Forwards Bristol: The full stage times revealed
Bristol will come to life this bank holiday weekend, as Forwards Festival takes the city by storm. Official set times across August 24th and August 24th have been revealed.
Over the two days, Bristol Downs will welcome a series of huge names from the musical world to the West Country with Barry Can’t Swim and Ezra Collective getting celebrations underway on August 24th on an action-packed day.
Then, it will be welcoming a star-studded cast of female headliners on August 25th with Jorja Smith, Olivia Dean and The Last Dinner Party set to perform.
Despite the last-minute cancellation of Doechii throwing a spanner in the works earlier this week, they have replaced the Grammy-winner with Nia Archives, who will now perform in the American’s absence.
See the full line-up for both days below.
Forwards Bristol – Saturday
On Saturday, the West Stage will welcome the winner of the ‘War Child – Rising’ competition Undici at 12:00 to 12:45. After, Anna Erhard will take the stage at 13:15 to 13:45, followed by Katy J Pearson at 14:30 to 15:15. A little later, Mercury Prize winners English Teacher will take the stage at 16:00 for a 45 minutes.
Hyper-pop duo Confidence Man will bring the fun for almost an hour at 17:30 to 18:25, followed an hour later by Ezra Collective at 19:25 to 20:25, after which headliner Barry Can’t Swim will treat fans to a 90-minute set from 21:25 to 22:55.
Over on the East Stage, the day will begin with Mermaid Chunky at 12:45 until 13:15, after which Ishmael Ensemble & The Rituals Orchestra will play 13:45 to 14:30. Happy Mondays will happily follow at 15:15 to 16:00, after which singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya will bring her mercurial indie-rock to the stage at 16:45 to 17:30.
After almost an hour in between, Mount Kimbie will grace fans with an hour-long set filled with some of the biggest hits from their 2024 album The Sunset Violent, after which Orbital will take the stage for an hour from 20:25 to 21:25, finishing just as Barry Can’t Swim begins.
Throughout the day, attendees can also expect sets from Annie Mac at The Arches, and the likes of Mould and Ava Zarate over at The Information by Night area.
Forwards Bristol – Sunday
On Sunday, the timings shuffle slightly, for a day equally as jam-packed with the hottest indie artists around. Rose Holland will kick things off on the West Stage at 12:00 until 13:00. After, Snapped Ankles will bring their odd energy for a 13:15 to 13:45 set, after which Fabio & Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra will follow up, taking to the stage at 14:30 for an hour set.
Following a small break, Pa Salieu will take to the West Stage at 16:00 – 16:45, followed by an hour-long set by Olivia Dean from 17:30 – 18:30. Nia Archives, who has replaced Doechii after the rapper pulled out of the show, will perform 19:25 – 20:25, after which Jorja Smith will see out the weekend with a huge headline set spanning 21:25 – 22:25.
Over on the East Stage, things look just as promising. The Two Lips will open the day early at 12:45 – 13:15, followed closely by Alemeda at 13:45 – 14:30. The Silhouettes Project will play for 45 minutes from 15:15 to 16:00, followed by Moonchild Sanelly.
Art-rock experimentalists Squid will then deliver an hour-long set from 18:25 – 19:25, sure to be chock-full of glimmering synths and heavy drumming. After an hour break, The Last Dinner Party will perform for an hour, 20:25 – 21:25.
Over the weekend, attendees can opt to attend a panel talk, such as one titled ‘The Movement Forward: Pissed off With Politics’ which includes Carol Vorderman and is headed by Coco Khan.
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