More than 50 local artists took to stages across Nottingham venues to raise money for rough sleepers as the annual Beat the Streets charity fundraiser festival returned on Sunday (January 26).
Heavy metal crowd-pleasers Evil Scarecrow, actor Paddy Considine’s musical side project Riding The Low and alt-rock favourites Bored Marsh are among the artists who highlighted Nottingham’s musical talents at the event.
Since 2018, the festival has raised just under £500,000 for Nottinghamshire charity Framework, which provides housing, employment, and rough sleeping support to thousands of people across the East Midlands.
Money raised from the 2023 festival went towards the building of eight purpose-built flats in Forest Fields, which now houses long-term rough sleepers.
In previous years, funds from the event have kept the charity’s emergency winter shelter open all year round.
Claire McGonigle, Framework’s Deputy Chief Executive, told Platform funds from the festival provide a “brilliant contribution” to the charity’s work.
“We’ve collaborated with [organisers] DHP family since 2018 and we get brilliant recourses from it,” she said.
“I think it’s brilliant because it raises awareness of the [homeless] issue, which – in terms of Nottingham – is huge. That’s despite the best efforts of everyone around to do something about it.
“It just keeps getting worse, partly because of the housing crisis we’re in. So the festival is a great way of raising awareness of the challenges and the issues and it’s a great way to pull on the expertise and the experience of the DHP Family.
“And hopefully it’s a brilliant day out for everyone,” Claire added.
The event kicked off at 1pm, with many venues staying open until the early hours of the following morning.
Artists played across DHP Family venues Rock City, Rescue Rooms, The Bodega, Stealth, and Rough Trade throughout the day, with all proceeds from tickets, bar, and merch going directly to Framework.
George Akins, the company’s managing director, said: “This has been a really important event for us.
“We’ve really enjoyed working on this for so many years and it’s great to see so many bands get involved. So many people from my office get involved, and all of the community just comes out and supports this event.”
He added that his biggest goal for the festival is to beat the current total raised of £491,000 and surpass the 500k mark donated to Framework since the festival started in 2018.
Nottingham’s very own JayaHadADream, who recently played Glastonbury 2024 after winning the festival’s Emerging Talent Competition, took to the Rock City main stage with her band at 3pm.
Her first time playing the iconic venue, she described the performance as “a dream come true,” telling Platform she knows first-hand the impact the festival has.
“Everyone coming through – that was amazing,” she said.
“We didn’t realise how many people were in the crowd until the lights came on. Some of my friends – some who came today – have been homeless so it’s great to be able to do this and to represent.
“I know [the festival] really makes an impact, and to be able to actually perform and raise money – it’s sick.”
Local post-punk legends Do Nothing – who formed as a band while at secondary school more than ten years ago – also took to the Rock City stage to a packed-out audience at 7:15pm.
They said the festival provides a brilliant platform for emerging artists and bands to attract new audiences.
“It’s always a good vibe at Beat the Streets and because it’s all local bands – people are ready to support,” The band’s guitarist, Kasper Sandstrøm, said.
Lead singer Chris Bailey, added: “All you have to do to support is get a ticket and you get to see loads of good bands – you get loads in return just for a ticket.
“At these events, you spend so much time speaking to different people and a lot of what you’re talking about is what bands you’re going to see.
“The way you hear about these new local acts is through these festivals and then you go see them and suddenly you’re introduced to them”.
DHP Family and Framework are expected to confirm at a later date how much money was raised for charity from this year’s event, with the hope and expectation that it will exceed the £500k milestone.
More Beat the Streets 2025 coverage will follow on Platform, with reviews and photo galleries coming soon…
All photos taken by Taylor Ind