FORWARDS Festival 2022
FORWARDS Festival made its debut to Clifton Downs for a weekend of outspoken artistry, outrageous fun and engaging musicianship.
Nineties trance inspired duo Overmono had my ears pricking up far from the festival gates. It sounded inviting, rowdy and hypnotic all at once. Saturday’s second stage was reserved for ravers. It was a strong introduction to a festival that looked to offer something a little outside of your bog-standard Brit fest.
Kojey Radical took to the stage with bravado, backed by slick hip-hop instrumentals and a guitarist whose playing could’ve melted the barriers if he wanted to. It was a great showcase for the talent coming out of London with a distinct combination of grime and poetry. The man knows how to put on a show, effortlessly moving between musician and visual artist.
Fresh from a Boiler Room set with 4.8 million views and counting, Fred Again drew one of the largest crowds of the weekend. There was a strong feeling that we might just be watching an artist on a meteoric rise in the public eye. After producing for Eminem, Ed Sheeran and FKA Twigs, Fred Again’s talent wasn’t really up for question. In a lively and entertaining performance that highlighted his vocal ability and skill on the piano, his new single with Swedish House Mafia ‘Turn on the Lights Again’ was an undeniable win with the crowd.
Little Simz has made waves both musically and politically in recent years and you could see exactly why on Saturday’s main stage. Draped in a slouchy electric blue and orange sweater, her distinctive, passionate performance boosted the atmosphere with lyricism that was intimate, joyful and profound. “I hope Cleo Sol comes on stage” could be heard echoing from each corner of the Downs. Sadly, she did not, but even a pre-recording was enough for the duet to put the hairs on the back of your neck firmly on end.
Powering through a broken speaker in his headline slot, Jamie XX was a bit of lackluster experience for us punters not partying in the front rows. It was the only technical hiccup I saw and I’ll credit this success to FORWARDS’ team also being responsible for festivals like Loves Saves the Day. The set itself, however, could hardly be faulted. It really was a whistle stop tour of what a festival crowd wants from a DJ.
Kae Tempest carried the heart of Little Simz over to Sunday’s second stage with evermore mesmerising instrumentals and profound spoken word. Preaching from there gut, they reflected the festival’s ‘FORWARDS thinking’ ideas of social justice as the Informational Panel hosted an array of activists and poets just a stone's throw away.
My concerns of a mosh pit-less FORWARDS were washed away by Sleaford Mods. It was a mosh that was dignified and dad-fuelled. Instrumentalist Andrew Fearn looked like he was having a damn good time and when you sound that good, you deserve to be. Jason Williamson, Nottingham’s rage-fuelled genius, was on top form, spitting out quips that would have any Tory politician looking for the exit.
Now an art-pop icon in her own right, Roisin Murphy graced the main stage on Sunday evening. She blitzed through her hits with the same tenacity as her costume changes, usually including at least one sartorial switch-up per song. ‘Sing It Back’ is the type of tune that could bridge nearly any age gap and Murphy sings it with the same joyful defiance as back in 1999. Her voice is smokey, gravelly even, setting her apart from her peers. Disco with some grit, you know?
Bringing FORWARDS to a close was The Chemical Brothers, responsible for some of the best electronic music of the last thirty years. It’s hard to describe their set as anything other than a spectacle. The visuals were inspiring and completely bonkers. You know it's a good set when you’re slack-jawed looking at two robots descend on to the stage, praying on us all from rave-heaven. The duo and the crowd were on top form, celebrating 48 hours of exhilarating music and far less rain than expected.
FORWARDS served as a bold, exciting and engaged farewell to what little is left of Bristol’s festival season. A diverse array of musicians paired with a core of social-justice made it a distinctly Bristolian festival that is one to watch.
Words: Ollie Chard
