Live Review: Rebellion Punk Festival 2026

It is hard to believe we are already past the midpoint of 2026. The year has passed so quickly that, all of a sudden, Punk Christmas, otherwise known as Rebellion Festival, had arrived again — and somehow it has already been and gone, and I am back to reality.

This year marked Rebellion’s 30th anniversary, celebrating the festival that, in its current form, has regularly been held at the historic Winter Gardens in Blackpool (having previously been known as Holidays in the Sun and Wasted). I went for the first time last year after dreaming of attending for years, coming back thirsty to go again, and my wish came true a second time. This year was particularly special: it was Rebellion’s first ever complete sell-out, and I was also in a better position myself in many respects. So it felt like a next-level Rebellion, not just for the festival but on a much more personal level for me too.

Whilst having a battle against the physical woes of both being female and getting older, I still managed to have a great time despite my body’s failings, and I’m here to share with you the pure delights of this year’s Rebellion Festival.

Let’s start with the obvious: the music side of things…

Familiar Favourites

Like last year, there was a good mix of bands I was yet to discover and bands I already know and love. I am a regular gig-goer, so inevitably I had seen some of these bands before, and some are now firm live favourites.

The Courettes

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing The Courettes twice before, including last year when they headlined a packed Introducing Stage (and made me deaf the following day. I was a sensible 42-year-old rocker this year and invested in decent earplugs to protect my ears), as well as at their own headline show prior to that, so this was not my first rodeo.

By sheer magic, after avoiding photo pits for years despite occasionally having a photo pass , mostly because I don’t actually have a camera — I asked security if I could go in with just my phone, and they said yes. I did feel slightly intimidated by the press photographers around me with their fancy cameras, but I was grateful to get to experience the photo pit, even if my photos didn’t come out as well as I would have liked.

As always, they played a great show. Singer and guitarist Flavia is a pure firecracker, ending the set by crowdsurfing whilst still playing her guitar. Theirs was one of the sets of the festival that left me wanting more simply because I was enjoying it so much.

The Baby Seals

I had only seen The Baby Seals live once before, and that was a few years ago now. I absolutely adore their debut album Chaos, which is filled with fun feminist punk humour, so I was excited to see them again.

I wasn’t disappointed. They played some of my favourites, including ‘Mild Misogynist’ and ‘Invisible Woman’. I can’t lie, it felt slightly surreal being at the front surrounded by men whilst listening to lyrics such as “my labia is lopsided and I don’t mind” and songs about nipple hair, but surely that’s the point of their music: normalising things that are actually real experiences but that most people are too scared to talk about out loud.

Instead, The Baby Seals write catchy songs about them. I mean, who can resist singing ‘la la labia’?

They also played some new songs, including one called ‘Panic’, which had a chorus that got stuck in my head immediately: “I’ll panic if I want to, Shirley…”

Voodoo Radio

Fast becoming one of my go-to live band recommendations, this was my third time seeing Voodoo Radio. They were another favourite of last year, and I have also seen them supporting another band before (I can’t remember who now!).

I fell in love with this father-and-daughter duo from Cumbria the first time I witnessed them. Their songs are catchy as fuck, their banter is top-notch (more on that later), and singer/drummer Paige is a blend of the wildness of Animal from The Muppets and the sneering facial expressions of Johnny Rotten when he was actually anti-establishment and that’s a compliment. I totally want to be as cool as she is when I grow up.

Millie Manders and The Shut Up

One of my favourite bands and regular Rebellion attendees, this was my FIFTH time seeing them live, and their reputation as one of my favourite live bands hasn’t diminished.

I wanted to see their full electric set on Thursday night, but their set wasn’t until 11:45pm and sadly my energy levels could not face such a late start. Luckily, I didn’t have to miss out, as they were also playing an acoustic set on Sunday afternoon.

I am not a huge fan of acoustic sets, but unsurprisingly, I loved every minute. Millie’s voice is absolutely huge and powerful, and the whole band’s presence is so alive and engaging that it is hard not to leave with a smile on your face.

They have a great blend of humour and serious subject matter. Millie asking bassist Georgina “are we there yet, are we there yet?” as she was tuning her bass was a great touch of silly banter, but their songs also tackle subjects such as the Me Too movement, mental health and Palestine.

Millie is very vocal about her support for Palestine and trans rights, and she always makes a point of speaking up about the causes she cares about at the shows I’ve witnessed. She was recently due to play The Great Vegan Gathering, which was cancelled following controversy around the political stance of some of the artists and organisers.

And a slight side note, but she is also lovely. She always invites fans to speak to her and have hugs with her. It took me until the last day of the festival (again, as I did last year too — that’s how much of a fangirl I am…) to actually speak to her. She kindly let me have a selfie with her and gave me a lovely hug.

A personal highlight for me.

YAKKIE

My third time seeing them now, after catching them at Loud Women Fest and previously supporting Dead Pioneers. They are set for big things. Too political to get signed? Please go check them out and support them, because they are ace.

New Discoveries

Whilst I love seeing my ‘comfort’ bands that I know and love and will defend with all my life (Millie Manders and the Shut Up Ted Army till I die), what truly energises me is discovering exciting new bands.

In this section, most of these bands are ‘new/upcoming’ bands, but I’ll also mention some older ones that, although not new, were new to me.

Hagar the Womb

One of those bands that falls into the ‘new to me but not new in the slightest’ category was the first band I saw at the festival, Hagar the Womb.

Opening the Opera House stage on Thursday, apparently this band have been going for more than 40 years, yet somehow I have only recently heard of them. I hang my head in feminist punk shame.

As soon as I watched them, I loved them and immediately thought, ‘How did I not already know about this band?!’

With songs about visibility as an older woman and being hated by the Daily Mail, they tick all my feminist punk love boxes. So deep into looking into their back catalogue I go…

Split Dogs

Another band that have been around for a little while (though nowhere near as long as Hagar the Womb, so maybe I can be forgiven for this one), I decided to check out Split Dogs and was dazzled not only by singer Harry Atkins’ sparkly outfit but by the band’s pure rock ‘n’ roll energy.

Immediately adds to my Deezer playlist.

Skint Knees

The first of the actual ‘new’ new bands, I had recently been passed Sheffield’s Skint Knees’ music by the co-editor of Joyzine, so of course I had to check them out live.

Very much riot grrrl influenced and very likeable, they passed a disposable camera around the audience for people to use to record the show from their perspective. Meanwhile, the drummer pleaded for a festival drinks token, which an audience member obliged with within approximately two seconds.

It’s safe to say these were very much ‘my bag’.

Clitspit

A band mentioned to me by a friend, when I saw they were performing on the Introducing Stage it was the perfect opportunity to check them out.

OMFG. They were this feminist punk’s musical wet dream.

They’re from Leeds and have a grungy tinge to their punk. They introduced themselves with “We’re Clitspli and we’re fucking shit”, but they were anything but. They were one of my favourites of the whole festival.

For the last song, the bassist broke a string, so it was played sans bass — but it still sounded badass.

WREX

WREX are from Brighton, and I didn’t know what to expect from a band who said ‘Wrex are all about putting your/the world’s troubles aside and having a good time’.

What I got was a chaotic, fun and energetic blur of punk and beats.

Bloody Benders

As if Saturday’s Introducing Stage line-up hadn’t already shaken me to the core in the best possible way (the last three bands I mentioned all played back-to-back on Saturday), it continued with Mexico’s Bloody Benders.

I didn’t know what to expect at all, but they turned out to be horror-themed punk and a lot of fun. There were costume changes, Frankenstein made an appearance, and even the devil himself turned up.

It felt fun, happy and joyful.

The NaNaz

From South Wales, The NaNaz have had some press coverage recently for being a band featuring mainly women in their fifties and sixties, and they were brilliant.

Their music reminded me a little of The Slits and covered subjects including the menopause. Filled with energy, I would like some of that energy too, please!

Hex Poseur

From Nottingham, I rushed over from another stage to witness alternative rock/grunge artist Hex Poseur, and she was great, playing pure rock ‘n’ roll vibes.

The Wokerati Party

Not 100 per cent new to me, as The Wokerati Party are from my hometown of Southend-on-Sea and, as it happens, I have known one of the members, Tee, for many years.

Of course I had to see them, but I also knew from following them online that they would be awesome, and they did not disappoint.

Their music is ‘woke punk’, reclaiming political insults like ‘snowflake’ and throwing in plenty of political satire. No bias in this at all, but honestly, they were one of my highlights of Sunday.

How could a set that was so bright and colourful, with appearances from ‘Elon Musk’ joining ‘Snowflake FC’ and ‘Nigel Farage’ and ‘Binface’ having a bitch fight as the finale, not be a highlight?

The trolls of the internet jumped onto the performance pretty quickly online, claiming that it ‘incited violence’. Facepalm.

It was another set that finished far too soon as far as I was concerned. If you don’t check out any other band I have mentioned, please check out The Wokerati Party.

Other Worthy Musical Mentions

Au Pairs and Bow Wow Wow both for their classic punk status; Lene Lovich for the classic punk and the fact that she can do absolutely insane things with her voice; The Whops, for being young, talented lads who are already rockstar performers at 12 and 15 years old; and Citizen Fish, for providing the essential ska moment.

Literary Stage

I made some time to check out a few talks on the Literary Stage.

I caught John Robb, music journalist and musician, who spoke about interviewing Kurt Cobain before he became famous, as well as being friends with Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex and dealing with her bipolar disorder over phone calls that could go from despair to sheer happiness.

One phrase from this talk really stuck with me: ‘DIT’ instead of ‘DIY’ — ‘doing it together’. I love that.

I also saw Irvine Welsh, and the room was so packed that I ended up sitting on the floor like I was back in a school assembly.

I saw Mollie Tie, who has written a book called Rebel Grrrls: The Real Story of Women and Punk. A former Loud Women writer, she spoke about writing from a fan’s perspective rather than simply from a historical perspective, and her book is definitely going on my To Be Read list.

Recurring Themes from the Festival

One of the many things I love about punk music is that true punk is political. It stands up for what’s right and, in many ways, I feel it is a voice for people who don’t fit into society’s standards.

There is certainly a lot for punk music to focus on these days, and it’s increasingly difficult for it not to be political. As Mollie Tie mentioned during her Literary Stage talk, there is plenty going on in the world for punk to respond to.

Inevitably, there were some common threads that I noticed throughout the festival.

Anti-War / Pro-Palestine

• Au Pairs dedicated a song to Palestine.
• One of the members of Citizen Fish wore a Free Palestine T-shirt.
• Millie Manders spoke about Palestine.
• A member of Hagar the Womb wore a ‘Free Gaza’ T-shirt.

Trans Rights

With recent changes to laws around single-sex spaces, it really is a time for people to speak up for our trans friends. This was highlighted by several of the bands I saw.

• Millie Manders spoke up for trans rights.
• The Wokerati Party have a trans member and actively spoke up for trans people.
• Yakkie also have a trans member, who took time to speak to the audience about the need for support from the cis community.

Neurodiversity

ADHD, autism and other forms of neurodivergence are seemingly becoming more common, but I think it’s more that people are starting to become more aware of them and getting diagnosed sooner.

I noticed this theme at the festival too.

The drummer of Skint Knees had a T-shirt that said ‘Autism’ in the style of Metallica’s logo.

WREX had a song about the ADHD itch you can’t scratch, which they dedicated to neurodivergent people. It was also an epic performance, with the guitarist playing in the audience whilst a circle pit formed around him.

The NaNaz had a song about the menopause and the ADHD-like symptoms that can accompany it.

Random Overheard Things, Observations and Things That Happened

I had to buy an emergency poncho on the way to pick up my press pass when full gale-force winds and rain suddenly started. This was particularly amusing as I had left Essex in heatwave weather.

On my way out from collecting my pass, a guy said to me, ‘Someone’s come prepared.’

‘Nope. Not in the slightest.’

The Rebellion flag had been put on top of Blackpool Tower.

I saw someone in the mosh pit with a walking aid having the absolute best time.

I wore a Twat Union T-shirt on one of the days and a woman came over to me and said, ‘Nice T-shirt,’ only for me to realise that she was wearing exactly the same T-shirt. She then pointed out her friend, who was also wearing the same top. Twat Union buddies!

I overheard someone outside the festival who wasn’t attending ask, ‘Why are they all wearing black?’

I overheard a punk talking to an older person outside the venue say, ‘We look scary but we’re not.’

A busker changed the lyrics to ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ to ‘When the Punks Go Marching In’.

Totally Made Up but Totally Accurate Rebellion Awards

And the winners are…

Best Political T-Shirts: Citizen Fish. One member had a Free Palestine top, one had a ‘Destroy Borders’ top, another had a ‘Radical Planet Shock’ top, and the other two let the side down a bit. One I couldn’t quite see (although I believe it was a band T-shirt), and the other was, erm… Ultravox.

Best Banter: Voodoo Radio: Guitarist Tony is known for always wearing a big black fluffy jacket. They started the show with singer/drummer Paige saying, ‘We promise the coat has been washed,’ with Tony offering to hang the jacket up outside for everyone to have a sniff.

They joked about it being the only gig where they would have to take a taxi to the audience, as the Opera House stage is huge and they were positioned so far back. The dad/daughter banter is just hilarious.

Coolest Tights: Skint Knees. One member had fishnet tights with a bat pattern, while another had fishnets with a leopard-print style pattern.

Most Energetic Performance: Wrex.

Best Stage Fight: The Wokerati Party, for the Nigel Farage/Binface showdown.

Final Thoughts

Last year I was very much a Rebellion newbie, still slightly in awe that I was actually there after years of looking at the line-ups from afar. This year felt different. I knew the Winter Gardens, I knew how the different stages worked, I had a much better idea of which bands I wanted to prioritise, and I felt much more confident wandering around on my own. I also knew that for me, the real magic of Rebellion is not necessarily the biggest names on the line-up, but the smaller and newer bands tucked away on the Introducing Stage and elsewhere, so I deliberately spent a lot of my time seeking those out. I even braved the photo pit with nothing more professional than my phone and, most importantly, I remembered my earplugs this time! Last year was about finally making it to Rebellion; this year felt much more like I had found my place there.

There is also something incredibly reassuring about being able to turn up to a festival alone and know that you are unlikely to actually feel alone. Whether you’re singing along with thousands of people to a classic punk anthem, squeezed into a tiny stage watching a band you’ve just discovered, joining a mosh pit, chatting to a stranger about someone’s excellent tights, or simply wandering around the Winter Gardens in a sea of black clothes, there is a real sense of community.

So yes, Rebellion has been and gone for another year. My body may still be recovering, my ears are hopefully intact thanks to my sensible new earplugs, and my Deezer playlist is considerably longer than it was when I arrived.

But I’m already counting down the days until next year.

358 days to go.

Find Rebellion online- Website/Facebook/Instagram

Review and Photos by Hayley Foster da Silva

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