Arctangent is one of those festivals where it just feels like home. Everyone has a strong sense of community and camaraderie, and the environment lets you take a deep breath and relax for a few days. There were gorgeous, picturesque views atop Fernhill Farm as I stomped along the fields making my way to camp. Heading into the arena, the staff were immediately friendly. The festival-goers were all ambling about with pints and pad thai and the ambience was welcoming, tight knit and familiar. The sister-festival to 2000 Trees, ATG is even smaller, which is great. I hope it never changes. You can get from stage to stage in under 5 minutes, 10 if you stop to stare at all the glorious merch.
There were some incredible ‘loud women’ at ATG this year, here are some of my highlights.
Wardruna
Arriving late on the Wednesday I headed straight in to catch Wardruna with incredible frontwoman Lindy-Fay Hella. Main stage isn’t normally open on the Wednesday, but the band have so much gear they wouldn’t seem to fit anywhere else. The production is top-quality: the stage is dressed in textured fabric with low, yellow lighting gleaming through, creating a forest-like aesthetic. It’s a nod to their album Birna, with themes of the interplay between humans and nature. Their set is absolutely mesmerising. The Norwegian band combines Nordic folk and mythology with modern tinges, and the sound is captured across a range of Scandinavian instruments and spellbinding vocals from Lindy-Fay, forging a truly beautiful emergence into ATG.
Maud The Moth
I settled in for Maud The Moth at the Bixler stage and the crowd filled in around me. Maud The Moth, aka Amaya, captivated us with her vocals and the audience was near-silent. There was a slight chill in the air, but the tent was humid and Amaya’s voice carried across the heat. Beautifully atmospheric, the band were fully connected to one another throughout, their presence and teamwork forming an immersive experience. Amaya only uses some samples for live sets, and the majority of technical complexion is a combination of live loops, backing vocals (also loops of herself, as she is her own backing singer) and twisted keys. This one-person choir is transient and hauntingly beautiful.
Kylesa
I was drawn into the end of Kylesa at Yohkai whilst running between stages, and Laura Pleasants was ripping it up on guitar. Sludgy, stoner, heavy with psychedelic nods, nice!
Lowen – Yohkai
Nina Saeidi, captivating frontwoman of Lowen, drew everyone into the tent with her enchanting and ritualistic vocals, as the middle Eastern band wielded an array of instruments beautifully intertwined with one another, delivering a hypnotic intro. The tent was full by the time the second track introduced huge, slow, chanting drumbeats. Lights flared, the energy intensified as their set thickened with riffs, and the crowd morph into a collective stank face of approval. Nina raised a prayer book, as if reciting from scripture, before snapping it shut in a moment of raw, symbolic reverence, and quickly swapped it for a cymbal to unleash a sharp, percussive burst. The crowd absorb the noise in a combined sway. An intense set, thick and disarming.
Street Grease
At PX3 stage I caught the end of Street Grease, recommended moments before by some new festival friends – and what a recommendation! Huge noise, heavy, sludgy punk deliciousness. Vicky on harp and keys pulled the air out of the tent – delicate and eerie and then we’re thrown back into the bands fast-paced gritty punk riffs. Very dynamic, raw and definitely one to keep an ear on.
Ithaca
Djamila Boden Azzouz took centre stage and screamed:
“For the last fucking time, we’re Ithaca!”
This was the set everyone’s been waiting for. After teasing a ‘final’ show earlier in the year, the band came to say goodbye in the best way possible at ATG. Launching in and holding nothing back, the band throw themselves into a rage-filled set. “There’s nothing that can stop the mosh!” Azzouz yells over the crowd, to cheers and tears. Kate Davies of Pupil Slicer accompanies Azzouz for ‘Cremation Party’, a welcome treat for everyone watching, “Pupil Slicer forever!” Azzouz yells, championing Kate to a huge applause. Ithaca’s set is powerful, it’s gut wrenching and it’s a beautiful ode to everything they have accomplished over the years.
Giant Walker
Darting across to the Yohkai stage for Giant Walker, cramming into the tent as Steph opens up with “Are we ready Arctangent? Let’s go!” The rock quartet delves into a prodigious show, the set is filled with huge riffs which break into spell bindingly beautiful choruses. Infused with progressive textures and accessible melodies, the band showcase a fantastic performance all wrapped up in heavy, woolly tones, definitely making some new fans and solidifying their mark.
The Callous Daoboys
Millennial metal, mathcore money mosh music
Kicking off their set with a jolt of adrenaline, The Callous Daoboys wasted no time throwing the crowd headfirst into their mathcore mayhem. Fan favourite ‘Two-headed Trout’ goes off without a hitch, bodies were in motion, the pit opens up and it’s all systems go. The TCD secret weapon in this set is violinist and synthesiser Amber Christman – she commands the stage hyping up the crowd, jumping, headbanging and waking up everyone who dares have a hangover out of their drawl. The band play a range of songs from their albums, delving between the years and a mid-set standout came with a surprise cover of the final section of ‘Sweetness’, an emotionally charged breather, before throwing everyone straight back into the pit. Heavy, tight, chaos and they ended on a stellar cover of Enter Shikari’s ‘Sorry You’re Not A Winner’ which, needless to say, everyone enjoyed!
Rolo Tomassi
There’s an early evening buzz and excitement in the air as everyone fills into the main stage for what is sure to be one of the highlights. Rolo Tomassi wasted no time dropping a fan-favourite blast from the past ‘Party Wounds’, sending the crowd into a frenzy with people fully legging it into the mosh pit and old school fans screaming out every word. The band delivered with just as much precision and energy as ever, chaotic but clean. They are joined by a string quartet for ‘Crystal Cascades’, captivating the crowd and it feels transcendent and otherworldly. The strings stay put and Eva Korman’s vocals float through black-and-white backdrop visuals, synths and a transfixed audience. Then, in true Rolo fashion, the calm shattered into swinging, sonic combustion kicking the crowd awake again, reminding everyone that serenity is always temporary. An incredible set and a massive soundscape, like a dream that resonates.
It was great to see so many women smashing it on stage at ATG. Often with the heavier, techier festivals the question is asked: where are all the women? Both on stage and off. I think it’s important to note that the organisers, crew and attendees of ATG do seem to be very intent on making this space an area in which women feel very welcome. The people I met were keen to have open discussions about musical knowledge whilst being cautious not to mansplain or gatekeep, which – as someone who has experienced that a lot growing up – I really appreciated. There was also a very strong presence of Safe Gigs For Women, with many attendees stopping by their tent for a chat, picking up a piece of merch and proudly sporting it in the arena. Having spaces such as ATG in which people can feel nurtured amongst individuals akin to such music will grow as the landscape of live music evolves, and this will hopefully mean more women musicians will feel connected and inspired to run within this scene. Here’s to next year’s Arctangent!
- ArcTanGent takes place mid-August on Fernhill Farm near Bristol. Next year’s tickets are already on sale
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