Radar Festival, Manchester 2025 (Day 3): The Review
Sunday stormed in like a riot, knocking the wind out of you before you’d even blinked. After two days of blood, sweat, and riffs, the crowd was a live wire awaiting their last taste of RADAR 2025. Breakdowns slammed like wrecking balls. Choruses hit like gut punches. And just when you thought you could catch your breath? Another surge. RADAR 2025 was a battleground, and Sunday was the final fight, reckless and unrelenting. No safe zones, no compromises, just pure, brutal noise and the kind of sweaty communion only RADAR can deliver.
David Maxim Micic
David Maxim Micic delivered a rare moment of calm in the middle of RADAR’s sonic warfare. Their mostly instrumental set was built on intricate guitar work, ambient textures, and precise dynamics. Small bursts of melodic vocals floated through the set, bringing pure, unbridled melancholy without pulling focus. There was no chaos and no crowd killing, just heads nodding and eyes closed. For half an hour, the warehouse felt weightless. It was immersive, moving, and quietly unforgettable.
High Regard
High Regard didn’t waste any time trying to win anyone over. They hit the Sneak Energy Stage running from the get-go, all whiplash riffs and mile-wide choruses, and the room lit up like someone flipped a switch. They brought us pop-punk reimagined; slick, self-aware, and just heavy enough to keep your elbows up in the pit. The melodies were sharp. The energy? Ridiculous. Every chorus sounded like it belonged on a summer playlist and a festival stage at the same time. In a line-up full of breakdowns, High Regard kept it fast, fun, and gloriously loud.
Photo Credit: Charlie Bluck
Shields
Here’s what happens when a band refuses to play it safe. Another latecomer to the festival, Shields stepped onto the main stage and dove in with a thirst to prove themselves. No warm-up, no easing in. They hit hard, fast, and without apology. Riffs were dense and deliberate. Vocals shot through the air like shrapnel. Everything about their set felt tight, focused, and slightly dangerous. A few tracks in, and the pit had fully erupted. There wasn’t a single wasted moment. Shields didn’t ride the energy; they drove it straight through the floor.
Vukovi
Imagine being drop-kicked into a glitter-covered meltdown. That’s what VUKOVI brought to the Kerrang! Stage. Every second was wired with uncut chaos, technicolour, feral, and impossible to ignore. Janine Shilstone didn’t just perform, she took over the venue. One moment she was strutting across the stage, the next she was howling like the mic had wronged her. Tracks like ‘My God Has Got A Gun’ hit with venom, and overall Vukovi gave the room its loudest, most cathartic sing along of the day. This wasn’t just energy, it was a sonic overload of the senses. Heavy vocals, crunching riffs, and electronic bursts detonating in all directions. RADAR gave VUKOVI a big room, and they tore it into neon confetti.
Photo Credit: Nathan Roach
Dream State
Dream State showed exactly what it means to run their own race. Completely independent, they’ve carved out a path without hand-holding or shortcuts. There’s no label backing their every move, just raw determination and an unshakeable connection to their fans. Jessie commanded the stage with fierce presence, her voice shifting seamlessly from vulnerable melodies to powerful screams. Their set balanced heavier, newer material with the emotional intensity that’s become their signature. It wasn’t about spectacle or flash; it was honesty in every note and every word. The crowd responded like this was a personal rallying cry, singing back lyrics with fierce devotion. Dream State’s DIY spirit isn’t just a footnote in their career, it’s the beating heart of every gig they play, and it’s there to prove that independence and passion can still move crowds and steal the show.
Underøath
Some bands coast through their later years on legacy. Underøath crushed theirs and built something darker in its place. Their set was a clash of old vs new from start to finish, bringing in their new sound while reminding fans where they started. Underøath are a band still burning, still restless, still loud enough to rattle the rafters. Spencer Chamberlain stalked the stage like he was exorcising something, howling one minute, whispering the next. ‘I Don’t Feel Very Receptive Today’ hit like a truck of nostalgia, but it was ‘Writing On the Walls’ that cracked the room open; arms in the air, voices breaking, chaos spilling out into unbridled reminiscence. The lighting was stark. The pacing was relentless. Underøath may have years of experience behind them, but by no means did their set feel dated. They’re a band taking time to tear down the walls they built and build them back stronger. By the end of their set, the pit was wrecked, the crowd was wrecked, and nobody wanted it any other way. A truly remarkable end to RADAR 2025.
Sunday wrapped up RADAR 2025 with a final burst of energy, but the weekend was more than just big sets and loud breakdowns. It was a celebration of risk, emotion, and the weird corners of heavy music that don’t always get the spotlight. From underground chaos to scene veterans, every band had something to prove, and prove it they did. RADAR isn’t just booking smart, slightly eccentric line-ups; it’s building a community that refuses to stand still. To sum it up in three words? Exhausting, exhilarating, unforgettable. Roll on next year.
Photo Credit: Nathan Roach