HUNDREDS of music lovers descended on Nansfield Farm in Newent for the return of the New Heights Festival on Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19.

Now firmly established as a launchpad for future stars, the boutique festival once again delivered a packed weekend of live music, sunshine and good vibes, with crowds treated to standout performances from up-and-coming artists across three stages.

Friday’s acoustic stage opened the weekend in style, with a series of stripped-back sets leading up to a brilliant headline performance by The Dunwells. The Leeds-based band brought the tent to life with an energetic and intimate show, stepping down from the stage at one point to perform among the crowd.

One of the standout performances of the night came from Lucca Mae, described by fans as the next Amy Winehouse. Her soulful voice dazzled the audience as she performed covers of Winehouse and Sam Cooke, but it was her own original track Wasted that stole the show and closed her set to huge applause.

Saturday saw the arena expand to include a main stage and DJ tent, with wall to wall music all afternoon and evening. Truck, Dub Catalyst and Revivalry kept the crowds moving, while rising indie outfit Pentire, hailing from Herefordshire, capped off the night with a polished headline set that brought the house down.

The DJ tent buzzed throughout the day with high-energy sets spanning house, funk, trance, garage and drum and bass, before festivalgoers donned their headphones for a silent disco that kept the party going until midnight.

With a track record of hosting future stars such as Sam Fender, Gerry Cinnamon, The Amazons and The Snuts before their breakthrough, New Heights continues to cement its place as one of the best places to spot the next big thing in British music.