Erykah Badu, Aphex Twin, Bonobo and Primal Scream are among the first acts confirmed to play FORWARDS 2023. The forward-thinking festival driven by music and discussion will be returning to Clifton Downs this September after an impactful debut last year - which saw memorable sets from Little Simz, the Chemical Brothers, Charlie XCX and Kae Tempest.
The two-day festival will welcome an array of international music names to its stage on September 1 and 2, 2023, with headliners including US singer-songwriter, Erykah Badu, who will be performing some of her hit singles such as 'On & On' and 'Next Time' in the city for the first time. She rose to fame in the late 1990s with her debut record Baduizm, pioneering a new genre and leading to her being known as 'the Queen of neo-soul'.
Aphex Twin, the influential electronica DJ who grew up in Cornwall, is also top-billed. Speculation over the artist's performance emerged a few weeks ago when posters were spotted around Bristol; it will be the first time the artist has played a gig in the city since 2006.
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Spread across two stages, other notable artists include internationally renowned DJ, Bonobo, Scottish rock outfit, Primal Scream, indie singer Arlo Parks, electronic legends, Leftfield, as well as a special performance from Goldie with the Live Ensemble. FORWARDS complements its music line-up with a space for discussion and debate at ‘THE INFORMATION’ stage, featuring a host of experts, disruptors, creatives, writers and thinkers, which will be revealed later this year.
Hosted by Team Love (Love Saves The Day), co-founder, Tom Paine, said: “We’re proud to be bringing FORWARDS back this year to the best city in the world, and our hometown Bristol. Building on our work from our inaugural year, we are incredibly excited to be able to pull together a musical offering with such an amazing array of talent.
"It continues to be our aim to make FORWARDS a space which invites debate and challenges the status quo. Offering our audience a place to come together, dance and make memories, while trying to inspire discussions, actions, and to enact positive change through the urgent conversations at ‘The Information’."
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday, March, 24, with pre-sale access from 10am on March 23, 2023 on the FORWARDS website. Early bird day admission starts at £49.50, with weekend tickets available from £89.50. Concessions are available for children aged 5-15, local residents and low income individuals.
Following from last year, FORWARDS will offer discounted NHS tickets to those that work there as a small way of saying thanks for all the hard work and dedication. Gates open 12pm on each day of the festival with the last entry to the event at 8pm.
FORWARDS is coming to Clifton Downs, Bristol on Friday, September 1 and Saturday, 2, 2023. Tickets on sale at 10am on March 24, 2023 with presale access from 10am on March 23 at www.forwardsbristol.co.uk
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