Reviews / Forwards Festival
Review: Forwards Festival 2023 (Saturday), the Downs – ‘One of a kind’
The sun was out for the second day of Forwards Festival.
Now in its second year, the festival has firmly cemented itself as one of the best events the city has to offer.
Max Rad kicked things off beautifully in the afternoon, performing an array of his songs including Holding On and Point Me In The Right Direction.
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Mirroring the likes of Caribou and Jamie XX, the electronic artist’s music is both heartfelt and endearing as well as being dancefloor hits. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw him in a few years time in the headline slot at the same festival.
Following on, the day continued to be full of sunshine and good vibes as Obongjayar took to the stage. It was a glorious performance as the Nigerian London based artist performed with his five piece band.
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Fusing hip-hop, soul and undertones of jazz, the musician proved himself to be a natural performer, he took to the stage like Bristol was his home and his energy was infectious.
Musical duo Jockstrap moved us into the electro-pop, alt-indie scene with their lead singer Georgia Ellery’s vocals blending with band member Taylor Skye’s electronic production.
If Oslo Twins are anything to go by, there is certainly a taste for this type of music in the city and it was welcomed with open arms and the duo performed hit after hit.
One of the best things about Forwards Festival is the diversity of genre on this year’s lineup; from electronic dance to an Australian punk band, we were spoilt for choice.
Speaking of Australian punk bands, Amyl & The Sniffers performed an energetic set. Lead singer Amy Taylor dominated the stage, shedding any doubt or shame and infusing the crowd with her energy.
We were split on who to see next; Arlo Parks or Primal Scream. However, it’s fortunate how compact and flat the festival is up on the Downs. Unlike Ashton Court, we don’t have to cover a mass of rolling hills to get from one stage to another.
We managed to watch the beginning of Arlo Parks‘ set which, in one word, beautiful. Her voice is absolutely stunning, washing over us all in the evening sunshine, providing the perfect tonic after a long day that was only just beginning.
We were gutted to leave early but we did want to watch some of Primal Scream‘s set and although it felt a little disappointing after Arlo’s soft and incomporable voice, they were still a lot of fun.
Moving through the hits like the professionals they are and finishing with the crowd favourite, Rocks, it felt like we were watching the afternoon Legends slot at Glastonbury Festival.
Electronic music group, Leftfield, headlined the East Stage. A plethora of stunning electronic and dance hits with an impressive light show along with it, they were a great warm-up to the final headliner of the night.
It was a long-awaited return for Aphex Twin who took to the stage in Bristol for the first time since 2006.
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Known for his innovative and experimental approach to music making alongside incredibly impressive visuals, Aphex Twin put his talent on full display.
The hour and a half set flew by, with the DJ moving us seamlessly through track after track. With the visuals imprinted on your retinas, it was a joy for both the eyes and the ears.
It was another great year for Forwards Festival.
Putting well loved local and international artists and musicians alongside panel discussions, with a focus on their social initiatives to create positive change, it really is one of a kind.
Main photo: @giugliotto
Read next:
- Review: Forwards Festival 2023, the Downs – ‘The party of the year’
- The best of Bristol: Acts to watch at 2023’s Forwards Festival
- ‘Silences is violence, voices have to be heard’: Antonia Cross on the importance of open discussions at festivals
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