Dick & Dom, Claude VonStroke, and Goldie join Armand Van Helden and more for one of the UK’s wildest weekends

Lancashire’s most beloved mischief-fuelled festival, Beat-Herder, is going all-out for its 20th birthday this July, revealing the full line-up, stage splits, and a new wave of additions ahead of the party of the summer. Returning to the Ribble Valley from 17–20 July, the fiercely independent weekender promises another four days of music, magic, and mayhem.

Newly announced for the Main Stage are childhood chaos agents turned festival DJs Dick & Dom, live rave juggernauts Dutty Moonshine Big Band, the thunderous Drum Machine collective, and hometown harmonisers Clitheroe Pop Choir. Over in the legendary Toil Trees, rising star Paige Tomlinson joins the forest rave alongside house don Darius Syrossian, hardcore hero Slipmatt, and viral cult-favourite Fish56Octagon.

Elsewhere, the Thursday night warm-up has fully evolved into a must-not-miss blowout. On The Ring, drum & bass royalty Goldie leads a stacked takeover with The Medic MC, Anaïs, Doktor & Benny Page, DJ Helen, and more. Across the site, Smoky Tentacles delivers a sweaty blend of bass and breaks with Stanton Warriors, Plump DJs, and conscious lyricist Amy True.

In a UK exclusive, Claude VonStroke makes a triumphant return to Toil Trees for the first time since 2016, bringing his signature tech-funk sound to a Friday night headline slot in a perfect alignment with Beat-Herder’s two-decade milestone.

But it doesn't stop there. The notorious Fortress venue comes armed with structural bass pressure from Dave Clarke, Dillinja, Tim Reaper, Ammara, Posthuman, and D.A.V.E. the Drummer, fusing acid, techno, jungle and more — all under fire-lit ramparts. If it bangs, it's there.

Elsewhere on site, the Beat-Herder Parish Church returns in divine rave form, with reggae sermons from Bushrocker Hi-Fi, Ramon Judah, DJ Valvatron, and more dub disciples. Over at The Launderette, expect genre chaos, foam parties and a spin cycle of sounds thanks to Jodie Langford, Rothko, and York’s Young Thugs collective. And for the tripped-out night owls, Sunrise brings UV-laced psychedelia and seventeen new DJs including Fuzzy Logic and Lost Element.

This latest drop builds on an already massive line-up revealed earlier this year, featuring Armand Van Helden, Fabio & Grooverider w/ The Outlook Orchestra, Hybrid Minds, HAAi, Jaguar, Catz 'n Dogz, Slipmatt, Dub Pistols, Gardna, K.O.G., and ZERO 7.

But Beat-Herder has never just been about the music. The Ribble Valley site transforms into a surrealist playground — complete with secret swimming pools, danceable cars, a teleporting phone box, and enough DIY art to make Glasto blush. There’s a reason it’s won Festival of the Year (Northern Music Awards) and TPD TV’s Best Festival of the Year.

Born out of the free rave scene and still run by six schoolmates with hearts on sleeves, Beat-Herder remains one of the UK’s most uncompromisingly creative and community-focused festivals. As they hit the big two-oh, one thing’s clear: this isn't just a party — it’s a pilgrimage.

Tickets are on sale now.

Visit: https://beatherder.co.uk

Watch the highlights from 2024 below:

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.