First acts of Simple Things Festival 2025 announced

Simple Things Festival has announced the first acts of 2025.

The festival that returns to Bristol on November 8 is celebrating more than a decade of championing bold and boundary-pushing sounds with the likes of Dry Cleaning, Tunde Adebimpe, Factory Floor, Decius, Rich(ard) Dawson and more.

Renowned for its curatorial edge and deep connection with the underground music community, tickets are now available on the Simple Things website.

 

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Centred around Bristol Beacon and spreading across the city’s signature venues, the 2025 edition brings a focused line-up that captures where modern music is heading – blending live electronics, heavy experimentalism, off-centre pop and raw guitar energy.

This year’s programme features standout artists such as Dry Cleaning, the south London post-punk outfit whose debut album New Long Leg broke into the UK Top 5 and established them as one of Britain’s most vital new bands.

 

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Also taking the stage is Tunde Adebimpe, the celebrated frontman of TV on the Radio, now breaking new ground with his acclaimed solo work and his 2025 debut album, Thee Black Boltz.

Alongside them, an incredibly diverse cast of artists includes: Factory Floor, Decius, Rich(ard) Dawson, These New Puritans, Fievel Is Glauque, Joshua Idehen + The Social Singing Choir, MOULD, Rachika Nayar, Lucy Gooch, Florence Sinclair and The Zawose Queens.

 

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Also in attendance are: Hotline TNT, Mandrake Handshake, Mechatok, Jawnino, Ceephax Acid Crew, Y, Horse Vision, Mystery Tiime, 10 years of Nyege Nyege Tapes showcase, The Sick Man of Europe, Smerz, The Orielles, Malibu, Upchuck, Iglooghost and a showcase of favourite acts from World Snooker Champion, DJ and Bristol resident Steve Davis.

 

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Thomas Frost, co-founder and director at Crack Magazine, said: “There is never a year when getting all the Simple Things jigsaw pieces out of the box isn’t exciting. This edition is no different.

“Working together on a line-up that is musically representative of what we do at Crack Magazine, creating a whole package that feels essential, is always a highlight, and we can’t wait to continue building around this incredible first phase of musical talent.”

Matthew Aitken, programmer at Bristol Beacon said: “Simple Things has always been about pushing things forward – championing artists who aren’t afraid to experiment and challenge the status quo,”

“For 2025, we’ve curated a line-up that captures the energy, innovation and raw creativity that make modern music so exciting right now.

“It’s a celebration of boundary-breakers and future icons, all set against the backdrop of the city that helped inspire it.”

Simple Things has always prioritised innovation over commercial trends, with past editions featuring trailblazers such as Max Cooper, Flowdan, Wu-Lu, Warmduscher, Gazelle Twin, and SCALER.

The 2025 line-up continues this spirit, spotlighting artists who are shaping the future of music in fearless and unexpected ways.

 

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Venues being used for the 2025 edition include five stages across Bristol Beacon, Bristol Megascreen, which features the use of their 19m x 15m cinema screen, Strange Brew, The Sportsmans, Rough Trade, and The Christmas Steps.

Main photo: Dry Cleaning

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