The festival to move us forwards drops in Bristol

In Bristol, for the future, Team Love and AEG Presents bring you FORWARDS; a new inner city music festival drawing the biggest names in international music to Clifton Downs this September.

More than a music concert, FORWARDS looks to challenge what metropolitan festivals can be today, and how they can do good, from the inside out. The 2-day festival will harness the power of live events to bring people together for incredible music moments and positive change; through social initiatives and a space for discussion and debate.

FORWARDS looks to start the next chapter for inner city music festivals. Headlined by the most iconic names in worldwide electronic music, THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS, and prolific remix artist and producer JAMIE XX, FORWARDS drops a first look at its inaugural music programme today. THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS bring their globally renowned, gloriously psychedelic live show to the West Country for a special one-off performance on Sunday at FORWARDS.

For three decades, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons have with redefined the very idea of live electronic music by creating a genuinely immersive gig experience - a show that sets hallucinogenic visuals to some of the biggest anthems in dance music including Hey Boy Hey Girl, Galvanize, Got To Keep On, Block Rockin’ Beats and many more. An unmissable gig by one of the most pioneering and in demand festival headline acts in the world.

Other 2022 music acts unveiled; LITTLE SIMZ, RÓISÍN MURPHY, KHRUANGBIN, CARIBOU, FRED AGAIN.., SLEAFORD MODS, FLOATING POINTS,KAE TEMPEST, KOJEY RADICAL, SELF ESTEEM, SHYGIRL, THE COMET IS COMING, OVERMONO (LIVE), GABRIELS, SUDAN ARCHIVES, CHRISSI and CONNIE CONSTANCE.

The Information
Waking up in 2022 (from groundhog day), we are primed and ready to look Forwards. In addition to the two main music stages, FORWARDS establishes THE INFORMATION; a space driven by activism, examination, debate and understanding on today's current affairs and cultural issues, plus challenging the role of music festivals.

A programme of some of the world’s most inspirational experts, disruptors, artists, writers, and thinkers from across the social and political spectrum will be announced this Spring, tied together with Bristolian voices and collectives driving conversation throughout.

Socail Initiatives
Working with associated partner BIG TEAM CIC, FORWARDS will open doors for young people in the city, for those who have historically been excluded from and are under-represented in the festival and events industry. Offering work experience, shadowing and paid job placements across the festival. These relationships will be supported through outreach, engagement and meaningful partnerships with local youth organisations such as ACE and Babbasa.

In addition, our wider collaborations with Bristol Pride & other event teams in the city will allow us to create opportunities beyond FORWARDS.

TEAM CANTEEN CIC, the independent hospitality collective which fights against food vulnerability, will host a pop-up cafe at FORWARDS and cater backstage for talent and crew. Sustainability plays a vital role at FORWARDS, in addition to the standard practice policy which runs through all Team Love events, our team have marked the first year on the Downs as its year zero, focusing on understanding the event's impact.

The festival team will collect data and create a 3-year strategy on how to monitor and reduce their GHG emissions, develop a circular, responsible production and consumption ethos while promoting social cohesion.

Tom Paine, co-founder of Team Love said: "We're proud to be unveiling a new festival for a new era of festivals, in the best city in the world, our hometown of Bristol. Now, more than ever, it's important that our events invite debate and challenge the audience to do more to make the world a better place, as well as being a place to come together, dance, and make memories. Alongside one of the most exciting line-ups we have ever brought to Bristol, we're creating an area called 'The Information', to provide a space for urgent conversations from some of our favourite activist and political voices. We're partnering with CICs to nurture new talent, provide community catering at the heart of the festival and give back to our communities through the festival ecosystem."

Tickets go on sale: 08:00 UK time, 25 February 2022 (PRE-SALE 10:00 UK time, 24 February 2022) www.forwardsbristol.co.uk

Early bird day admission starts at £39.50, with weekend tickets available from £75.

Concessions are available for children aged 5-15, local residents and low income individuals.

Gates open 12:00 with the last entry to the event at 20:00.

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