Top 10: FORWARDS in pictures

Top 10: FORWARDS in pictures

Posted on: 06 Sep 2023

FORWARDS Festival hit Bristol again last weekend, to rapturous reception and festive success! Not everyone could make it to the festival, unfortunately - so we headed down there on Friday to give you a peek inside.

1. Festival of Ideas

FORWARDS isn't just a music festival - it's a festival of ideas too. The THE INFORMATION stage hosted talks and panels throughout the morning and midday with names like David Olusoga, Vicky Spratt, and Bristol's own mayor, Marvin Rees. Here, we can see gal-dem founder and novelist, Liv Little, in conversation with model & activist Munroe Bergdorf.

2. Revolutionary Roots

FORWARDS was also home to another radical idea: naturally-grown, sustainable insulation - made of mycelium. Mycelium is the filament structure that makes up mushrooms and fungi, and links them underground in a network. Home insulation panels made of the stuff were on display in this beautiful exhibition by Biohm & Six Degrees (scored with music by producer & DJ Aunty Flo) - with enthusiastic volunteers on hand to explain the concept.

3. Ezra Collective

Ezra Collective showed up to fuel the sunshine in the afternoon, submerging the audience in waves of beautiful, positive jazz. Especially bringing the good vibes was smiley saxophonist James Mollison, who seemed incapable of having a bad time.

4. Supremely Good Vibrations

Ezra Collective weren't the only ones having a good time, of course - the audience were picking up what EC were laying down in a major way, and the dancing never stopped.

6. Land of Peace & Love

Festivals are a place for good vibes and love - something these two were absolutely vibing with, running towards each other on sight in what must have been a long-awaited renunion. They receive our Two Best Boys of Forwards award!

6. Ice Cream and Chips?!

Yeah, you heard us. Don't knock it til you try it.

7. Audio Wizard

The wholly unique jazz-world-trip-hop DJ-producer was a much awaited part of the festival, with a colossal crowd turning up to hear his magical musical musings; however, he proved himself to be not just an audio wizard, but a regular wizard too - summoning up a beautiful orange sunset to backlight his performance on the West Stage.

8. Sky on Fire

Oh no! You overdid it, Bonobo! You took it too far!

9. Erykah Badu

Of course, the headline of Friday was the Queen of Soul herself, the one and only Erykah Badu. She was looking cool in a fascinatingly occult pagan-meets-noir-detective outfit that threw her face into mysterious shadow - backlit by visuals almost as hypnotising as her music.

10. Erykah Badeux

Yeah, we put in a second picture of Erykah Badu. She's just cool.

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Patrick Bate

Patrick is a filmmaker with so much Bristol in his blood the white blood cells are graffiti'd. Educated at the Northern Film School in Leeds, he’s returned home to be a Videographer and Reviewer for 365Bristol and BARBI. When he’s not messing about with cameras, he enjoys playing guitar, spending far too much time on tabletop RPGs, and being an awful snob about cider. Have a look at his work here, or get in touch at patrickb@365bristol.com.