“Do you love life?!” exclaims Yard Act’s James Smith. Looking around the damp, weather-beaten crowd, it’s clear to say that even the most cynical in attendance are grinning from ear to ear. While just moments before the stage had come to a standstill due to a passing thunderstorm, the festival soon made a smooth transition to get the show back on the road. From the worst-case scenario to the euphoric return, Sunday at Forwards 2024 was a day to remember.
There’s been an electric energy across the site all day, despite inklings of the weather to come. Starting the day with Glass Beams on the main stage, we basked in the mighty instrumentals as the cool, hypnotic beats wash over the crowd. Tight grooves reverberate across the site as the masked trio let the music speak for itself.
Over at the second stage, we find that there’s been a change to the lineup. Following what we now know was the sudden and tragic passing of Crazy P’s Danielle Moore, Bristol locals Cousin Kula were bumped up to the second stage.
While their dreamy shoegaze clashed against the start of the rainfall, the crowd seemed to have come somewhat prepared, with umbrella hats and shower caps appearing around the site - a genius move if you ask me.
As the rain intensified the crowd only grew larger - awaiting the arrival of the sensational, Mercury-nominated songstress CMAT. We all know that CMAT is a showstopper - but we didn’t mean that in a literal sense. Just four songs in, her set is cut short as it seems even the lightning wanted to clap.
Covered by a blanket of rain clouds, the crowd are once again brought together as CMAT returns to the stage. With a heavier intensity than before, the songs hit harder and the emotions cut deeper. As the crowd battle with ruined hairstyles, smudged glitter and ill-fitting raincoats covering meticulously planned outfits - we are left with no worries or fears. Dripping wet with an ever-enduring hope to enjoy themselves, the crowd are all in as CMAT delivers the most stunning sense of catharsis - with those dramatic, life-affirming moments that every festival goer hopes for. Despite it all, we are left with the joy of knowing there’s truly nothing better than dancing with your friends in the rain.
The party has officially started as Yard Act take to the stage for their final show of the summer. With roaring energy from the offset, the band bring maximum effort with a slick ease - and this clearly rubbed off on the crowd as their scream-worthy hits deliver the most energetic audience of the day.
While the band still make a point of playing fan favourite ‘Fixer Upper’, there’s a sense that their heart no longer lies with this track. Although their delivery has evolved with them as a band, it feels lacklustre against the rest of their set.
Joined by local legend Katy J Pearson for ‘When The Laughter Stops’, the band continue to up the ante with a focus on all things fun. Building the atmosphere up and up - it finally accumulates in a wonderfully chaotic exit - Smith is dragged off stage laughing by their dancers and Katy J with the fun addition of CMAT.
Jessie Ware is up next as she transforms the stage into a song and dance spectacular - transporting us to her tasteful club - ‘The Pearl’. Delivering big and bold anthems, her set brings an entire show to life with stunning vocals and choreography that’s evidently worthy of its own headline slot. Far from her early days of mid-tempo pop, Jessie Ware has taken her disco-infused anthems and brought all the fun and theatrics you could hope for.
From her toe-tapping anthems to her joyous cover of Cher’s ‘Believe’ it seems that no matter what Ware turns her hand to she thrives. Whether entertaining old fans or winning new ones over, her vision for her show is what few can deliver. She’s unmistakably a star that continues to rise.
The time then comes for headliners LCD Soundsystem to take to the stage. Pioneers of indie sleaze, the dance-punk outfit have come from soundtracking every party scene of the 2000s to headlining here: The Bristol Downs. Having collaborated with Bristol’s own Idles last year, it only feels right that the band leave their mark on the city - delivering their flawless set to an excited crowd full of people saying, “I can’t believe they’ve come to Bristol.”
Delivering a set jam-packed with iconic hooks and rhythmic anthems, the New York outfit deliver their long-awaited Sunday service with a staggering precision. Dedicating ‘Someone Great’ to Murphy’s recently deceased business partner Justin Chearno, the band reiterate that beneath their fun beats and party anthems there is also beauty, grief and catharsis to their music that has truly cemented them as one of the most influential bands of a generation.
Nearing the end of their set, a Harry Nilsson cover was not what the crowd expected, needed or wanted in place of fan favourites such as ‘New York I Love You’ and ‘Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’ - but it sounded great all the same. While omitting fan favourites, the set list zig-zagged seamlessly between new and old tracks before resolving to possibly one of the best songs ever written - ‘All My Friends’.
Brat summer may be over, but indie sleaze lives on - and LCD Soundsystem’s influence will have forever changed the game.
In comparison to the more established UK day festivals - Forwards is the cooler younger sibling. Less corporate and more mindful - the festival brings world-class acts to a site championing local bands and social initiatives. From local heroes to international superstars, Forwards provides the perfect festival environment that seems to have gone from strength to strength. Curating a balanced lineup jam-packed with unforgettable performers - it seems like this year's iteration will be hard to top - so we can’t wait to see what’s coming in 2025.