Outbreak Festival is back in Manchester celebrating its fifteenth anniversary with a colossal line up of hardcore music.

SATURDAY

TRUCK VIOLENCE

This writer’s Saturday is starting with post hardcore outfit Truck Violence. With their latest album being released the day before the festival, I can’t imagine a more appropriate time to catch the group live.

Right away I am hit by their brutal and unnerving sound. It flits between gentler folky guitar parts and ferocious noise. The seamless transitions from song to song, keep my attention throughout, not knowing what I am going to experience next. Drunk to Death is the highlight of the set with guitarist Paul Lecours sprinting from side to side on stage. It all ends in a beautiful blur of chaos with screams, guitar feedback and more frantic movement from the band. A brilliant way to set the standard for the day.

BODYWEB

Up next, I stick to the second stage to catch Leeds based metalcore group Bodyweb. Bodyweb have been a band I’ve been itching to see since the release of their fantastic Deadwired EP last year. Their set opens with a call for everyone in the room to get up and jump off the stage, setting the expectation nice and early. I am blown away by their amazing blend of hardcore and electronic elements. The riffs are heavy yet still pack an irresistible groove, making it impossible to stand still.

The interweaving of breakbeats show again the electronic side to the group which really makes them stand out. The echoing snare bombs are a welcome addition, only making parts of the songs go even harder. I am especially impressed by the two songs during the set that are introduced as being new material. With this in mind, I can’t wait for whatever these guys are next to release.

STATIC DRESS (SECRET SET)

There had been lots of speculation online as to who was going to play in the secret slot,. Whilst personally rooting for California hardcore outfit DRAIN, the reveal of Static Dress is not a let down.

They make their way onto the stage, but not before having a bit of fun with the audience. They tease themselves as Title Fight, who are by far the most requested band to play Outbreak Festival by fans. The group are coming off of their second album Injury Episode, which has been praised by supporters and critics alike.

Their performance is truly a show, with fantastic visuals throughout, perfectly syncing with each song in the set. Die-hard fans at the front of the stage are singing and moshing non-stop throughout. Frontman Olli Appleyard takes a second towards the end to speak about the importance of Outbreak as a festival. He notes that it was created by friends to support friends, and took the time to thank Higher Power, who took them on their first USA tour. It is a heartwarming moment that displays the wonderful community at the centre of Outbreak Festival.

THISTLE.

I then move back to the second stage for a nice change of pace, catching Thistle. a UK grungegaze group. The young band put on an engaging and deeply enjoyable live show. Having not been exposed to their music prior, they have now become an exciting new discovery for me. Their powerful white background that displays cold and snowy landscapes fits the sound of their emotive and blissful music perfectly. For a three piece, I am impressed with their sound that ranges from being restrained and pretty to suddenly explosive. The dual vocals from the bassist and guitarist as well as the creative and expressive drum grooves, are particularly compelling. It is their first Outbreak Festival, but I would happily welcome them back, to see how their sound and show will further develop.

TOUCHÉ AMORÉ

It is now time for one of the weekend’s most anticipated sets. Touché Amoré playing their album Stage Four in full for its 10-year anniversary. One of my favourite memories from Outbreak Festival was in 2024 when Touché opened with their song Flowers and You in the pouring down rain. This time the weather couldn’t be more different, with the sun shining bright. However, the song is just as magical at opening the show. The crowd is easily the busiest that I have been in today. The overwhelming turn out from fans shows the importance of this album for so many people. As soon as front man Jeremy Bolm steps to the audience, he is smothered by people screaming his lyrics.

LIP CRITIC

Lip Critic are next up on the second stage. The band’s second album Theft World has been on repeat for me since its release. It is rather firmly standing as my current favourite album of the year. With their chaotic and infectious electropunk sound having consumed my headphones, I am eager to experience the wildness live in the flesh. Before they even play a song, I am fascinated by the band’s set up. There are acoustic drum kits to the sides, and a platform with synthesizers and samplers in the stage’s centre.

As the group start their set, it is quickly confirmed to be everything I wanted and more. Going song to song, unleashing sheer electronic punk chaos throughout, the band blow me away with their frantic and immediate live presence. What’s even better is that the band are clearly having an absolute blast throughout, dancing around the stage and prompting the crowd to get involved. Two Lucks is a highlight with its ear worm chorus and destructive breakdown towards the end. However, it’s Milky Max that is the defining moment with drummer Danny Eberle and frontman Bret Kaser swapping roles, with Bret drumming and Danny screaming the chorus before launching himself into the crowd. It’s a magnificent set with unbelievable energy that is sure to have made an impression on many who experienced it.

HIGH VIS

Ever since Outbreak Festival 2023, I have not turned up a chance to see High Vis in a  live setting. Today is my fifth time seeing them, and I am possibly more excited than ever. The crowd erupt as the band take the stage. They open up with Talk For Hours, a heartfelt track that serves as a calm before the storm. The band then launch into banger after banger, ranging between their three albums worth of material.

In between the madness, frontman Graham Sayle gives a personal and important speech about his own mental health struggles and the importance of speaking to others about personal problems. He speaks against “permanent solutions to passing feelings”. This makes the chorus of “we’re still here” in following track 0151, hit so much harder. It’s a song that is always a highlight for me during their sets, however today it shines even brighter. Trauma Bonds is the sing-along moment of the day, with emotion and joy being seen throughout the entire festival ground. Whether its stage invaders screaming into Graham’s microphone, or audience members grabbing their friends to sing the chorus together. They are truly a group that I could see working their way to a headline slot at Outbreak.

PUP

Canadian punk rockers PUP are making their Outbreak Festival debut. Continuing the euphoria from High Vis, PUP’s set is full of singalong moments and crowd surfing throughout. Every song gets a wild reaction from the crowd, making it almost hard to hear frontman Stefan Babcock during the choruses.

The song Kids shows exactly what makes PUP special through its relatable lyrics matched with the cathartic instrumental. The setlist sees a celebration of the group’s 2016 record The Dream Is Over. The band are happy to be playing the festival, saying how they had wanted to play it for a while. The final two song punch of If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will and DVP has to be the highest moment in the set, ending it wonderfully.

LOATHE

Nearing the end of the evening, it is time for English metalcore outfit Loathe to take the main stage. Having appeared at the festival last year as a secret set, it is great to see the band back with a proper booking and a full set time. Set to release their greatly anticipated fourth album A Stranger To You in just over two weeks’ time, fans are ecstatic for the band to arrive on stage. I can firmly say that Loathe more than delivered with an intense and masterful performance that warranted their high placement on the bill. Fan favourites such as Aggressive Evolution and Screaming sounded fantastic on the main stage. Singles from their upcoming album fit perfectly in the setlist and show the evolution of the band to this point.

ALEXISONFIRE

Alexisonfire top the bill, performing their album Crisis in full. The group are greeted with the warmest reception of the day before launching into the album. Each track gets the crowd seemingly more and more riled up as they celebrate the record. It is apparent how special the experience of the set is for everyone in the audience. The band dedicate You Burn First to Gared O’Donnell, singer and guitarist of post-hardcore band Planes Mistakes For Stars who died in 2021 following a battle with cancer.

As we reach the encore of the set, the band treat the festival to a few other classics such as Accidents and Young Cardinals. The latter is cut short due to a crowd injury. However the festival confirms that the person involved is okay.

SUNDAY

DYNAMITE

My Sunday is starting with one of my favourite current hardcore bands, London’s very own DYNAMITE. Since their 2024 EP. Blow The Bloody Doors Off, the group have been on my radar. Earlier this year I was able to catch them in Leeds supporting Higher Power with a brilliant set. I couldn’t wait to see them on such a larger stage.

It is great to see the community of people supporting them on the sides of the stage. This shows yet again the importance and positivity of the hardcore scene in the UK. As the group start, moshing and stage dives are a go, with the band serving as an intense and feel-good backdrop.

The final three songs from DYNAMITE are the triple threat that sees the set reach a new high. B T B D O has The Flex vocalist Sam Laycock come onto the stage. He harnesses an intensity that makes me wish The Flex had been booked for a proper slot at the festival. War Inside follows which sees High Vis frontman Graham Sayle return following their fantastic set yesterday. As his part of the song comes up, DYNAMITE frontman Alex Money launches the microphone to the side of the stage, which Graham catches before launching himself into his part of the song. The closer Dynamite Stomp is an all-around celebration of everything the festival is about. Screams of the lyric “with every drop of blood I will bleed hardcore” are heard loud and clear. What a great way to start the final day.

END IT

Sticking to the second stage, Baltimore hardcore group End It are up next. End It put out one of my favourite albums of 2025 with their debut record Wrong Side of Heaven. I had the chance to see the band live at Outbreak Autumn in 2024, where they opened the stage. Today the crowd is much busier with countless people wearing pieces of their merch and eagerly anticipating their arrival. When the band start their set, the energy goes through the roof. The group are in the midst of a lengthy tour, which is seen by how tight and ferocious they are live without losing any of the urgency of their songs. If anything, their performance, along with frontman Akil Godsey’s observations and messages in between songs, feels more important and fiercer than ever before.

It’s hard to pick out highlights as every song that the band plays has my full attention. The standard of performance is so high and consistent. Their cover of Maximum Penalty’s Could You Love Me? is a somewhat genre change in the set, with Akil straight up singing rather than yelling. It might seem like a stark difference to the other songs, but it is a truly joyous moment that shows the band’s variety in sound. Even with so many fantastic sets so far, End It have my current favourite of the festival at this point.

HAYWIRE

Following End It is what is the most anticipated and talked about set of the entire weekend, touring titans Haywire. The band have exploded over the past couple of years through their relentless touring schedule, highly praised live shows and high energy hardcore sound. I knew the crowd would be busy, so I got to their set about 20 minutes early. By the time I arrive, I manage to get into the front section, however it soon reaches capacity. People start to fill the rest of the room. Before the band even play a note, the second stage feels much busier than any other point so far. Suddenly the band’s logo is revealed on the stage and Sweet Caroline starts to blast out of the speakers, a tradition at Haywire shows.

However, before Neil Diamond can finish his chorus, the band erupt into their set opener SUMMER NIGHTS. The crowd immediately starts to move in all directions, showing the sharesd excitement. Each song goes down a storm, with special mention to LOVE SONG whose chorus, originally sung by Chubby and The Gang frontman Charlie Manning-Walker, bounces around the inside of the venue from the audience. The wildest moment of the set has to be when frontman Austin Sparkman casually drops “this is a cover of Shed by Title Fight”. As if it was even possible, the energy in the room skyrockets to another level. Swarms of people clamour their way onto the stage to join Austin in what is quite definitively, the singalong moment of the entire festival thus far.

TRASH TALK

Sacramento hardcore legends,Trash Talk, continue a great run on the second stage. Through their affiliation with Odd Future, Trash Talk were the first ever time I ever heard hardcore music. Since the moment I bought their album 119 in high school, I wanted the chance to see them live. Right now is that exact time. The band hold absolutely nothing back from the get-go, with an intensity that I’m not sure we have reached yet. Frontman Lee Spielman throws himself into the crowd, and bassist Spencer Pollard climbs the speaker at the side of the stage before jumping off, all whilst playing one of the opening tracks.

At one point in the set, Lee proclaims to the crowd that he “broke two ribs yesterday”. It is hard to notice due to his frantic and full throttle performance throughout. During the set, there is a moment where Lee gets everyone in the venue to get on the floor, as he stands in the middle of the crowd. It’s a chilling moment where everyone is anticipating the chaos that will occur when the band kicks into the next track. As soon as the drums come in, everyone jumps back up, and the madness continues. Trash Talk deliver a performance that shows why they are a must-see live act.

HATEBREED

Hatebreed at Outbreak Festival feels like a long time coming. Last October, Outbreak put on an intimate gig at Manchester’s Star & Garter, where Hatebreed played to a sold-out room of 200 lucky fans. It was around this time where hope started to float that they would be making their Outbreak Festival debut the following year. That brings us to the present moment where the second stage is at the busiest it’s been all weekend, ready for Hatebreed’s set. Billed as performing songs from their first two albums, the setlist is a total celebration of the band’s early hardcore roots.

The set is everything the Outbreak Festival audience could’ve wanted, with the entire second stage room reaching capacity, which I have never experienced before. Hatebreed’s debut at Outbreak Festival couldn’t have been stronger, and I would hope that in the future they can play the headline slot that they truly deserve.

TRAPPED UNDER ICE

Trapped Under Ice were at Outbreak Festival 2023, where they tore the house down on the final day. Things aren’t much different this time around, with them being one of the final acts of the festival. Their set is everything a hardcore show should be. The spirit of community, not only in the crowd but also on the stage with so many legends from different bands watching, just shows the importance of a band like Trapped Under Ice. There are guest vocal spots from Haywire frontman Austin Sparkman and even Turnstile bassist Franz Lyons, both of which go down a storm. TUI frontman Justice Tripp captivates throughout, showing why he is one of the most highly regarded frontmen in hardcore.

BASEMENT

Is there is anyone more fitting to see off Outbreak Festival than Basement? Fresh off their first album in eight years, Basement return to Outbreak with a new batch of songs to share. That’s not to say the set doesn’t consist of crowd favourites. Usual set closer Covet is played somewhat surprisingly three songs in. It prompts an almost confused yet jubilant reaction in its opening moments. New songs from the latest album WIRED fit perfectly in the set, and fans reactions already show how it has resonated with them. The set feels like a warm hug, filled with singalongs throughout. It is the perfect way to say goodbye to Outbreak Festival for another year.