Outbreak Fest, London 2025: The Review

Speed

If you’ve seen Speed before, you know exactly what you’re in for—a tight, fast-paced, and explosive set. And London’s Outbreak show was no exception. London fans showed up in full force, packing out the tent, sweat glistening on faces under the scorching sun as anticipation hung thick in the air. From the moment the jacked Australian powerhouses bounded onto the stage, they radiated a raw yet strangely welcoming energy. Dedicating their set to London hardcore and spreading nothing but love throughout the room, the tent buzzed with electricity. Pits erupted in every corner, fans screamed along to every lyric, and chants of the band’s name filled the gaps between songs. As the set neared its end, the crowd knew exactly what was coming. Phones shot into the air, ready to capture the moment. When Jem’s lips touched the flute, the entire tent broke into smiles—they had just witnessed one of the most iconic moments in recent hardcore history. AB

Superheaven

The music is only one part of a performance — and unfortunately, the atmosphere for Superheaven didn’t quite match their great melancholy. The band’s hazy, supergaze sound would have been far better suited to an open field, lying on the grass, swaying gently in the breeze… or, let’s be honest, crying alone in your room. But that wasn’t the case here. Still, the band’s grungy tone and Jake Clarke and Taylor Madison’s intertwining brooding vocals landed well with fans.’Youngest Daughter’ was, of course, a standout. And even though the pacing was slower, there’s definitely value in having atmospheric moments like this to break up the day’s heavier chaos. AB

Model/Actriz

The presence of a “club” setup at a hardcore festival might seem out of place, but that doesn’t stop a steady queue of curious festival goers, guided in by a cheeky “stop/go” sign, from lining up to experience the spectacle of Brooklyn’s queer, funky electro act, Model/Actriz. True to any UK club during peak summer, the venue quickly turns into a packed, breathless sweat box. But that doesn’t stop the four-piece from exploding into a set of pulsating, vibrant jams. Vocalist, Cole Haden, commands the room with a theatrical flair serving pure attitude, diving into the crowd and weaving through sweaty, excited fans who respond by bouncing around them. AB

Photo Credit:

Isha Shah

Have A Nice Life

Entering that sweaty little tent was not an easy task that day as there was a limited capacity. Once in, a crowd of dreamy people listening in awe welcomed you as a hug. Have a Nice Life set that day can only be described as a mystical collective experience. Deep feelings, ethereal sounds, dim red lights, the perfect cocktail to experience the six piece who was performing in the UK for the first time.

With songs such as ‘Bloodhail’, Have a Nice Life completely captured the moment, the room was filled with chants, making the whole tent turn into a sacred space for a few minutes. The dynamics between quiet moments and spurs of noise were perfectly balanced, and you could tell the band was ecstatic to be there, and it reflected on the emotions that poured heavy during the entirety of the show. Whoever missed them that day lost an opportunity to witness a transformative performance. BL

Alex G

Undoubtedly boosted by their TikTok buzz, second headliner on the main stage, Alex G pulled in a solid crowd. From the start, their floaty, dreamy vibes set a mood that matched the cool breeze and cloudy sky overhead. Despite being mellow in comparison to the rest of the line-ups, the sad boi rhythms were welcomed with gentle sways from the crowd. A boost in the floatiness was the drummer, who was launching himself into every beat, locked into the groove with infectious energy that kept each track flowing effortlessly. While a bit of sunshine might’ve made the setting more magical, the ethereal sound offered a refreshing contrast to the heavier acts playing nearby. That said, following the infectious grooves of Danny B and the standout performances from earlier acts, this set felt somewhat underwhelming by comparison. A noticeable portion of the crowd began to drift away, drawn toward the high-octane chaos of Knocked Loose on the second stage or the emotive pull of Sunny Day Real Estate in the club. AB

Sunny Day Real Estate

The choice of putting Sunny Day Real Estate in the small tent was just the wrong one. Way too many people went to Outbreak only to see them and didn’t even manage to get in. Absolutely unacceptable organisation from the festival part. The only way to get in was to start queuing as soon as the band before them stopped playing and if you were part of those lucky ones, well, then you went in for a real treat.

Sunny Day played “a little bit from every album” as Jeremy announced. After 15 years of absence from the UK, it was clear that the band was there to make their fans as happy as possible. Starting strong with ‘Seven’, the crowd was on fire. The set just went on flawlessly hit after hit, culminating with ‘In Circles’, of course. The super tight rhythmic session was layered with three grungy but also very detailed guitars, and a warm tone bass, but sticking out over everything else, not surprisingly, were the vocals. Jeremy’s voice sounded so clear, full of body and emotion and, although it might have matured a bit since the 90s, the essence was absolutely still there, loud and delicate at the same time as it’s always been.

Tears were flowing and bodies were surfing throughout the whole show. You could tell both the band and the audience wanted to take it all in and enjoy the music to the fullest. Sunny Day Real Estate granted the tent with a performance to remember, it was just a shame that so many people couldn’t experience it. BL

Photo Credit:

Isha Shah

Turnstile

The Victoria Park stage is the type of setting where Turnstile belongs now. This band is not only bringing a live show any more, they’re moving to a level of art performance. Great visual and ambience sounds accompanied the members’ entrance to the stage. As the last band of the night, the entire festival crowd had all gathered for them now, almost as this London Outbreak had been catered just for them.

Although the new album Never Enough had just come out, the band decided for a very mixed set list, with many songs from Glow On, which still has so much to offer, and much older tracks too. It’s undeniable that the more hardcore songs were bringing the audience to a higher energy level, but overall Turnstile just kept it to 100% for the whole set, even during the more experimental new tracks. Brendan is a frontman with the great ability of keeping the crowd entertained with his moves and jumps but who also sometimes falls into a calm trance when it’s time to sing melodic, it’s very mesmerizing to watch. The whole band just has the best energy and skills, you can tell that they’ve been playing massive stages for the last couple of years now, yet they still remembered playing their first ever Outbreak in 2013 when the festival was still on its first editions, which was nice to hear. Will Turnstile ever go back to playing smaller stages, or is this their life now? Regardless of the future, what counts is that it seems like they still deeply care about their craft and most of all, they care about their audience who was often the focus of the camera actions during the show to emphasise on the general emotions. Very powerful and a perfect end of the night to spend under a light rain after a whole day of sun and heat.

Photo Credit:

Isha Shah