“I inflict my will.”
Outbreak London was the new experiment in 2025, functioning through collaboration with Lido Fest for better and (mostly) for worse. This made Outbreak Manchester the ‘safer’ incarnation to attend, returning to its original stomping ground of the BEC Arena, the best car park and industrial unit in the entire world. The outdoor stage from 2024 returned, meaning the three-stage set up spoilt attendees for choice. The close proximity of the stages facilitated splitting one’s time between different sets, plus the sound isolation between the stages has never been better. And, of course, who can forget that it’s a no-barrier festival?
An event with its roots firmly planted in hardcore, Outbreak Festival has expanded into many divergent genres in recent years. Notably, this includes both rap and shoegaze, leading to many questioning the push for change. Whilst it’s easy to understand the frustration from many as “change is scary”, we here at Boolin firmly believe that Outbreak has always been more than just a hardcore festival. It’s been a festival focused purely on art, independence, and self-expression. Be it hardcore or beyond, what they’re always offering is something that is emotionally and physically intense. This year’s lineup showcases this ideology more than ever, with an extremely peculiar mixed bill spanning a vast array of genres from hardcore, to cloud rap, to electronic punk. There truly was a bit of something for everybody.
Our Boolin cadre for the event was Jack Walker, Dobbin T, and Sophie Robinson. Manchester’s Outbreak had a significant genre split between its two days – relatively few hardcore bands were booked for Saturday, and almost constant fight music on Sunday. Within our camp, Dobbin was a Saturday savant, eagerly anticipating the many gazey bands, and thinks he’s way harder than he is, meaning a lot of Sunday would be wasted on him. Meanwhile, Sophie had said a lot of rude things about shoegaze behind closed doors yet still had a lot to look forward to both days. Jack is perhaps our Goldilocks for the weekend, liking a bit of everything on offer across the event. We did our best to be true to our Ones to Watch piece and see all of those artists, cramming in as many others around them as we could.
General Comments
Rules
This year did bring some changes that had a mixed reception. Rumours that the festival had dropped its commitment to being fully vegan with its eateries turned out to be true, and this wasn’t just limited to the London setup. None of our writers are vegans, so we can’t say this particularly impacts us, but it is simply a Cool Fact that Outbreak took such a stance, one that we respect a lot. As ever, Outbreak are quiet on their official channels about such moves (cough where’s the skatepark gone cough), but we expect they were up against a wall even finding enough vegan vendors when clashing with Download. Not to mention that most vendors would simply rather offer their full menu, rather than a reduced vegan assortment. By no means a dealbreaker for us, but if we saw Outbreak return to this approach, we’d be happy.
Vendors
The fest did eventually give one official comment on a trend that’s been increasingly prevalent at Outbreak Manchester: stage invasions. This is where, typically during the pivotal moments of the most anticipated songs, the shared portion of each of the stages becomes flooded with people who aren’t getting off until the moment passes. When one is in the thick of it, the mad rush makes perfect sense, but this disrupts the flow of the performance, forces security to switch tactics, and, most importantly, puts the stage’s integrity to the test. As with 2024, most sets ended with or had multiple stage invasions, and the deterrent (messages on the first and third stage screens between acts) didn’t seem to be enough to stop them. It got so bad that, before the final headline set, one of the organisers had to clearly tell everyone to “get on, get off, and fuck off”. This point of etiquette is going to be a tough one to crack, so don’t be surprised if you see discourse on it ahead of Outbreak’s next incarnation.
Layout
The stage setup from the year prior was back once again, however this time, the sound bleed across stages was lessened massively; a fantastic improvement which led to so many incredible moments not being ruined by another band’s set being heard in the background. Entry was fast as always, and mosh license collection was somehow more streamlined, allowing for much faster access to the front pit all around – this time, the mosh ratio had improved. A slight letdown was the layout and organisation of the merch hall, however, which was arranged in an ‘O’ shape, lined with merch stalls, and with an island of them in the center of the room also. The layout itself made use of the space very effectively, however the lack of a one-way system around the room led to it quickly becoming a nightmare to navigate, with either side becoming congested, and the ability to view any stall becoming increasingly tough. Thankfully, there were quieter times and self-organised queues formed for hyped stalls such as Speed‘s. Perhaps some more thoughtful planning would make this entire experience a whole lot easier in subsequent years.
Merch
Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without a portion of the lineup bringing exclusive merch items just for the event. For many acts, it was as simple as a T-shirt emblazoned with “Outbreak 2025” or something similar, which whilst a cool memento, doesn’t really stand out from a typical tour tee. Speaking of which, for many, there was just a standard tour tee, which probably makes more sense financially rather than printing one-off items for a single festival appearance, so fair play. It also wouldn’t be festival season without a few “fad” items though, and 2025 was no exception to this rule, with custom football shirts seemingly being the “in thing” for both bands, and the festival itself. Whilst at first glance these are quite neat as a collector’s piece, the novelty quickly wore off, and the idea of them just felt tacky, and with so many bands jumping in this trend, it didn’t feel particularly unique either. Conversely, some bands simply rocked up with standard designs, which makes sense – merch is expensive after all, especially for those doing it all independently. There were, however, a few stand out pieces that deserve a spotlight. WeaponX rocked up with an extremely limited tee (so limited that it was sold out by the time we got there just after doors) which was emblazoned with the incredible phrase “A bruv’s blade cuts the deepest”, a nice nod to British culture. Additionally, Contention had a remarkably simple, yet incredibly hard hoodie design, which consisted of their name with an RPG launcher below – a fitting reminder that sometimes less is more. They’d go on to sell out almost everything they had on their UK run, besides a few XL hoodies.
Activism
Most bands across the event, particularly the hardcore bands but not exclusively, took the time throughout their sets to call out important causes and to raise awareness. Whether condemning the ongoing Palestinian genocide, calling out the horrific actions of I.C.E in the US currently, or calling for the release of Ola (Quality Control HQ), one thing was abundantly clear; hardcore is about support, empathy, and empowerment. If you don’t support these causes, you are not welcome, go fuck yourself. It didn’t matter about the band’s size or following, there were many cases of this activism taking place, and it was truly fantastic to see the camaraderie surrounding them. On stages beyond Outbreak, so many artists are scared to speak up on causes like these out of fear of losing fans or opportunities; a decision which is selfish and outright abhorrent. We here at Boolin would like to expressly thank all those across the weekend, and outside of the event, who continue to pledge support for these causes, and showcase that the scene is a place of inclusion and support – please never lose your voices.
This didn’t stop at performances though, as many bands and merch booths also took the opportunity to promote channels to support these causes. Notably, Birmingham’s own Ikhras included a flyer to donate to provide SIM cards to Palestinians in need – this remained at their merch stall long after they had packed up, and we’re very glad that it did. Plenty of other merch stalls included fundraisers, merch items donating to great causes, and general information points to allow people to stay informed and learn how they could provide support. Keep it up everyone, please.
Saturday
Everyone arrived on Saturday expecting the weather to be a wash out. However, there would only be a five-minute downpour and a light shower when doors opened; it was otherwise lovely, and Sunday was even better. As Saturday was light on heavy music, the openers Ikhras and Final Resting Place were both well-attended by moshers. Ikhras had just dropped a three-track EP days before, continuing their Arabic hardcore with unique and vital lyrical focus. This was a great way to open the event and set the tone, defining Outbreak as a meaningful source of counterculture and righteous anger.
They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
They Are Gutting a Body of Water was the festival’s opening band, and one we had been excited to see play out. The best indicator of their live sound is absolutely their Audiotree set, even opening with a bit of the airhorns from “cipha” into “63 skies”. They weaved between their gaze-rock tracks, with “texas instruments” prompting the most crowd movement. Between each one, Douglas Dulgarian turned to his pedestal and looped the most unwell rhythms; spur of the moment Oneothrix Point Never-type beats and glitches whilst the rest of the band tuned up. To top off the idiosyncrasies, the band faced one another the whole time, oblivious to those who might be gallivanting along the open stage behind them. All these elements are endearing, but the result was more disjointed than the band likely intended. The live show lacked the cohesion of their studio work, where all their worlds really collide there – at Outbreak, the electronics and acoustics are not allowed to so much as overlap.
Final Resting Place
Conversely, Final Resting Place followed up with a set that could only be described as a nightmare, but in the very best way. A band renowned for their ridiculous performances and highly sought after merch (£500 for a shirt anyone?), there was a lot of hype surrounding this performance, especially given their set earlier in the year at rival festival Northern Unfest. Barrelling onto the third stage with the force of an articulated truck, the band took to the stage and all hell instantly broke loose in the front pit. Limbs were all around, everybody was a target. One question was on everyone’s lips following the set though, “why are they playing today?”. A valid question, as Final Resting Place were essentially the heaviest act to perform across the entirety of the Saturday lineup, with many of their hardcore compatriots instead being set to play on the Sunday. Perhaps it was a scheduling issue, or maybe it was simply a ploy to try and gain interest from the HC crowd across both dates, but it was something that made very little sense really and left them standing out somewhat against a backdrop of shoegaze.
Jane Remover
Following this came cult favourite Jane Remover, a late addition to the festival after her first London date sold out instantly. Although not all of us at Boolin Tunes were familiar with her rise to fame from the early 2020s “dariacore” scene, the rumblings caused by the announcement convinced the rest of us to go as far as checking out her material and putting her on our “ones to watch” piece for the event. Sadly, I fear that after seeing the performance that perhaps this sort of act is like marmite for the typical Outbreak attendee. Reception initially was extremely mixed, but very quickly those who “didn’t get it” left, leaving only those who were utterly transfixed on JR’s every move. Performing with nothing more than an MC, DJ deck, and more than a healthy dose of pitch correction, JR performed almost entirely hits from her latest album REVENGESEEKERZ, an edm-meets-rap affair that was a departure from their previous, more vulnerable work. Sophie pondered that a day with Slowdive headlining would have been the perfect time for Jane Remover to revisit material from the shoegaze-inspired Census Designated; it was evident that their fans lapped up their infectious electronic stylings, regardless.
Fleshwater
Fleshwater graced the main stage this year, and my god were they a great fit for it. Whilst Outbreak Autumn saw its fair share of complaints that it wasn’t Vein playing, this year’s installment of the festival seemed to have shed that view (thankfully). The band saw an impressively large turnout on the main stage, especially for the time of the day, and they absolutely put on a set worthy of that. Playing all the fan favourites, the crowd pop was a given, with swaths of people taking to the front stage to dive throughout the duration. A crucial point to make here is that the live mix was stellar. Fleshwater has historically seen complaints about their live mixing, but we found that on this occasion, those claims would have been completely invalidated; they sounded great, and they knew it. It seems that, finally, the band have proven themselves to the hardcore scene, and they couldn’t be more deserving.
Model/Actriz
Model/Actriz sadly clashed for a few of us, but we did manage to see a portion of their set, and the vibes were immaculate. Their eclectic blend of punk and dance was infectious, and the entire stage felt like a club. With vocalist Cole Haden at one point querying “What happened to the lights?”, it was clearly an unplanned part of the production, but it was absolutely fitting for their sound. A similar turnout to Jane Remover’s set, the crowd were absolutely lapping it up, and whilst for many this set may not have been what they wanted from Outbreak, the overlap is abundantly clear, and their inclusion will go down in the festival’s history as a risk that paid off.
Julie
We knew going into the fest that Julie was going to be a controversial addition to the lineup, but we weren’t quite expecting to see so many people in attendance for their set, and moreover so many people there wearing the band’s merch. We’d very clearly underestimated the band’s devout following, and we’re truly sorry for that, Julie, please forgive us. That said, we already loved Julie going into this set, and with it being our first time seeing them live, our hopes were high, and thankfully, they absolutely delivered. The band’s signature grunge-tinged shoegaze sound inspired many two-steppers and stage divers alike; something which you’d likely not see so much outside of this festival setting. Playing a medley of hits, with extended portions bolted on, and plenty of atmospherics, the trio dominated the main stage, and the crowd lapped it up. A true spectacle to behold, Julie truly was a surprise for many in attendance and undoubtedly gained many new fans following their stellar set.
Sunny Day Real Estate
As the weather continued to hold the main stage was blessed with the real Sunny Day Real Estate. For the uninitiated, this band defined a style that’s by now more than bread-and-butter for post hardcore and emo. There were mixed signals on what sort of set it would be, many thinking that it was a Diary album set, but they’d go on a tour of their records with songs from throughout their discography. Still, the tracks from the legendary Diary spurred the most response, but it was all rendered in amazing quality, not just faithful to the old recordings but with extra refinement, especially vocally. Three guitars were no problem to mix together, producing a pretty sound. It’s been 15 years since they were last here; this set was well worth the long wait for many.
Have A Nice Life
Speaking of anticipated sets, Have A Nice Life had only just played their first UK/EU set the day before Outbreak’s Saturday. In a live setting their crusty studio work shifts to become more fully realised – an entirely different auditory experience, by necessity. But the appeal of Have A Nice Life’s music is also embodied by the spellbinding simplicity of their post punk grooves, as well as their inscrutable yet profoundly sad lyrics, which have proved to be magnetic far beyond “arrowheads”. Perhaps the reason why the set was so special is that the promise of Have A Nice Life has so little to do with how it might sound live; nobody ever counted on ever really hearing it. The set was a variation of what they played the day before, adding “Cropsey”, “Science Beat” for danceable numbers, and a rendition of “A Quick One…” that didn’t skip a droney moment of its eight-minute runtime. During “Earthmover” the chorus from the crowd was loud enough to drown the band out, and “Bloodhail”’s stage invasion was a certainty ever since Have A Nice Life were announced for Outbreak. After the set Dan Barrett stuck around to dole out high-fives, hearing that one fan travelled from Mexico to see this set. A few hours earlier Dobbin had picked Dan and Tim’s brains, finding them to be ridiculously down to earth and simply grateful of the continued interest in Have A Nice Life’s body of work.
Slowdive
Back outside, the sun had set past the industrial estate’s horizon, and the outdoor stage was heaving for Slowdive. From the lovely little VIP hill (aside – we highly recommend upgrading to VIP if you’re inclined to wanting a sit down) we watched Julie‘s tour crew become transfixed by the band, each opening chord making them swoon. Together with their trippy light show, they played through old and new tracks from their highly respected catalogue. All those years have let them hone the live sound to perfection. They weren’t prompting any heavy moments, of course, but they loved the no-barrier stage all the same, asking for something like it at all their gigs. The stage got so thoroughly invaded it remained so “Alison” and “When the Sun Hits” – absolutely beyond the limit of what ought to happen, but at least the appreciation for Slowdive’s first 2025 UK show was made clear.
Glassjaw
One of the weekend’s most anticipated performances, playing the cult classic Worship & Tribute in its entirety, Glassjaw’s arrival on the second stage was nothing short of breathtaking, playing the album in order, followed by a handful of b-sides, there was a palpable sense of awe filling the entire room. Fuelled by nostalgia, it was evident that those who had turned out knew the album inside-out and had arrived prepared to sing along with Daryl Palumbo for the entire duration. Whilst Jack is not the biggest fan of this album, even he could admit that it’s inspiration on the scene was, and still is, nothing short of incredible, with many of his favourite bands likely not existing without its influence. For those who already adored the band and album, it was clear that this set was a near biblical experience, however, Jack came away from it suitably whelmed. Whilst there was nothing wrong with the performance whatsoever, it was hard to find anything notably exciting about it without that lens of nostalgia in play. With that said, this view was absolutely a minority take, and the crowd clearly loved every moment, utterly transfixed on Palumbo‘s every move, keeping a steady gaze throughout the swathes of people storming across the front stage, past the divers, and the surfers. A once-in-a-lifetime moment for many, Glassjaw’s performance here will be something that for many is never topped, and the fact that they were set to do it all over again the following day left many leaving the set even more excited than before it began.
Foxing
The third stage continued with Foxing playing their final show of their UK/EU tour. It was somewhat a crime that such a storied band only had time for six songs. Three were from their rightly celebrated 2024 record, which charted high on our albums of the year list; these were sublime, offering a tough edge to this heartfelt band. All songs were belted right back to the band by the audience, but perhaps none more so than “Nearer My God” (“do you want me at all?”). Since the thread of emo was strong on Saturday, it made perfect sense to wrap up with some classics from The Albatross – “The Medic” and “Rory” were pure catharsis for Dobbin, who felt lucky to be standing front and centre stage for the whole set (his only regret was not seeing Foxing headline Portals Festival one month earlier).
Gouge Away
And now we return to what, for many, Outbreak is all about; real, independent hardcore. Gouge Away is an act which we have been keeping tabs on for a long time now, putting out coverage on multiple occasions, and reporting on last year’s installment of 2000trees. It was this performance that inspired Jack to drag the rest of the team along to their set, and I couldn’t be gladder that I did. Putting on a showcase of what Outbreak has always been about at its core, Gouge Away showcased a masterclass for a good old hardcore set. One of the few of such bands billed on the day, the turnout for them was nothing short of massive, to the point that it was one of the few sets which saw the front pit closed in a one-in-one-out style for the duration. Showing true hardcore qualities, including taking the time to call out the atrocities happening to Palestine, as well as those being committed by I.C.E in the US currently, the bands position had never been clearer. For many a taste of what was to follow on Sunday, Gouge Away’s performance set the bar remarkably high.
Danny Brown
The late slot was a choice between Tigers Jaw and Danny Brown – possibly the biggest musical divide in Outbreak history, but there were still a far few who were bummed by the clash. Dobbin partied with Danny Brown who was delighted to be on a hardcore fest, fist bumping every single stage diver with enthusiasm. Rattling through some of the most enjoyable songs in abstract hip hop (“Ain’t It Funny”, “Dip”, and none other than “SCARING THE HOES”) the set was a complete party. Many speculated and, sure enough, Jane Remover jumped on stage to feature on “psychoboost”. Whilst none of the team took the time to see Denzel Curry on Sunday, it’s still clear that Outbreak is right to be booking these acclaimed hip hop artists.
Tiger’s Jaw
Rounding out the day, emo powerhouse Tigers Jaw took to the third stage, a scheduling decision which confused many, and given the crowd turnout, was a bit silly. Perhaps Outbreak was a victim of the quality of its lineup here. Performing a slew of tracks spanning their vast discography, they managed to, surprisingly, put on one of the most incredible performances of the event. Mostly known for their 2008 self-titled, Tiger’s Jaw held off from performing classic tracks such as “The Sun” and “I Saw Water” until close to the end of their set, with the latter closing. Although Sophie was far less familiar with their later material, the audience was no less enthused to hear it live, and the small third stage saw stagedive after stagedive, leading to the front of the crowd collapsing on itself several times and several knockouts. Few could predict that Tiger’s Jaw of all bands would have one of the most dangerous performances of the day – perhaps a larger stage would have accommodated their singalong emo anthems better.
Sunday
A day stacked with incredible hardcore acts for Outbreak purists, day two looked set to be both great fun, and a nightmare due to needing to run between sets to catch all the amazing bands on show. The decision to book the massively hyped WeaponX first thing was a bold one, and whether it was intended to get people out early, or for another reason that we’ll touch on later, it absolutely succeeded in ensuring that most attendees were there from start to end.
XweaponX
“WeaponX hates you” has never been less true. With the band taking the stage to a packed-out room at 12:00, it was evident that they were both surprised and proud of what they’ve already accomplished as a band. Very few bands could achieve this level of pull without a full length release, and whether you believe that it’s the pull of the shared members of Knocked Loose, or you believe that XweaponX are the next big thing (this is the correct opinion of the two, by the way), it was clear that everybody knew that their set was going to be something special. Confusingly (at the time, at least) starting the set with their outro, accompanied by marching band style drumming from the tour crew, the pit became a warzone near instantly. Dive after dive, spin kick after spin kick, nobody in the front pit was safe from the unrelenting force that was the XweaponX crowd. They went on to end with their ‘intro’, carefully orchestrating their running order to keep everyone on their toes and consistently encouraged crowd participation. Essentially playing through their entire discography, they had the crowd in the palm of their hands from the very beginning and truly set the tone for the rest of the day to follow. Everyone down the front was feeling invincible for the first set of the day; needless to say, the result was carnage.
Jivebomb
Over on the main stage, Jivebomb were the victim of a tough clash, but pulled a respectable crowd even before the XweaponX set was over. In studio their sound is grittier than anything else on the line-up, and much of that carried over, especially through Kat Madeira’s vocals, which were absolutely electric live. They were about to hit up a pair of EU dates, and some more key UK locations supporting Terror – we managed to catch the sweltering London date here.
Pest Control
The only British hardcore band to play the main stage for the day, the stakes were high. Thrash-led hardcore icons Pest Control put on an explosive set, with riff after riff blasting from the speakers, demanding movement for the entire duration. Backed by a screenshot of an incredible tweet about them, one thing was evident; they were there to have a good time. A true showcase of UKHC’s variety when contrasted amongst the rest of their contemporaries, Pest Control stood out for their unique approach, and undeniable stage presence. There was plenty of enthusiasm for their many ‘namedrop’ micro-tracks (“Don’t Test The Pest” and “Year of the Pest”) but the grand thrash epic “The Great Deceiver” also created flashpoints for crowd interaction.
God’s Hate
If WeaponX were a highly anticipated act, God’s Hate took that expectation to another level with their first-ever UK performance, and the turnout reflected it. The indoor stage was packed to capacity, with even the side alleys teeming with eager onlookers. While Sophie admits she didn’t have the clearest view, the sheer physicality of the sound left no room for ambiguity: the mix was so punishingly bass-heavy it could be felt reverberating through your chest. This dense, aggressive sonic onslaught perfectly matched the band’s ethos. Fronted by Colin Young (of Twitching Tongues and Hardlore podcast fame) and professional wrestler Brody King, God’s Hate delivered a metallic beatdown set that summoned the venue’s most feral moshers. King, in characteristically theatrical fashion, urged the crowd to “put [their] enemies six feet deep,” and the response was primal. While some praised the set’s thick, visceral tone, others felt the mix leaned too far into murkiness, muddying the impact.
Drug Church
In sharp contrast, Drug Church offered a welcome reprieve from the day’s otherwise relentless fight music. Returning to the UK once again, they drew the largest outdoor crowd of the day so far. Frontman Patrick Kindlon opened with tongue-in-cheek indignation, claiming, “London dropped me!” before launching into a set that leaned heavily on their latest album, PRUDE. Their melodic post-hardcore sound may have been a better fit for the festival’s Saturday lineup, but it nonetheless resonated with fans looking for a breather. The band closed with the long-established set-ender “Weed Pin,” which, true to tradition, triggered a chaotic stage invasion. Kindlon even attempted a crowdsurf, this time, with considerably more success than during the festival’s London edition.
Loathe (Secret Set)
Secret sets have become a common occurrence at festivals in recent years, and Outbreak is no stranger to this phenomenon. Quickly becoming an expected selling point, you can guarantee that you’ll walk past at least a handful of conversations where people are guessing at whom it may be and trying to justify why they’re right. This year, the two main guesses amongst punters were Hatebreed and Loathe. Festival goers waited with bated breath at the main stage, excited to see whether they’d managed to guess correctly or not. The crowd pop when the backing screen lit up emblazoned with “LOATHE” in block capitals was nothing short of incredible, with friends turning to one another, taking the opportunity to say, “I told you so”. Kicking things off with a new, untitled track, Loathe made a point to set their intentions from the get-go; they were here to make you move. A short but impressive set, they barrelled through their discography, playing a barrage of hits, and throwing in a surprise here and there to keep things fresh. “Heavy Is The Head That Falls With The Weight Of A Thousand Thoughts” had become a staple within their repertoire, but this time with a surprise guest feature from Olli Appleyard of Static Dress, it was elevated to a whole new level, with both Kadeem and Appleyard going back and forth, before synchronising to a cacophonous chorus. Keeping the crowd engaged with banter between tracks, Kadeem took the time to apologise part way through for the band’s lack of UK shows as of late; it should also be noted that he didn’t state that this would change, so please don’t get your hopes up. Commanding the crowd as a highly decorated officer commands their subordinates, Loathe demanded attention, movement, and plenty of dancing. Though for some, it may have been an obvious, and safe choice for a secret set, Loathe undoubtedly put on a stellar performance, and with the introduction of new material, it’s even harder to argue that you’ve “seen it all before”.
Oversize
One of the most tragic stories of the event, Oversize had been put in a losing position since the stage splits were initially released. Clashing with Australian hardcore heroes, Speed, even Oversize were aware of this, joking on social media beforehand that they’d be playing to a miniscule crowd. Whilst initially I’d feared that they may have been correct, their crowd grew and grew as their set progressed, which was fantastic to see. Playing tracks predominantly from their recently released, debut LP, the band’s signature grungegaze sound was clearly infectious enough to draw in passersby, leading to steady crowd growth the entire set. Jack took the time to catch Oversize, having previously seen Speed and knowing full well what to expect – betting on the underdogs couldn’t have gone better. Whilst perhaps their style would have been more suitable for Saturday’s lineup, Jack thoroughly enjoyed their performance, and it was a nice reprieve from a barrage of hardcore anthems that had preceded them.
Speed
Outside, those that congregated for Speed had a very good time. They’re at the top of their game, not so much touring but taking a victory lap following the success of ONLY ONE MODE (for those curious, this was #26 on our albums of the year line up, so sadly didn’t make the final cut for our article). Their set was a re-shuffle of their Outbreak Autumn setlist, crowning “THE FIRST TEST” as the closer to build anticipation for its instrumental finale, and calling for “200 stage dives in sixty seconds” during “SHUT IT DOWN”. Vocalist Jem Siow took a moment to recognise these festivals as a “global convention” that remind us of our common goodness. It was a lovely speech that concluded with a tribute to UK hardcore (they brought on Higher Power and Impunity for features, more than proving their words).
Long Goodbye
For a few years now, The Coming Strife has been the go-to label for the best up and coming UKHC and metalcore releases, and Long Goodbye are no exception to the rule. Part of the more recent revolution in the scene, along with Killing Me Softly, Crowquill, and Cauldron, Long Goodbye quickly cemented their foothold as one of UKHC’s most impressive live acts. A commanding aura, combined with demonic vocals, and ridiculously fun instrumentals, the band dominated the small stage, with security enacting the one-in-one-out policy before the band had even started to soundcheck. Their set essentially consisted of all the band’s material, so if you’d caught them before and had a very good memory you wouldn’t be suprised. What made the set truly special, however, was the surprise vocal features throughout. With special guest spots from many renowned artists in the scene, such as Killing Me Softly’s Jono Roberts and Until the Day I Die’s singer, Long Goodbye were sharing the love with their fellow bands and really putting a spotlight on the UK scene’s finest acts. Clashing with Terror, it was nothing short of incredible to see so many people turn out for the small UKHC act. An accolade that the band should be proud of, the innate ability to draw such a crowd when one of hardcore’s most iconic acts is playing at the same time is nothing short of incredible and will undoubtedly be something that the Durham County lads are proud of being able to achieve in such a short time.
Contention
Dobbin knew he was looking forwards to Contention but hadn’t quite realised the extent to which that was a shared feeling. Another straight edge band, this time drawing their lyrics from the weight of an oncoming apocalypse, there was something electric about the anticipation leading up to this set. The crowd was urgently chaotic, turning many moments of the set into renaissance paintings. During “Inflict My Will” the mic grabbing became so intense that Cosmo Vidussi lost two different mics to the crowd. Dave Baugher from XweaponX emerged to do backup vocals, only noticed by us when we looked back at recap videos, such was the carnage of the third stage. We’re more than enthusiastic about getting fresh material and another tour from the band.
Deafheaven
Deafheaven might have seemed an odd choice for the ‘heavy’ day, but only last year they toured with Knocked Loose as the main support. This was another set that became immensely packed. George Clarke sounded fantastic, demonstrating amazing vocal endurance after a long US with Gatecreeper and Trauma Ray. Ever the possessed conductor, Clarke relished the pile-ons during “Magnolia” (props to any mic grabbers who can work out their inscrutable lyrics). Deputy guitarist Ian Waters was the smiley fill in for Shiv Mehra, relishing all the guitar hero moments that Deafheaven’s songs have always brimmed with. Their setlist went almost all-in on Lonely People With Power – “Doberman” was obligatory, as it contains Deafheaven’s first breakdown, and “Winona” was bravely chosen as the set closer, displacing “Dream House” after twelve years in that spot. “Incidental II” was included, providing an industrial diversion that they’ve been waiting a long time to include (presumably since they learned a thing or two from Youth Code on the New Bermuda tour). Not once, but three times the stage was invaded, each time beckoned by Clarke for the entire second halves of “Brought to the Water”, “Dream House” and “Winona”. These were incredible to experience, but certainly too much from a safety perspective. It’s difficult to see these songs going down any other way at Outbreak, even if Clarke wasn’t demanding it.
Impunity
Setting the bar remarkably high for themselves with their performance at Outbreak 2024, Impunity took to the third stage with the room being the most packed out that it had been for the entire event. There was an air of tension and excitement as the crowd stood eagerly awaiting the set’s start. Screen emblazoned by the iconic silhouette logo, the band kicked things off with the remarkably fitting Atmosphere, which saw an eruption of movement from the very first note. Progressing through their entire discography, including all new tracks from their split release with Cross Of Disbelief which had dropped just day’s prior, one thing was clear; Impunity is that band. Never letting the energy die, vocalist Derv delivered a consistent barrage of screams, her iconic style bellowing over the crashing drums and chunky guitars. A chosen “one-to-watch” for us, we still found ourselves amazed by just how incredible this performance was. A band who, in a remarkably short time, have gained a devout following, this set has, without a doubt, marked them for many as one of the most talented up-and-coming bands right now.
Glassjaw
“Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence” has been a cult classic album for much longer than many bands playing the festival have existed for. Its release back in 2000 had a clear, undeniable hand in shaping the sound of many bands that we’ve come to know and love today. It is for this very reason that Jack found myself instantly drawn to this set, the thought of seeing such a seminal release in full was truly something of a dream. Sadly, Jack found himself extremely disappointed in the result, with barely anything being audible for the initial two to three tracks. Not wanting to sully his thoughts and impressions of the band and this crucial album, Jack reluctantly made the decision to leave the set early. Based upon the previous day’s performance things would have become stellar, but the live mix was simply leaving too much to be desired. Thankfully, the feedback from other festival goers was mostly positive, and many in attendance were glad to have been able to witness such a nostalgic release played in full after so many years.
Knocked Loose
Rounding out the festivities, hardcore/metalcore juggernauts Knocked Loose took to the main stage, intent on giving fans a show to remember. Preceded by one of the event’s staff re-iterating the festival’s stage access policy, the tone was set instantly. With eruptions of cheers and applause as the iconic five-piece took to the stage, vocalist Bryan Garris made short work of setting the ground rules for the duration of the performance and kicking off the set. Keeping fans of most of the band’s ‘eras’ happy, the setlist was littered with popular releases spanning a solid portion of the band’s discography, going as far back as the iconic “Laugh Tracks”, but particularly stacked with material from their latest, smash hit release You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To.
The Garris (Isaac) Hale combination is truly a force to be reckoned with, and Sunday proved to be no different. Both came barking their commands to the crowd in a good cop bad cop style manor, with Garris politely suggesting that the crowd could do better. Hale took up a much more forthright approach, making direct demands to the crowd. This chemistry and level of banter is something which many aspire to have, but few ever obtain, and it’s abundantly clear that Knocked Loose know as much as they utilise it frequently.
A set full of surprises, we were treated to a plethora of vocal features throughout the duration, some of which we’d come to expect, and others much more surprising. The first of these was Henry Cox of Boston Manor joining the band for “Belleville“, which was then instantly followed up by Speed coming out during “Deadringer“. The level of hype and awe was remarkably high, and for many, these alone would have made the set one to remember, but they weren’t done yet. Next up, the incredible George Clarke of Deafheaven made an appearance during “God Knows“, invoking his demonic vocal range to starkly contrast with Garris’ already unique sound. As one fan put it, “this is the sort of thing they make movies about”.
There was then a brief reprieve from features, with the band taking their time to introduce the next track “Moss Covers All” as their shortest track to date, and Garris specifically requesting as many stage dives as possible for its duration. This, predictably, flowed into “Take Me Home“, with the transition being seamless just as it is on the album; an extremely satisfying thing to bear witness to. Then came a turning point, with the much-anticipated “Sit and Mourn” getting its time to shine. A track whose name matches the feelings that it invokes, there was an uneasy atmosphere from the get-go, and it was absolutely fitting. With Garris picking up a guitar midway through the track, the band successfully replicated the atmosphere that the track has on the record, and we could not truly believe that we were there to witness it. When the track finally ended, there was a brief moment of silence before cheers erupted from the crowd, and the look of glee on the band’s faces was infectious.
But that wasn’t the end. The band kicked things back in with Grammy-nominated anthem “Suffocate“, before quickly transitioning into fan favourite “Billy No Mates“, supported with vocal features from Kadeem France of Loathe, and Olli Appleyard of Static Dress. With Garris introducing both as some of his favourite bands and best friends, this was a true culmination of what hardcore is about, and everybody was in awe of it. As if this wasn’t enough, the iconic “Counting Worms” intro kicked in, and limbs were flying, with Garris using this as an opportunity to let the crowd sing. A song which is now synonymous with the band’s name, for many, this has become a staple of every set, and for it to still see such pop even now is a testament to the band’s ability. Historically, this would be where things end, but no longer. Stressing that they only had two tracks left, both Garris and Hale pleaded with the crowd to keep the energy up for the duration, before Garris then requested the infamous “Knocked Loose motherfucker” call and response. Closing things out with the Upon Loss EP tracks was something we didn’t expect, but it truly worked, and for many, it would have been a fitting end – except it wasn’t.
In a bid to close out the day in the same way that it started, the Knocked Loose gang opted to cover WeaponX’s “Outro“, which had been used earlier as the intro for their own set. A clear, conscious decision, it was nothing short of poetic and closed out Outbreak 2025 in a way that no other band feasibly could have. Knocked Loose have cemented themselves in the festival’s history as one of the best to ever do it, and, chances are, very few will ever live up to the same legacy that they’ve achieved. If one thing is clear though, many will try, and we’ll be treated to a slew of fantastic bands along the journey.
Closing Thoughts
So, overall, was Outbreak 2025 worth it? Without a doubt. In a world where festivals seem to pop up and fizzle out in a matter of years, there’s a clear reason why Outbreak has stayed around and consistently been a fan-favourite; passion. Though many will say that it has lost its way and become more commercial, we would argue that the complete opposite is true, and that, out of a love of the scene, the festival has taken opportunities to upgrade year-on-year and that these have paid off. Long gone are the days of the fest being in tiny venues, and that’s okay; but the spirit is still going strong, and what more could you ask for.
Thank you to Outbreak Festival for having us, to all the bands who played, to Hoodsoulja Security for keeping things safe, and to all of those who worked the festival, either as direct staff, vendors, or venue staff. Without all of you, this would not have been possible, and hardcore would not be able to thrive in the way that it currently is.