Best Kept Secret (festival)

Last updated
Best Kept Secret
BKS2014 01 - entrance.jpg
The entrance to Best Kept Secret in 2014
DatesEarly-to-mid June
Location(s) Hilvarenbeek, North Brabant, The Netherlands
Years active2013–present
Website www.bestkeptsecret.nl

Best Kept Secret is a three-day music festival held inside the Beekse Bergen, within the village of Hilvarenbeek, in the south of the Netherlands, since 2013.

Contents

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 or a mixture of styles. The festival's centerpiece is a lake at the back of Beekse Bergen safari park. The festival's founder described his vision as aiming to create "something that we’d like to go to ourselves". [1]

Best Kept Secret festival has one 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, that hosts performances of hardcore bands. For the 2019 edition 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 sold out each day with 15,000 visitors. [2]

The festival has been nominated twice at the European Festival Awards: [3]

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 festival introduced 'the food line-up' for their first edition. The festival organization strives for diverse and sustainable food options, including vegetarian meals, soup 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

EditionYearDatesHeadliners
11th2025June 13-15
10th2024June 7–9 Justice · Disclosure · Paolo Nutini · PJ Harvey
9th2023June 9–11 Aphex Twin · The Chemical Brothers · Oscar and the Wolf
8th2022June 10–12 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds · The Strokes · alt-J · Jamie xx
-2021Scheduled: June 11–13Scheduled: The Strokes · Massive Attack · The National (cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)
-2020Scheduled: June 12–14Scheduled: The Strokes · Massive Attack · The National (cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)
7th2019May 31–June 2 Bon Iver · Christine and the Queens · Kraftwerk 3D
6th2018June 1–5 Arctic Monkeys · LCD Soundsystem · The National
5th2017June 16–18 Radiohead · Arcade Fire · Run the Jewels
4th2016June 17–19 Beck · Editors · Jamie xx
3rd2015June 19–21 The Libertines · Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds · A$AP Rocky · alt-J
2nd2014June 20–22 Elbow · Franz Ferdinand · Interpol · Lykke Li · Pixies
1st2013June 21–23 Arctic Monkeys · Damien Rice · Sigur Rós · Portishead

Editions

2025

Best Kept Secret 2025 (11th edition)
Friday June 13Saturday June 14Sunday June 15

2024

Best Kept Secret 2024 (10th edition)
Friday June 7Saturday June 8Sunday 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 Pussy
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 9Saturday June 10Sunday June 11

The Chemical Brothers
Caroline Polachek
The 1975
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
De Staat
Joey Valence & Brae
Cumgirl8
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 10Saturday June 11Sunday 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 31Saturday June 1Sunday 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 8Saturday June 9Sunday 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 16Saturday June 17Sunday 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 Pussy
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 17Saturday June 18Sunday 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 19Saturday June 20Sunday 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!
Pissed 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 20Saturday June 21Sunday 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
Fucked Up
George Ezra

2013

Best Kept Secret 2013 (1st edition)
Friday June 21Saturday June 22Sunday June 23

Arctic Monkeys
Bloc Party
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Tyler the Creator
Fuck 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

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References

  1. Festival Review: Best Kept Secret 2014, The Line of Best Fit, April 17, 2015
  2. Eerste editie festival Best Kept Secret uitverkocht
  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.
  7. Alle Best Kept Secret line-up posters sinds 2013, Festileaks.com (in Dutch), February 19, 2024

Sources