Show of Hands: The new Festival Debuting in Somerset

Listen to music you really love, instead of conforming to Bristol’s set festival agenda in May, which, for most students, is Block Party and Love Saves the Day. Join the gathering at Show of Hands, a festival curated by the people that attend, showcasing the absolute best of Bristol’s grassroots scene.

This family-friendly festival of just 2,500 people will gather over the May bank holiday: Ticket holders can propose ideas, vote on the festival’s ‘lore’, and help build the experiment as it unfolds. This unique exploration of art and music is about to take over the sunny fields of Gilcombe Farm, Bruton, just outside of Bristol, in the best possible way.

The Tab was lucky enough to attend the launch party last week at the Jam Jar; the atmosphere was a reminder of why Bristol’s music scene has the reputation it does. The crowd was a combination of students, long-time Bristol ravers, and local creatives – bringing the essence of exactly what you want for a festival, priding itself on underground culture and community.

Two students, Beth and Becca, told the Tab, “The jazz resurgence is prominent in Bristol,” explaining how they really enjoy the music fusion and were “having a lot more fun dancing with a good crowd.”

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This festival is not just about big headliners, it’s about building a space for Bristol’s electronic and alternative scenes to flourish. The Tab was able to speak to MasterMind after his set; the high-profile DJ was mixing under the alias as a passion project. He spoke of his love for the scene: “It’s not just a group of sweaty lads,” (typically seen at his shows), “this music brings people together, and everyone actually dances.” The artist moved from London to Bristol a year ago and is involved in the world music scene, working non-profit for grassroots music.

The sense of community this festival is set to bring was very much felt at the launch party. If you want a main-character festival summer, the launch party showed the hype is real and if the energy of last Friday night matches that of the festival, which it will and more, then it is not a weekend to miss, and tickets are unlikely to hang around for long.

Bristol does festivals well, but this is one that truly feels like it belongs to the city’s soul.

All images via Lily Wrenshaw