Saturday, day # three of this classy four day music and arts festival on this vast picturesque and tranquil site on the deer park of the Cornbury Park estate at Charlsbury, nestled in the Cotswolds countryside in Oxfordshire.
Wilderness [presented by Audi] 2025 is in its 14th season and attracted many thousands of people [capacity is 30,000] from across the UK and from overseas. It is spread across many acres, but still has the vibe of a far more intimate, boutique festival.
THURSDAY: We caught these artists: Soaked, Juju, Sleeping Together, Gok Wan’s DJ set, Mary in the Junkyard, Night Tapes, DJ Algy, DJ Jade Blakemore, Common Goldfish and Mista Trick Collective.
FRIDAY: Orbital, Air, Bear’s Den, Georgia, DJ Yoda, Berlioz, and chef /author and TV presenter Pru Leith.
TODAY [SATURDAY]: Supergrass, Aurora, Hot Dub Time Machine, Baby Said, Antony Szmierek, Lapsley, NOFUN!, Showhawk Duo, The Audi parade with Discolicious / Denise Van Outen and Jemma Bolt, top chef Anna Hough, and a live “Great Company” podcast from Jamie Laing and Jemima.
* Oh, we must not forget the annual “silly” cricket match where spectators are encouraged to get their kit off and streak across the pitch!!! We resisted that temptation, by the way!
Today’s headliners Supergrass, who, 30 years on from the release of platinum debut “I Should Coco”, performed the whole album and all their hits to one of the biggest crowds of the four days.
In 1995, the Mercury-nominated album hit the charts at Number 3, rose to Number One in the week following Glastonbury and ended up shifting over 500,000 copies in the UK and a million worldwide.
The album features “Caught By the Fuzz” and ‘Alright’, the band’s fourth single which catapulted them to global success. “I Should Coco” now stands at more than a million sales worldwide, and impressively, is the biggest-selling Parlophone debut album since The Beatles.
Ethereal Norwegian singer Aurora has captivated global audiences her beautiful voice and unique blend of electronic pop and folk. Winning many new friends at Wilderness this year.
Hot Dub Time Machine is “the world’s greatest time-travelling dance party” – touching down on the Wilderness Stage for the first time. Hot Dub takes you on an audio-visual journey through the biggest hits from the ’50s to now – “all killer, no filler.”
Brand new venue The Dive showcases exciting new bands such as the impressive “riot grrrl revivalists” Baby Said.
Thursday on this stage we enjoyed experimental rock trio Mary in The Junkyard, indie-punk outfit Soaked, and the psychedelia, funk, and 90s electronica group Common Goldfish.
A good find at The Dive too, was Japanese jazz and Jpop singer Juju.
Antony Szmierek is one of the UK’s most compelling new voices. Often likened to The Streets and Loyle Carner, his poetic lyricism and everyday storytelling are matched by warm, laid-back grooves and a commanding live presence. A true rising star and today he delivered a very pleasing set and pulled a decent crowd in the sunshine.
Låpsley informed the sizeable crowd she recently released her fourth independent album. 28-year-old Holly Lapsley Fletcher, known by the stage name Låpsley, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and producer.
Her debut album “Long Way Home” was released in 2016. Three more LPs since the debut; the latest being “I’m a Hurricane I’m a Woman in Love”. She is worth seeking out.
L.A. collective NOFUN! is made up of [at last!] nine individual artists all raised in different places. Their genre ranges from alternative rock all the way through to West Coast hip-hop. In addition to their individual careers, every member unites as one force for very energetic live shows. A lively set for the Wilderness of all ages.
Mega talent oozing from The Showhawk Duo’s acoustic guitars for their blistering and totally unique set of dance classic instrumentals which was gob smacking.
On paper, loud Ibiza vibes played on acoustic guitars by two blokes may look bonkers, but in the flesh, it really is special. Mikhail Asanovic and Jake Wright take a bow.
You have not lived until you have heard the classic Faithless dance and rave anthem “Insomnia” on acoustic guitars – no band/no tracks/just these two – by this uber-talented pair.
Date for your diary: Wilderness next year is 30th July – 2nd August 2026
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Check out our coverage of Thursday & Friday…
Photos by Manja Williams
Words by Emma Ledwell
