James announced as the Friday night Headliner at Beat Herder Festival

THE BEAT-HERDER FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEFRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINER
JAMES
 
RIBBLE VALLEY, LANCASHIRE
15TH – 17TH JULY 2016

www.beatherder.co.uk
 
PLUS
TODD TERJE LIVE
BOOKA SHADE
CHRONIXX & ZINCFACE REDEMPTION
DIGITALISM
MIIKE SNOW
DONOVAN

A GUY CALLED GERALD / ANDHIM / B.TRAITS / CLAUDE VONSTROKE  DERRICK CARTER / DOORLY / FORMAT:B / GENERAL LEVY / GREG WILSON  JAUZ / JESSE ROSE / JUSTIN MARTIN / MARSHALL JERFERSON  
MR SCRUFF / RITON / SONNY FODERA / STANTON WARRIORS  
TC FEAT MC JAKES

BEARDYMAN FT MCS LEEN & SEROCEE / DUB PISTOLS 
EASY STAR ALL STARS / GENTLEMANS DUB CLUB
& many more

COMEDY LINE UP:
TOM STADE, ROB RUSE, FERN BRADY, JACK EVANS

 

 

Beat Herder Festival 2015 – Review

The Beat Herder prides itself on being a festival like no other and has firmly established itself as one of the best festivals of the summer, constantly evolving and improving. 17 lovingly crafted stages set across the Ribble Valley site in Lancashire catered for all types of music taste.  Each year there’s the promise of new arena to wet your appetite. This year that was Trash Manor, which got an upgrade from a red & yellow stripy tent to a stately manor complete with a roman style fountain and grinding robots.

What I love most about this festival is the attention to detail. It’s in abundance everywhere, from the flower boxes to site signage, to my favourite hangout – Quality Street (a street complete with a sweetshop, barbers, tattooist, garage, hotel and a parish church). The whole site is built from reclamation yards and the organisers positively encourage punters to explore the every nook and cranny, after all it’s not just about the music.

The DIY ethic is also noticeable in the refreshing absence of corporate sponsorship and that’s how fans want to keep it. This year however, heritage drinks brand Jägermeister unveiled their new festival experience ‘Unearthed’.  Jägerhaus comprised four separate spaces that offered festival-goers an immersive experience which differs between night and day to reveal secret rooms and passages. The two story wooden shack had a Germanic mountain lodge feel and complete with hexagonal pool table and funky stags heads. There were notable sets from Raff Daddy (2 bears) and Mike Skinner over the weekend, though the venue never quite set the festival alight in its promise. Is this a sign that Beat Herder losing their independent roots, I sincerely hope not….

Matt Whalley from Blackburn said “Beat Herder was amazing as per usual but no more expansions please. Stay true to your loyal fans and don’t go commercial.”

This years Beat Herder was a special one…. their tenth birthday and they invited some of original line up back to celebrate it with them. It’s hard to believe that only ten years ago that Beat Herder was a little known 1,200 capacity rave in the woods. Those numbers have swelled to 15,000, and it’s the wide range of music, and the lovely Lancashire charm that keeps people coming back year on year. Lifers even dedicate their love with a BH sheep logo tattoo. I was tempted myself…but maybe next year.

The main arena opened at 4pm on Friday, giving punters a chance to set up, acclimatise and get pretty drunk by the time the first acts came on. Over the weekend we saw a good caliber of acts from local bands to well-known international dance artists. Here are my highlights.

As Friday evening fell UK base artist Melé & frequent collaborator Slick Don played to young and hyped crowd in Pratty’s Ring. Belting out a host of heavyweight euphoric dance tunes Slick Don urged people to get on shoulders and rise above the crowds. Melé has been steadily rising in the ranks due to his quick mixing style and increasing radio play of his summery anthen Ambience, earning the support of Annie Mac, Mista Jam and Pete Tong.

Securing a huge electronic dance act such as the Basement Jaxx must have been no mean feat for the organisers and what better way to celebrate their 10th anniversary.  The Jaxx did not disappoint as they brought their carnival-esque and energetic show to close Friday’s proceedings on the main stage. They ran through their galaxy of hits from Where’s Your Head At, Good Luck, Red Alert, Do Your Thing, Raindrops, as well as showcasing material from their new album Junto Never Say Never. It seemed as if the whole of beat herder, young and old were bouncing in the air to the finale to Bingo Bango. A job well done.

If you’ve ever seen A. Skillz live you know the man is a wizard on the decks. On Saturday evening the DJ extraordinaire set The Fortress alight with a pounding wave of scratching, sampling and mixing, fusing together, hip-hop, dance, breaks, DnB, soul, funk and disco. We heard mash-ups of everything from Eurhythmics, Nirvana, Damien Marley, The Champs, Route 94, Brookes Brothers. Too many hands-in-the-air moments to mention, and with fire canons lighting up the crowd, this was ASkillz at his very best and it was ridiculously good.

I seem to follow the same pattern each year, and 2015 was no exception; swing dancing on Sunday morning followed by a jerk chicken in the sunshine, then over to the Toil Trees stalwart Mr Scruff’s for one of his legendary 5 hour sets. Accompanied by Mc Kwasi’s cheery infectious nature, his chilled out vibes make you want to smile & dance. He starts off with some more laid back grooves, that build to a more jungle funk to a trip-hop vibe. Towards the end of the set most people are waving their hands in the air and singing along to ‘Hot 8 Brass Band’s – Sexual Healing’. Like A.Skills there are no genres that he won’t touch jazz, motownesque horns, funk, hip hop, ska, reggae, disco and house are all up for his treatment. Sunday’s are made for this.

The sun shone gloriously in the afternoon Crazy P took to the main stage. Championing disco-house vibes lead singer Danielle’s big personality and on stage energy adds a huge amount to their live band performances. She high-kicks the crowd out of their final day sluggish state showcasing their latest offerings from the excellent ‘Walk Dance Talk Sing’ – Cruel Mistress’, Scrap the book, Like a Fool, Hear my Song, The Come On; as well as throwing in some crowd pleasing older favourites ‘Love on the Line andEruption’.

Caroline Greener from Leeds said “Crying with laughter multiple times, warm crowds, dancing till my feet hurt, being with an amazing group of friends in a magical place where rainbows live and fireworks fill up your eyes. Thanks beatherder!”

This is my fourth year of herding beats in Sawley. I almost don’t want to publish this review for others to see. I want to keep this wonderful festival for the few thousand in the know. When something’s this good it would be rude to share, surely….

Beat Herder tickets sell out as it celebrates its 10th year.

Northern England’s most cherished festival, Beat-Herder in Lancashire, has sold out of all 12,000 tickets with 2 weeks to go. 

Selling out in advance has become something of a given for the festival, which celebrates its landmark 10th anniversary this year. This will be the 9th year in a row that all tickets have gone in advance. 

In other exciting news, legendary British electronic-duo Leftfield have been announced as Sunday night headliners. They will be closing the festival on Beat-Herder's main stage and replace Sugarhill Gang, who have sadly had to postpone due to health issues.

From humble free party origins to an annual three-day 12,000 capacity bonanza with a legion of devout fans, Beat-Herder is a rare find in today’s climate: a staunchly independent festival that stays true to its roots, completely shunning all corporate sponsorship or branding. 

"We're over the moon about having yet another sell out event; our 9th in a row! We're looking forward to an amazing and very special 10th birthday with some surprises in store, and which is looking set for, dare I say it, great weather too." Nick Chambers, Beat-Herder Festival founder.

beatherder.co.uk 

Lineup completed for this years Beat Herder Festival

In 2015, Northern England’s most cherished festival, Beat-Herder in Lancashire will celebrate their 10th birthday – a landmark anniversary that marks their journey from humble free party origins to an annual three-day 12,000 capacity bonanza with a legion of devout fans. Described by The Guardian as ‘wonderfully barmy and typically northern’, Beat-Herder is a rare find in today’s climate: a staunchly independent festival that stays true to its roots, completely shunning all corporate sponsorship or branding.
 
Today, Beat-Herder announces the final wave of acts rounding up the bill for the special 10th anniversary edition. Closing the festival on the main stage on Sunday night is celebrated British rock band, The Levellers. The 90s favourites will end the 10th birthday festivities with their own nostalgic blend of folk-punk in a return to the big stage.
 
A dance festival at heart, with its roots firmly in electronic music old and new, Beat-Herder Festival looks set to continue its history of programming dance music’s finest, with a tour de force final wave of acts including DJ, producer, remixer, club promoter and label founder Erol Alkan and his Phantasy cohort and Fabric residentDaniel Avery. Also confirmed is 2020Vision head honcho Ralph Lawson and distinguished drum and bass stalwart turned in-demand house and techno producerTrevino.
 
Baltimore native and house / disco legend Maurice Fulton will be joining the 10th anniversary celebrations alongside more locally sourced homegrown talents including Tim Sheridan who has a long history playing at and promoting warehouse beach parties in Ibiza and his own Veryverywrongindeed parties across Europe and the UK. Disco legend Greg Wilson will headline the Trailer Trash stage on Sunday night while live disco funkers Crazy P are confirmed to play the main stage on Sunday.
Over the last decade, Beat-Herder has come to be known for its unrivalled attention to detail when building the site. Built entirely from scratch by hand, the festival houses all manner of surprises at every twist and turn. Each year unexpected new areas magically appear for festival-goers to stumble upon. Last year’s new additions included a swimming pool in the woods, housed in a Scandinavian style wooden cabin, complete with changing rooms and lifeguards and The Ring, a huge earth mound with a Stonehenge-esque entrance.
 
This year Beat-Herder was crowned winner of the Extra Festival Activity Award at the UK Festival Awards, an award that recognises events that paid that extra bit of attention to detail that creates a magical and unforgettable festival experience.

FULL LINE UP (ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
 
08:58 / 2 BAD MICE / 47 SOUL / A-SKILLZ / AFRIQUOI / ANDREW WEATHERALL / ANDROID SISTERS / ANDY PYETT / ANNIE TT / ARCTIC LAKE / BASEMENT JAXX / BIG JIM / BLAENAVON / BLISS ZION / BODIE / BOE & LEE / BOMBSTRIKES / BORN IN A BARN / BOXED IN / BY THE RIVERS
CAMPO / CAPTAIN HOTKNIVES / CATZ N DOGZ / CAUSA / CHAPTER 4 / CHEZTIKOV BROS  / GOAT BOY / CHRIS HOLT / COJO / CRAZY P / DANIEL AVERY / DAVE ANGEL / DEAN MCPHEE / DJ CLUMSY / DJ FFLYFFILYFBYBL / DOHNUT / DOPE TRIK / DREADZONE / DREAM THEMES / DRUM MACHINE / DUB DADDA / DUB PISTOLS / DUB REAKTION / DUB SMUGGLERS / DUTTY MOONSHINE / EARTHDOCTOR / EATSTATIC / ED STONES & THE BD3 / EDDIE EARTHQUAKE / EROL ALKAN / FATHER FUNK / FEATURECAST / FIRE BENEATH THE SEA / FOLKESTRA / FOXES FAUX / FRASER TT / FREAKY BITCHES / FREESTYLERS LIVE / GHOST CULTURE / GOOD FOXY / GRAEME PARK / GREAT SCOTT / GREG WILSON / GRIFFS MAGIC THEATRE / GRINNY GRANDAD / HECTOR BIZERK / HENGE / HORSE PARTY / INDIANIC / INSTRUMENT OF JAH / ITAL GUIDANCE / J BEAR & THE GIANTS / JAM TIDY / JAMBEATER / JAMES ATKIN / JAMES HOLROYD / JERAMIAH FERRARI / JOHN THE BAPTIST / JOHN TREE / JOHNNY CLASH / JON DASILVA / JUSTIN ROBERTSON / K-KLASS / KARL ROSCOE / KASSASSIN STREET / KEN EVIL / KIRAN LEONARD / KRYSKO/ LORD / LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS / LAWLESS / LAZY SUSAN / LINDSAY TT / LOO & PLACIDO / LOWDOWN DJ'S / LUMBERJACKS / LUNALOOP / LYONS & LA ZEL / MAR / CONSTANTINE / MARK TURNER / MARTEN HORGER / MARTHA REEVES / MATT MONTEZ / MATT PLYFORD / MATT TDK / MATTY B / MAURICE FULTON / ME & MY FRIENDS
/MESSENGER / MIAOUX MIAOUX / MIRANDA ARIEH / MISSKITTYFLIP / MISTAJAM / MISTER TOOLEY / MISTI VALENTINE / MOFO & BOZO / MOLLY TILSTON / MOOQEE / MOOSE FUNK SQUAD / MOUSE OUTFIT / MR BENN LIVE / MR SCRUFF / MR SWITCH / NAZIM ZIRYAB / NIGHTMARES ON WAX / PADDY STEER / PALACE / PAPA SHANTI MEETS NEMA KUTA / PAPER CRANES / PAROV STELAR / PAT TRASH TT / PAUL TAYLOR / PAUL THORNTON / PAUL WOOLFORD / PBR STREETGANG / PEACH TT / PETE FOXON'S SOUL TRAIN / PHIL HARTNOLL / PIMPSOUL / PLUMP DJS / PORT ISLA / RALPH LAWSON  / RED EYE HIFI / RED J TT / RED TIN DAVE / RICHARD NORRIS / ROSS ALLEN / RUBBER KAZOO / RUM JIG / RUSS CUBAN / SACHA SCHWARTZ / SAM AND THE WOMP / SEAN P / SHIBA SAN / SIMON SCOTT DIMENSIONS / SKUTCH MANOS / SOLANA / SPAT-CHILLA / STEF M  / STEVE THORPE / SUGARBEAT RESIDENTS / SUGARHILL GANG / SWING DANCE / TANTRUM DESIRE / TELEGRAM / THE KAYANITES / THE LEVELLERS / THE PIRATONES / TIM SHERIDAN / TIRIKILATOPS / TREVINO / UNDERGROUND ROOTS / UTAH SAINTS / VANILLA ACE / VIEKA / WILL JOSEPH COOK / YOUTH CLUB / ZION TRAIN

 

Introducing The Maison D’Etre, the new stage at Beat Herder Festival

Following the announcement a couple of weeks back about The Fortress, a formidable 60 ft long corrugated steel rave stronghold complete with huge turrets and a DJ booth in the loft, Beat-Herder a delighted to reveal the second new stage for 2013 – The Maison D’Etre.
Unlike The Fortress which features a huge soundsystem and an exclusively DJ led line up, The French themed Maison D’Etre will play host to Beat-Herder’s strong new bands contingent, featuring the likes of hotly tipped buzzy acts such as Public Service Broadcasting, TOY, Temples, To Kill a King, Sicknote, Roosevelt, Concrete Knives and many more.
At 15m squared and channelling rural French peasant chic, with quaint shutters and washing lines, the Maison D’Etre will provide an intimate setting to see the next big things and is a welcome addition to the festival.

Groove Armada

Full 2013 Line Up:

GROOVE ARMADA DJ SET / BURAKA SOM SISTEMA / JIMMY CLIFF / CHIC FEATURING NILE RODGERS / BOOKA SHADE LIVE / NORMAN JAY MBE / FEED ME DJ SET / JAGUAR SKILLS / KISSY SELL OUT / STANTON WARRIORS / MISTAJAM / RONI SIZE AND DYNAMITE MC / SHACKLETON LIVE / TOM STARR / BANCO DE GAIA LIVE + DJ SET / CLEAN BANDIT / KORMAC’S BIG BAND / MR SCRUFF / GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB / BONDAX / TEMPLES / TO KILL A KING / SKINNY LISTER / FEATURECAST / PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING / CONCRETE KNIVES / GRINNY GRANDAD / MUMBAI SCIENCE / DUB PISTOLS DJ SET

SLAMBOREE / PRINCE FATTY FT. THE HORSEMAN / SHARAM JEY / THE OTHER TRIBE / ROOSEVELT / TOY / EDU IMBERNON / JUSTIN ROBERTSON / ELITE FORCE / JON CARTER / UTAH SAINTS / RENNIE PILGREM / SUNS OF ARQA / SHEPDOG / MR BENN / DAN CROLL / JOE DRISCOLL & SEKOU KOUYATE / CUT LA ROC / ONLY JOE / BARRY ASHWORTH / BEANS ON TOAST

IDJUT BOYS / DIZRAELI & THE SMALL GODS / DUB MAFIA / FREEFALL COLLECTIVE / PAUL TAYLOR / D.A.V.E. THE DRUMMER / EDDY TEMPLE MORRIS / JOSH WAVE / DOCTOR & THE MEDICS / KRYSKO / THE SQUATTERS / RANDOM HAND / LOW DOWN & DIRTY DJS / THE INEXPLICABLES / EXTRA LOVE / CAZAL / GIDEON CONN / USHTI BABA / SOUND ASSEMBLEY / THE DARLINGTONS / FORMBY IN DA CLUB / THE SQUIRE OF GOTHOS / DANKLE

CABLE STREET COLLECTIVE / DUB DADDA (ZION TRAIN) / FATHER FUNK / GEMMA FURBANK / GINNY KOPPENHOL / THE IMPRINTS / JOSH P (STYLUS) / MOUNTAIN OF LOVE / THE RAGAMUFFINS / ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS / SICKNOTE / THEPETEBOX / COLOUR THE ATLAS

OLIVIA FERN / DOHNUT / KARL ROSCOE / BISCUITHEAD & THE BISCUIT BADGERS / WOLFIE RAZMATAZZ / TOM JARVIS / BANE / PAUL THORNTON / CHRIS HOLT / THE 59ERS / TICKER LE PUNK / UNDERGROUND ROOTS FT. DAN MAN & BONGO CHILLI / 1ST AIDE / JOHNNY CLASH / AXIS SOUNDSYSTEM / DUB SMUGGLERS / LA LA AND THE BOO YA / TOM JARVIS / STACEY COHEN / LEWIS GARLAND / NATHAN BALL / CLAYTON BLIZZARD / THE YUYA

BENTLEY RHYTHM ACE DJ SET / CAPTAIN HOTKNIVES / RUSS CUBAN / MONSTER CEILDH BAND / MOOQEE / VELVET STREAM / GEORGE EZRA / TOO MANY T'S / CLUB SMITH / EXTRA CIRRICULAR / TONI JARVIS / THE LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS ACOUSTIC CONQUISTADOR / DUTTY MOONSHINE / EDDIE EARTHQUAKE & THE TREMORS / THE RESONATORS

ANGIE DA SILVA / BANANA DAVE / CHAPTER 4 / COJO / DANEJAH & RAGGA RAGGA / DR CUMBFYNSTEIN / IRIE VIBES / JAMBEATER / JAYNEY MAC / JIMI JIM BOB / MATT BUGGINS / MATTY B / MESSENGER SOUND SYSTEM / NORTHERN SCHOEY / OLD BOY / POM / PRINCE LIUIJAH / RAMON JUDAH / ROOTS LAB INT RADIO DJS / SMEGS / SPAT / STEVE BARKER / STEVE JARVIS / STRICTLY BUSINESS / THE FARMER / THE PROPER NORTH / TIM FORRESTER

WOLFIE ELECTROSWING / RUM JIG / ED STONES & THE BD3 / FOXES FAUX / CORPORATE TRAMPS / JAMES KELLY / AGE OF GLASS / ANDY CAPS FUNKY DISCO / FIRE BENEATH THE SEA / PEPPER JAM / EMMOTT & THE FOLKESTRA BUNTY  / SILVER TORTOISE / HANG PROJECT / KALIKA / THE WONDERFUL SOUND OF THE CINEMA ORGAN / RIDERS IN THE SKA / STEE BOWDEN / KING SUMMAT / WAKA / RED TIN DAVE / GLYN BAILEY / TOOLEY / LOUISE & THE RIGHTEOUS BEES / STAGGER LEE FISHER / JONNIE COMMON / ADAM & PIWI / AGE OF GLASS / WISEGOLDFISH / WOLFSON & WINTERS / JAMIE BREWER / PHIL SMITH / BLOWJANGLES / EARTH DOCTOR / ALL WE ARE / DANIELLE & COWBELL / PURPLE TURTLE / RUBBER KAZOO

 THE BAR STEWARD/ GRITTY BRITAIN / SONS OF VAL DOONICAN / WOODEN MACHINE / LOVE EM TOUCH EM SQUEEZE EM / SKINNY DJ / THE YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS / NANA MOON / BREAKBEATROOT / MISS MCQ

Kraak and Smaak, System 7 and more for Beat-Herder Festival

 

Heading to Lancashire’s Ribble Valley for a UK festival exclusive will be The Netherlands’ finest electronic live act Kraak & Smaak. The Dutch trio will be headlining the coveted Beat-Herder Sunday evening slot along with their full live band. XFM’s Eddy Temple Morris will be entertaining the Friday evening crowds with the Sugarbeat Club in the woods along with Lancashire born DMC champion DJ Woody. Ambient techno outfit System 7 have also been added to the Saturday line- up with Jalapeno Sound System providing the funky beats on Sunday evening in the woods.

The aptly name Rajazzle Tent will see additions of Stealing Sheep , Mr Woodnote and Lil Rhys and Middleman and venue Trailer Trash will see additions Drum Machine (as featured on Britain’s Got Talent), The 59ers and Dub Smugglers. STUMBLEFUNK have added Skittles’n’that and Extra Love plus there will be DJ sets from Steve Thorpe and Ken Evil Vs Compa. Venues Smokey Tenticles and The Perfumed Garden Stage will welcome a host of DJs and live acts and the Bushrocker Hifi will play home to a plethora of DJs spinning roots, reggae and dub including Asher G- The Rocksteady Daddy who will be a sure fire hit with his blend of rare, raw and hardcore ja music.

These additions join the previously announced Saturday headliners, British electronic pioneers Orbital, dub king Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, legendary French house producer Etienne de Crecy and Euro pop perfection Black Lace who will be performing in the Working Men’s Club. Making their UK festival debut will be The Parov Stelar Band who will be entertaining the crowds with a full six piece band. Psychedelic rock, electronica and techno will come courtesy of Death In Vegas , ska kings The Beat, Drum and Bass legend Goldie, Border Community founder James Holden, label mate Nathan Fake, and Ninja Tune’s finest export Mr Scruff further make up The Beat-Herder’s varied and carefully considered line up, which can be read in its entirety below.

Complete Line- Up

Aeroplane

Barry Ashworth

Black Lace

Captain Hotknives

CODA

D/R/U/G/S

Death In Vegas

Delorean Drivers

Discopolis

DJ Sneak Beats

Dooks

Drum Machine

Drymbago

Dub Jazz Sound System

Dub Smugglers

Earthdoctor

Eddie Earthquake & The Tremors

Electric Swing Circus

Ellen & The Escapades

Ennio Maccaroni

Etienne De Crecy

Extra Love

Fake Blood

Freestylers (DJ Set)

Frisky & Mannish

Girl Unit

Goldie

Grinny Grandad Live

Ivan Campo

Jake Bugg

Jalapeno Sound System

James Holden

Japenese Popstars Dj Set

Jinx in Dub

Johnny Powell

Kajamor Family

Kate Fear

Keep the Drummer Happy

Ken Evil Vs Compa

Kiki deVille & The Cadillacs

King Charles

Kitten & The Hip

Kora Fula

Kraak & Smaak

Krysko

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry

Middleman

Mooqee (Bombstrikes)

Mr Cottonhouse

Mr Woodnote and Lil Rhys

Mrs Cakehead

Nathan Fake

Nubiyan Twist

Orbital

Pariah

Parov Stelar Live

Phil Smith

Pilooski

Ponies

Red Tin Dave

Rudimental

Rumour Has It

Shantytown Junction

Shepdog (NICE UP!)

Skittles’n’that

Slamboree

Smerins Anti Social Club

Spiral Scouts

Stealing Sheep

Steve Thorpe

STUMBLEFUNK- live

Sunday Afternoon Toil Trees session with Mr Scruff & MC Kwasi

System 7

The 59ers

The Banana Sessions

The Beat

The Drop

The Orb Sound System

The Other Tribe

The Whip

The Wonderful Sound of the Cinema Organ

Tidal Beats drum workshop

Toni Jarvis (Toolroom)

Undercover Hippy

United Vibrations

Utah Saints

Yes Sir Boss

Leftfield’s Leftism comes to Beat Herder Festival 2011

 

Leftfield’s Head Honcho Neil Barnes says “I am very happy to be playing at Beat Herder this year. Feels like I am coming home!” It is a great honour to be on the same bill as Simian Mobile Disco and Andrew Weatherall amongst all the other great acts. Can’t Wait!”
 
left fieldLast year, Leftfield took the Live show on the road after years in hibernation and we are so excited that the Ribble Valley is going to experience what has only been described as a ‘mind blowing visual and aural feast’
 
Dance music’s underground heroes Dreadzone are the next act to be added to this burgeoning bill, along with Acid House legend Greg Wilson, DJ du jour Doorly. Going back to our roots on the reggae tip are The Selecter featuring Pauline Black and Gaps Hendrickson and original Rude Boy Neville Staple.
 
Deep in the heart of sleepy Ribble Valley something magical is on the boil! The festival gears and wheels have been slowly turning all through the winter and preparation for the best Beat-Herder yet is well under way.
 
500 Early Bird tickets sold out in a record 5 minutes! Full priced weekend tickets are now on sale for £85. This year children tickets are £15! Run by six hardy and creative Yorkshire men, preparation for the ‘best one yet’ is well under way! Beat-Herder HQ is already working over time cooking up a ruddy delectable pot of artistry, nonsense and Beat-Herder barminess for your fun packed festival pleasure. Oo err! The spectacular Beat-Herder workshop is already crammed with wood and recycled junk that is being lovingly crafted into the nuts and bolts of the madcap creations that make the breath taking festival site.
This year we have been working on beautifying the woodland, ready for a new and intriguing area has already begun, there’s a lot of work involved, but we’re really excited, it’s going to be ‘quality’.
 
And our fancy dress frenzy is being announced too.. Friday is Flower Power day to bring some colour, joy peace and love to Beat-Herder for you and your lovely petals. Saturday night is Everything begins with an E! Think Eggboxes, ET, Eskimos, Elephants, ETC ETC! oooh how Exciting! 
 
With zero official sponsorship, no egos and not a scrap of branding in sight Beat-Herder is not about platinum selling artists on huge stages but about creative festival fun, locally sourced food and booze (at cheap as chips prices) and the friendliest most up for it crowds this side of the Pennines!
 
Beat-Herder legend has it that in the beginning there was the Toil Trees where the Toil Sound system brought friends together to party beneath the trees. The landowner was set to cut down the forest but he enjoyed himself so much that he couldn’t bear to chop it down. And so Beat- Herder was born and has grown from strength to strength! 2010 saw Beat-Herder scoop the runner up prize for ‘Best Dance Event’ at the UK Festival Awards and this year looks set to be the biggest to date!
 
With hay stacks more of amazing DJs and live acts soon to be revealed watch this space as Beat-Herder 2011 is going to be a goodun’!
 
And that folks is definitely not all! When your legs tire of dancing to this little lot why not check out the amazing extras… Being small, intimate and perfectly formed there’s never far to walk but there are still plenty of stages, interactive nonsense and hidden surprises to satisfy even the most curious of Beat-Herders!
 
Stop of for a brew or a beer at Mikey’s Tea Shack, sit down beneath the hanging baskets on one of the famous Beat-Herder vibrating benches (a favourite with the older lady) or check out one of the many magical surprises hidden around every corner. Last years Granma’s Launderette hidden deep in the trees through a 20m long tunnel was a massive hit and this year the BH crew are thinking bigger so watch this space!
 
Also back by popular demand for 2011 is the legendary Working Men’s Club. Remember 10p pints, Ford Cortinas, three-day weeks and the miner’s strikes? No? Well neither do we but we like to party like its 1970 at Beat-Herders very own working men’s club! It has all the glamour of a 70s pit village with added real ale, silliness and glittery blue eye shadow. The working men’s club with play host to the annual “Beat-Herders got Talent (judged last year by Coronation Street’s very own Jannis Battersby).” And again, mad old nana moon will be having a sing a long, there will be bingo, and some top class talent will also be performing! 
 
Easily heard but not as easy to find, the Toil Trees stage which this year has a new and improved crispy clear sound system can be found tucked snuggly amongst the trees, the epicenter of the festival. Get amongst it and dance to the eclectic beats that last throughout the night.
 
With it’s intimate fun atmosphere and amazing facilities Beat-Herder strikes the perfect balance between ‘up for it crowd’ and family friendly vibe. With a new and improved Kids field and super cheap kid’s tickets, Beat Herder’s of every age are warmly welcomed!
 
More amazing acts and madness soon to be announced so watch this space!