Wychwood Festival
Cheltenham Racecourse
29–31st May 2027
Wychwood Festival 2026 arrived with an optimism that comes from a sunny British bank holiday weekend and that revels in an eclectic lineup, some parts heritage and some quietly adventurous. As ever, Cheltenham Racecourse became a temporary utopia for families, and the politely hedonistic, all soundtracked by a bill that understood its audience without pandering to it.
Friday night’s headline slot, however, came with a curveball. Whilst The Wedding Present blasted through a forty year career, on the Garden Stage, culminating in ‘Kennedy’ and ‘Brassneck’, Craig David’s last-minute cancellation from the main stage, unclear whether by himself or the promoter, threatened to deflate the evening’s momentum. However, in stepped Sophie Ellis-Bextor with the sort of unflappable poise that suggested she’d been ready all along. Rather than a compromise, it felt like a recalibration. Ellis-Bextor leaned into her catalogue with effortless charm, gliding less familiar tracks like ‘Time’ to the icy sheen crowd-pleaser of ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ that reminded everyone she’s far more than a nostalgia act. The crowd, initially tentative, quickly surrendered. By the time disco met dusk, it was clear: crisis averted, and then some.
Saturday saw main stage guitar-based sets from the likes of Pigeon Detectives, The Twang and Feeder but the afternoon’s highlight was a stunning tent set from Pale Blue Eyes. Nestled mid-afternoon but playing like headliners, the Totnes trio delivered a set that was equal parts hypnotic and quietly euphoric. Their blend of motorik rhythms and shimmering synth textures cut through the festival chatter, creating a rare moment where people stopped, properly stopped, and listened. Tracks unfolded patiently, never hurried, rewarding those willing to lean in. It was a performance that felt transportive without trying too hard—a difficult balance, but one they made look deceptively easy.
Pigeon Detectives had all the right moves front their Rod Stewart like frontman and the crowd lapped it up before Feeder drenched the main stage in the guitar-based abandon of tracks like ‘Buck Rogers’ and ‘Come Back Around’. Meanwhile, Saturday afternoon saw an unexpected flourish with a flypast cut across the sky, initially prompting confusion before giving way to a ripple of excitement as the announcement followed: “Don’t You Want Me Baby, Back in 2027” confirming that The Human League will return as a headliner next year. It was a moment that perfectly encapsulated Wychwood’s appeal—slightly eccentric, rooted in nostalgia,
Elsewhere, Wychwood continued to do what it does best: curate without clutter. There’s an understated confidence to the programming, a sense that not every slot needs to shout for attention. Whether it was indie stalwarts drawing respectful crowds or emerging acts testing the waters, the throughline was consistency rather than spectacle. As with many festivals, you don’t have to walk far to stumble across something entertaining. Howlin’ Pete’s tent showcased Brassic Parp’s (with a horn player dressed as a dinosaur in case the crowd missed the pun) brass band re-interpretation of classic pop songs, whilst the Garden tent offered early afternoon comedy. Even the inevitable logistical hiccups—queues here and dodgy loos there- felt part of the charm rather than a distraction.
But it’s The Kaiser Chiefs who get to close the day and steal the top festival slot. Despite unexpectedly arriving on stage to Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ you know what you’re getting with the Kaiser’s, no slow acoustic numbers, just a foot-to-the-floor blast through the likes of ‘Ruby’, ‘Na Na Na Na Na’ through a pounding cover of The Ramones ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ and a glorious ‘Oh My God’. From the start their have the audience in the palm of their hand as they strut and deliver exactly what is needed from a Saturday night headliner.
Wychwood 2026 didn’t try to reinvent the festival wheel, and it didn’t need to. Instead, it refined its formula—thoughtful bookings, a welcoming atmosphere, and just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting. Even with a headline wobble, it emerged not just intact, but quietly triumphant. In a crowded festival landscape increasingly obsessed with scale, Wychwood’s strength remains its sense of proportion. It knows exactly what it is—and, crucially, what it isn’t.
Dave Roberts (originally printed in God is in the tv zine)