21st May 2025

Mucky Weekender 2025: Community, Chaos and a Career-Changing DJ Slot

The Final Blowout of Summer

As summer fades and the British countryside begins its slow turn to autumn, one festival is determined to go out with a bang — and not a corporate whimper. From 11–13 September 2025, Mucky Weekender returns to its spiritual home at Vicarage Farm, Winchester, bringing three days of genre-spanning music, good vibes, and grassroots soul to 5,000 lucky punters.

Now in its sixth year (and fifth at this location), Mucky Weekender has quietly carved out its own corner of the UK festival scene. It’s a boutique weekender with a big heart — equal parts knees-up, carnival, and community reset. And in 2025, it’s bigger, bolder, and more inclusive than ever.

INFO AND TICKETS

Drum and Bass Royalty on the Line-up

While Mucky Weekender spans genres, the 2025 edition delivers heavily for drum and bass fans — booking both originators and fresh talent across its stacked line-up.

Here are the names drum and bass heads need to know:

Fabio & Grooverider – The godfathers of the genre, laying down the roots of jungle and D&B since day one. Expect a deep, historic journey through breakbeat culture.
DJ Rap – A pioneering force in both hardcore and jungle, bringing her razor-sharp selection and high-energy sets back to the frontline.
Eva Lazarus – The powerhouse vocalist making waves across liquid and festival stages alike, with collaborations from Mungos HiFi to Gentlemens Dub Club.
Leeroy Thornhill (ex-The Prodigy) – While not pure D&B, Leeroy’s sets fuse electro, breaks and old-school rave energy — a raw influence on the harder end of the D&B spectrum.
JFB – Multi-time DMC champion known for fusing jungle, hip hop and glitchy D&B cuts into technically outrageous routines.
Chris Hawkins (BBC 6Music) – Champion of emerging sounds, regularly platforming new liquid and leftfield D&B artists on air.
Utah Saints – High-energy crossover sets blending rave, breaks, and early D&B — they’re not purists, but always draw for the bass-heavy classics.
Woody Cook – Known to switch things up with techy D&B and genre-fluid selections across UK festival stages.
DJ Yoda – While best known for hip hop mashups, Yoda often throws curveballs — including amen-heavy nostalgia sets for late-night ravers.

And of course, Barry Ashworth and the Dub Pistols crew never shy away from D&B either — past Mucky Weekenders have seen surprise jungle sets, MC-driven madness, and back-to-back sessions deep into the night.

The Riot Noise x Norman Jay MBE DJ Opportunity

This year’s opening party on Thursday 11th September isn’t just about setting the tone — it’s about creating a future.

Riot Noise, a UK social enterprise supporting emerging DJs and producers, has partnered with Mucky Weekender to offer a career-making platform: a paid main stage slot warming up for Norman Jay MBE.

That’s right. One undiscovered DJ will get 20 minutes on the brand-new Riot Noise Stage — a fully customised 7.5-tonne truck-cum-DJ-booth — before one of the most celebrated selectors in British music history.

And it’s not just the stage time. The chosen DJ will also:

Be paid £100 for their set
Receive a weekend pass to Mucky Weekender
Get their guest mix aired on the Riot Noise Radio Show

This is a proper platform, not a gimmick. Submissions are open until 12pm, 11th June 2025, and applicants must upload a fresh 20-minute warm-up mix (think soul, house, disco, acid jazz — and vibes) via riotnoise.com/pages/opportunities.

The judging panel includes Barry Ashworth (Dub Pistols) and Riot Noise’s founding team — Ronnie Traynor, Nicky Maciocia, and Ben Johnson — all seasoned music industry veterans.

Thursday Night: Jungle Vibes Meet Festival Legends

The Thursday opening party at Mucky Weekender 2025 has officially levelled up — and for drum and bass fans, it’s shaping up to be an unmissable curtain-raiser.

Headlining the brand-new Riot Noise Stage is Norman Jay MBE, the Good Times Sound System founder and certified legend of UK dance culture. But that’s just the beginning.

The night delivers a potent dose of breakbeat, jungle, and MC-led energy — anchored by artists who’ve helped shape the evolution of D&B, from its reggae and dub roots to today’s genre-defying festival sets.

Line-up Highlights for D&B Fans:

David Rodigan – A true originator and long-time influence on jungle and drum and bass, Rodigan’s deep crates of reggae and dub have informed decades of UK bass culture.
Phil Hartnoll (Orbital) – Known for pioneering UK techno, Hartnoll’s live sets often nod to early breakbeat and proto-jungle roots with layered, progressive percussion.
DJ Yoda – Expect jungle reworks, nostalgic amen breaks and audio-visual wizardry — Yoda's Thursday sets are always full of surprises for heads in the know.
Gardna – The Bristol MC brings dubwise lyricism, party-starting flows, and frequent collabs with jungle producers like Mungo’s Hi Fi and DRS.
Eva Lazarus – Whether hosting or performing live vocals over liquid rollers and halftime stompers, Eva's presence on stage is electric and deeply connected to UK bass culture.
Jaguar Skills – Known for precision-cut D&B edits, this multi-genre maestro always sneaks in jungle classics and high-BPM mayhem during peak-time sets.
The Allergies (DJ Set) – While rooted in funk and soul, their live sets often flip into breakbeat and jungle hybrids — don’t be surprised if the tempo climbs as the sun sets.

The vibe? Expect hands-in-the-air energy, rugged sound system pressure, and a respectful blend of foundation sounds with modern festival flair. And with Riot Noise’s DJ opportunity kicking off the night, the stage is literally being opened by the next wave of talent.

Boutique Spirit, Big Energy

Part of what makes Mucky Weekender unique is its DIY ethos and intimate scale. It’s still self-funded, with no corporate sponsors and no plastic branding. You’re not going to see an Amazon VIP lounge or beer priced at £8 a pint. In fact, drink prices have remained frozen for years, and you’ll likely find the festival organiser Barry Ashworth serving pints or hugging a fancy-dressed punter.

There’s a reason artists return year after year: it’s the kind of gig where you can play a storming set and end up at a campfire till 4am talking about jungle records and mental health in the music industry.

Speaking of which — the festival works closely with Tonic Music for Mental Health, providing real support to artists and attendees alike. Mucky isn’t just about good times — it’s about looking after your crew.

Dead Famous: Dress to Impress the Afterlife

Each year, Mucky picks a fancy dress theme, and for 2025, it’s Dead Famous — calling on festivalgoers to bring their favourite dearly departed icons back to life.

Think Prince, Amy Winehouse, Bowie, or even Hunter S. Thompson. The most creative costumes might even earn a coveted Golden Ticket to the exclusive Dead Famous After Party hosted by Dub Pistols themselves.

The Mucky Experience: What to Expect

Location: Vicarage Farm, Winchester – 28 acres of countryside parkland
Capacity: Just 5,000 people — it’s intimate by design
Stages: Six themed arenas, including the new Riot Noise Truck Stage
Music Policy: Broad. Expect breaks, dub, DnB, reggae, acid house, punk-funk, hip hop, and curveballs.
Crowd: Multi-generational, diverse, and up for it. Go solo or go with mates — you’ll leave with more.

Mucky isn’t built for passive punters. It’s a full-on, all-in, sweat-and-glitter celebration of creativity and counterculture. And with the sun (hopefully) still hanging on in mid-September, it’s the last true rave of the season.

Tickets & Access

Weekend Passes: Available now via mucky-weekender.co.uk
Thursday Upgrade: Already have a weekend ticket? You can add the Thursday opening party.
Payment Plans: Affordable monthly instalments available.
Special Offer: Buy 4 tickets, get the 5th free — a proper crew deal.
Get Your Tickets Here

Final Word: Not Just Another Festival

Mucky Weekender is a labour of love, not a money machine. It’s what happens when musicians, ravers, sound system heads, and creatives take matters into their own hands. With a line-up to rival giants, a heart rooted in the underground, and a platform for rising stars — it’s more than just a weekend away.

It’s a mucky, musical, meaningful send-off to summer. You in?