Idlewild, Advantages, The Bug Membership, The Huge Moon, Kae Tempest, Wunderhorse
Pageant Preview: Deer Shed Pageant 2025,
Jul 21, 2025
It’s that point of yr once more when the children break up from faculty for the summer season holidays, and Deer Shed Pageant opens its doorways for one of many UK competition calendar’s most eagerly anticipated occasions.
The 2025 occasion would be the competition’s fifteenth version, and as with earlier years the line-up is jam full of each established and rising stars from the worlds of music, comedy, theatre, efficiency artwork, literature, spoken phrase and far more apart from.
Returning to its now acquainted residence of Battersby Park within the North Yorkshire countryside over the weekend of Friday twenty fifth – Monday twenty eighth July, this yr sees up and coming Cornish four-piece Wunderhorse headline on Friday,musician and poet Kae Tempest tops the invoice on Saturday, with indiepop outfit The Huge Moon closing the competition on Sunday evening.
Other than the headliners, there’s a wealth of expertise unfold throughout Deer Shed’s many phases so right here’s 10 different acts Below the Radar are most wanting ahead to seeing.
(Sunday twenty seventh, In The Dock Stage)
From being a punter at Deer Shed Pageant 3 years in the past to lastly enjoying it, Kingsley Corridor and Advantages have launched one in all 2025’s definitive albums within the form of Fixed Noise. The follow-up to 2023’s Nails, Fixed Noise pushes Advantages’ sound in an much more digital path whereas the stay reveals are not any much less visceral or intense, making their set one of many weekend’s “should see” occasions.
(Sunday twenty seventh, In The Dock Stage)
One of many hottest tickets on the town proper now, Birmingham’s Huge Particular fuse visceral punk rock with beats which have eyes fastened firmly between the economic raves of the early nineties. Whereas additionally rallying towards the present political and social local weather, Huge Particular’s second album Nationwide Common got here out earlier this month to a wave of important acclaim and their Sunday evening headline slot In The Dock guarantees to be one of many hottest, and sweatiest affairs this weekend.
(Sunday twenty seventh, Primary Stage)
Channeling the spirit of Speaking Heads, Devo and Blondie (amongst a number of others) right into a sound fully distinctive of their very own, New York quintet BODEGA make post-punk folks can dance to. Or slightly, discover it unimaginable to face nonetheless. With a large UK viewers that greater than matches the one they’ve again residence within the States, thanks in no small half to three critically acclaimed albums and a stay present that merely calls for your consideration. BODEGA are able to slay Deer Shed.
(Friday twenty fifth, In The Dock Stage)
Dilettante describe themselves as “an artwork pop collective hailing from all corners of the north.” Which is nearly as good a place to begin as any. Nonetheless, it doesn’t fairly fulfil the entire grandiosity of their wares, which has been in comparison with artists as disparate as Wild Beasts, Carly Simon and Pulp. Primarily the brainchild of Manchester-based multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Francesca Pidgeon, who additionally performs in BC Camplight’s band. Be sure you arrive early on Friday to catch Dilettente opening the In The Dock Stage. You gained’t remorse it.
(Sunday twenty seventh, Primary Stage)
I’ve by no means met anybody that doesn’t personal at the least one Idlewild document, so their look at Deer Shed guarantees to be one in all this yr’s most eagerly anticipated units. Having just lately introduced their tenth album Idlewild shall be popping out in October, anticipate to listen to a mixture of new materials alongside acquainted classics from the band’s impeccable again catalogue.
(Sunday twenty seventh, Primary Stage)
Combining influences that vary from conventional psychedelic rock and folks to latin American jazz, Krautrock impressed motorik grooves and dream pop, Mandrake Handshake are a melting pot of sonic explorers that take you on a journey to right here is aware of when. With members from their nine-strong ensemble primarily based in Oxford and London respectively, their otherworldly sound is a pleasure to behold and one we assure may have Baldersby Park enraptured.
(Saturday twenty sixth, In The Dock Stage)
Manchester four-piece Maruja have emerged as some of the thrilling bands on the UK stay circuit in recent times. Having initially shaped a decade in the past – albeit with a really completely different musical outlook – they discovered their area of interest in the course of the Covid-19 lockdown and have put out a string of wonderful EPs since, culminating within the band’s debut album Ache To Energy which is due for launch in September. We now have a sense Maruja’s potent mixture of hardcore, noise, post-punk and mathrock would possibly simply be one of many weekend’s stand out units.
(Sunday twenty seventh, Primary Stage)
The Bug Membership are not any strangers to Deer Shed having first performed right here again in 2022, the place their Sunday teatime slot wowed a jam packed In The Dock Stage. So, it’s no shock that their return to the competition sees them elevated to a main slot on the Primary Stage, albeit rather than Sprints who pulled out final week. With 4 albums to their identify together with the latest lengthy participant Very Human Options which got here out final month, anticipate a profession spanning set from one other band with a really spectacular again catalogue.
(Saturday twenty sixth, In The Dock Stage)
London-based artist The Sick Man Of Europe makes music that would simply soundtrack a bleak panorama. Reference factors embrace Pleasure Division, Swans, Bauhaus and Suicide whereas lead single “Out of date” off his just lately launched self-titled debut LP which got here out final month on the Leaf Label possesses a timeless really feel in that it may simply have emerged at any level over the earlier 5 a long time. Anticipate a set that doesn’t pull any punches however delivers its message succinctly and to the purpose.
(Saturday twenty sixth, Lodge Stage)
With 20 years as stay performers and 12 albums to their identify, The Unthanks are some of the established and revered acts on this yr’s line-up. Having emerged by way of the UK folks scene again within the early 2000s, The Unthanks have by no means been afraid to introduce completely different genres and kinds to an already eclectic mixture of concepts. Their most up-to-date lengthy participant In Winter got here out final yr to a wave of important acclaim, so it represents one thing of a serious coup for Deer Shed to have them play. Notably within the intimate confines of the Lodge Stage.
For extra info on Deer Shed Pageant together with how and the place to buy tickets go to the Official Web site
Examine Below the Radar’s earlier visits to Deer Shed Pageant in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
