The top 10 bands to see at Bearded Theory Festival this weekend

Calling all fans of independent music - Bearded Theory is back and eager for another round from 21st to 25th May 2025! The eclectic music festival brings together artists from multiple well-loved genres and is focused on showcasing all the independent talent that the music industry has to offer. This year's line-up is brimming with insanely talented artists with the likes of Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers and The Sisters of Mercy claiming their space as the main headliners of the five-day event, and with the sunshine that the UK has been blessed with as of late, Catton Park will be beaming with warmth and this years festival is sure go down in the Bearded Theory history books. 

If you’re scratching your head regarding who to include in your itinerary from this jam-packed line-up, this article will give you an idea of the best of the best that you should be squeezing into your no doubt already busy plans. 

Arxx 

Jumping straight into it, the artist snagging the tenth spot on the list is Arxx, a Brighton-born power-pop duo who leapt into the music industry back in 2019 with their debut EP ‘Wrong Girl, Honey’ including five perfectly crafted tracks and fans fell for them and their fun-loving and rebellious energy instantly. If you’re an advocate for supporting the smaller bands at a festival, Arxx is a definite must to give your all to at Bearded Theory 2025!

Nova Twins 

You’re going to need to preserve your energy for this next duo because they will have you jumping so high that you become airborne, the next artist is the eclectic rock geniuses who have somehow managed to seamlessly blend punk and grime, Nova twins. Screaming their way onto the scene back in 2016, they’ve been serving genre-blending and high energy tracks for the last nine years, and they have zero plans of stopping anytime soon. 

The Sisters of Mercy

This next band first made it big in the UK’s underground music scene back in the 1980’s and have since been touring the big gun venues and festivals with an energy and stage presence that only they can achieve. The Sisters of Mercy are a rock band originating from Leeds who are popular amongst gothic culture due to their grizzly vocals and darkwave essence and, even though they haven't released a studio album in a solid thirty-three years, their music is still a staple in post-punk playlists everywhere. 

Billy Nomates 

Billy Nomates is a fun and fierce alternative/indie musician originating from the south coast of England, and is well deserving of the seventh spot of the list with her brand new album ‘Metalhorse’ dropping on 16th May 2025, a mere five days before the festival. Her music

beautifully blends a mix of punk, 80’s pop and synth to create a unique sound that you can dance the entire set away to, and is a must-see for a good boogie at Bearded Theory 2025! 

Terrorvision 

After their initial disband in 2001, the West-Yorkshire born indie-rock band Terrorvision have been back on the music scene and releasing banger after banger, and with their latest album ‘We Are Not Robots’ dropping late last year, they have an entire arsenal of fresh and fun tracks to show off so make sure to include them in your extensive list for Bearded Theory 2025! 

Alt Blk Era 

Get ready to unleash your inner ‘nightmare upstairs neighbour’ with the Nottingham-born genre-blurring sister duo Alt Blk Era. With influences from all over the shop including alt-rock, DnB, pop and electronic music, their music caters for a majority of tastes out there and they are ready to own the stage with their stunning vocals and high-energy performances. 

Iggy Pop 

If you don't know this artist, one can only assume that you’ve been living under a rock for the past forty years (or you weren’t born, but still not a valid excuse) because well-deserving of the fourth spot in this extensive line up is Iggy Pop. As a man of many talents including working as a musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and an actor, he is more than well-equipped to bring out your feral ‘wild child’ and get the audience going feral with his free-spirited and nostalgic tracks. 

Millie Manders and the Shutup 

We’ve made it to the top three artists that are a must-see for Bearded Theory 2025, and deservedly snagging the third spot is Norwich-born punk band Millie Manders and the Shutup, who enjoy poking fun at societal norms with their high-energy tracks and will definitely bring out your inner rage with their phenomenal riffs and of course, in-your-face vocals from Millie Manders herself. 

Ezra Furman 

The penultimate spot is very deservedly given to one of our favourite alternative/indie musicians from all the way across the pond, Ezra Furman. Breaking boundaries with their emotionally honest and creative lyrics and using their music to celebrate their queerness, she is a performer who is unapologetically themselves on as well as off of the stage. Their music may also be recognised from an extremely popular little TV show by the name of Sex Education, as she wrote and recorded the entire soundtrack for all four seasons of the hit Netflix series. 

Manic Street Preachers

Swooping in and grabbing the top spot with both hands is Welsh-born alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. Formed in 1986 in Blackwood, Caerphilly, their music has evolved over their time and takes on more genres than you could count on both hands, including glam rock, punk rock, punk metal and many, many more. With their energised, soul-searching lyrics and extremely addictive melodies, you can count on them to raise the energy and keep the party alive at Bearded Theory 2025! 

There you have it, ten must-see artists to add to your itinerary for Bearded Theory Festival 2025. With such a broad array of genres present, the line-up is bound to appease every music taste and get you partying the five nights away!

Words: Billie Wheeler

Cove Photo: Simon Arinze