Max SteventonThis year’s Y Not Festival will include new music performance spaces, Dubtendo and Sub Culture, as part of an increased focus on late-night programming.
The Superstruct Entertainment-promoted rock and indie festival will take place from 30 July to 2 August at Pikehall in the Peak District. The 40,000-capacity event sold out in February.
The Dubtendo area will be run by the music collective of the same name know for combining video content with drum & bass, grime and jungle. Meanwhile, Sub Culture will consist of a custom-built late-night dance music venue focused on UK soundsystem culture. The space will feature jungle, drum & bass, dubstep and UK garage, alongside themed visual production inspired by local folklore.
The Sub Culture programme includes Smokescreen Soundsystem, Freestylers, Jungle Cakes vs Uncommon Records, Kleu, Resist, Speaker Louis and Grimsey, among others.
Other late-night areas at the festival include The Quarry, which features multiple genres and a silent disco; The Giant Squid, curated by Scruff of the Neck and focused on rock, punk and metal; Flamingo Jack’s, which offers cabaret, karaoke and comedy; Club Malibu, which programmes 1980s music; The Hog & Barrel pub space; and The Pit live venue.
Adding electronic music programming aligns with the recent upsurge in live electronic music events and programming. According to a recent Night Time Industry Association report published earlier this this year, electronic music programming has increased 10.5% since 2020.
Y Not organisers said, “The introduction of Sub Culture and Dubtendo marks a significant step in Y Not Festival’s ongoing evolution, reinforcing its commitment to musical diversity, creative programming and community-led experiences, while expanding beyond its indie foundations without losing the grassroots energy that defines the event.”