Taking a brand known for dark, sweaty 2000s arenas and dropping it into the historic, scenic grounds of Newstead Abbey was a bold move that paid off massively. The contrast between the ancient monastic ruins and neon glow-sticks created an incredible visual backdrop.

Divided into two main outdoor setups—the Abbey Stage and the Forest Stage (hosted by Ravers Reunited)—the event layout felt expansive but manageable. The crowd dynamic was unmatched, uniting older generation ravers reliving their youth with younger fans discovering these massive throwbacks live. Bass resonated perfectly across the lawns, though the standard queues for VIP check-in left a few early arrivals frustrated. Once inside, however, the atmosphere was purely electric.

Darren Styles

The undisputed king of the night. Tasked with the “Clubland X-TREME Anthems” closing set, Styles completely blew the roof off the outdoor stage. Dropping heavy, high-BPM happy hardcore and modern hardstyle edits, his transitions were flawless. When the lasers kicked in against the historic stone walls during his finale, it easily became the peak moment of the entire festival.

Billy Gillies Feat, Hannah Boleyn

Bringing a fresher, modern trance energy to the line-up, Gillies smashed his set. Having Hannah Boleyn perform live vocals elevated the performance immensely, delivering a euphoric, hands-in-the-air moment that gave the Abbey grounds a genuine Ibiza-festival feel.

The Nostalgia Heavyweights Ultrabeat, Flip & Fill, Ian Van Dahl

This block was pure, unadulterated nostalgia. Ultrabeat dropped “Pretty Green Eyes” to a roaring crowd, and Flip & Fill’s set alongside Karen Parry’s live vocals on “Shooting Star” had the entire field singing along at the top of their lungs. They gave the people exactly what they bought tickets for—classic, timeless Clubland energy.

The Forest Stage: Ravers Reunited (Hixxy, Dougal, Andy Whitby)

For the die-hard, high-energy ravers, the Forest Stage was the place to be. Hixxy and Dougal delivered masterclasses in old-school hardcore, keeping the energy fast and aggressive under the trees. Andy Whitby’s bounce and hard-dance selections ensured the energy never dipped for a second.

Clubland Live at The Abbey successfully proved that old-school dance music still holds immense power in the modern festival landscape. Despite minor logistical bottlenecks at peak entry time, the combination of stellar production, a historically unique venue, and a lineup of genre legends firing on all cylinders made this one of Nottingham’s standout electronic events of the summer.

The Abbey Stage 🏰

• Darren Styles (Closing Clubland X-TREME Anthems set)

• Billy Gillies feat. Hannah Boleyn

• Tinchy Stryder

• Ultrabeat

• Flip N Fill feat. Karen Parry

• Kelly Llorenna

• Ian Van Dahl

• Michelle Platnum

• DJ Ironik

• Hosted by MC Keyes & MC Finchy

View Photos from event Here