22 Acts on 2 Stages Set in Magical Rural Sussex
As the festival season will be leaving us soon, I thought I would post something about this absolute gem that I was fortunate enough to cover this Summer. Close to my hometown of Lewes in the gorgeous Crockstead Fields the organisers offered camping, glamping, food and drink stands, chill out areas, two stages and 22 handpicked acts curated by DedBest Distillery, ably supported by the always superb Hidden Herd. With a family friendly vibe, the idyllic Sussex countryside surrounding us, and 2025 weather – this was a perfect way to spend a Summer Saturday.
Having four of us in the team for Brighton and Hove News, two photographers and two reviewers, covering both stages was not a problem. And the organisers had timed everything perfectly to avoid any overlaps. Also the Woodland stage being just two minutes away from the main stage made the whole experience very chilled – eat your heart out Glastonbury!
The Woodland Stage
In an enchanting clearing, surrounded by lush woodland and lit up with fairy lights, the eclectic selection of the eleven bands performing in the outside area kept the audience inspired with a mix of musical genres. As a photographer, the changing light from shooting the first band at midday, to stage lighting in the evening, was a joy in ensuring each performance looked individual. To explore the the woodland stage artists a little more hit the links below.
Sansom – The Rapports – Fukushima Dolphin – Lean with the Breeze – Lucy Darke – Moon Idle – Telecom – The Stanford Family Band – The Roebucks – AtticOmatic – Nature TV
The Main Stage
Housed inside a marquee with a bar at the back, hay bales scattered around and ceiling lanterns creating a beautiful ambient light, the main stage was the setting for the bigger sounds, and did not disappoint with a line up that constantly delivered diverse musical styles and unique performances. Click through the links below to discover more.
ChitChat – Room Service – Winter Gardens – Ideal Living – Mulimba – Trip Westerns – Comforts – Congratulations – Projector – Keg – Gaffa Tape Sandy
Throughout the day I found myself completely absorbed in each performance, and of course musical taste is very personal and individual so I would highly recommend exploring all of the acts that played. But I do have two bands from the festival that I will be following closely.
Ideal Living
A mesmerising performance and highly individual sound! Ideal Living is a Brighton based seven piece ‘Art Rock’ band lead by the very charismatic performer Billy Marsh. Citing Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Ennio Morricone as some of their influences and describing their sound as postspook knitwear rock AKA doctor who music – you know this is going to be something pretty special!
Winter Gardens
This was my second experience of seeing Winter Gardens live I was again blown away by the onstage presence of guitarist Jamie Windless. A real treat to capture on my trusty Canon. With inspiration drawn from 80’s post-punk, Factory & Creation era bands the group have developed their own ‘dream-punk’ vibe incorporating the shoegaze & dream-pop haze with the energy of punk rock. Another memorable performance.
This was the second year for Dedfest and I am really hoping there will be a third. For a more comprehensive rundown and updates checkout the Dedfest Facebook page and the Brighton and Hove News write up.