Bearded Theory

Bearded Theory is a independent festival music festival which has no sponsorship or branding that takes place every May on the South Derbyshire, West Midland and Staffordshire border in the National Forest in Britain. The festival is organised by Spring Music and was first held in 2008. The festival has six stages which are the large orbit styled Main Stage (The Pallet), The Woodland, Magical Sounds, The Maui Wai, Convoy Cabaret, Something Else Stage and the festival also hosts a Cinema, Craft Village, Healing Area, smaller DJ venues, 4 public real ale bars, cocktail bar, Festival School, Children's Village and a Victorian Funfair. The festival has several campsites and campervan fields, multiple arena areas and are all spread over 100 acres at Catton Park.

History

Bearded Theory began life at the Knockerdown Public House, near Carsington Water in 2008. Held over two nights and it overloaded the capacity of the venue. Bands included 3 Daft Monkeys, Dreadzone, Tarantism & Hobo Jones & the Junkyard Dogs.

In 2009, the Festival was held at 30 acre Bradley Nook Farm in Hulland Ward. The new look festival hosted 4 stages; the Main Stage, Campfire Stage (the stage structure was used in 2015 as the Woodland Stage), the introduction of the Magical Sounds, a large dance big top and remains a key part of the festival and a reggae sound system. 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 situation put the festival in Global news headlines. 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.

The 2010 festival was substantially larger, selling out and filling the 30 acres available, and by 2011, a new site had to be found. The organisers arranged with the National Trust for the festival to be held at Kedleston Park within Kedleston Hall in Derby, an 80-acre parkland. In 2011 Bearded Theory won UK`s Best Independent Festival at the AIM Music Awards.

By 2012 the crowd of festival goers had grown, by now over 600 acts had played at the festival, including King Blues, The Wonder Stuff, New Model Army, The Waterboys, Athlete, The Orb, Wheatus, Adam Ant and the Damned.[1][2] During 2012 the organizers spent time delivering stage safety seminars to European events industry at Primavera Sound in Barcelona and various industry conferences in London following the successful implementation of a comprehensive stage safety policy at the festival.

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, The Jive Aces[4] and Gallon Drunk[5] across six stages.[6][7] There was also an "Unsigned Bands Contest".[8] Bearded Theory won Best Small Festival at the UK Festival Awards.

In 2014, the festival had to move once again after citing issues with landowner the National Trust following draconian measures being implemented and lack of contractual security. The festival decided to locate to the independently owned 250-acre estate Catton Park in South Derbyshire, a venue the organizers had looked at before deciding to locate to Kedleston Hall. Bearded Theory attracted a capacity crowd.[9] Performing bands included Carter USM, UB40, Stranglers, Peter Hook, Wonderstuff, Pop Will Eat Itself, Reverend & the Makers .[10] The festival's organizers won the Promoter of the Year award at the UK Festival Awards for their industry work with stage safety.[11]

In 2015 the festival agreed to a 5-year contract to remain at Catton Hall and implemented substantial land improvements including access roads, installing a permanent water supply and drainage. Crowds are estimated to have risen AGAIN .[12] with staff. Bands that appeared included The Mission, James, Afro Celt Sound System, Lab 4, Cara Dillon, Neville Staple, Alabama 3, Gun, Hugh Cornwell, British Sea Power, Buzzcocks and Misty in Roots. The festival sold out and was cited as the organizers best festival to date. The festival made history when they announced the plans to operate an onsite school on the Friday of the festival. The school met key learning criteria at each age level and classes included Science, Home Economics, Math’s, English, History and lots more. The P.E classes were operated by Derby County FC. The school assisted parents taking children out of school without being fined and was a festival first.

Bearded Theory has won 7 awards. 2014 Promoter of the Year at the UK Festival Awards and Silver Award Festival Kidz Awards, 2013 UK's Best Small Festival at the UK Festival Awards and Gold Award at the Festival Kidz Awards. In 2011 UK`s Best Independent Festival at the AIM Awards.

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. ↑ http://www.sonicabuse.com/2013/05/bearded-theory-2013-festival-review/
  5. ↑ Bearded Theory Festival 2013 - review
  6. ↑ "Bearded Theory Festival 2013 Introduce Line Up For 17th - 19th May"| Contactmusic.com
  7. ↑ Bearded Theory festival 2013 « Freq
  8. ↑ "Bearded Theory Festival launches unsigned bands competition".
  9. ↑ "MUSIC FESTIVAL: Bearded Theory's success continues after Catton Hall move". Burton Mail 04 December 2014
  10. ↑ "MUSIC: Merry Hell hitting the Dog". Uttoxeter Advertiser 26 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Libertines, Glastonbury and Wolf Alice amongst winners at UK Festival Awards". NME News
  12. ↑

External links

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