festival_reviews-kozfest-2026

My first experience of Kozfest was in 2018, back when it was on Bobby’s Farm. Nearly 10 years later, and a few venue changes to boot, here we are at Kozfest 2026. It’s been on this site for a couple of years now, but this was my first time here, so the stages being indoors (and having access to indoor showers and toilets!) was quite a change.

Thursday – The first day back at somewhere like this will always have an excitable, yet mysterious, energy to it (especially at a new site!). Having sorted my camping stuff, and getting a few drinks out the way, me and my lovely partner Bev went to see what was going on. Just to give you an idea of the setup (if you haven’t been of course), the main stage (Daevid Allen) is in a large barn type space, complete with tables, an area for dancing, a merch, and of course a bar. Directly opposite is the second stage (Judge Trev). What with the bands over the weekend alternating, it was actually very convenient for it all to be so close together (Not forgetting Wally’s Jam Tent just round the corner!). We sat in the courtyard outside the main stage, while the sound of psytrance came from the main PA, this is where the rabble mostly gathered throughout the weekend. If you were looking for someone, check here first! Sat with a pint having a chat with punters, it wasn’t long before someone came along with a selection of ukeleles, both regular and a bass version, and yes of course I had a go!

Friday – After getting established with the venue (and a few beers) on the Thursday. Friday morning, Koz was in full swing. We started the day with a bit of Dubbal on the Daevid Allen Stage, their gentle psydub sounds were a great way of getting things going. I didn’t manage to catch BB Blackdog, but from the outside they sounded great! Will definitely be checking them out next time. I did, however, catch Cracked Machine on the Judge Trev stage, who very much gave me hints of Tool and Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, never a bad thing. It’s always nice seeing (and hearing) bands I’m unfamiliar with at Koz, of which there were a few today. Juju (Judge Trev) brought some garage rock-tinged grooves, think Brant Bjork, and School Disco (Daevid Allen) carried the distortion on with their driving rhythms. Reminded me a bit of Ritual King (should definitely check ‘em out if you haven’t). Finishing the day off with a bit of old school psych with Speck (Judge Trev), and a bit of a progged out experience with Highest Primzahl on Mars (Daevid Allen). This last band was highly recommended by many people, and they didn’t disappoint! Will be keeping an eye out for this lot again! With the bands done, the night was far from over. Many mingles, drinks, chats and laughs later, we got to bed. I’m sure it was a reasonable time…

Saturday – Saturday morning, and the days are still unforgivingly hot (my poor ginger skin!), in contrast to the nights, which were the coldest I’d felt since before Summer! Now you may think that ‘hippies’ and ‘showers’ are mortal enemies, but believe me, we were very grateful for them! So off I go to the main stage to grab a beer and see Incubus Lovechild (Daevid Allen). One small mention is that the bar didn’t open until midday, which is when the first act is on. Meaning that there was a big queue for the bar as soon as the first starts, as we couldn’t get beers before (you couldn’t take your own drinks in see). ANYWAY, Incubus Lovechild was great, probably the best I’ve seen him if I’m honest. The opening track from the, at-the-time-of-writing-unreleased-new-album really caught my attention, so I’m looking forward to that! Also, one track did make me think ‘What if Pink Floyd were from Space?’. Always worth thinking about.

I took myself back to the tent for a refreshment break, a little sit down to appreciate the place, the trees, and the thought that trolls might be in the hills (didn’t see any, but that proves nothing!). I made my way back to the Daevid Allen stage to catch the end of Autohaus, as they sounded great from back in my tent. They also sounded awesome from in front of the stage, so that worked out well. They also had a drape with a picture of a cat on it, which is never a bad thing. They had a bit of a stoner/doomy kind of vibe, which I’d been seeing (hearing?) a lot more of this weekend, which I’m not complaining about! Now comes the time to talk about Dan the Sausage Man. Providing a range of sausages and homemade sauces (that salsa verde was impeccable), and never short on a bit of chat, he was always a pleasure. Ironically, on this occasion we actually got a halloumi salad (it was midway through a festival so we needed something that a bit lighter), still bloody good though.

Now buzzing off halloumi, we headed into the Judge Trev stage, where, apparently, I spent most the rest of the evening. Gnob (Judge Trev) continued the heavier/prog psych, before Sons of Mu (Judge Trev) took things in a slightly weirder direction, going more down the Primus/Devo route at times. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch Black Helium, only heard them from outside, but they sounded good. I did see The Cosmic Dead (Daevid Allen) though, who did not disappoint with their soundscapes and big riffs. Getting down the front is the best way to experience this band, which is what I did. An excellent and fitting end to the Saturday.  The festival started getting a bit blurry after this. I do seem to remember having a rather deep philosophical chat in the back of a van. Which I can’t imagine was a first for me in a place like this.

Sunday – The Sunday was unlike the other days for me at Koz. This may or may not have been due to staying up just a little past my bedtime at one of the band’s campsites. It may have been due to the fact I witnessed a man taking a cat for a walk round the festival at 6am, like it was normal. It broke something in me, I’m not sure I’ve been the same since. The Sunday was a slow start. I got a few hours kip in some shade between the cars (shade which quickly moved on, leading Bev to cover me in a towel for shady purposes, and our neighbours to even suggest burying me in the ground to keep me cool!) When arisen, I headed for a much needed shower. Now I didn’t catch the Spiral Navigators on this occasion (I actually haven’t managed to see them since our dear friend, the legend that is Andy Fricker, left this cosmic plane, R.I.P. buddy), but from the shower they sounded amazing, and made it quite an intense experience!

There was slightly less music for me today, as I was helping Bev with the stewarding on the front gate. It’s a weird old world down there. Vast, dusty, bright, and empty. An odd experience seeing the line of tents and vans on the hill, not even that far away. We got some ice lollies from security, and I entertained everyone with my ‘juggling’ (mainly just a cackling girlfriend who knew I couldn’t juggle, yet INSISTED I did it anyway). A couple of journeys was made by myself to bring refreshments for the actual stewards (shoutout to Andi). One of these journeys resulted in me being given a jar of marmalade, which had been promised to me back at MABfest, due to a conversation I’d had some years prior about me loving marmalade (I did go through a phase in fairness. Also, the marmalade is great, thanks Jane), and which then lead me to gain the nickname MarmalED, which, honestly, is brilliant. BACK TO THE MUSIC.

SpacedOgs were ace (AcedOgs?) as always, and the music coming from Wally’s Jam Tent (throughout the weekend) was bloody incredible in places. Now we’re getting into the home stretch. I was going to have a brief moment of meditation (a sit down in my tent), but the sounds of Dead Sea Apes beckoned me back to the Daevid Allen stage. Nice bit of psych sludge to welcome the evening in. Space Shepards (Daevid Allen) came all the way from Ireland to deliver some laid back hypnotic trips for the Koz crowd. Last, but very much not least, is Gong (Daevid Allen), who need no introduction. I’m not going to go into how great Gong were, because you’ve probably seen them before and you know. But they were fantastic. An impeccable way to finish off an eventful weekend. And I’m very much looking forward to the Gong Gathering in a couple of months. Not much time was spent revelling in the night, as we were both bloody knackered. Back to the tent to have one of the best sleeps I’ve had in a while.

It’s been a few weeks since Koz now. But writing this review has given me great pleasure in reliving the weekend, the sights and sounds, the people, the weather, the bands, but most of all, the laughter. I may not make it to Koz every year, but I’ll be present at at least one festival which carries on the free festival spirit. Making the annual pilgrimage to these places is truly one of my favourite times of the year. Take a few days to lose yourself in this world again, and leave the outside behind. See faces you may not have seen for the best part of a year, and it be like it was only yesterday. See bands you’ve seen countless times before, but love them like it’s the first time. but mainly just have fun. It’s such a free, fun place to be, with no judgement from anyone. The spirit of the free festivals of decades past lives in Koz (among others), and it’s incredible to be able to experience that for just a few days.

One last point. I can’t possibly do a write up of Koz without mentioning the organization. Paul, Snake, Jon, and all the rest of the crew that made this happen – nice one, you’re all bloody ace!