Between the general post-pandemic challenges that faced live music as a whole, an uncharacteristically wet and windy weekend, and a line-up and sweeping festival layout changes that both felt like a mixed bag, Barn on the Farm had a shaky return in 2022. It forced me to keep my expectations in check for whatever came next, but with every addition to this year’s line-up adding more buzzworthy names, farm favourites and artists from my ultimate Barn wishlist, I felt anticipation rising that 2023 would be something special. Little did I know just how special…

Stepping back onto Over Farm for Intimate Thursday almost feels like a different festival entirely. Going back to the festival’s roots, having everyone in the titular barn, especially after last year’s experiment with multiple stages, really radiated a quaint and cosy vibe. The perfect atmosphere for the first performer of my weekend; Nadia Kadek. Her set was quiet and fragile for the most part, but louder and impassioned in the right moments, emphasising the odd killer line that cut like a knife. Siobhan Winifred combined the quiet sincerity of a singer/songwriter with occasional bursts of alt rock energy, while charming indie pop trio Tors brought a wealth of wit and charisma to the stage. James Smith was a down-to-Earth talent with a heart full of soul, bringing out some real fire and breathtaking high notes. The fact that an Al Green cover fit so seamlessly into his set; it felt like the song could have been written with him in mind in another life. Farm regular Rhys Lewis’s delightful set sadly contained an awful lot of tuning, but keyboardist Alex was there to save the day, playing lounge music and ‘Tequila’ to pass the time. It more than did the trick as I passed people singing the tune and shouting “Tequila!” at several points over the weekend, and it made me smile every time. After much speculation waiting outside the barn, the secret headline slot saw R&B queen Mahalia return to the farm, though sadly I was too lost in the crowd to get a good view.

With the festival site opening up for the Friday crowd, it offered an opportunity to explore. The organisers really took on board what worked and what didn’t from last year’s overhaul. The tin barn main stage remained as a centrepiece, but a small tweak to the outdoor stage made it feel far more intimate while also letting crowds closer to everyone’s favourite farm residents; the ostriches! A bit sore from the first night of camping, Overpass were the energetic wake-up call I needed to start the day. I’ve had Dolores Forever recommended to me a few times and they did not disappoint. Wilson Phillips meets Wet Leg, following the mantra “existential dread, but make it party”. Cate was one of my favourite discoveries of last year, with her infectious smile and Swiftian songwriting, and this year she sounded even better. In the likely event you miss out on Eras Tour tickets, she might be the next best thing. The highlight of her set saw her duet Shania Twain’s ‘You’re Still The One’ with Tessa from Tommy Lefroy.

Keeping the Shania theme going, Nieve Ella walked on to ‘Man, I Feel Like a Woman’ to deliver her set to perhaps some of the most passionate fans of the weekend. Although, mine and Nieve’s highlight has to be her being joined on stage by Gary the wooden duck – one of Barn’s many eccentric traditions. Having missed Tommy Lefroy last year due to a clash, I was glad to catch them on the main stage this time around. I see them being a name that will rise quickly to the top of the line-up in the next few years. The weather then took a bit of a turn, but it did nothing to dampen the spirits of Red Rum Club. You can’t see everyone at a festival, and every year I hear a band from across the campside and feel like I’m missing out, and their raucous brass and feel good vibes were that moment for me this year.

The sun emerged again in time for a secret set from Sam Ryder, another “Reggae Zero” moment, hiding in plain sight on the lineup as Cam Aspen (an anagram of Spaceman). As joyous as ever, he offered up a medley of songs from Florence, Taylor Swift and Paramore, and lead the crowd for the big singalong choruses of his latest tracks. Rounding out the day was Gang of Youths, one of my favourite live bands, as our Friday headliners. They were incredible as ever, and being front and centre at the barrier I practically carried the frontman Dave over it when he went deep into the crowd at the end of ‘Magnolia’. Friday also saw a new era of nightlife on the farm. Not only did the hottest club around, Grandma’s House, make a return, but also late night DJ sets were hosted in the barn for the first time. An inspired addition that let those who wanted to able to keep the party going, while also allowing those wanting to settle down early for the night able to do so in relative quiet away from all the commotion. 

Rested up, ready for the bigger weekend crowds, and while some of the intimacy is lost, it’s great to see acts early in the day able to pull a bigger audience. The lovely Aine Dean opened up a busy barn stage, warming up the crowd with a cover of ‘Love Story’ before delving into her own well written heartbreak balladry. A band called Feet brought some britpop swagger to the main stage, while in the barn folk storyteller Cartwright had perhaps the most rapt and attentive crowd of the weekend and Etta Marcus delivered some dark and dreamy vibes. Pop prince Thomas Headon brought some serious Harry Styles energy to the farm, and more impressively could absolutely rock double denim. A festival is a marathon not a sprint however, and so I had a fairly steady Saturday afternoon. While I didn’t see as many acts as I’d have liked, I did get chance to catch up with a few familiar faces and old farm friends that I’ve made over the years. I think this year I also met more artists than any year prior, everyone from up-and-coming acts, to headliners, to a certain secret someone who’d make an appearance later in the weekend… 

Back to the action, as The Big Moon returned to Over Farm, sounding better than ever. Super slick performance, feeling every bit like the UK’s answer to Haim, with a gorgeous a cappella track being the highlight of their set. Olivia Dean played a packed out crowd on the outdoor stage, with the warm glow of golden hour making her set feel all the more magical. But by far the biggest surprise of the day, and my favourite discovery of the weekend, was Saturday’s headliner Bleachers. I was hoping for another Maggie Rogers moment – turning up not knowing a single song, being completely blown away, and leaving with a new favourite – and that’s exactly what I got. More familiar with Jack Antonoff’s work as a producer, I went in expecting sad shimmering synthpop, and instead Bleachers felt like a hyperactive E Street Band running on several cans of Red Bull. With two drummers, dueling saxophones, and Jack’s infectiously manic exuberance, it was a grand and anthemic set. From the very first track, to a grand finale that saw inflatable tomatoes bouncing around the crowd, it honestly felt like one of the best performances to grace the farm. It was their first time headlining a UK festival, and what an inspired choice they were for a headliner!

Still running on adrenaline the next morning, my Sunday began with the frog-hatted singer/songwriter Corook on the outdoor stage. Even though it was her first ever UK show, it was clear there were plenty of fans in the crowd, and after her quirky and charming set it was easy to see why. Having missed Ber’s set last year, and having loved all the new music she’s released since then, I made sure to get a good spot to see her at the outdoor stage. Some mic trouble plagued the start of her set, but once that was resolved she owned the stage like a real pop rock powerhouse. Given her energy onstage, I don’t know how she had enough gas left in the tank to run over to the main stage for this year’s Farm Band. Joining Flyte and Billie Marten, 2023’s impromptu supergroup felt very much like a songwriter’s circle kind of affair. The spontaneity of it certainly makes it feel unique, but the fact all the artists were seated likely left a lot of people struggling to see. The set’s finale saw them joined by the one and only Sigrid for a cover of Neil Youngs ‘Old Man’, and let me tell you the farm band’s harmonies on that track was one of those live music moments where you feel it in your very heart and soul. Keeping the supergroup theme going, the newly formed Fizz later burst onto the main stage for their first festival performance. From eccentric outfits and clarinet solos, to sock puppets and songs about Rocket League, their madcap maximalism was just the sugar rush the day needed.

I sadly had to miss Amber Run this year to secure a spot in the wooden barn, as by this point everyone had a strong hunch who this year’s secret set would be. Yet knowing did nothing to spoil the sense of wonder as Sigrid took to the stage for a stripped back piano set. There have been a lot of ‘pinch me!’ moments at Barn over the years, moments you look back on and think “wow… I was there!“, and speaking for myself this topped them all. But between the fact that her set was cut short due to a medical incident in the crowd (quickly dealt with by staff, and with a patient and compliant crowd), and the fact that the wooden barn has a very limited capacity, I can’t be the only one keeping everything crossed that she’ll come back with her band next year to headline the main stage. But I’m getting ahead of myself, the night is still young. The gorgeous harmonies of The Staves were just the wind-down I needed from the adrenaline high. Such a joyful shot of nostalgia for 2015, when they headlined my first ever Barn, and touching to note how both they and the festival itself has grown over the years. As seeing artists grow is one of the festival’s guiding principles, who better to close 2023 than Holly Humberstone. Barn to her core, someone keeps coming back to the festival year after year, each performance more assured and engaging than her last, her headline set felt like an emotional victory lap for the whole farm family.  

A funny comment from when Fizz took to the stage really stuck with me; Orla Gartland enthusiastically telling the crowd “This is my Coachella!“. No shade on any Coachella goers reading this, but Barn is the the furthest thing in the world from Coachella for all the best reasons. There are no pretensions, no concern for image or status or profile, no self-obsessed souls present. Everyone is part of the farm family, artist and audience alike, and for all the fun little quirks and traditions every last person sets foot on the farm for the same reason: a love of music. Each magical “pinch me” moment, of which there were many this year, burned all the brighter for having shared it with the kindred spirits around you. The heartwarming sense of community that this festival has seemed all the more potent this year. 

It’s one of the many reasons why I think, even up against some incredibly stiff competition, this was Barn on the Farm’s best year yet. It had everything I love most about this festival – being blown away by something new and exciting, singing my heart out to old favourites, nostalgic nods to the festival’s roots, stunning surprises at every turn, and sharing it all with the lovely people who make up the farm family. The only issue I have is that Gang of Youths and Sigrid were at the very top of my Barn wishlist, so ticking both off in the same year means that I need to draft up a new one! I have no idea how 2024 can possibly top such a magical weekend, but given how much I’m missing Over Farm already, best believe I’ll be there for whatever comes next.