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

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 Friday 4th August can be viewed below

As with any festival that has multiple stages, and with the Rebellion Festival inevitably boasting another strong 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, although circumstances, chance meetings and unexpected discoveries may well change my plans. As ever the Introducing Stage offers a showcase to the up and coming bands and will remain my go to point to catch the up and coming bands that we’ll be covering in the future, as well as the Introducing Stage you have six additional stages that offer diverse line ups featuring live acts from across three continents

Saturday on the Almost Acoustic stage brings the second appearance of the weekend from TV Smith and also sees a solo set from Hand’s Off Gretel‘s Lauren Tate and an unplugged set from The Bar Stool Preachers. over on the Pavillion Stage there’s the prospect of an incendiary, confrontational and chaotic appearance by the Svetlana‘s and the welcome return of The Lee Harveys, who have returned from the dead after prematurely announcing their dissolution earlier this year. Over at the Opera House TV Smith returns for his second appearance of the day, this time it’s an electric performance with The Bored Teenagers, the legendary Johnny Moped Band make a rare appearance, The Godfathers bring a touch of East End menace and The Members continue their 40th anniversary celebrations, all of these precedes the first former Sex Pistol of the weekend making an appearance as Paul Cook appears with The Professionals who will soon be releasing the first new album of material in 36 years.

The Casbah stage brings five bands that have been on my wish list, both The Kenneths and Maid Of Ace have developed a fearsome live reputation, Manchester’s John Robb is of course appearing, returning this year with The Membranes before we get a double hit from Canada in form of The Real McKenzies and finally DOA, a band I have always wanted to see live since I bought 13 Flavours Of Doom a long time ago. The impressive Heavy Drapes have made the leap from appearing on the Introducing Stage last year to appearing at the Empress Ballroom which also brings us the full tilt rock ‘n roll of Dragster, along with a varied punk line up that includes The FU’s, Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes and the much loved Wonk Unit.

Friday builds on the impressive line up from Thursday and promises to be a day of even more difficult choices than the opening day offered. Next week we’ll have a look at what Saturday 5th August at the Rebellion Festival has in store. 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.