We Out Here 2025

We Out Here opened its gates in the heart of Wimborne for its sixth edition this year. Alice Beard reviews.

Back in mid-August, We Out Here Festival opened its gates for its sixth year running. Within the last few years, it’s fair to say We Out Here has really made its mark. With stories from past attendees promising fresh, experimental musical discoveries and enough genre bending sets to leave you reeling for weeks after, it has become something of a legend on the scene. After already attending last years edition, I was firmly anticipating another showcase of some of the best talent the musical sphere has to offer- I can safely say that this sixth edition did not fall short of my expectations in the slightest.

It has been said before, but I’ll say it again- We Out Here really does have it all. With artists across fifteen stages, talks tents and various workshops, it fuses everything into a coming together of cultures, ages and musical genres. This warm and welcoming celebration summons an atmosphere that truly makes We Out Here what it is. With its richly talented roster of over 400 artists and DJs, it makes it difficult for me to pinpoint my favourite from the vibrant array on offer. Fighting this caveat, I have managed to whittle down a ‘few’ of my highlights from the weekend.

With Horace Andy marking himself as top competitor on the Main Stage on Thursday evening, the festival was officially off with a bang. Maintaining that same momentum, MJ Cole proved a tour de force as he showcased his masterfully crafted Sincere 25 years on from its inception. Blending his unique take on UK Garage with elements of soul and dance, the production sounded as smooth and slick as ever. With guest appearances from the likes of Katy B and Elisabeth Troy, both audience and stage became unified by the nostalgic grooves which welcomed the night. From this set, the only way was up. As the evening simmered on, the usual tangible shift to deeper, more experimental dance music was felt in full force, especially with the presence of Bristol based producer Batu in The Bowl. The combination of this stage’s distinguished anatomy alongside Batu’s bass heavy take on techno truly emphasised his ambition to push things forward with his sound. It was something all-encompassing and daringly bold- definitely not one to miss.

Breaking into Saturday morning, the sun welcomed a new day with freshness on the horizon. Perhaps one of the best parts about We Out Here is its balance between its selection of music and providing the time to unwind in- between. Aside from a customary visit to the Sanctuary for a swim in the lake, you can easily find yourself wandering from talks to workshops, perusing through records, to even finding a simple grassy glade to bask in the glories of it all. A further new and welcomed addition to the arena this year was We Out Here Radio. It was here where I found myself sitting back and soaking up the soundwaves of Suresh Singh, better known as The Cockney Sikh. I was lucky enough to meet the man himself later that evening and I am happy to confirm he was perhaps one of the loveliest and wisest people I’ve come across in my life so far. His WoH Radio show perfectly encompassed his character in this way too. During his Footprints of Love show, he took us on a journey through his past, his culture and the values he holds closest to his heart. It was an honest, charming and nostalgic excursion which formed a reminder to slow down and enjoy the very simplest moments of the festival.

Elsewhere, Saturday brewed up yet another round of artists to kickstart your dancing feet. Laying down a bold precedent for the remainder of the day in The Bowl, the fathers of Bristol’s trip-hop scene Smith & Mighty filled out the area with a hot and heavy dub set. Classics including B-Line Fi Blow and Move You Run shook the treescape and shifted the dust, proving the valued importance of music both old and new within the festival’s DNA. Luke Una maintained this same statement much later in the day as he reigned king of The Bowl for another year running. As Stalwart of the UKs underground scene since around the mid-80s, Una’s eclectic and artfully curated set boasted E soul, Disco, Balearic and much more. After making such a name for himself during the Hacienda years and beyond, it was hardly surprising to see such a broad array of ages in attendance. Some things never get old. In fact, from the turnout for Deptford Northern Soul Club at Near Mint Record Store, to Joe Bataan lighting up the Main Stage with his silky-smooth soul grooves, there was more than enough to go around for everybody at We Out Here. There was a real feeling of unity and connection within the shared experience of so many enjoying such an array of musical talent which had traversed time and cultural pathways to all land in the same place at the same moment.

Jimi Tenor at Lush Life

By the time Sunday morning rolled around, everything that had come before had not quite set in before it was time to once again indulge in the plentiful fruits of this festival. After a fleeting visit to the sanctuary, it was time to kickstart the day with Aba Shanti- I in The Bowl (again!). This hazy sunshine set by one of dub’s most legendary sound system operators was truly a pleasure to be a part of. As the afternoon drew on however, it was time for a switch in tempo as the festival began to turn its head to a drum and bass takeover with Fabio and Grooverider in the Rhythm Corner. I must add, Montirex tees and gun fingers were compulsory here- no excuses.

Following a quick trip back to the tent to fuel up on chickpea curry and a couple of warm cans of beer, it was time to scrabble through the arena crowds and join multi- instrumentalist Jimi Tenor just in time for the start of his head tilting, ear twitching set at Lush Life. With his fusion of jazz, electronica and all else beyond comprehension, he proved a master of synth, flute, sax…the list goes on. It was a thoroughly enjoyable set, one in which I concluded he is a man I would love to go for a pint with. However, there was another set competing for my attention at the exact same time- Kokoroko on the Main Stage. Winding down the weekend, their set brought a calming freshness which acted as a warm embrace as the crowd began to wave farewell to the weekend. Though I didn’t manage to catch their entire set, I am thoroughly grateful for the short but sweet sample I did get to enjoy.

It wasn’t quite time to say goodbye to the night yet though, for as quickly as I had made my way over to the Main Stage, it was once again time to fight the rush and plant myself firmly before the mighty A Guy Called Gerald (with The Jungle Drummer) at Lush Life once again. From the early days of acid house, through to techno and jungle more recently, A Guy Called Gerald is a pioneer of the dance scene. The mass turnout for his set was therefore no surprise in the slightest. Aside from teasing seminal track Voodoo Ray the entire set, he managed to deliver something electrifying, well and truly proving he still has it and more. As this set concluded, the wind down of the festival was beginning to set in- so it was time to wind the energy up even further with a visit to Bakey at The Grove. I can’t say much about this set aside from that I enjoyed it, my friends enjoyed it, and as the evening drew ever closer it was exactly the right place to be at that present moment- there’s no feeling better at a festival.

Tying the evening and in fact the whole festival to a tight close was the main man himself, Gilles Peterson with a mammoth set at The Bowl. Mammoth not only in its grandeur, not only in his selection, but also in its attendance. After thinking I saw the Bowl at its capacity during Peterson’s set the previous year, I was proven graciously wrong. Throwing into his selection tracks from those invited to this year’s edition of the festival, to well loved classics of the distant past, there was really nothing better to end it all on. Peterson sure knows how to throw a party.

It is clear as day to see why so many people return to We Out Here each year, and why many more are beginning to flock there for their first time ever. It brings together everything great about the music we enjoy in this country. Best put by Gilles Peterson in his closing words “The way we can mix the heritage music, the forward-thinking music, the UK DJ culture; there’s nothing like it anywhere in the world.” There is a unique unity in a festival like this, and I earnestly encourage anybody considering attending next year to do so. My only qualm with the entire festival was the lack of toilets and water points considering the rapidly increasing outreach and popularity of the festival. Having five portaloos and one set of urinals to facilitate for the crowds of some of the most well attended stages (aside from the Main Stage) was neither pleasant, nor convenient. I am confidently hoping this shortfall will be addressed in the coming years, because it really is the only snag when it comes to We Out Here.  

Alice Beard

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Edited by Alice Beard

Images courtesy of Alice Beard