Mercury & Brit-nominated, UK #1 album selling Stockport 5-piece, Blossoms are the final main stage headline act to be announced for Bearded Theory.

Alongside Eliza Garthy and The Wayward Band who are also announced (performing on the Woodland Stage), they join an unbelievable line up including Robert Plant & The Sensational Shape Shifters, Jimmy Cliff, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Sleaford Mods, Jake Bugg, Idles and many more for Bearded Theory Festival 2018. It is going to be quite an incredible year for this 100% independent, family friendly festival!

Our Festivals For All reviewers simply love Bearded Theory and rate it as one the best on the festival scene.  Take a look-see at what FFA thought of the 2017 bash HERE. 

Blossoms are a five-piece indie-rock band from Stockport who, in a relatively short space of time, have become one of the hottest young British bands on the circuit.

Blossoms’ first taste of mainstream success came with Charlemagne, their debut single for EMI. Released in late 2015, it went on to become Radio 1’s ‘Track of the Day’, earned them a coveted place on Spotify’s ‘Spotlight on 2016’ list, and topped the Christmas Vinyl Chart.

Building on this success, they began 2016 being the only guitar band recognised on the BBC’s Sound of Music list. Later that year they went on to reach #1 in the album charts with their eponymous debut album, Blossoms, which also earned them a nomination for ‘Best British Band’ at the Brit Awards, and inclusion on the coveted shortlist for the Mercury Music Prize.

2017 saw Blossoms tour extensively across the globe, with a relentless series of high profile festival bookings including: Coachella; Radio 1’s Big Weekend; Bonnaroo; Reading/Leeds; Bestival; Benicassim, Lollapalooza, and set on Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage. They also found time to support major acts including Kasabian, Liam Gallagher, and The Stone Roses at Wembley Stadium. With rumours of new music being released in the not too distant future, 2018 is set to be another barnstorming year for the band, and we can’t wait to welcome them to headline the Pallet Stage at Bearded Theory on Friday night.

Also added to the bill is English traditional folk powerhouse Eliza Carthy who, along with the 12-strong Wayward Band, will celebrate her long and varied career in folk music within the beautiful setting of Bearded Theory’s Woodland Stage. They will be performing songs from their critically acclaimed album Big Machine (produced by Jim Sutherland) which resents a healthy slice of everything good that is happening in traditional music now, across a sparkling spectrum of sound

As already announced, Bearded Theory have secured a rare festival performance by Robert Plant, one of the world’s greatest rock and roll voices, to headline on Saturday. The former Led Zeppelin frontman will bring The Sensational Space Shifters, who have been selling out venues around the world, and will be performing a set full of classic hits and new material.

In 1967, Robert Plant formed a group called the Band of Joy with drummer John Bonham. Soon, Bonham, Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones assembled to become The New Yardbirds, which became Led Zeppelin, the biggest selling rock band of all time. Since the Led Zeppelin era ended, Plant has put his wide-ranging musical fascination to good use on solo albums; with Jimmy Page; and with bands like Priory of Brion and Strange Sensation. Before recent projects in Nashville with Alison Krauss and Band of Joy, Plant worked alongside Strange Sensation, recording the critically-acclaimed Grammy-nominated albums Dreamland and Mighty Rearranger. From this platform, Sensational Space Shifters developed.

As you would expect from Bearded Theory Festival, joining Robert Plant on the bill is an exceptional and diverse collection of live acts, including Sunday headliner Jimmy Cliff, Scottish indie legends The Jesus & Mary Chain, local boy Jake Bugg, Electronic Punk Duo Sleaford Mods and English punk sensations Idles alongside classic festival acts such as Fun Lovin Criminals, The Coral, Sleeper, Dub Pistols, and hundreds more over 9 live stages.

With Louder Than War saying of last year’s event that “Bearded Theory has grown to become one of the finest festivals the UK has to offer”, the pressure was on for 2018. However once again the organisers (and their 100% audience-focused attitude) have most certainly risen to the challenge. With more than 80% of tickets for this year’s festival already sold, 2018 is looking set to be the festival’s 9th straight sell-out year in a row.

Alongside unquestionably their biggest, boldest and most diverse line-up to date, Bearded Theory will also be providing a huge variety of non-musical entertainment over the weekend.

The biggest new addition is the One Big Showcase stage, a large stage for unsigned bands, which received over 2000 applications for this stage alone. The festival has also added a Theatre Stage and the Kettle End of Universe; a quiet area based around a campfire.

The Woodland will welcome Funhouse Comedy for the first time – they are taking over the stage daily from midnight, providing laughs aplenty well into the early hours, and have confirmed a stunning line up featuring the likes of Tom Wrigglesworth, Scott Bennett, Rob Mullholland, Sean Percival, Susan Murray ,Wes Zaharuk and many more

The Pallet Stage will have a little makeover, we welcome back Maui Waui, Magical Sounds and the Convoy Cabaret. Rogues Hideout (for teenagers) is being made bigger for the evening show, The Ship returns with a different music selection and Something Else Tea Tent will be providing everyone with cake and rebels once again. The Earth Area, the innovative and unique on-site School, and the free Children’s Village will remain as before.

Family camping has also once again been extended with an additional 2 fields secured, to ensure maximum comfort and enjoyment for the many thousands of families who attend the festival every year. This option should be selected at the time of ticket purchase.

GREAT VALUE NATIONAL EXPRESS COACH TRAVEL FOR 2018

After last year’s success Bearded Theory have once again teamed up with National Express, who will be running direct services from across the UK. See http://beardedtheory.co.uk/travel for full info. Coach is the greenest, easiest and most direct way of getting to the festival.

Bearded Theory 2018

Catton Park, Walton upon Trent, Derbyshire, DE12 8LN

Dates: 24th - 27th May 2018

Price: Tickets for adults (with camping) from £115.00