News

Festival Land's Best Kept Secret Returns

• 24th Mar 2010

Deep in the sleepy Ribble Valley nestled cosily behind the shadow of stunning Pendle Hill, something magical is stirring… The hills are alive with the sound of twinkling synths and a bass line wobbles beneath the pine trees. Festival land’s best kept secret, the amazing Beat-Herder is stretching out her loving arms on 2nd to 4th July for an amazing fifth year to snuggle yet another eclectic crowd into her fine Northern bosom for three days of unrivalled beats and barminess!

With no official sponsorship, no egos, not a scrap of branding and cheap food and local booze all in tow, Beat-Herder is hedonism stripped right down to its underpants! Medieval flags waft in the breeze as colourful crowds dance till dawn amongst the trees and hand made installations to a soundtrack of the finest DJs and bands around.

With everything onsite hand made to the finest detail, Beat-Herder is not about platinum selling artists on huge stages but about creative festival fun and super friendly crowds in intimate and breathtaking surroundings.

Run by six hardy and creative Yorkshire men, Beat-Herder HQ is already a hive of activity and the Beat Herder forest imps are brewing a delectable pot of artistry, nonsense and bonkers comedy for your festival pleasure. The spectacular Beat-Herder workshop is crammed with wood and recycled junk that is being lovingly crafted into the nuts and bolts and weird and wonderful creations that make the breath taking festival site. Think Fred Dibbner with the eccentricity of Heath Robinson and the flamboyancy of Laurence Llewellyn Bowen (the changing rooms years) and you won't be far off some of Beat Herder’s mad creations. Bloomin’ marvellous!

Beat-Herder legend has it that in the beginning there was the Toil Trees where the Toil Sound system brought friends together to party beneath the trees. The landowner was set to cut down the forest but he enjoyed himself so much that he couldn’t bear to chop it down. And so Beat- Herder was born. Growing from a group mates to a sellout 5,000 in 2009, this year will see Beat-Herder grow to a huge 7000 without losing its purist roots. Tickets for 2010 are selling fast, with over 2500 snapped up in the first week alone!

Amongst the acts already confirmed for the back to basics bonanza are band of the moment, South London indie electro pop trio Chew Lips, psychedelic art pop quartet Django Django, incredible reggae outfit Easy Star All stars, lord of the floor filler Alex Metric, Leeds rave veterans Utah Saints and electronic duo Layo and Bushwacka. Also heading into the forest will be the amazing Cagedbaby, West London folk pop boy King Charles and Manchester house heavyweight Krysto amongst others. With many more exciting acts soon to be announced, 2010 is shaping up to be the biggest to date. Watch this space!

And when your legs tire of dancing to this little lot why not check out the amazing extras… Being small and intimate there’s never far to walk but there are still plenty of stages, interactive nonsense and hidden surprises to satisfy even the most curious of Beat-Herders!

Stop of for a brew or a beer at Mikey’s Tea Shack, sit down beneath the hanging baskets on one of the famous Beat-Herder vibrating benches (a favourite with the older lady) or check out Grandad’s room which is back with a brand new look for 2010 and can be found deep in the heart of the forest complete with all manner of surprises and Beat-Herder tomfoolery!

Also back by popular demand for 2010 is the legendary Working Men’s Club. Remember 10p pints, Ford Cortinas, three-day weeks and the miner’s strikes? No? Well neither do we but we like to party like its the 1970s at Beat-Herders very own working men’s club! It has all the glamour of a 70s pit village with added real ale, silliness and glittery blue eye shadow. The working men’s club with play host to the annual “Beat-Herders got Talent.” Again, mad old nana moon will be having a sing a long, there will be bingo, and some top class talent will also be performing!

Easily heard but not as easy to find, the Toil Trees stage which this year has a new and improved crispy clear sound system can be found tucked snuggly amongst the trees, the epicenter of the festival. Get amongst it and dance to the eclectic beats that last throughout the night.

With it’s intimate fun atmosphere and amazing facilities Beat-Herder strikes the perfect balance between ‘up for it crowd’ and family friendly vibe. With a new and improved Kids field and super cheap kid’s tickets, Beat Herder’s of every age are warmly welcomed!