There’s something slightly ridiculous about trying to pick the best bits of Green Man. Across four days, the festival manages to cram in everything from indie and rock to electronic, folk, experimental and everything in between. There’s always another stage to wander towards and another band you didn’t know you needed to hear.
With the Brecon Beacons stretching out behind the festival, it’s hard to find a more beautiful backdrop for live music. The mountains, the music and the slightly chaotic Welsh weather all feel like an essential part of the Green Man experience.
But, for me, these were some of the standout moments of the weekend.
Getdown Services
There’s something wonderfully British about Getdown Services. The Minehead duo brings a mix of disco, rock, humour and complete chaos to the stage, and the crowd had spilled far beyond the tent.
What made the set particularly memorable was the genuine sense of gratitude running through it. Having come through the Cardiff grassroots scene themselves, there was something lovely about seeing them take to one of Green Man’s stages and acknowledge the friends, family and people who had helped them along the way.
Their success feels like a proper grassroots success story, and watching them throw themselves into the set, with their trademark humour and endless energy, made it very easy to see why they’ve come so far.
Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice’s set had plenty of huge moments, but one of the most special came when they brought Dove Ellis and Anna Calvi onto the stage for ‘Sunday Light’, taken from the HELP charity album.
The collaboration felt particularly fitting at Green Man, where artists from completely different corners of the festival can find themselves sharing a stage. They also treated the crowd to a cover of Mazzy Star’s ‘Fade Into You’, adding a softer moment to an massive set.
And then came the unexpected encore of sorts. After Ellie Rowsell left the stage, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ started playing, and rather than heading for the exits, the crowd stayed exactly where they were, singing every single word at full volume.
It was one of those slightly surreal festival moments where thousands of people suddenly become one very loud karaoke group.
Bathing Suit
Green Man has no shortage of brilliant electronic and dance sets, but Bathing Suit were a real standout for me.
Playing the Rising Stage, the Leeds band brought a level of physicality and intensity that was impossible to ignore. The set felt less like watching a band perform and more like being dragged into the middle of it.
The lead, Freyja Blevins, curated a completely manic performance; full of bizarre movements, theatricality and a kind of controlled chaos that made it difficult to look away. It was loud, sweaty and exactly the sort of set you hope to stumble across late at night
Westside Cowboy
It was a pretty big day for Westside Cowboy. Their debut album, It Goes On, had just been released, and they were already taking on the Mountain Stage.
Despite being an afternoon set, and the rain, the crowd was huge, with people sticking around and packing out the space in front of the stage.
One of the most noticeable things about the band was their chemistry. There’s a real sense that these are friends having the time of their lives together, rather than simply four people who happen to be in the same band. That energy translated straight into the crowd, making the set feel much bigger than an early-afternoon festival slot.
Dove Ellis
Dove Ellis was one of the moments where Green Man reminded you that sometimes the best festival experience is simply finding somewhere to sit down and properly listen.
The Galway-based artist, real name Thomas O’Donoghue, has a genuinely breathtaking voice, paired with an impressive ability to write songs that feel incredibly personal, down to earth and thoroughly moving.
There are obvious Jeff Buckley comparisons in his sound, but there’s something distinctly his own about the way he delivers these songs. It was an emotional set, and one that demanded a bit of stillness in a festival that can otherwise feel like a constant rush between stages.
Having recently supported Anna Calvi at Cardiff Castle, Ellis is now heading towards another Welsh festival appearance at Sŵn. If this weekend was anything to go by, he’s absolutely one to keep an eye on.
Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon
And then, of course, there was Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon.
If there’s one thing Green Man does particularly well, it’s bringing people together, and Pop Dungeon was probably one of the campest example of that all weekend.
Cover bands, big pop moments and absolutely no shame about singing along made it one of those sets where it didn’t really matter who you’d come to the festival to see. Everyone was there for the same reason: to have fun. It was completely joyful — which, really, is exactly what a festival should be.
The Far Out Tent
The Far Out Tent was easily one of the highlights of the weekend. It had that brilliant festival atmosphere where you could wander in for one act and somehow end up staying for hours, with the tent quickly becoming one of the places to be. Fcukers kicked things off with their electronic sound, turning the tent into something that felt more like an underground club night than a festival set. Lime Garden also ventured the tent with their dreamy, punchy alternative sound, and even Wales’ own Panic Shack brought their trademark chaos and infectious energy to the stage. Three completely different acts, but all with the same ability to get the crowd moving. With packed crowds, brilliant energy and something exciting happening at every turn, the Far Out Tent became a real hub of the festival.
Of course, Green Man still has plenty of big names on its line-up. But what makes the festival stand out is how seriously it takes the artists who are still on their way up.
From bands coming through the grassroots circuit to artists playing their first major festival stages, there’s a real sense that Green Man wants its audience to discover something new.
And that, ultimately, is what makes the festival so special. You can arrive knowing exactly who you want to see and still leave with a handful of new favourites. In a festival landscape increasingly dominated by the biggest names, Green Man’s commitment to independent and rising artists feels genuinely refreshing and is a huge part of why it has become such a cult favourite, selling out so quickly year after year.
The festival will return to Bannau Brycheiniog from 19th – 22nd August 2027, marking its 25th Anniversary. Tickets will be released on Saturday 26th September 2026, and are anticipated to sell out in record time. For more information see: greenman.net
