Already one of the island’s most vital small festivals, Under the Drum returns to the lush, rewilded grounds of Breckenhill, just outside Belfast across 8–9 August. Lovingly curated by siblings Will, George and Rosanna Reade, the festival unfolds across a family-run site that’s been rewilded over 37 years. Every tree was planted with care and every corner of Breckenhill hums with something honest. The result is a weekend that feels genuinely grounded; a low-key, high-impact alternative to the noise elsewhere.
I was there last year and had an incredible time: bands in the barn, falcons in the sky and that particular kind of golden-hour light that makes you think you’ve wandered into a dream. I’m also pretty sure I saw an alien during Joshua Burnside’s closing set – make of that what you will.
This year’s line-up – balancing folk, indie rock, electronic, soul and spoken word with real intention- is easily one of the strongest anywhere on the island. Across two days, Under the Drum gathers the likes of Silverbacks, Landless, Arborist, Problem Patterns, Junior Brother, Negro Impacto, Holly Lester, Skinner, Connor McCann, Touzai and more (full disclosure: a band I play in, Junk Drawer, are on the bill again too.)
Beyond the music, there’s yoga, art, craft beer, wild swimming, food vendors, a sauna in the woods, and yes, falconry. All set against the eye-popping backdrop of Breckenhill; intimate, off-grid and nothing short of exquisite.
Under the Drum isn’t trying to be the biggest. It’s trying to mean something and already succeeding.
Weekend camping tickets are ridiculously affordable at £100 with day passes from £60. Grab your tickets here and check out the full line-up below.
