Festival Review: Donny Fest 2025
07/06/2025
Photo By: Lucy Beech
What began as Askern Music Festival has now evolved into something even bigger! Welcome to Donny Fest. Originally set to debut last year, the event was postponed but it finally made its mark on Saturday, 7th June at Doncaster’s iconic Keepmoat Stadium. While much of the original lineup remained, a few changes were made along the way, Billy Ocean was originally billed to headline but it was James Bay who ultimately took the top spot.
The festival’s debut delivered a strong lineup including Tom Meighan, The Twang, Ocean Colour Scene (acoustic), James Walsh, The Farm and many more.
The final Askern Festival in 2023 faced its fair share of criticism over long bar queues, poor toilet facilities and some truly miserable weather (though you can’t really blame the organisers for that). Things got so bad that Razorlight’s headline set had to be cut short. So, moving the festival to Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium was a smart and much-needed decision. The venue is well-equipped to handle large crowds, with permanent bar areas and proper toilets already in place. But the organisers weren’t taking any chances, they added extra portaloos outside and more bar points throughout the site. The result? Smooth service all round, with minimal queues. Hats off to them for tackling two of the biggest issues from their previous event head-on.
To make things easier for festivalgoers, the organisers also arranged shuttle buses from Doncaster Station for just £2, a great idea in theory but not without a few teething problems. With only Apple Pay and cash accepted and no card readers in sight, we found ourselves scrambling for an alternative. Luckily, we managed to grab a taxi and by pure chance, we were invited to share the ride with Wayne and Sammy Murdock, one of the artists performing at the festival. The hiccup meant we arrived later than planned and had to try our luck with an early hotel check-in. With the festival kicking off at 12pm, anyone staying overnight might have struggled to catch the early acts. We were fortunate to get into our room but the travel delays meant we unfortunately missed one of our top picks, The Denabys.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
As we approached the entrance, the unmistakable sound of ‘Girl in the Smoking Area‘ by Freddie Halkon drifted through the air. At first, even people around us were convinced it was Freddie himself, a testament to just how perfectly Jonny Blade was nailing the cover. Of course, we knew straight away it was the ever-wonderful Blade holding court on the Buskers Stage which was in the fan zone outside the stadium. His voice was so spot-on, it would’ve been hard not to stop if you were just passing by. We managed to catch the tail end of his set as we got inside.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
We walked into the stadium just as The Rosadocs‘ ‘Bittersweet‘ kicked off, perfect timing. The lads may have had an early slot but that didn’t stop the dedicatcated from showing up and singing every word. Sound issues meant Joe’s guitar was a bit lost at times but the energy never dipped.
‘Hopeless Optimist‘ and ‘At Your Door‘ had the crowd fully engaged and ‘Cross to Bear‘ had people stunned as usual, a clear fan favourite. Rain hit during ‘Settle Down‘, but spirits stayed high and the sun soon returned. They closed with ‘Run Away Instead‘, no Keelan in the crowd this time, but still a great finish to a tight, high-energy set.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
With such a stacked lineup, some stage clashes were inevitable, making it tricky to catch full sets but we managed to catch a solid chunk of Afflecks Palace, who brought their Madchester-influenced swagger to Yorkshire. Kicking things off with ‘This City Is Burning Alive‘, it was clear from the get-go that they were bursting with energy and attitude.
Interestingly, the band also moonlight as The Total Stone Roses tribute act. Earlier in the day, I spotted a guy from behind and joked, “Look, it’s John Squire!” Forty minutes later, that same guy was on stage, turns out it was Dan Stapleton. Even in Afflecks Palace mode, his Squire-esque playing style was unmistakable and an absolute joy to watch.
‘I’m So Glad You’re On Ecstasy” sparked some proper baggy shoulder-shuffling in the crowd, the band’s attitude was now radiating straight back at them. Before launching into their indie-fused anthem “Colour Photo,” frontman J Fender gave the crowd a bit of classic festival banter: “Here’s the chorus, if you sing it loud enough, the sun will stay out. If it pisses down, that means you’re out of tune.”
Photo by: Marc Whiffen
As we headed outside, we caught the tail end of our new taxi companion Sammy Murdock’s set on the Buskers Stage and he had the crowd absolutely stunned. He’d seriously undersold himself to us earlier too, when we mentioned we were covering the festival for an indie site, he shrugged it off with, “Well, I’ve got a guitar, that’s about it.” But his voice? Absolutely stunning. A mate of ours who was already in the crowd turned to us and summed it up perfectly: “He’s fucking good, him.”
Between the end of Sammy Murdock’s set and the start of The Farm, we found ourselves with a rare gap in the schedule, the perfect chance to explore the site a bit more. We took the opportunity to check out the vendors, grab a bite and wander over to the fairground, which added a fun, family-friendly vibe to the festival. It was also a great moment to bump into friends and soak in the atmosphere.
Photo by: Nikki Wilson
To top it off, we managed to catch a quick chat with Reytons bassist Lee Holland, it’s always a pleasure. He’s one of those genuinely down-to-earth blokes who never seems in a rush and always has time for people, all while cracking a few jokes. We also spotted local lad and rising star ADMT on site. With his buzz continuing to grow, it was great to see both of them supporting local events and connecting with fans.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
The Farm are one of those bands that often get unfairly pigeonholed as one-hit wonders and that’s a massive injustice. If you ever get the chance to see them live, don’t pass it up. They opened their set with ‘Love See No Colour‘ and frontman Peter Hooton wasted no time getting stuck in, greeting the crowd with, “Hello Doncaster, we love your Yungblud but not your Jeremy Clarkson.” Classic Hooton, full of character, charm and honesty.
As the set progressed, the crowd steadily grew, drawn in by the band’s infectious energy, groove and timeless sound. Even the unreleased material from their upcoming album never broke the crowd’s stride, a testament to how seamlessly the new songs blend with their older tracks. One in particular, ‘Moment in Time‘, already feels like a future classic. You’d never guess this is from their first album in 30 years, they performed with the tightness and relevance of a band that never left.
They even snuck in a cover of The Clash’s ‘Bankrobber‘, which was a brilliant touch and landed perfectly with the audience.
A special shoutout has to go to backing vocalist Alex Goatly, whose powerhouse vocals added a whole new dimension to the performance. She brought such depth, soul, and presence that it elevated the entire set, truly one of the standout performers of the day.
The band closed with their iconic anthem ‘All Together Now‘ and by that point, the atmosphere had hit full peak. The crowd was at its biggest so far, voices united and the stadium felt like one big family. It was the perfect closer, uplifting, emotional and unforgettable.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
Sam Scherdel was firmly on our “must-watch” list but sadly, we had to make a tough call due to stage clashes and when one of those clashes is with one of your all-time favourite bands, the decision makes itself. Sam overlapped with The Twang and ever since I first heard ‘Wide Awake‘ back in 2007, I’ve been hooked. The music, the storytelling, the bravado, It’s just everything I love about music and they’ve never let me down live.
Despite various line-up changes over the years, the kind of turbulence that would cripple other bands, The Twang have remained a constant.
This was my first time seeing them in a stadium, the crowd might not have been the biggest, but with a band like The Twang, it’s never about numbers, it’s about connection. Their fans are diehards, not casuals and that creates an electricity you can’t fake. Opening with ‘Took the Fun‘, it took Phil Etheridge a couple of songs to fully settle in, probably clocking the slightly sparse early crowd but once he felt the energy from the faithful, he gave it right back with his trademark swagger and banter.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
At one point, Phil kept sipping from a mysterious white mug, joking about not being allowed to drink on stage and that “rules is rules.” I’m not sure it was Yorkshire Tea in there though by the way he started to get a glow on, this suggested it might’ve been something a little more magical.
The setlist was stacked with classics, but one of the biggest reactions came during one of their newest tracks, ‘You On My Shoulders‘. People were getting on eachother’s shoulders, you could see Phil buzzing off it, it’s the kind of tune every band wants in their live arsenal.
What The Twang do so well is that balance between rowdy energy and tender vulnerability. ‘Encouraging Sign‘ is always one of those heartwarming moments that sparks huge grins and tight hugs in the crowd and Doncaster was no exception.
In contrast ‘Guapa‘ changes the vibe entirely. With its slow-building, almost spaghetti western intro, it exploded into full moshpit territory, it’s a monster live. The track also shows off the band’s musical chemistry, ‘Grandmaster Ash’ Sheehan and Jon Watkin locking in with that heavy, pudding-thick rhythm section, while Stu Hartland’s guitar wizardry sets the scene for Phil’s boisterous and menacing delivery. This is The Twang at their most raw and powerful.
They closed with the legendary ‘Cloudy Room‘, a moody, slow-burner that captures the essence of a night that goes too far but not necessarily in a bad way. It starts introspective, almost hungover in mood, before bursting into a euphoric, feel-good finale. The moment Phil dropped the mic and walked off, leaving the band to ramp the tempo up one last time, was magic. It was also a reminder of how tight this band is, and how crucial each member is to the soul of The Twang.
A welcome break in the schedule gave us a chance to soak up more of the atmosphere and chat with people around the site. We ended up larking about with Myles Henderson from The Rosadocs for a while, a proper gent and a funny guy when hes away from being an octopus on stage, playing guitar and keyboard at the same time… Some talent by the way. We also bumped into Sam Scherdel, who we’d unfortunately missed earlier due to the dreaded set clash. He branded me “a bastard” for choosing The Twang over him, all in good humour, of course. No hard feelings (I hope) but we owe him a proper set next time around!
This break also gave us a chance to poke our heads into the acoustic tent and it was absolutely heaving. Ah, so this is where everyone’s been hiding! On stage was James Walsh, frontman of Starsailor and even though we only caught the tail end of his set, it was more than enough to be blown away. His voice sounded absolutely massive in that tent, rich, powerful, and effortless.
I was buzzing to catch ‘Tell Me It’s Not Over‘, one of my all-time favourite Starsailor tracks so walking in just in time for that felt like a bit of a win. By the time he launched into ‘Silence Is Easy‘, the whole tent was singing in unison and the atmosphere was electric. I couldn’t help but feel gutted for missing the start because if the ending was anything to go by, it must’ve been special from the very first note.
Once again, we only managed to catch the middle of Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison’s Ocean Colour Scene acoustic set, we had to peel away early to secure a good spot for Tom Meighan. But even in that short window, we witnessed another spellbinding vocal performance that had people stood like statues. Honestly, how that tent didn’t lift off from the sheer power of Simon’s voice is beyond me.
Hearing ‘Soul Driver‘ in such a raw and stripped-back form was something special, there’s a certain purity to seeing a band acoustic for the first time, it brings a new intimacy and Simon’s voice filled every corner of the tent. ‘Profit in Peace‘ sparked a beautiful singalong moment and you could feel the emotion ripple through the crowd.
A lovely touch came from Oscar Harrison who is usually behind the drums now playing guitar, his son Leon took over the back seat (or stool, more accurately). A brilliant passing of the torch and it just added to the warmth of the entire set.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
Now it was time for our headliner of the day, the one and only Tom Meighan. Since his departure from Kasabian, Tom’s been on a real road to redemption. He’s worked his arse off, shown genuine remorse and just as importantly shown how grateful he is to still be doing what he loves. It’s been a tough but rewarding few years and while he seems at peace with where he’s at now, knowing Tom, he’s only just getting started, this is a man who will always push for more.
The crowd was smaller than expected again, but whether that’s down to the stadium’s sheer size or cautious ticketing for a first-time event at this venue, who knows? Either way, Tom doesn’t care about crowd size, he could be playing in your back garden and still give it the energy of a Glastonbury headline slot.
And just like that, a hyperactive Tom came bursting onto the stage, kicking things off with his solo track ‘Shout It Out‘. Within seconds, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand, dancing, singing and totally locked in. Every time he wasn’t on the mic, he was strutting across the stage, sticking his tongue out in glee, clearly loving every second. He had us and he knew it.
What’s impressive is just how well Tom’s solo material stands up against the Kasabian classics. Tracks like ‘High On You‘ and ‘Exorcist‘ were real crowd-pleasers, full of swagger, energy and purpose. You can feel how much belief Tom has in these songs and that confidence is infectious. When he’s shouting lines like “Put your hands in the air, like God’s there,” there’s a real sense of self-belief radiating from him… Not arrogance, but conviction.
It’s clear these songs aren’t just fillers between the hits, they’re the future of Tom Meighan as an artist in his own right and the crowd was right there with him.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
Although Tom is completely mesmerising and impossible to take your eyes off, his bassist Ele Lucas is right up there in terms of pure entertainment value. A true punk in presence and energy, she tore through the set like a whirlwind, full of raw power and charisma. At times it was like watching a game of eye-ping-pong bouncing between Tom and Ele, both commanding the stage in their own wild and wonderful ways. She’s electric, the perfect foil to Tom’s frontman fire.
Of course, we were all wanting to hear the Kasabian tunes and as much as the crowd craved them, you know Tom was just as eager to perform them. It’s his happy place, his most natural state. When he launches into those tracks, the joy on his face is unmistakable, it’s like he’s home.
Then something happened I’ve never experienced at a gig before. During ‘Empire,’ right at the start of the chorus with the big “STOP!” moments, a bass wave rolled through the stadium and I mean rolled. It hit like a shockwave, vibrating through the pitch and physically rattling us from our feet to the top of our heads. You could see people stunned at the front and the reaction travelled through the crowd like a Mexican wave of “Woooah!” Even Tom looked surprised, he had this cheeky, naughty grin on his face like, “Did we just do that?”
At first, I wondered if it was a mistake but it kept happening at the same moments, so no doubt it was intentional. The subwoofers were clearly cranked to 11, and it gave ‘Empire‘ an extra kick that felt downright primal.
This happened again though ‘Club Foot‘, Tom has always delivered this one with a kind of laddish aggression but with the bass waves rolling through again, it felt like the most powerful version I’ve ever heard and I’ve seen Kasabian more times than I can count. It was intense, unrelenting, and totally unforgettable.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
He closed the set with Kasabian’s undisputed anthem ‘Fire‘. It’s the big one, the signature tune and the moment that sealed it for anyone who might’ve just been at the set tagging along. By the time that final chorus hit, Tom Meighan had absolutely won over every last person in that stadium. You just know people were already checking their phones on the way out to see where they could catch him live next.
It was the perfect way to close not just his set, but our day at Donny Fest. Big grins on our faces, hair standing on end and bodies still rattling from those low-end shockwaves, it was one hell of a way to end things.
Photo by: Dan Crosfield – @crosfieldcontent
After being at the last Askern Festival, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Donny Fest but honestly, I couldn’t fault it. You could see the hard work that had gone into every aspect of the day, especially in the areas that had drawn criticism last time around. The team clearly listened, learned and delivered.
If there was one thing that stood out, it was that the stadium never felt more than half full for any act. While that could have affected the atmosphere or performances, credit to every artist, no one let it show. If anything, it highlights the scale the organisers are aiming for and it shows just how much room there is to grow. Based on this year, I’ve got no doubt Donny Fest will become a must-attend event on the UK festival calendar in no time.
The future looks incredibly bright for Doncaster and Donny Fest and I, for one, can’t wait to be back next year.
Super early bird tickets for 2026 have just sold out but early bird will be available very soon from here: https://tickets.donnyfest.co.uk/amf/donny-music-festival-2026/
