Best Kept Secret (festival)

Best Kept Secret
The entrance to Best Kept Secret in 2014
Dates	Early-to-mid June
Location(s)	Hilvarenbeek, North Brabant, The Netherlands
Years active	2013–present
Website	bestkeptsecret.nl

Best Kept Secret is a three-day music festival held since 2013 in the Beekse Bergen in the village of Hilvarenbeek, which is west of Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Best Kept Secret is a music festival with a line-up in which big names are alternated with new discoveries from indie, folk, hip-hop, rock, electronics, and a mixture of styles. The festival's centerpiece is a lake in the back of Beekse Bergen safari park. The founder of the festival said that his vision was "aiming to create something that we’d like to go to ourselves". ^[1]

Best Kept Secret festival has an open air stage (ONE), three tent stages (TWO, FIVE and SEVEN), and two dance floor stages: THREE and FOUR. For the 2017 edition Best Kept Secret added 'The Casbah', a dive bar and hang-out, which hosts performances of hardcore bands. For the 2019 edition of the festival, Best Kept Secret added SEVEN, a smaller tent stage for experimental performers.

History

The festival is organized by Dutch booking agency Friendly Fire. In June 2013 the first edition was held and it was a sellout with 15,000 visitors daily. ^[2] The festival has received two nominations at the European Festival Awards: ^[3]

• Best Festival Line-Up 2014
• Best Medium-Sized Festival 2014

In 2013 the festival won the 'Best Festival Award' at the 'IJzeren Podiumdieren' award show at Eurosonic Noorderslag. ^[4] The 'IJzeren Podiumdieren' award show is an initiative by the Vereniging Nederlandse Poppodia- en Festivals (Dutch venues and festivals association). ^[5] Best Kept Secret introduced a concept, a 'food line-up' for the first festival in 2013. The organization strives for diverse and sustainable food options including vegetarian meals, soups, and juices. After the 2019 edition, Maurits Westerik, who is also the frontman of the Dutch band Bewilder, became the festival's new director. He replaced Robert Swarts. ^[6]

Festival summary

Edition	Year	Dates	Headliners
11th	2025	June 13–15	Michael Kiwanuka · Eefje de Visser · Deftones · Wilco · TV on the Radio · Barry Can't Swim
10th	2024	June 7–9	Justice · PJ Harvey · Paolo Nutini · Disclosure
9th	2023	June 9–11	Aphex Twin · The Chemical Brothers · Oscar and the Wolf
8th	2022	June 10–12	Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds · The Strokes · alt-J · Jamie xx
-	2021	Scheduled: June 11–13	Scheduled: The Strokes · Massive Attack · The National (canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
-	2020	Scheduled: June 12–14
7th	2019	May 31–June 2	Kraftwerk 3D · Bon Iver · Christine and the Queens
6th	2018	June 1–5	Arctic Monkeys · LCD Soundsystem · The National
5th	2017	June 16–18	Radiohead · Arcade Fire · Run the Jewels
4th	2016	June 17–19	Beck · Editors · Jamie xx
3rd	2015	June 19–21	The Libertines · Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds · A$AP Rocky · alt-J
2nd	2014	June 20–22	Elbow · Franz Ferdinand · Interpol · Lykke Li · Pixies
1st	2013	June 21–23	Arctic Monkeys · Damien Rice · Sigur Rós · Portishead

Editions

2025

Best Kept Secret 2025 (11th edition)
Friday June 13	Saturday June 14	Sunday June 15
Eefje de Visser Barry Can't Swim Nilüfer Yanya Nia Archives Brihang The Dare Kabeaushé Kin'gongolo Kiniata Dummy Lander & Adriaan Paceshifters	TV on the Radio Amadou & Mariam Amenra Kneecap L'Impératrice King Hannah	Michael Kiwanuka Wilco Djo Waxahatchee Spellling Wine Lips Personal Trainer they are gutting a body of water Split System The Thing Gouge Away

Deftones , Blanco White, Caribou, Magdalena Bay, The Backseat Lovers, Big Special, Brass Rave Unit, Cassandra Jenkins, Divorce, Droom Dit, Elephant, Fcukers, Jasmine.4.T, Khana Bierbood, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Sailor Honeymoon, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, The Pill, This Is Lorelei, TVOD, W.I.T.C.H., a.o.

2024

Best Kept Secret 2024 (10th edition)
Friday June 7	Saturday June 8	Sunday June 9
Disclosure St. Vincent BADBADNOTGOOD Viagra Boys Ki/Ki La Femme Libianca Omar Apollo Sofia Kourtesis (Live) Baxter Dury The Armed English Teacher St. Paul & The Broken Bones Katy Kirby Mannequin __ Chastity Belt Minyo Crusaders Alice Phoebe Lou Snõõper Texoprint Upchuck Iconic (Queer Pop) Vals Alarm Ise Droom Dit	Paolo Nutini Slowdive Vince Staples Osees Parcels Altin Gün Fatoumata Diawara Merol Deijuvhs Ratboys Etran De L'Aïr Library Card Mildlife Royel Otis The Amazons The Mary Wallopers Faux Real Mula B Tjade Tramhaus Grace Cummings Cherry Glazerr YHWH Nailgun Lambrini Girls Infinity Song CMAT Winter Lézard Porcelain ID	Justice PJ Harvey Floating Points De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig Amyl and the Sniffers Billy Woods Jockstrap The Haunted Youth The Mysterines Warhaus Water from Your Eyes Tamino Dorian Electra Sprints Slow Pulp The Indien Pip Blom Ada Oda Ali Coloray Gurriers Hiqpy Paris Paloma Parker Fans Thandii Affaire néomí

2023

Best Kept Secret 2023 (9th edition)
Friday June 9	Saturday June 10	Sunday June 11
The Chemical Brothers Caroline Polachek The 1975 Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul De Staat Joey Valence & Brae C_mgirl8 Sudan Archives Personal Trainer Unknown Mortal Orchestra Sylvie Kreusch Billy Nomates The Voidz Erika de Casier Glass Beams Gretel Hänlyn Hermanos Gutiérrez M(h)aol Wodan Boys Silvana Estrada Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn Job & Fred Band Philou Louzolo Shimza	Oscar and the Wolf Young Fathers Young Marco Pitou Black Country, New Road De Staat Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Kevin Morby Interpol Two Door Cinema Club Tinariwen Dope Lemon Goldband Alex G Lankum Gaye Su Akyol Big Joanie Terzij de Horde HAAi CLT DRP The Cool Greenhouse Hammok Ineffekt Marathon Peach Pit Sir Chloe Sophie Straat Stone De Toegift	Aphex Twin The Mars Volta Nation of Language De Staat Alvvays Christine and the Queens Lambrini Girls Crack Cloud w/choir Cola Julia Jacklin Japanese Breakfast Kurt Vile & The Violators Röyksopp Oumou Sangaré The Comet Is Coming Sorry Arlo Parks Pongo Surf Curse Bumble B. Boy Lime Garden Mich Sarah Neutkens x Kamerata Zuid Somebody's Child Yot Club

2022

Best Kept Secret 2022 (8th edition)
Friday June 10	Saturday June 11	Sunday June 12
alt-J Jamie xx Jessie Ware Leon Bridges Mavis Staples Sigrid 4B2M Altin Gün DIIV Elias Mazian Faye Webster Genesis Owusu Giant Rooks Gustaf Iceage John Talabot Merol Sad Night Dynamite Talk Show Tramhaus Wies Yasmin Williams	The Strokes Beach House Big Thief Boy Pablo dEUS Fontaines D.C. Froukje Metronomy Beach Bunny Carista Cero Ismael Future Husband Jensen McRae Just Mustard Keiyaa Kikagaku Moyo L'Rain Pip Blom Porridge Radio Sef & het El Salvador Ensemble The Vices Unschooling Yin Yin	Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Mura Masa Sampa The Great Sky Ferreira Wolf Alice 2manydjs Amenra Automatic black midi Cassandra Jenkins Holly Humberstone Jehnny Beth Luz Meskerem Mees Nagasaki Swim Nilüfer Yanya Novastar Spellling

2019

Best Kept Secret 2019 (7th edition)
Friday May 31	Saturday June 1	Sunday June 2
Bon Iver Charlotte Gainsbourg DJ Koze Primal Scream Spiritualized Shame Crack Cloud Jambinai Priests Psychedelic Porn Crumpets Stereolab BCUC Cate le Bon SHHT Angie McMahon Bountyhunter Personal Trainer Julien Baker John Grant Miya Folick Ditz Charlie & The Lesbians Krystal Klear Blossoms Faye Webster Broeder Dieleman	Kraftwerk 3D Sophie Cigarettes After Sex Guided By Voices Mac Demarco Viagra Boys Death Grips Toro Y Moi Wooden Shjips Ex Hex Yves Tumor Borokov Borokov LSDXOXO Ron Gallo Snail Mail Charlotte Adigéry The Beths Fornet Wallows Fat White Family Feng Suave Lucy Dacus Aldous Harding Phosphorescent Sports Team The Nude Party	Christine & The Queens Carly Rae Jepsen The Raconteurs Interpol Kurt Vile & The Violators Big Thief Indian Askin Kae Tempest Lizzo Cautious Clay Georgia Anne Muldrow Princess Nokia Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Liz Phair Julia Holter Caroline Rose Whispering Sons Cautious Clay Ramses3000 Pink Noise Romperayo Lewsberg Iguana Death Cult Juke Ross

2018

Best Kept Secret 2018 (6th edition)
Friday June 8	Saturday June 9	Sunday June 10
Arctic Monkeys Chvrches Deerhunter Future Islands Tyler, the Creator ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead Naaz Rex Orange County The Comet is Coming Tom Grennan The Districts Job Jobse All Them Witches Sudan Archives Flohio Volcano Boys Crows	The National Wolf Alice Warpaint Vince Staples The Kills Isaac Gracie Slowdive Johan Angus & Julia Stone Four Tet The Internet Vince Staples Alex Cameron Shanti Celeste Big Ups Wavves Pale Waves Mattiel	LCD Soundsystem Father John Misty Rodriguez Spoon Mogwai Khruangbin Ty Segall Unknown Mortal Orchestra Gang of Youths Preoccupations Rostam Superorganism Waxahatchee Dermot Kennedy Yellow Days John Maus Vagabon

2017

Best Kept Secret 2017 (5th edition)
Friday June 16	Saturday June 17	Sunday June 18
Run The Jewels Agnes Obel Metronomy King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Section Boyz Amber Arcades Denis Sulta DJ Prime Hundred Waters Jenny Hval Joey Purp Jo Goes Hunting Kelly Lee Owens Kornél Kovács Leif Vollebekk Mannequin __ Real Estate	Arcade Fire The Boxer Rebellion Floating Points George Ezra Andy Shauf Chris Cohen Circa Waves Cloud Nothings Froth Her Honeyblood Joy Orbison Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Kim Janssen Laurel Halo	Radiohead Aurora James Blake Kaleo RY X Soulwax Strand Of Oaks American Football Arab Strap Junun ft. Shye Ben Tzur & The Rajasthan Express Canshaker Pi Cass McCombs Fil Bo Riva Henry Wu presents The Kamaal Williams Experience Iguana Death Cult Kadhja Bonet Kikagaku Moyo Marlon Williams

2016

Best Kept Secret 2016 (4th edition)
Friday June 17	Saturday June 18	Sunday June 19
Beck Beach House Christine & The Queens Wolf Parade DIIV Mystery Jets HONNE Slow Magic Empress Of The Heavy Preoccupations Moon Duo Beach Slang Palmbomen II	Editors Caribou Air Bloc Party Dinosaur Jr. Destroyer Glass Animals Bewilder Sleaford Mods Blossoms Low Julien Baker Black Box Revelation Kelvin Jones Pional (live)	Jamie xx Two Door Cinema Club Wilco Yelawolf Yeasayer Band of Horses BADBADNOTGOOD Fat White Family Oneohtrix Point Never Indian Askin Unknown Mortal Orchestra Half Moon Run VANT

In total, around 100 artists, bands and DJ's performed at Best Kept Secret festival 2016.

2015

Best Kept Secret 2015 (3rd edition)
Friday June 19	Saturday June 20	Sunday June 21
The Libertines The Jesus and Mary Chain The Tallest Man On Earth Chet Faker Earl Sweatshirt Eskmo The Pop Group Binkbeats Blanck Mass Daniel Norgren Daniel Romano Eagulls Kevin Morby Liima METZ Off! Pi__Jeans St. Paul and The Broken Bones Strand of Oaks The Coathangers Vessels Yak	Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds A$AP Rocky RIDE Death Cab for Cutie Of Monsters and Men The Vaccines Temples Daniel Wilson Fickle Friends Föllakzoid Ghost Culture Hinds Hookworms John Coffey Kiasmos Kindness Little May Matthew E. White Mourn Outfit	alt-J Royal Blood SOHN Black Mountain Evian Christ First Aid Kit Future Islands Jonny Greenwood & The London Contemporary Orchestra Mew Alvvays Ariel Pink Cairo Liberation Front Dan Deacon Gengahr Kae Tempest Marmozets Pretty Vicious Reigning Sound Steve Gunn Sunset Sons Waxahatchee Wolf Alice

In total, around 95 artists, bands and DJ's performed at Best Kept Secret festival 2015.

2014

Best Kept Secret 2014 (2nd edition)
Friday June 20	Saturday June 21	Sunday June 22
Pixies Interpol Caribou James Blake Midlake Breton Circa Waves Telegram Jaakko Eino Kalevi Broken Twin Samaris Eaux Cosmonauts Falco Benz	Franz Ferdinand The War on Drugs Babyshambles Miles Kane Metronomy Chvrches Mogwai Nils Frahm Pink Mountaintops Radkey Night Beats The Wytches TRAAMS Girl Band The Bots	Elbow Lykke Li Belle and Sebastian Angus & Julia Stone The 1975 Catfish and the Bottlemen The Notwist The Horrors Fat White Family Truckfighters Connan Mockasin Ry X Forest Swords Deap Vally __ Up George Ezra

2013

Best Kept Secret 2013 (1st edition)
Friday June 21	Saturday June 22	Sunday June 23
Arctic Monkeys Bloc Party Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Tyler, the Creator __ Buttons The Maccabees Danny Brown Drenge Splashh Surfer Blood Swim Deep Space Dimension Controller	Damien Rice alt-J Two Door Cinema Club Agnes Obel Allah-Las Balthazar Efterklang Savages Swans Wavves French Films Iceage Mozes and the Firstborn Pantha du Prince Thomas Azier Wolf Alice	Sigur Ros Portishead Kurt Vile & The Violators Everything Everything Black Lips Local Natives Palma Violets Suuns Cashmere Cat Skaters No Age Traumahelikopter Autre Ne Veut The Black Angels

References

1. Festival Review: Best Kept Secret 2014, The Line of Best Fit, April 17, 2015
2. Eerste editie festival Best Kept Secret uitverkocht, Nu.nl
3. Nominees European Festival Awards 2014 Archived February 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
4. "Nieuwkomer Best Kept Secret beste festival". NU (in Dutch). Retrieved 2015-12-31.
5. Nieuwkomer Best Kept Secret beste festival, de Volkskrant, 18 January 2014
6. Wierikx, Job (2019-06-02). "Maurits Westerik nieuwe directeur Best Kept Secret". Festileaks.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-11-28.

External links

• Official website
• All line-up posters since 2013 ^[1]

1. Alle Best Kept Secret line-up posters sinds 2013, Festileaks.com (in Dutch), February 19, 2024