It’s August, which means it’s time for thousands of punks from around the world to brighten up the streets of Blackpool, as they travel to Rebellion Festival. As always, the line-up is full of amazing bands, including the LOUD WOMEN takeover of the Introducing Stage on Sunday. For now though, let’s have look at some of the bands who played on Day One, Thursday…
A Void are one of the first bands to play this year, opening the Opera House stage at 12:00. Frontwoman Camille has an amazing voice that fills the whole room, backed up perfectly by the bands grungy punk style. By the time they close their set with Stepping on Snails, they’ve gathered an impressive crowd, and it’s hard to believe this is only their second year playing Rebellion Festival.
Kicking off the Club Casbah stage this year was Liverpool band Tits Up. Like A Void, they’ve gathered a decent sized crowd for so early in the day, and Amanda’s gritty vocals draw in even more passers-by. They deliver a blistering set of up-tempo punk, with occasional stoner-esque riffs thrown in – think 7 Year Bitch meets Witch Fever – and set the bar high for the rest of the day on that stage.
Over on the Empress Ballroom Stage, Durham punks Chaos 8 are kicking things off. Beki is an amazing frontwoman, somehow never missing a note despite constantly dancing around the stage. I was unfamiliar with Chaos 8 before today, but they played an amazing set and definitely worth checking out.
With a new album released a couple of months ago, Yur Mum follow Chaos 8 in the Empress Ballroom. This duo have been steadily building a following within the UK punk scene, and it’s not hard to understand why when you see them live. Their raw, heavy sound filled the room in a way bands with twice as many members have struggled to, with recent single Say Say being a screeching highlight.
South-Korean “death disco” punks 18 Fevers are back for a second year, this time on the Club Casbah stage. The band are clearly happy to be back, with Danse Macabre’s bouncy chorus getting the crowd going, while tracks like Nothing Helps and Let Me Live really show what an impressive vocalist frontwoman Christmas is. I’d be surprised if they’re not booked again for next year, especially after hearing the newer tracks in their set.
Colchester duo The Meffs take to the Empress Ballroom Stage for the second year running, and having played at Bootleg Social the night before, wowing everyone once again. Lily prowls the stage throughout their set, her trademark glare daring anyone to try not to enjoy themselves as they deliver anthem after anthem, including their cover of The Prodigy‘s Breathe. Towards the end of their set, they’re joined on stage by Death Trails – another band you should check out if you haven’t already! – who take over on instrument duty while Lily and Lewis successfully pull off a double crowd surf.
I hurry over to the Almost Acoustic stage next, to catch Emily Flea performing a solo set. Her music is catchy and fun to listen to, while also being political, with lyrics directly addressing issues like sexism, poverty, and animal rights. Emily’s Dad joins her on bass for a song at one point, proving that punk can absolutely be wholesome. Emily is definitely someone I hope to see live again at some point.
Hailing from the Isle of Man, Half Naked Headline are another solid punk band who are making a name for themselves since playing the Introducing Stage last year. One look at their social media shows how hard this band work, not only when it comes to their own music, but also in contributing to their own local punk scene. Frontwoman Jenni has a great voice, and isn’t afraid to use her platform to call out those who deserve it, from the current wave of fascist “protestors”, to people being dicks at the sound people. Check them out now, as they’re only going to get bigger.
Stay tuned for reviews of Days 2, 3, and 4 over the next few days!