Leftfield’s Head Honcho Neil Barnes says “I am very happy to be playing at Beat Herder this year. Feels like I am coming home!” It is a great honour to be on the same bill as Simian Mobile Disco and Andrew Weatherall amongst all the other great acts. Can’t Wait!”
Last year, Leftfield took the Live show on the road after years in hibernation and we are so excited that the Ribble Valley is going to experience what has only been described as a ‘mind blowing visual and aural feast’Dance music’s underground heroes Dreadzone are the next act to be added to this burgeoning bill, along with Acid House legend Greg Wilson, DJ du jour Doorly. Going back to our roots on the reggae tip are The Selecter featuring Pauline Black and Gaps Hendrickson and original Rude Boy Neville Staple.
Deep in the heart of sleepy Ribble Valley something magical is on the boil! The festival gears and wheels have been slowly turning all through the winter and preparation for the best Beat-Herder yet is well under way.
500 Early Bird tickets sold out in a record 5 minutes! Full priced weekend tickets are now on sale for £85. This year children tickets are £15! Run by six hardy and creative Yorkshire men, preparation for the ‘best one yet’ is well under way! Beat-Herder HQ is already working over time cooking up a ruddy delectable pot of artistry, nonsense and Beat-Herder barminess for your fun packed festival pleasure. Oo err! The spectacular Beat-Herder workshop is already crammed with wood and recycled junk that is being lovingly crafted into the nuts and bolts of the madcap creations that make the breath taking festival site.
This year we have been working on beautifying the woodland, ready for a new and intriguing area has already begun, there’s a lot of work involved, but we’re really excited, it’s going to be ‘quality’.
And our fancy dress frenzy is being announced too.. Friday is Flower Power day to bring some colour, joy peace and love to Beat-Herder for you and your lovely petals. Saturday night is Everything begins with an E! Think Eggboxes, ET, Eskimos, Elephants, ETC ETC! oooh how Exciting!
With zero official sponsorship, no egos and not a scrap of branding in sight Beat-Herder is not about platinum selling artists on huge stages but about creative festival fun, locally sourced food and booze (at cheap as chips prices) and the friendliest most up for it crowds this side of the Pennines!
Beat-Herder legend has it that in the beginning there was the Toil Trees where the Toil Sound system brought friends together to party beneath the trees. The landowner was set to cut down the forest but he enjoyed himself so much that he couldn’t bear to chop it down. And so Beat- Herder was born and has grown from strength to strength! 2010 saw Beat-Herder scoop the runner up prize for ‘Best Dance Event’ at the UK Festival Awards and this year looks set to be the biggest to date!
With hay stacks more of amazing DJs and live acts soon to be revealed watch this space as Beat-Herder 2011 is going to be a goodun’!
And that folks is definitely not all! When your legs tire of dancing to this little lot why not check out the amazing extras… Being small, intimate and perfectly formed there’s never far to walk but there are still plenty of stages, interactive nonsense and hidden surprises to satisfy even the most curious of Beat-Herders!
Stop of for a brew or a beer at Mikey’s Tea Shack, sit down beneath the hanging baskets on one of the famous Beat-Herder vibrating benches (a favourite with the older lady) or check out one of the many magical surprises hidden around every corner. Last years Granma’s Launderette hidden deep in the trees through a 20m long tunnel was a massive hit and this year the BH crew are thinking bigger so watch this space!
Also back by popular demand for 2011 is the legendary Working Men’s Club. Remember 10p pints, Ford Cortinas, three-day weeks and the miner’s strikes? No? Well neither do we but we like to party like its 1970 at Beat-Herders very own working men’s club! It has all the glamour of a 70s pit village with added real ale, silliness and glittery blue eye shadow. The working men’s club with play host to the annual “Beat-Herders got Talent (judged last year by Coronation Street’s very own Jannis Battersby).” And again, mad old nana moon will be having a sing a long, there will be bingo, and some top class talent will also be performing!
Easily heard but not as easy to find, the Toil Trees stage which this year has a new and improved crispy clear sound system can be found tucked snuggly amongst the trees, the epicenter of the festival. Get amongst it and dance to the eclectic beats that last throughout the night.
With it’s intimate fun atmosphere and amazing facilities Beat-Herder strikes the perfect balance between ‘up for it crowd’ and family friendly vibe. With a new and improved Kids field and super cheap kid’s tickets, Beat Herder’s of every age are warmly welcomed!
More amazing acts and madness soon to be announced so watch this space!