Bearded Theory

Bearded Theory is a family orientated music festival that takes place every May in the Derbyshire countryside. The festival is organised by volunteers and was first held in 2008 to celebrate a birthday. Bearded Theory is an independent festival, with no corporate sponsorship or branding and was awarded the ‘Best Independent Festival’ in 2011 by AIM Music Awards and The festival has six stages which are the large orbit Pallet Stage, The Woodland Stage, the dance tent Magical Sounds, Something Else Big Top Stage, Something Else Tea Tent and a Cinema tent.

History

Bearded Theory began at the Knockerdown Public House, near Carsington Water in 2008. Held over two nights, it overloaded the capacity of the venue. Bands included 3 Daft Monkey’s, who have remained as the festivals house band, Dreadzone, Tarantism & Hobo Jones & the Junkyard Dogs.

In 2009 the Festival was held at 30 acre Lumb Farm in Hulland Ward. During the festival a tornado tore through the festival site, uprooting stalls, tents and the Main stage and also did damage to the second stage. The organisers continued the festival and an alternative stage was erected in the bar and the festival continued, with music from Goldblade, The Saw Doctors and Hawkwind, and others as wekk as Magical Sounds dance tent.

The 2010 festival was substantially larger, selling out and filling the 30 acres available and by 2011 a new site again had to be found. The organizers arranged with the National Trust for the festival to be held at Kedleston Park within Kedleston Hall in Derby, an 800 acre parkland.

By 2012 the crowd of festival goers had grown to about 10,000, over 500 hundred acts had played at the festival, including King Blues, The Wonder Stuff, New Model Army, Banco De Gaia, The Waterboys, Athlete, The Orb, Wheatus, Adam Ant and the Damned.[1][2]

The 2013 line-up included, with The Levellers, Reverend & Makers, Asian Dub Foundation,[3] New Model Army, A Guy Called Gerald, The Farm, Maroon Town, The Destroyers and Gallon Drunk[4] across six stages.[5][6] There was also an "Unsigned Bands Contest".[7]

In 2014 the festival moved once again to Catton Hall, and attracted a larger crowd.[8] Performing bands included Merry Hell.[9] The festival's organizers won the Promoter of the Year award at the UK Festival Awards.[10]

Bearded Theory is a family oriented festival.[11] It includes a workshop area[12] and a one acre children's village called Angel Gardens with hundreds of activities and entertainment.

References

  1. ↑ Bearded Theory music festival at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire | Derby Telegraph
  2. ↑ Bearded Theory Review. Coral Rose Radio
  3. ↑ "Asian Dub Foundation review – forceful but also funny ". The Guardian.
  4. ↑ Bearded Theory Festival 2013 - review
  5. ↑ Bearded Theory Festival 2013 Introduce Line Up For 17th - 19th May | Contactmusic.com
  6. ↑ Bearded Theory festival 2013 « Freq
  7. ↑ "Bearded Theory Festival launches unsigned bands competition".
  8. ↑ "MUSIC FESTIVAL: Bearded Theory's success continues after Catton Hall move". Burton Mail December 04, 2014
  9. ↑ "MUSIC: Merry Hell hitting the Dog". Uttoxeter Advertiser November 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ "The Libertines, Glastonbury and Wolf Alice amongst winners at UK Festival Awards". NME News
  11. ↑ "Hair-raising fun during a great Bearded Theory festival". Derby Telegraph, May 20, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Bearded Theory 2013 festival review: 'A real charmer'". Virtual Festivals.

External links