Festival season is well and truly underway at the Student Music Network and on the 25th-28th of May, I was lucky enough to head over to In It Together Festival in Margam, South Wales. Although only a two-year-old festival, In It Together delivered exactly what it promised – great music and a strong sense of community. 

With live music across four nights, the Welsh fields were transformed into a centre of dance, groove, singalongs and fun. Spanning many different genres, the bands and artists won the crowd over and brought together 30,000 people under the sunshine. Highlights were The Kooks headlining Friday night, who delivered a broad set of darker ballads and karaoke classics. Earlier on that evening Jake Bugg had graced the main stage with his moody guitar riffs and crowd-pleasers like ‘Two Fingers’. Though there weren’t many artists across the weekend who didn’t get fans looking up from shoulders, Jake Bugg certainly managed the majority. 

For the pop fans, there was plenty to go around. The Vamps and Anne Marie excelled on the stage on Saturday, offering up true guilty pleasures and much nostalgia. While family favourites such as Bjorn Again, UB40 and James got the crowds dancing.

The Paddock Stage was excellent for discovering the up-and-coming talents. As the home of local Welsh talent, where bands and artists alike can showcase their unique talent, this stage is the future of the music industry. Personal highlights were Ani Glass, who delivered soulful melodies in both English and Welsh, and Tom A. Smith, whose northern vocals caught the attention of rock and indie fans across the field. 

Meanwhile in Panchaia, where the worlds of tech house, disco and bass collide, electronic fans were in awe. Chase and Status helped end the weekend with a massive set, full of their most-loved tunes, and rising DJs such as Hannah Laing and Lucas Alexander got the crowds grooving in the sunshine. Panchaia was the place to be for catching some absolute wizards on the decks. It perfectly complemented the bands and musicians that played out across the rest of the festival.

All in all, In It Together 2023 was a weekend of fun in the sun. The line-up was eclectic, the dance moves were questionable, and the outfits were bold, yet the good times were had. Lots of great music and interviews with the artists can be found on our YouTube channel, where you can see and experience more from Margam. See you next year!