Collision Festival is one of the many day or weekend festivals appearing across the country to showcase alternative and heavy music acts that are currently present within the United Kingdom. Coming after two of its counterparts in Underground Festival in Gloucester and Takedown Festival in Portsmouth, Collision Festival brings an ever impressive line-up to Bedford, which in previous years has seen the likes of Graphic Nature, Unpeople and Calva Louise perform at the festival before they went onto to become mainstays of the UK’s scene. Once again, Collision has announced another line-up primed with some of the best this country has to offer.
The 2026 line-up weaves together various genres and sounds to give those who attend an initiation to the breadth that the alternative scene has to offer. It’s easy to pick our absolute favourite, that would be the stalwarts in False Reality who are headlining the second stage. They have proved themselves as one of the finest acts that UKHC has to offer, after their debut full-length in Faded Intentions. With the Collision date part of their slightly delayed headline tour for the album’s release, after a busy 2025 playing at the likes of Burn It Down, 2000trees and supporting the likes of Stick To Your Guns and CKY.
The main stage will offer the likes of Hell Hotel and Lonesome, who are acts within the UK’s underground who seem to be ones that will eventually break out. Hell Hotel recently dropped another stellar single in “am i nothing now?”, the latest entry into what is a string of standout singles from the duo, which hopefully this year will form into a wider piece. The melodic hardcore unit Lonesome more than impressed on their return In The Hope This Finds You. Their sound branches back to the heyday of melodic hardcore of the previous decade, and are no doubt just as impressive live as they are on record.
Lonesome will also make an appearance at 2000trees this year, as will fellow Collision performer Native James. This is an act who are becoming fiercely popular with their blend of alternative-rap, bringing the snarl of the 00s nu-metal scene and the modernity of grime. Already packing venues across the country and seemingly doing it under the radar, Native James will be one to soon be capturing headlines.
The undercard is where many will find their new favourites: Autumn Fires, Within Reach, Only Pain, Iridium and Mercy Falls are all bands who have impressed this year with either single or EP releases. Autumn Fires with their joyous alternative rock sound on BLOOM., the young’uns in Within Reach who have shown their penchant for beatdown metalcore on recent single “Liar and The Host” and Iridium who showcased their tech-metal sound on HELL IS JUST A HALFWAY HOUSE at the turn of the year. Newer acts in Only Pain who are joining the ranks of deathcore’s revival, looking to ensure that it returns on both sides of the Atlantic. Finally, Mercy Falls are deserving of a highlight, blending their metal sound with grunge and alternative influences.
Packed with a bleeding edge line-up that will ensure those who attend will come away with many new favourites, Collision Festival is set to be a gem of a festival in the south-east. Tickets can be purchased through their website, https://www.collisionfest.uk/ – with the festival taking place on April 11th.