Manchester Punk Festival – Friday 29th March

Has it really been a year since the last Manchester Punk Festival? Not quite, due to the wandering nature of the Easter Bank Holiday, this year it’s taking place in March rather than somewhere in April. I’ve never understood why this particular holiday wanders around the calendar, maybe it’s because I have no religious affiliation whatsoever, whatever the reason I hope Jesus doesn’t see his shadow as I could do without six more weeks of winter, that’s it right? We are heading into Manchester City Centre in our big coats at the tail end of Winter for three days of the finest and noisiest bands the DIY and independent punk scenes have to offer. On the plus side, we haven’t had to wait for twelve months, on the negative, it’s not exactly warm and next years incarnation is probably over a year away.

But some things don’t change, the Oxford Road corridor in Manchester City centre, with one outpost on Deansgate, is once more the epicentre of the punk world for a few short days as seven venues play host to everything from spoken word to face meting hardcore. On a purely personal level Manchester Punk Festival is an opportunity to catch bands we have covered on The Punk Site but never actually seen in the flesh and, more importantly, to hear new music. The focus is firmly on the current scene rather than punk’s past glories, but I’d confidently say that there is something for almost anyone who’s tastes lie on the punkier side of the street. With wristbands collected we head off for the first band of Manchester Punk Festival 2024, and the only act playing at this early hour, who this year are local upstarts Novacane who have made the arduous journey from Bury, a town that lies just a few miles to the North of Manchester.

This slot was owned by Smoking Gives You Big Tits last year who have since moved up the bill, both here and at Rebellion Festival, so that bodes well for this years local heroes, who will presumably be able to enjoy the rest of the fest as they’ll be done and dusted nice and early. Novacane are young, very young, they probably still get ID’d in Pubs. Kicking off in a squall of feedback they aren’t holding back, this is a full tilt launch into this years Manchester Punk Festival. I have no previous frame of reference for Novacane, for me always the best way to experience a band, sink or swim, stay or go to the bar, I’m staying. Novacane are brash young indie punks, if this is future then the future, at least musically, is looking bright. The early afternoon slot at Manchester Punk Festival continues to be an early high point and The Pink Room at Yes is packed for these Northern upstarts early set.

Next up is a spot of socialising at the Sandbar where we catch up with familiar faces, and sample a few beers from the excellent Signature Brew, who always produce a beer for the festival, before we head over to The Union for the return of Bobby Funk who are kicking things off in the main venue in their own chaotic style. Sartorially and sonically Bobby Funk are a constant clash of styles, impossible to pin down with songs covering everything from Jason Statham being in Crass (Stathams Of The Crass) to being a cat (I’m A Cat), the latter being one of several odes to our feline friends I’ll hear over the weekend, I don’t think I heard any other songs about Jason Statham! Bobby Funk remain a unique fixture of Manchester Punk Festival and mid set beach balls are introduced and thrown into the sizeable crowd which just adds to to the party vibe of their set, despite it only being mid afternoon on day one. 

After experiencing Hello & Hoof’s live podcast last year we’re back to repeat the experience in the Sandbar. Danny Barrett of The Crash Mats Is once more attempting to interview as many people as possible in his own disorganised rambling incoherent flustered style, this is the Royal Rumble of interviews. Nosebleed’s drummer is tasked to eat a tin of corned beef, despite being vegetarian, and the confusion has only just begun as they are joined by the rest of Nosebleed and members of Velvet Fist, M.D.N.A., Animal Byproducts, Incisions, Rash Decision, Shackleford, who arrive with all new magic tricks, Blagged and more. There’s a steady decay into petty recriminations and regional disputes as Danny is berated by his final guests, the set collapses and he loses the plot (again). Same time next year?.

After a break for pizza we head across the road into The Bread Shed for Spaced’s eclectic brand of hardcore. Spaced are intense, at least that’s what I pick up from the immense queue at the bar, closer up my first impression was not deceptive, but that’s not the end of the story. With their new album, This Is All We Ever Get, fresh out of the traps their crushing grooves meet appropriately spaced out breakdowns before they head back into intense hardcore once more, a band of two distinct parts. I’m glad I was here to experience a band that occupy a unique space in the hardcore scene. Sadly it’s one I can only encounter from a distance as it’s rammed on all sides near the stage and getting any closer is impossible. Spaced make it clear they have a lot of love for Manchester, Manchester clearly feels the same way. Intense and awesome, Spaced remind me why I love seeing hardcore bands live, if you haven’t caught them live then you’re missing out on a singular band in the hardcore scene.

In the same venue, and in direct contrast, we have Meryl Streek, the intensity is matched but with a completely different approach that is drawn from scandals from Northern Ireland’s dark past, this is reflected in his brooding stage presences and menacing persona. If anything this is just as intense as any hardcore band you’d care to mention, but this is drawn from generational trauma, his set is relentless anger, but this no circle pit inducing frenzy. This is personal anger channelled through his music. His set is perfectly characterised with a mantra of “you’ll always be missed, you’ll always be loved”, love or hate, Meryl Streek has a point to make and tonight he’s made it. 

Next up in The Bread Shed is the no frills garage rock of Nosebleed, the only band to play every stage at Manchester Punk Festival to date, and they have earned their place on tonight’s varied line up in The Bread Shed. This is 21st century garage rock, the spirit of previous generations might be present, whether that’s The Hives or Roky Erickson’s 13th Floor Elevators, but this is rock ‘n roll served with a dangerously sharp edge. Recently celebrating their tenth anniversary Nosebleed remain a force of nature, whilst treading familiar ground they have put their own immense Creeper print on it. Their set sees the first, but not the last, stage divers of the evening, or at least the first I’ve witnessed. Nosebleed are rock ‘n roll personified and their set tonight was unmissable. The self proclaimed kings of Manchester Punk Festival have claimed their crown, come and take it if you can. Tonight also marked drummer Dicky Riddims final appearance at Manchester Punk Festival with Nosebleed before he sets off on his travels. Tonight was a landmark show in many ways as it celebrated longevity, departure and defiance as only Nosebleed know how. 

What turns out to be our final band of the day is a reunion of sorts, I last saw Tsunami Bomb over two decades ago on a Kung Fu Records package tour with The Vandals, I’m not sure if they’ve been back since but tonight is the first I’m aware of, so we head to Gorilla for their detonation. Different singer, several decades and many beers later, Tsunami Bomb have still retained their essence, testament to this is an absolutely packed Gorilla. This is probably the only common unifier of the varied acts on offer on day one of Manchester Punk Festival 2024, every venue we’ve been in today seems to be absolutely packed regardless of who is playing. 

Tsunami Bomb kick off with words “it’s been a long time Manchester” and the years peel away, not that this is in anyway a farewell tour or a greatest hits set. There have been line up changes, several releases and a lot of years, but the attitude and (some of) the songs remain the same. Their set spans the decades and is delivered with a perpetual smile, I don’t think I’ve see anyone as happy to be in Manchester before, and I include Mancunians in that. Tonight Tsunami Bomb equalled the rose tinted expectations from over two decades ago, not an easy bar to reach by anyone’s expectations. This was helped by the inclusion of my personal favourite from their previous incarnation, Dawn On A Funeral Day, but it’s the more recent material, especially the superb The Spine That Binds album, that steals the show. Tonight Tsunami Bomb delivered a triumphant set and they loved Manchester, and Manchester reciprocated. And with ears ringing we limp homewards to recharge ahead of day two of Manchester Punk Festival.

Manchester Punk Festival will return in 2025 for it’s tenth anniversary, why not grab yourself a bargain early bird ticket and be sure to keep an eye on their socials for line up announcements over the coming months.

Live photography courtesy of Gary Hough from Shot From Both Sides and Scott Bradley from Phukin Photos.