Rebellion Festival 2026: Part 2

The sun is out and the howling winds have abated, which is a bonus not just for the Rebellion Festival faithful but also for the Blackpool airshow which is taking place this weekend, but we are heading back into the Winter Gardens as acrobatic displays can’t compete with a line up than spans the five decades of punk, and we’re here for all of it, or at least as much of the sprawling line up as we can. It came as something of a surprise to find that the Rebellion Festival‘s 30th anniversary, along with punk’s 50th anniversary, made the BBC news today with generation spanning appearances from veteran UK Subs legend Charlie Harper and Las Vegas’ teen siblings The Dollheads.

Being a little jaded around the edges after a hectic Thursday and starting off the day with a pint at 11.45am what could possibly pick you up, how about a dose of Spleen? This is a band that first crossed our path in a London Soho pub get together called Vampyres of Soho, an very young Italian quartet who play punk rock in their own way, and what a way this is! After smashing it last year on the Introducing Stage, they fully deserved this shout in a bigger venue. This is indie but not as you know it, or even hate it, this is indie punk at its very very best. Dystopic School from the EP of the same name is like Nirvana hanging around with Queens Of The Stone Age, in fact this band has every corner of the great music scene covered, every inch of this band shouts star material, what a way to start the day.

If all you know about South Korean pop culture is KPop, get yourself some Rumkicks. The sparky three-piece power pop combo are Rebellion Festival stalwarts now and the growing crowd in the Empress Ballroom concur. If you like your punk delivered in super sharp, super fun bursts, Rumkicks are for you. It’s refreshing to see a band not ploughing through their crowd pleasers for the nostalgia market. Rumkicks are fresh and vital, true to the original spirit. They’re also fucking marvellous. We love them. Cartoony? Maybe. No harm in that. They also played our particular favourite ‘Drinking Every Day‘. They end much too soon, reaffirming that they ‘Wanna Be a Punk Rocker‘. Rightly so.

If seeing bands like Spleen and Rumkicks wasn’t enough of a slap around the hungover head to get you going, then dropping into the Opera House for another of last years Introducing Stage bands, 50 Foot Woman, should do the trick. A lot can change in a year and this time the band was with their new lead singer Ciara, but this transition was seamless. Sophie who sang last year had something great, but hearing Ciara smash out songs like ‘Wonder Erection’ and ‘FYFN’ with the same dulcet tones and balanced angst was a wonder to behold. This is punk rock at it primeval best. There are times when bands just connect with your psyche and this band have, see you next year we hope!!

Next up is the full tilt boogie of Split Dogs, it appears that their reputation has preceded them as the Empress Ballroom is absolutely hammered and people continue to descend as their set unfolds. Maybe even they were surprised at the volume of the crowd, lead singer Harry Martinez took one look at the crowd and declared “fucking hell”, but maybe they shouldn’t be surprised, Harry is an unstoppable force of nature as she shimmies and shakes across the stage in between delivering a full throttle vocal delivery, and she’s backed by the finest rock ‘n roll trio this side of Motörhead, they are Split Dogs, and they play rock ‘n roll.

Having just been part of the Split Dogs phenomenon, we’re in the Pavilion to see Catfight on the Introducing Stage. The characteristic toppy growl of a Rickenbacker bass greets the ear while the eye is drawn to a gentleman in some kind of tunic and mesh tights. Musically, Catfight are quirky and have a cute 80s off kilter indie vibe. We hope they’re being ironically diffident. The songs are solid and the band’s Rebellion Festival debut hints at what’s to come from this promising young quartet.

If what’s been on offer so far at the Rebellion Festival wasn’t enough to get your day rolling along at a thunderous pace, then having Gypsy Pistoleros in The Opera House give it some on point theatrical Glam/Punk/Goth is certainly going to keep that punk decadence going strong. With full on (fake) fur covered headdress, Lee Pistolero on sleaze rock vocals has no peers when it comes to being the leader of the church of the disaffected. There are plenty of Dark Fairy Tales from their recent album and a smattering of classics from their catalogue, this is all is topped off by the cover that shouldn’t be covered, ‘Come On Eileen’ has the hall standing in rapturous applause, another see you next year moment hopefully.

At this point we take another voyage into the unknown on the Introducing Stage, which is kinda the point of this showcase for new and upcoming talent that are making their Rebellion Festival debut. Critical Candy live up to the expectations of their chosen moniker, this is full tilt punk rock with a dark undertone that is inverted by the haunting sweetness of the vocals. This impression is underpinned as they take on The Misfits‘ Saturday Night that is stripped back to its rock ‘n roll roots. Afterwards we manage to find an unoccupied Chesterfield couch in the Galleon Bar and we inadvertently experience the Static Kill acoustic sessions which at this point is delivering a set of vintage favourites by The Clash.

Its not like us to miss full sets, but having so much going on in a festival that pales all others into oblivion when it comes to acts on at the same time over eight stages, so even catching the second half of the enigma that is Meryl Streek was a bonus. Meryl started his Rebellion Festival life on the Introducing Stage at around midnight to a crowd of around 50, now he draws upwards of a thousand in Club Casbah. His music isn’t your archetypal punk, its electronic with high energy beats that when melded with the lyrical punches that are aimed at crooked landlords, church corruption, governments, and societal failure that becomes something of its own reality theatre. His music and words are a heart pouring out its love for humanity and fighting against those who try to take advantage of the weak.

As mentioned in some previous words, Rebellion Festival is truly an international thing, and to that end Belgium’s The Kids are playing what is actually their first ever appearance, and possibly their first time in the UK, although we are happy to be corrected on that one if need be. To play so late in your career at the world’s best punk festival is maybe a little of a curve ball, but this band took every minute of their super charged pop punk set and smashed it around The Casbah room. Let’s hope this leads to a run of UK gigs in the future.

We head into the Opera House for The Roman Jugg Band, from the outset it’s clear this is going to be a romp through the era of The Damned when Roman penned much of their material. The set spans 1982’s Strawberries through 1985’s Phantasmagoria, and 1986’s Anything up to the dissolution of that era of the band, along with a few visits to The Damned‘s 1970s heyday. The Roman Jugg Band is a welcome reminder of the much underrated contribution Roman made to the most commercially successful era of The Damned, before the inevitable collapse and subsequent rebirth, there is also some solo material on display which indicates what could have been had things been very different. If you’re going to do a nostalgic set that is largely reliving past glories then this how you do it. 

Ride me sideways. This band know how to batter a crowd into submission. It’s clear from song one that The Coathanger Solution take no prisoners and give no fucks. Tight as a duck’s arse, the band are revelling in every second. They have that innate Celtic sense of melody and songcraft which they execute perfectly. Built on a contentious band name (given their Irish provenance), they don’t seem to be too bothered about the reception. They don’t need to be, because the Introducing Stage crowd is loving them. More of this kind of thing. And by the way, Brian, you’re a cunt.

Only the second time so far in this new stage The Condefernce Circle, during the day it doubles as the Literary Stage. Its getting a little late and if any of you have been to Rebellion Festival you’ll understand just how tiring it can be, but what always picks you up and gives you the non drug induced pick me up, is great music and songs that take you all the way back to 1977. Eater, led by Andy Blade, have always been a bit of a cult band, and they haven’t lost any of the vitriol or candor about life and its challenges. Backed up by a band in their own right, JoJo & The Teeth, this was lesson in how to never lose that angst and never grow out of being an individual.

Most famous perhaps for ‘that’ particular single, Lene Lovich has pulled in a decent crowd. It’s mostly unfamiliar stuff, quirky and a little unsettling. It’s possibly not what the New Wave-curious came to see but after a day of full-on battering punk rock, the seats of the Opera House are very appealing. But there’s a hardcore section of fans on the barrier lapping up every quirky moment. This is a broad church after all. Lene’s band are jaunty and tight, providing a solid sonic landscape for Lene’s idiosyncratic vocal stylings.

Kitsch, camp fun ahoy with The Rezillos, we hope. Full disclosure. This reviewer was obsessed with the ‘Top Of The Pops‘ single to the point of almost permanently alienating the neighbours. Flashforward nearly 40 years and were curious to see how Eugene, Fay and their merry band have fared. We’re expecting hits, we’re expecting dayglo space adventures. It’s a bold start as the band launch into ‘Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight‘ before thundering into the aforementioned ‘Top Of The Pops‘. From there on, it’s a breathless gallop through the catalogue. Unlike for some other vintage acts, the crowd aren’t leaving in droves. Quite the opposite. They’re streaming in steadily even though the room is rammed. The sound is first class and there are occasional bursts of air conditioning. Naturally the new album, Psycho Tornado, is trailed, but frankly, it’s classic, timeless Rezillos. Buy with confidence. We’re treated to a galloping version of ‘Ballroom Blitz‘ that seemingly closes the set. Is it showbiz or a genuine oversight that ‘Thunderbirds Are Go‘ is slotted in as an encore, complete with intro music? It doesn’t matter. It’s a rousing high to end the day on.

The Rebellion Festival will return between the 5th and 8th August 2027 and tickets are now on sale here, with early confirmations for 2027 including The Only Ones, UK Subs, DOA, Street Dogs, The Undertones, The Meffs and more.

Words and photography in varying quantities by Mark Cartwright, Peter Hough and Phinky.