Bearded Theory is coming back to Catton Park in Derbyshire for its sweet sixteenth year – and the line-up is already promising quite the party! Located in the heart of the England, the festival has become a cult-favourite for music fans with a soft spot for punk, folk and all things underground, and is one of the first meeting points of the year for some of the best acts on the British festival circuit. It’s also a festival that places an emphasis on its family-friendly offerings; with an onsite OFSTED registered festival school and festival village for kid ravers. From the 21st May to the 25th May, festival goers will be celebrating an extended bank holiday weekend in style, with performances from some up and coming musical gems and plenty of old school favourites.
Here are some of the acts we’re most excited about…
Iggy Pop
The ‘godfather of punk’ is Bearded Theory’s first headliner and is expected to well and truly show the kids how it’s done. Iggy Pop will be 78 when he takes to the Pallet stage in May, but recent performances have suggested that his primal, punk-rock energy from his days with The Stooges is still there in abundance. This set will be a big one for ticking off bucket lists, and iconic tracks like Lust for Life, Search and Destroy and I Wanna Be Your Dog are bound to get the crowd howling straight back at the legendary rock superstar.
Manic Street Preachers
Welsh alt-rock heroes Manic Street Preachers are no strangers to festival headlining sets, being Glastonbury veterans and previous Reading & Leeds, YNot and T in the Park headliners. They reliably offer a tight production of sing-along Britpop goodness which pairs perfectly with a pint in a muddy Midlands field. Their performance at Bearded Theory will bring back a great big helping of nineties and noughties nostalgia alongside some fresh material from their brand new album Critical Thinking – an album that combines the big riffs you know and love from The Manics with a more mature, wistful tone. Over thirty-nine years, they’ve cultivated quite the loyal fan base with their anthemic indie tunes, so you can expect a sea of faces flocking to the Pallet stage for this one.
Paul Heaton with Rianne Downey
Where Iggy Pop’s set is likely to set the sky alight and kick off the festival with a bang, Paul Heaton’s performance should offer a quintessentially British and beautiful sunset for the festival on the Sunday. Heaton has an impressive back catalogue, with his contributions to The Housemartins and The Beautiful South landing him huge success since the 80s. Joined by Rianne Downey, a Scottish country-folk artist with the voice of an angel and enough stage presence to bounce off Heaton with ease, audiences can expect some beautiful harmonies to add even more warmth to already stellar songwriting from an indie-pop legend.
Sisters of Mercy
The musical education for the Bearded Theory festival school students has not ended yet – goth rock icons Sisters of Mercy are also taking to the stage at Bearded Theory with their unique new-wave and post-punk sounds. The band are known for their dark, biting and theatrical performances packed with plenty of new songs that have not and maybe never will see a recording studio, amidst some of their mighty goth classics from the 80s and early 90s. Andrew Eldritch’s brooding bassy baritone and enigmatic stage presence is something to be admired, and with the talents of Esprit D’Air’s Kai on board adding a new lease of life to the band’s spirit… an exciting performance is to be expected.
Nova Twins
High octane genre-bending punk duo Nova Twins are frequently hailed as the future of rock music, and thus will feel right at home on the Bearded Theory line-up, which simultaneously celebrates the greats and the up and comers. Their multi-award winning album Supernova spread heavy, volatile waves around the industry just as the name suggested with its big sounds influenced by punk, metal, grime and electronic music. Their experimental but always powerful tracks bounce between playful, snarling and empowering, and Georgia South and Amy Love are quickly building a devastatingly exciting reputation as one of the best British acts out there right now. This is a set you definitely shouldn’t miss.
Antony Szmierek
Manchester’s Antony Szmierek combines spoken word with indie, dance and electronica influences to create beautiful depictions of the ordinary and gritty emotional storytelling. His recent album Service Station at the End of the Universe has already got critics ears pricked and will undoubtedly feature on plenty of Album of the Year lists for 2025. His set at Bearded Theory promises, as one of his aptly titled EPs suggests, Poems to Dance To and a celebration of being alive.
Beans on Toast
It’s not festival season without at least one appearance from Jay McAllister aka Beans on Toast. It also would not be Bearded Theory without the folk songwriter, who in recent years has been given the responsibility of hosting the beautiful Woodlands stage on the Saturday, with a line-up of his closest friends and musical compatriots. This year, She Drew the Gun, Bare Jams, Ruby J, Nick Parker, Nualas and Stewart Lee will be joining Beans on Toast under the fairy lights for a special day of folk goodness. With a constant stream of new music released once a year on his birthday, the troubadour always has something new and relevant to say while still bringing along plenty of crowd pleasers from his fifteen years on the road. Expect carefree musings and feel-good singing, dancing and laughing.
Sugarhill Gang and the Furious Five
Bearded Theory is always full of surprises, and with this one the festival keeps to their promise of always offering something a bit different. Sugarhill Gang and the Furious Five are coming to Catton Park to bring a dose of 70s Brooklyn and some true Rappers Delight. Their display of classic hip-hop will be packed with nostalgia, and should be nothing but pure fun in the fields when May comes around. This set will bring something completely different to some of more punk and folk sensibilities found elsewhere on the lineup to keep audiences on their toes. This will be a great opportunity to bust out some moves in the sunshine (fingers crossed!)
CMAT
Irish country-pop star CMAT will also be heading to the festival, alongside her gorgeous lyricism, powerful vocals and bags of wit. This flamboyant performer is bound to capture the hearts of Bearded Theory attendees, with her accessible yet theatrical tales of heartbreak, self-actualisation and exploration. Her often sad lyrics are presented with high saturation, retro stylings and jazz hands in an enthralling and quintessentially CMAT way. There’s nobody else doing it the way that Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson does, which is why her albums Crazymad, for Me and If My Wife New I’d Be Dead are so beloved by fans.
Check out the line-up below!
Tickets for Bearded Theory are on sale now.
