Outbreak Festival makes its return to Manchester for its first day of eclectic live music. With acts ranging from punk to shoegaze to hip hop, the Saturday truly has something for everyone.

WARM SOUNDS

Starting things off are indie rockers Momma. I was impressed by the warm sound of their 2025 release Welcome To My Blue Sky. This made me excited to see their live performance. With the sun well and truly out, their light, feelgood sound is a fantastic backdrop. I Want You (Fever) is an early highlight for me personally. However, it’s their cover of Sunday by Narrow Head which gets the biggest audience reaction. People start to run across the stage, a sight that is a mere precursor to what the rest of the day has in store.

Sticking to the main stage, next up are Militarie Gun. In-between their set and Momma’s, the heavens truly open with rain bouncing off the ground. Luckily by the time the band take the stage, the rain holds back. They come straight out of the gate with a burst of energy prompting fans to clamour their way onto the stage and throw themselves into the crowd.

Frontman Ian Shelton shares his appreciation for such a large audience. He notes that he thought no one would show up due to the rain. The fans more than showed up with riotous reactions to each song. Very High is the highlight for me with the sun starting to emerge as it reaches its addictive chorus. Special mention to the member of staff at Outbreak who wiped down the stage, getting a massive round of applause. It was a moment that perfectly reflected the community spirit that Outbreak brings together.

ONE-OF-A-KIND

It’s down to the second stage next for my most anticipated act of the day, the one-of-a-kind Jane Remover. Their 2025 release Revengeseekerz is far and away this writers favourite album of the year so far. The outrageous production and wild yet catchy vocals are elements I couldn’t wait to hear translated to the live space. Opening with a call to “turn up”, Jane smashes into her set with an unreleased track. The energy is through the roof right away with DJ Dazegxd reloading the song. Jane then takes us down the world of Revengeseekerz with tracks Angels In Camo and Dreamflasher amongst others. The track TURN UP OR DIE is a personal standout with its jungle drum breaks and unrestrained vocal performance. A track with energy so infectious I braved the Outbreak moshpit and threw myself in. Jane’s set is absolutely unforgettable.

UNIVERSITY

Moving over to the third stage it was time for University. Since the release of their Title Track EP, I have been itching to catch them live. I am blown away by the musical ability of each member of the band. Especially drummer Joel Smith who retains his technique and power throughout the entire set even with some of the craziest drum parts I’ve ever seen on live. Their debut album, McCartney It’ll Be OK, is out now and it was great to hear unreleased material that sounded so exciting. However, it was Egypt Tune that closed the set that ended up being a highlight. The manic riff along with vocalist Zak Bowker’s screams enable the set to reach even higher levels of intensity.

Model/Actriz are up next bringing their dark yet danceable music to the Outbreak stage. The lighting and set up of the festivals second stage matches the band’s music and vibe perfectly. Frontman Cole Haden is entrancing on stage with members of the audience getting involved with his movement and performance. The band themselves sound fantastic with their instrumentals reaching new heights in the live setting. The bounce of Cinderella gets the crowd moving the most through its excellent balance between its groovy verses and more restrained chorus.

MANCHESTER JAZZ PUNKS

Sticking to the main stage, Manchester Jazz Punks Maruja are next to perform. I first saw Maruja over two years ago supporting Talk Show at The Ferret in Preston. During this gig, I was blown away by the band and told everyone I know to keep an eye on them. It’s an amazing sight to have seen them play to a room of under 100 people, to now significantly more.

The band have only elevated their intensity and live performance since I first saw them, putting on a show that is not only powerful, but enthralling throughout. The epic Look Down On Us is cathartic and explosive however it’s Thunder that is my favourite of the set. Saxophonist Joe Carroll opens the song by parting the crowd right down the middle before the track erupts into its destructive groove. It is an utterly memorable set from Maruja who are well on their way to solidifying their name as an unmissable live act.

Possibly the most anticipated set of the day is next with Have A Nice Life taking to the stage. The experimental rock outfit have made a name for themselves over the years, cultivating a massive cult fanbase, the likes of which are ecstatic to finally get the chance to see them live. The show is the first time the band have ever played in Manchester. Taking the stage, they get possibly the warmest reception of the day so far. Their set is dark and emotional yet utterly compelling throughout. The three closing tracks of Bloodhail, A Quiet One.. and Earthmover is an unforgettable live music experience for me. Especially Earthmover with its massive release of noise that felt even more powerful than before.

SHOEGAZE LEGENDS

It’s time to make way to the main stage for Shoegaze legends, Slowdive. The band sound truly amazing and serve as a backdrop to the sun going away beautifully. The guitars are layered and entrancing, complimented by vocalists Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead who sound ethereal and magnificent. Crazy for You retains its wonder on the live stage although it has to be When The Sun Hits that is the high point of their set. As the vocals come in, its hard-to-find people who aren’t singing along in pure joy. Once the washing, almost overwhelming guitars finally hit, the feeling of pure euphoria is apparent all around the festival. Whilst possibly an unconventional booking for Outbreak, Slowdive have gone down extremely well and put on a fantastic show.

It is now time for the headliner, indie darling Alex G. Whilst not massively familiar with his back catalogue, I was really impressed with Alex G’s performance. His energy and live show are a lot more intense than I imagined which fits the festival perfectly. His backing band were also fantastic throughout. Dedicating an unreleased song to Manchester, he plays a wild, unconventional arrangement that through its raw energy, brings the house down. If anything, the headline set from Alex G has told me that I need to delve further into his discography.

DANNY BROWN

Closing the night is experimental hip hop legend Danny Brown. It took a long time to get to the final act, however once he takes the stage, it’s clear it is all worth the wait. Danny’s energy is utterly infectious with him engaging and high fiving audience members who are running along and stage diving. His instrumentals sound truly massive coming out of the Outbreak speakers.

Tracks from Old turn the venue into a rave whilst songs from his collaborative album with JPEGMAFIA, get the warmest audience reception. A surprise appearance from Jane Remover is another key moment and might be my favourite of the entire festival. Danny’s performance throughout the night never lets up with him hitting every line word-perfect with no backing vocals to accompany him. It is a perfect way to close out the night, and is up there as possibly the best live rap set I’ve ever seen.

Day 1 of Outbreak Festival Manchester is truly unforgettable with one of the most diverse line up’s you’ll see all year. Each act gave it their all and put on fantastic performances. To see so many great sets in one day is absolutely brilliant.

All words and pictures: Harry Hodgson.

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