All Tomorrow's Parties

All Tomorrow's Parties
source
Name	All Tomorrow's Parties
Caption	Festival logo
Location	United Kingdom; United States; Japan; Australia
Years active	1999–2016 (intermittent)
Organizers	Barry Hogan; ATP Events
Genre	Alternative rock; indie rock; experimental; electronic

All Tomorrow's Parties is an independent music festival and events promoter known for curator-led lineups, artist residencies, and intimate venue settings. Founded in the late 1990s, it became associated with alternative rock, post-rock, experimental music and electronic scenes while fostering ties with labels, promoters and artists across Europe, North America and Asia. The project spawned multiple multi-day festivals, one-off events, compilations and a touring model that influenced festival programming worldwide.

Background and origins

The concept emerged from the intersection of the British indie rock scene, the DIY ethos of the Punk rock aftermath and the post-industrial club culture of London. Founder Barry Hogan had connections with Rough Trade Records, Mute Records, Factory Records alumni and promoters active around Camden Town, Sheffield and Brighton. Early inspiration cited by contemporaries included the curatorial approaches of John Peel, the residency models of CBGB, the club nights of The Hacienda and festival experiments like Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival. Initial events drew on networks spanning Warp Records, Domino Recording Company, 4AD, Matador Records and Sub Pop.

Festival history and editions

The first editions took place in warehouse and hotel settings before expanding into seaside resorts and purpose-built venues, with notable editions in Camden, Minehead, Butlin's Minehead, New York City, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Sydney. Curators invited by the organizers included prominent figures from Nirvana, Pixies, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Radiohead, PJ Harvey and The Velvet Underground-adjacent artists. The festival adopted a residency format where curators such as Iggy Pop, The Breeders, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Flaming Lips and Aphex Twin programmed multi-day bills. Touring and international editions partnered with promoters such as Live Nation, ATP Recordings and independent collectives in Japan, United States and Australia.

Artists, performances and programming

Programming emphasized eclectic pairings across alternative, experimental, electronic and avant-garde lineages, bringing together artists from Pixies, Arcade Fire, Can, Sonic Youth, Joy Division-linked projects, Cocteau Twins offshoots, Kraftwerk-influenced electronic acts, and contemporary post-rock ensembles. Performances ranged from headline sets by established acts like The Stooges and Bauhaus alumni to rare reunions involving members of The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Fall, Slint and Talk Talk-adjacent musicians. Programming also featured DJs, film screenings, art installations and collaborations with labels such as Domino Recording Company, Rough Trade Records, 4AD and Mute Records, as well as curatorial input from musicians associated with Stereolab, Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey and Suicide.

Organization, logistics and venues

Organizers worked with venues ranging from seaside holiday camps to independent halls, negotiating with local councils, operators of resorts like Butlin's, and venue teams in urban centres such as Brooklyn and Shinjuku. Production teams coordinated staging, sound systems provided by specialist companies connected to festival circuits including suppliers who work with Coachella, Primavera Sound, Pitchfork Music Festival and SXSW. Artist relations involved liaisons with agents from William Morris Endeavor, CAA and independent agencies; ticketing used platforms integrated with operators familiar to promoters like Live Nation. Logistics for international editions included customs clearance for stage equipment used by acts from Germany, United States, Japan and Australia.

Reception, cultural impact and criticism

Critical reception in outlets such as NME, Pitchfork, The Guardian and The New York Times highlighted the festival's curatorial distinctiveness and intimacy compared to mainstream events like Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival. Advocates credited it with platforming experimental artists and fostering cross-pollination between scenes tied to post-rock, industrial music, krautrock, dream pop and contemporary electronic music. Critics pointed to organizational challenges, cancellations, financial disputes and controversies echoed in coverage by BBC and independent music blogs; commentators compared its risks to those experienced by promoters in Festival Republic and larger corporate promoters. The festival's model influenced programming on bills for events tied to All Tomorrow's Parties-style curators as well as boutique festivals across Europe and North America.

Media releases and legacy

ATP extended into labels and compilations, with releases on ATP Recordings featuring artists associated with the festivals and catalogue collaborations with Rough Trade Records, Warp Records and Domino Recording Company. Documentaries and live albums captured performances akin to archival releases from BBC Radio 1 sessions, label compilations by Matador Records and retrospective box sets reminiscent of Peel Sessions collections. The festival's legacy persists in contemporary curator-led events organized by collectives from Berlin, Tokyo, New York City and Melbourne, and in the programming approaches of institutions such as MoMA PS1 and independent venues inspired by the festival's artist-first ethos.

Category:Music festivals in the United Kingdom Category:Recurring events established in 1999