Forwards Festival 2025, held August 23–24 at Clifton Downs in Bristol, unfolded as a choreographed experiment in sound, ideas, and community.
Saturday: Jazz-Infused Beats and Electric Energy
Barry Can’t Swim set the tone with euphoric house layered in jazzy flourishes, building momentum into Ezra Collective’s Mercury Prize-winning fusion of Afrobeat, jazz and hip-hop. Orbital turned the Downs into a pulsating electronic sanctuary, balancing nostalgia with live improvisation, while Confidence Man’s dance-pop exuberance and Happy Mondays’ swagger kept the energy surging. English Teacher, Katy J Pearson, Mount Kimbie and Nilüfer Yanya added atmospheric depth, rounding out a vibrant day.
Sunday: Powerful Voices and Meaningful Moments
An all-female headlining bill – Jorja Smith, Olivia Dean and BRIT Rising Star winners The Last Dinner Party – brought soulful, theatrical performances. Doechii’s cancellation opened space for Nia Archives, who joined a diverse lineup including Fabio & Grooverider with the Outlook Orchestra, Pa Salieu, Squid, Moonchild Sanelly, The Silhouettes Project, Alemida, and Snapped Ankles. The night was rich with texture, blending genres in unexpected but resonant ways.
The Information Stage: Ideas Beyond Music
More than a concert, Forwards also thrives as a cultural forum. The Information Stage featured Munya Chawawa, Carol Vorderman, David Olusoga, and MP Zarah Sultana discussing climate action, cultural politics and creative futures.
Coupled with family-friendly spaces and community-focused design, the festival felt warm, inclusive, and socially aware – true to its ethos of using live music as a force for connection and change.
Forwards 2025 was more than a show: it was a living convergence of sound and ideas. From jazz, electronica and indie to punk and soul, it offered variety with purpose. Audiences weren’t just spectators – they were part of something transformative. Forwards has firmly established itself as one of the most essential and inspiring fixtures of the UK festival season.
words Colette Earley
