ArcTanGent Drops Its First Names For 2027 As It Moves To A New Location
Elite math rock festival Arctangent, now in a new Gloucestershire home, leaves the iconic Bristol’s Fernhill Farm behind for pastures new, dropping the first names for 2027 including Neurosis and Blood Incantation
There are few better festivals in the world that specalise in genre better than purely independent ArcTanGent festival. After having spent many editions at Fernhill Farm in Bristol it has moved to pastures new - Todenham Manor Farm, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire - closer to London, with easier international connections, situated 2 hours from the capital and only an an hour and a half from its previous location in Bristol (though, I would wager, it has historically been a Weston-Super-Mare festival). It is now a one hour drive from Birmingham.
This is predominantely the Wednesday lineup, which has historically given fans a second chance to catch some of the highlights of the previous edition. In this case, clear standouts of 2026 IAN have been invited back for another go, as have Ronker, Danish blackgaze outfit Møl (who were caught in a hopelessley cruel clash with jazz/post-punk icons Maruja), black metal outfit Conjurer and Din of Celestial Birds, who showcase the range of depth in the genre and the ability of the festival to navigate the sphere between punk, post, math and prog effortlessley. ArcTanGent has become a watchword for its own genre over the past few years - and this year looks set to be no different - as evidenced by enlisting Blood Incantation, who I was lucky to catch opposite Mumford and Sons at this year’s Rock Werchter festival in Belgium, delivering a set that made them one of the heavyweights of the genre.
ArcTanGent is known for its special album sets and we have seen full shows from Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas performing ‘Mariner’ as previous edition headliners, and 2027 looks set to be no different in that regard: ‘Absolute Elsewhere’ is being played in full as part of Blood Incantation’s current set, and it’s a 2027 UK exclusive show for The Ocean and If These Trees Could Talk. Employed to Serve are about in 2027 but it’s the only chance fans will get to see their 10th anniversary performance of ‘The Warmth of a Dying Sun’.
Smote embrace folk, drone, doom and ambience and also join the lineup alongside Mogwai’s heir apparent Long Distance Runner that fill the post-rock void expertly. Lowen have played at ArcTanGent before but make a welcome return having just crossed Download off their festival list. Holy Fawn also make a feature having played at sister festival Damnation this year.
One more Friday headliner remains to be revealed with Blood Incantation playing on the Thursday and Neurosis playing on the Saturday.
ArcTanGent runs from 18-21 August 2027. Find out more about the festival here and follow their Instagram here.