On the 3rd of September, the inaugural Forwards Festival commenced, bringing with it bountiful culture and charm

In the lead-up to Forwards Festival, it seemed as if it was everywhere: signature multicoloured posters brightened up the city, and excited chatter seemed to flood into all of my social circles.

But, when the day finally arrived, anxiety sank in. 

Forwards had commendable values, aiming to transform music festivals into a space for positive change by promising sustainability, affordability, and a space for discussions of social issues. It all just seemed too good to be true. 

And yet, Forwards Festival managed to exceed my expectations completely. 

Bristol’s beloved Clifton Downs were transformed into a musical utopia with a striking atmosphere. People from all walks of life danced together, regardless of background, sexuality, or age; united by their love for music. Being a family-friendly festival, there were even several young children dancing on their parent’s shoulders, enjoying the music just as much as the rest of us. Forwards had two music stages, alongside The Information space, an area with a stage for interviews and discussions, radical booksellers, and several stalls for different social organisations, such as the Bristol Feminist Collective. 

Practicality-wise Forwards excelled (especially for its first year). The festival never once felt over-capacitated, the stages were the perfect distance from each other, and there was a good amount of security staff to feel safe, without suffocation.

In terms of sticking to its promises, Forwards hit the mark for the most part. All of the bars encouraged reusing cups, with a £1 fee for every new cup bought. There was a diverse breakout space for anybody who felt overwhelmed. It could be argued that the promised ‘affordable’ food and drink was a letdown — but it should be taken into account that Forwards is still a festival. 

The first act of the day for us was Charli XCX on Stage One, the festival’s main stage. Charli blessed us with an absolutely astounding set to nobody’s surprise. She performed the perfect mixture of classic fan favourites and songs from her latest album, Crash; bringing every song to life with her effortless confidence and powerful stage presence. It’d be impossible to discuss Charli’s set without shedding some light on her dancers. These dancers were not merely ‘backup’ dancers, but an integral part of the performance, delivering seriously impressive choreography. One of the most notable things about her set, however, was the sheer amount of queer joy in the crowd. A huge portion of Charli’s fanbase is part of the LGBTQ+ community, myself included, on account of her repeated displays of genuine allyship, and simply feel-good pop music. Being in a crowd surrounded by other queer folk, singing along to the artist we all love, was a fundamental queer experience for me. I’ve never felt such a sense of belonging and safety as I did in that Charli XCX crowd. 

Next up on the agenda was the beloved Fred again... The electronic DJ attracted a vast, enthusiastic crowd, and did not disappoint, showcasing his talent with a spectacular set. Unfortunately, the stage’s sound quality let him down. The speakers were simply not loud enough and, even though I was in the crowd, it was hard to hear over people’s conversations — an ironic contradiction to the typical music festival. I’d like to give Forwards the benefit of the doubt on this one, though. Perhaps the low sound quality was to ensure that discussions at The Information stage would not be drowned out by blasting music. However, a middle ground was needed and thankfully reached on the festival’s second day with vastly improved sound, and a still audible information area. 

As the evening commenced, Little Simz took to the main stage, delivering an impressive set full of variety. Simz seamlessly went from sharing poignant anecdotes from her life, emotive lyricism, beautiful high notes and, of course, her renowned rapping. This was topped off by her powerful stage presence, fueled by sheer confidence and audience interaction. 

The Saturday came to a triumphant end with Jamie XX delivering a fantastic electronic set. Unfortunately, the sound once again was lacking, but in no way was Jamie’s performance, which was the perfect send-off to the festival’s opening day. 

The Forwards team were quick to take on feedback and by Sunday the sound quality had improved tremendously overnight. Such a quick turnaround was admirable, especially for a brand new festival. 

When I arrived on Sunday, I stumbled upon Kae Tempest’s set. I hadn’t previously listened to Kae, but after seeing their set I am utterly enthralled. They have such a beautifully poignant way with words and bought these lyrics to life with a raw authenticity that left me absolutely speechless. Their final song, People’s Faces, was one of the most emotional performances I’ve ever seen, leaving me in tears. 

After Kae, I was lucky enough to witness Lawrence Hoo interviewing John Barnes; Exceptionally Black — The Silent Minority. The crowd listened intently as Barnes discussed the nuances of race issues in this country, and how we all could work to make things better. Barnes states that the way forward is for people to recognise their subconscious prejudice and change their behaviours, prompting the same of their friends and families. This self-aware, non-judgemental approach is more likely to enact widespread positive change than pointing fingers at extreme examples of hate. Barnes also drew upon his own experiences within football and highlighted how those in positions of power can and should make a change, following the example of Marcus Rashford. 

Onwards, Spiritualized delivered a surprisingly versatile set; rocking the stage with their new post-punk songs, then later delivering their renowned ethereal sound. The backing vocalists enhanced the set to greater levels, reaching magical notes in effortless synchrony. 

Renowned DJ Caribou performed an utterly electric set. He emitted sleek confidence whilst remaining admirably humble, and ultimately just seemed as though he was having a good time. These positive vibes were projected upon the crowd, with everyone dancing together in sheer euphoria. 

Sunday came to an end with headliners The Chemical Brothers. Their performance was utterly phenomenal, enhanced through groundbreaking visuals. It seemed as though nothing was limited for them, with giant dancing robots being brought onto the stage during their set. This unforgettable audio-visual experience was the perfect finale for such a fantastic festival. 

For its first year, Forwards Festival excelled in every sense of the word. I cannot wait to see what it has in store for us in years to come. If you get the opportunity to attend in the future, I implore you to take it.