WORDS AND IMAGES KIERAN ANDREWS
The In it Together festival is now in its third year and growing every year, with an estimated over 100 thousand people attending over the bank holiday weekend. The buildup is bigger this year, and the festival has sold out, making it a stable event in the calendar ready for 2025.
To kick off the main weekend opening stage, none other than Scouting for Girls will be performing. The band, which has been around since 2005, is still among the best live bands you can hope to see. The festival explodes into life with interactions with the crowd in every song. They are also being filmed for a new song they are currently recording.
Next up to take the stage is Bellah Mae, a solo singer with upbeat music and a catchy chorus. She draws the crowd back to the stage with fast-paced tempo songs and a powerful voice, ending her set with her first released song “Boyfriend of the Year,” which sees a lot of the younger crowd here singing their hearts out.
Following Bellah Mae, Newton Faulkner, a solo singer with a selection of acoustic guitars, surprises the audience with an unexpected rock sound blasting through the speakers at the first chord. He plays so hard that the string flies off his guitar, but with a quick change of guitars, the show continues. Faulkner ends his set with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” with the crowd singing back at mind-blowing volume levels, bringing his set to an end.
The stage is then set for the world-renowned DJ Joel Corry to open with “Out Out.” With the sun blazing and drinks flowing, the crowd is in their element as Joel turns the field into a clubland party atmosphere in seconds. Ranging from his music with mixes from the classic 90s Ibiza area to the present day, Joel keeps it relevant for everyone, ending his set with “Head & Heart.”
Following up from the dance is Tunde from The Lighthouse Family, opening with their biggest hit, “Lifted.” From partying and jumping to arms swaying back and forth, Tunde’s soulful and easy listening voice flows into the audience’s ears, ending their set with “High,” a singalong that everyone knows.
Up next is Feeder, the biggest Welsh band at the festival. With massive hits from the 2000s, they kick off with “Just a Day,” which has everyone’s heads bouncing throughout. The stage is packed to watch them rock through their set, which includes jumping, clapping, and head-banging. They come to an end with their biggest hit, “Buck Rogers,” leaving the stage to cheers that will be hard to beat this weekend.
Craig David is up next and has lost no appeal to anyone. One of the most well-known musicians, the crowd floods forward with fans as he starts with “7 Days” to make an entrance to his set. Mixing club classics in with his lyrics and rapping at extremely high speeds, there are huge cheers and appreciation for his effort.
The stage is now set for the main act, none other than Rag’n’Bone Man. Starting his first song, you get a real feel for that powerful booming voice he is known for, which cuts straight through you like pounding bass. He lets the festival know he has a new album due soon and probably shouldn’t be playing songs off it yet, saying “but it will only be one.” His new and unheard “Rush of Blood” with his vocal range and the higher speed of the song receives cheers at the end, indicating that this song will go down well in the future.
FOLLOW SCOUTING FOR GIRLS
FOLLOW BELLAH MAE
FOLLOW NEWTON FAULKNER
FOLLOW JOEL CORRY
FOLLOW FEEDER
FOLLOW CRAIG DAVID
FOLLOW RAG AND BONE MAN
