The Punk Site ‘Rebellion Festival 2017’ Preview, Part Three

2016 saw the Rebellion Festival celebrate its 20th year alongside the 40th anniversary of punk with a spectacular sold-out event. Over four days at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, iconic bands from every aspect of punk across the world shared stages with new and emerging talent, and the 2017 Rebellion Festival looks set to be no different. Returning to Winter Gardens in Blackpool from the 3rd to the 6th of August, the line-up is shaping up to be another punk genre defining event. The Punk Site is fortunate enough to be covering the Rebellion Festival again this year, as this is Europe’s largest punk festival and it boasts a bewildering array of bands, acts, art and temptations, we’re going to be looking ahead at what this years Rebellion Festival has to offer

The full line can be viewed here and tickets for the 2017 Rebellion Festival can be purchased here

The 2017 Rebellion Festival preview for Saturday 5th August can be viewed below

As with any festival that has multiple stages, and with the Rebellion Festival boasting another strong and varied line up, it’s never going to be possible to see everyone you want to catch, but these are the prospective highlights that we’ll be hoping to cover on the penultimate day, although circumstances, chance meetings and unexpected discoveries will inevitably change my plans. The introducing stage has a strong draw as it opens with Wreckage, a band that is made up from former and current members of Cretin 77, B-Movie Brits and First Wave, and later features Spanish punks Grippers and offers the chance to catch the impressive Chaos 8, who released their stunning sophomore album, Cause And Effect, earlier this year.

Louise Distras makes a welcome return to the Almost Acoustic Stage after playing an electric set with her band over on the Pavillion Stage, this stage also features the second former Sex Pistol of the weekend as Glen Matlock is playing an ‘acoustic and anecdotes’ set, and a band I last saw almost thirty years ago will hopefully be providing a blast from the past as The Guitar Gangsters make an appearance. Northern Ireland’s The Defects return for a second year running on the Arena Stage whilst over at the Opera House The Vapors, another band I never thought I would get to see live, will be rolling back the years. On the Casbah Stage a distinct dub, ska and reggae influence creeps into the festival with the impressive trio of The Neville Staple Band, Ruts DC and Misty In Roots, whilst over at the Empress Ballroom Hands Off Gretel have made the leap from the Introducing Stage to the main stage, before a distinctly old school line up comes to the fore with the Anti Nowhere League, UK Subs and Angelic Upstarts making up an impressive trio of seemingly indestructible acts.

In addition to the seven stages that offer the musical attractions you also have the literary and spoken word shows, the Punk Art gallery and the numerous stalls, bars and of course the punks themselves who, as was the case last year, will have made the pilgrimage to Blackpool from the length and breadth of the UK and beyond, then you’ve got the prospect of another impressive day. We’ll being look at what the final day at the Rebellion Festival 2017 has in store next weekend, if there are bands at this years Rebellion Festival you think we should be covering that I haven’t mentioned leave a reply to this article. Images from the 2016 Rebellion Festival courtesy of Dod Morrison and Jana Chrzova.