the Maytals featuring Leba Hibbert brought some much-needed reggae sunshine to the Pallet Stage and honestly felt like the soundtrack to summer itself. Over at The Meadow, Opus Kink, a band that I have wanted to see for a long time now, were wonderfully strange and theatrical. Their mix of jazz, punk and cabaret energy somehow felt perfectly suited to Bearded Theory and kept the crowd completely on their toes. And my question is: When can I see them again? Meanwhile, Heartworms brought something darker and more intense to the festival. Her commanding stage presence combined with industrial-inspired post-punk sounds made the entire set feel dramatic in the best way.

Then came one of the most anticipated moments of the whole festival – CMAT – and where do I even begin? From the songwriting to the stage presence, the lights, the humour and the interaction with the crowd, everything about her performance was incredible. She has mastered the art of being both hilarious and emotionally devastating within the same song. The entire band were entertaining from start to finish and it is very easy to understand why her popularity keeps growing at such a rapid pace.

Closing my Bearded Theory weekend with Pixies felt almost surreal. They are one of those bands you grow up listening to without ever imagining you will actually see them live one day. Yet there I was, surrounded by thousands of people singing every word back at them. Unlike the theatrical energy of CMAT just before them, Pixies did what they do best — simply letting the music speak for itself. And honestly, that was more than enough. Hearing those songs live felt strangely nostalgic and comforting all at once, like being transported into a bubble made up entirely of iconic riffs and collective happiness.

One of the best parts of the entire weekend, though, was the people. We made great camp friends like Paul and James, bumped into friends throughout the festival and spent half the weekend wandering around trying to locate people with absolutely no phone signal. But honestly, that almost became part of the fun. Every reunion felt accidental and exciting, like a giant real-life game of hide and seek powered by music and warm cider. 

I must also give a shoutout to Big Ed's stage; it never disappoints! I don’t often go chasing a DJ to see them, but every single time I go past the coolest tree around, I can’t help but have a bit of a dance, especially when it is dark, and fire comes out of the tree! How cool is that?!

Sadly, we did not stay for Sunday as we had to head back to Nottingham for Dot to Dot Festival — another brilliant weekend filled with incredible artists. Some Bearded Theory acts made appearances there too, including Adult DVD, Lambrini Girls and Bloodworm. Still, I would be lying if I said I was not sad to miss artists like Fat Dog, who always put on a completely unhinged show, and Everything Everything. But considering how incredible the festival had already been up until that point, I have absolutely no doubt Sunday continued the same way.

Bearded Theory once again reminded me why festival season is my favourite time of year. Great music, brilliant people, sunshine, chaos, unforgettable performances and the kind of weekend that leaves you exhausted for days afterwards — but already excited to do it all over again next year.

Bearded Theory took place Wednesday 20^th to Sunday 24^th May 2026. You can explore our full gallery from the festival below.