Almost hidden on a Leicestershire plateau set at the lofty altitude of 110m above sea level, the lucky few (hundred) can discover a music festival like no other. Without any sign of corporate sponsorship or gimmick, 110 Above exists to create a shared experience, for all ages, based on good music. LeftLion spent two special days there...
As one of 110 Festival's taglines says, "Less intense, more in tents". Everything at this Leicestershire event is centred around making sure the festival experience is stress-free. Does anyone really want their enjoyment of a weekend of music to be marred by fully-laden treks from a distant car park; or by dirty toilets; or having to make do with early morning flannel baths..? At 110, keeping the capacity limited means all camping pitches are pre-allocated, with cars allowed next to tents; there are plenty of showers; proper toilets can be found, as well as portaloos; there are decent play areas for the children; and thoughtful scheduling across the two main stages means there are no heart-rending clashes to navigate.
This year, 110 Above’s ‘intimate’ Thursday featured The Clause as headliners, as well as festival regular Tom A. Smith and northeastern powerhouse Lizzie Esau.
We arrived on Friday, though, when the musical line-up kicked off with the fabulous Robyn Banks, a singer-songwriter from the northeast who was a (very welcome) late addition to the line-up. She played the Gopsall Inn stage, a three-sided, reassuringly solid barn with a well-stocked bar at the rear (it's worth noting for those in the area that there’s live music at this farm pub every week). Her music is centred on tight, emotive melodic vocals laid over jagged rock pop with the edges smoothed off – and her penchant for 6/8 rhythms gives many of her songs a beautiful lilt. Definitely one to watch.
The alternating lineup then began with the action switching to the open-air Old Town Hall stage where Aussie brothers Sametime provided buckets of buzzy energy. Theirs is a likeable brand of light, crispy summertime rock, cheerful but rich and harmonious. Pickles showcased their smoothly mixed sound particularly well.
The first of the weekend’s Nottingham reps stepped up next: after a successful couple of years, Vona Vella seem to possess more confidence, with core members Izzy and Dan helped in large part here by the over-the-top antics of drummer Jake Bott. With Bass Driver’s alternating 3/4 and 4/4 sections and Rosy Cheeks to finish, this was a solid set, well representing our city.
Fletchr Fletchr injected energy into their mid-afternoon slot under dramatic, cloudy skies, with Passenger a standout, bringing an ominous edge to the sweeping sound, all held together by some impressively crisp and tight drumming.
Then, Notts trio GIRLBAND! showed us exactly why they have been hitting the big-time with a standout set packed with honesty and raw, no-nonsense rock spirit. 21st Century Suffragette went down really well, and Georgie could not resist name-dropping the band’s recent Sting support tour ahead of a performance of newer song Halo. Not Like The Rest, with its chugging riffs and soaring vocal lines, was the perfect closing song and sparked a singalong which continued for several minutes after the band had left the stage. For me, this was the day’s high point – a performance from a genuinely special group who defy pigeonholes and are steadily winning new fans wherever they stop off.
Back at the Inn, there was a solid fanbase in place for Nothing Rhymes With Orange who blasted into and through their heavy alt-rock set with sweaty intensity; similarly, many audience members had obviously travelled to see Arkayla who provided a more chipper and diverse sound, adding bass effects and close harmonies to their 90s-influenced guitar-rock.
After a spectacular golden sunset, the main part of Friday was completed by Sports Team who came in buzzing and meaning business and delivered a non-stop set of spicy, fervent, angular fuzzed-up indie. They encouraged a mosh pit in only the second song as well as showcasing Palomino; and their running joke of keyboardist Ben looking miserable (or simply frozen on the spot) following a painful break-up worked well. By the last song though, everyone in the crowd and on stage looked like they were simply having a fabulous time. To be honest, in this gem of a setting it would be hard not to.
Those that stayed up late were treated to a secret-set appearance from Deco and a banging DJ set in a partly-cleared (and sometimes pungent) barn stretching into the early morning hours.
There was a plenty of time for a lie-in, though, before Kiwi and The Masses opened their respective stages around Saturday lunchtime. Among the notably rock guitar-oriented lineup on this second day, The Manatees stood out by elevating their happily-fervent indie tunes with guitar effects and loops, and some honest but cheerful crowd interaction. With Better Way To Think Of It, they ended their set on a high of sweeping synths, powerful fuzz-effect bass and jangly guitars.
Jasper Hodges managed his solo acoustic set well, a visit from festival regulars Pentire was boisterously received.
The Covasettes shone through as consummate professionals, with a set which was feel-good from the start, their sunny tunes bringing hope and some of the best banter of the weekend from frontman Chris Buxton. Stop You There (taken from their new album Honeymoon Forever) was accompanied by a hilarious backstory around Chris’ girlfriend’s furious reaction to the song - which was written about an attractive M&S worker.
And whether or not the mini rubber chickens that began to appear in the crowd during the set had anything to do with The Covasettes hardly mattered – it all added to the fun.
Stepping back, Saturday could have done with more feminine input to break up the line-up (it was a great shame that Fright Years were unable to attend) which is why Chloe Slater felt like such a breath of fresh air here. The subtly darkening early evening slot felt absolutely right for her brand of not-so-sad girl alt-pop.
Slater pelted out Price on Fun with thrilled sincerity: "I try to tell you what I think, but I just feel unable; I chew my cheeks, and hold my tongue" she sang as a crowd gathered. This was followed-up with a simply delivered Mother Nature’s Killing Spree and then War Crimes and a rare moment of political statement.
Tiny Screens and Harriet illustrated two very different parts of modern life, while the spoken word moments of 24 Hours and the powerful yet melodic set closer Fig Tree demonstrated the artist’s versatility. Slater’s debut album is due for release in the autumn and will be promoted with an extensive tour including our own Rescue Rooms on 11 November.
The Pigeon Detectives closed out the day, and the weekend, with a mayhem-packed headline set. If you’ve never seen this band before, it’s hard to fully describe them… but it’s safe to say your most embarrassing uncle’s got nothing on frontman Matt Bowman. Along with the rest of the band, he is clearly out to have a great time and entertain those watching in the process. Whether flinging water into the crowd, grabbing audience members phones or doing a spot of crowd-surfing, Bowman hardly seems to have time to deliver his lyrics – and yet deliver he does. Drawing on a two-decade-spanning catalogue of songs, TPD proved that boundless enthusiasm, solid chord progressions and flamboyance can win and hold a crowd.
Late-night acoustic sets and DJ-produced beats lay in wait for those with the most stamina, but for most visitors 110 Festival had drawn to a memorable close. What the organisers of this festival are doing is very special. Their laser focus on keeping the event friendly, supportive and easy to navigate has not gone unnoticed: everyone I spoke to at 110 this year immediately told me how special the event is to them, and there were plenty who said it is their favourite of all festivals – and it’s easy to see why.
Be sure to join them next year.
All photos by Phil Drury (@2324_photography) and courtesy of 110 Above Festival
110 Above Festival took place at Gopsall Farm from 20-22 August 2026. Keep an eye on 110above.com for details about next year's event.
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