Top Tier Vibes at Flesh Queer Festival

WHAT A WEEKEND. At the end of May, we trekked our way to the countryside for a big ol’ party. Somewhere down a gravel path near St Albans, we found queer camping heaven. Think: banging music and impeccable vibes, equal parts leather harnesses/piercings/platform boots and glitter/sparkles/rainbows, as well as a healthy dose of mullets and the friendliest bunch of revellers both on the dancefloor and in the campsite. That’s right: Flesh Festival was a real treat.

As the first queer camping festival in the UK, the impressive line-up was predominantly made up of women, trans, and non-binary house and techno artists. Heavyweight headliners Rebekah, Juliana Huxtable, Ellen Allien and Jaguar were joined by a whole host of incredible DJs, including big names like VTSS, LSDXOXO, and SPFDJ, alongside relative newcomers like Angel D’Light, Elliott, and allyXpress. A real crowd-favourite, Lady Shaka, absolutely stole the show after her killer set filled with throwbacks and bangers had us going completely mad in the sun on Sunday afternoon.

A recent BBC study found that only one in ten headliners at the UK's top music festivals this summer will be women, revealing an overall trend that reflects the structural issues within the music industry. In an age where festival line-ups are still dominated by male artists, and the demand for safe spaces for women and marginalised people in the music scene is pertinent, Flesh is a shining example of the exciting potential of the queer community taking matters into their own hands. 

As Pride Month kicks off and festival season is well underway, we’re grateful to have been a part of this incredible festival, and we hope it’s the first of many to come.

See a glimpse of what we got up to!