An update on Bearded Theory 2020
In case you missed the recent news from Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering, the festival announced recently, after several postponements for 2020’s event due to coronavirus which has virtually cancelled every festival and live music event since March, that Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering would be postponed until the May Bank Holiday 2021.
The event is now set to take place on May 27th to 30th 2021 which is their usual weekend, and they have already secured much of the original 2020 lineup and more, including Patti Smith, Toots and the Maytals, The Mission, Wilko Johnson, Peter Hook & the Light, Perocious Dog, Neville Staple Band, Bad Manners, Dub Pistols, Lucy Spraggan, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club and 3 Daft Monkeys. Loads more will be announced across the festival’s 8 stages in the coming months.
In a statement the festival said, “Thank you for your patience while we have been getting our house in order. We have been consulting with various industry bodies, Emergency Services and our own contractors prior to issuing this newsletter and we are pleased to confirm we will be rescheduling the festival to May 2021 on our usual bank holiday weekend, May 27th to 30th.”
“Tickets will be automatically rolled over if you still want to join us but if you want a refund please do so by requesting one. To request a refund from Eventbrite please go to our website ticket page and click on the appropriate refund links. If you purchased via Gigantic please email [email protected] with your original booking confirmation. Refunds will be available until August 30th, 2020, please allow 28 days from request for the refund to hit your bank account from the ticket agent.”
As you may know, every year we at AMS host our One Big Showcase stage at the festival. We didn’t announce our 2020 lineup already this year, and we be rolling over our stage competition winners from 2020 to 2021, and will be going out with our One Big Showcase lineup in the near future! Check this space.
Read the full statement from Bearded Theory here.
Fancy playing at Bearded Theory 2020?
We need acts!
Bearded Theory Spring Gathering is back at Catton Hall in Derbyshire across the weekend of 21st/22nd/23rd/24th May 2020. The Academy of Music & Sound run an annual stage there called the One Big Showcase. The idea is to promote unsigned and up and coming acts to give them a leg up onto the festival ladder and increase their exposure.
Are you an unsigned band or act that fancies the idea of playing to sell out festival crowds?
2020 will be the third year we have been at the festival and once again we’re opening up a competition for unsigned bands and artists to perform on our stage!
We offer a showcase slot on our fantastic stage, free entry for you, your band and crew, and substantially discounted guest tickets for your guests, full light and sound crew, backline amps and drum kit, a manned merch area to sell your wares, stage technicians, a backstage space and facilities to get show-ready and also pro photos of your performance to use as you wish.
The One Big Showcase tent is in the main area of the festival, a short walk from the main stage.
If you really go down well we will also be pushing 4 acts to other larger stages for a slot at the 2021 festival! Previous years acts have included Devonshire up-and-comers Pattern Pusher, plus The Kubricks, Tres Kings, Katy Hurt and HAWXX.
While you’re here, why not check out our review and photos from this year’s One Big Showcase event.
The Boring Bit….
It’s over 18’s only. However we will consider an under-18 entry if you have written consent from a parent or guardian to confirm you are able to find your own way to and from and around the festival.
If you have played the One Big Showcase stage before in 2018 or 2019 then you are not eligible, it’s someone else’s go this year!
Entry is via our sign up form below, entries will be taken until December 31st 2019, judges will be in touch via email to invite those that are successful to perform.
AMS One Big Showcase at Bearded Theory 2019
The Academy of Music and Sound were back at Derby’s small but mighty Bearded Theory festival this year. Returning a stage packed with student talent, as well as a line-up of guest bands and artists specially selected among over 200 applicants* in a competition to play a slot on the AMS One Big Showcase Stage. The AMS stage - unmissable in bold red and blue stripes - offering an exciting line-up each day of the event, and gathered festival crowds offering everything from punk rock, to indie, acoustic and even some Ska to get your knees up to.
AMS Gateshead artists kicked things off on the Friday afternoon, with a wide array of styles covered including an acoustic set, and a DJ set. This was followed by an eclectic array of bands including award-winning country singer Katy Hurt, the sassy and wonderful Dana Immanuel and her Stolen Band, badass all-female punk rock group HAWXX, donning perhaps the most styling and statement-making attire of the entire event. South coast three-piece indie band Hot Plastic took to the red and blue tent shortly after. The Kubricks closed off proceedings on the Friday with a suitably skanky set which got the packed crowd buzzing in the intimate tent.
Saturday afternoon began, lit up by Exeter AMS student performers, including bands Violet Eye, Wish Hounds, First Person, plus Exeter based Shadow Project and AMS Southampton band Wooden Spoons. Guests Beth Porter and Pavey Ark, settled the revellers in for a mellow, dreamy afternoon, before Cuba Libre hit the stage, offering some funky rhymes and beats to truly get the crowd going. Candidates followed suit, and headliners Tres Kings closed the night with a polished performance stiking a bold balance somewhere between Arctic Monkeys and Jamie T.
"The guys from the Academy were really well organised before the event and made it really easy for us. We got to unload right by the back of the stage and the equipment on stage was brilliant. The sound engineers were exceptionally good and patient and got us a great sound! A great experience, we would love to return next year."
- Paul Bytheway, The Retrosettes
Sunday featured AMS Exeter band Athelas, as well as the ever-wonderful Kimwei and Connor Thomas. While the final installment of guests saw The Retrosettes, Dutch Mustard and headliners Bad Transmission see off the event in style.
Last year the One Big Showcase presented Exeter based outfit Pattern Pusher, made up of some our very own AMS lecturers. This year the the band were upgraded to the main stage of the festival itself - securing the opening slot of the event and opening things up on the sunny Friday afternoon. Big things are on the way for these guys, stay tuned.
"What a great success The One Big Showcase stage has been. Proper grassroots support with a policy of promoting top performing bands to the main and Woodland stages the following year"
- Steve Ryan, AMS Principle
Not only did the AMS students put on some memorable performances - perhaps even setting themselves up to follow the Pattern Pusher path and become main-stagers next year - but, behind the scenes student work in artist liaison, lighting and sound, as well as stewarding and merch sales provided some valuable industry experience, not to mention help with essential logistics, without which, One Big Showcase might not have been possible.
Of the success of the One Big Showcase, and its help to get independent bands and artists onto bigger, main stage venues along side the festival itself, AMS Principle Steve Ryan said: “What a great success The One Big Showcase stage has been. Proper grassroots support with a policy of promoting top performing bands to the main and Woodland stages the following year. No other festival offers this direct route as far as I know. Excellent policy.”
View our photo gallery from the event here.