Manchester based metalcore band Atheana kick off the night with a furious set. Lead singer Soph sports a t-shirt that reads ‘Twatz’ in Bratz font with photos of the last five Prime Ministers, and rips into a splenetic song about our government.
With heavy beats and bass, they rifle through ‘Tension’ and ‘Shift your Focus’, their self-proclaimed best song. Soph’s intense screams emphasise the upsetting message of self-destruction that the song highlights.
The Great Nothing continue the evening with a set of progressive metal that compares to the likes of Spiritbox and Sleep Token. Future single ‘Die Cry Hate’ is an angry standout, while a fantastic rendition of Blur’s ‘Song Two’ follows. Lead singer Leo Craig has an eccentric stage presence and strong vocals, even coming into the crowd during the final song – dedicated to out-going bassist, Matty Ashton – and sparking a pit.
Mouth Culture bring the energy from the first note. Opening with ‘Sharkbait’ from their 2023 Mishaps of My Mid Twenties EP, they hold the crowd in the palm of their hand, creating a collective sweaty mess as they delve into their arsenal. The Leicester three-piece have the stage presence of industry professionals, naturals on stage. Lead singer Jack Voss is a t-shirtless eccentric frontman, a role he performs with ease and confidence. Mouth Culture are a band on the brink of a breakthrough, with catchy lyrics, upbeat songs and a perfect blend of rock, punk and a chunk of pop. It’ll only take a major support slot or even the 2024 festival circuit for them to take off.
With influences from the likes of My Chemical Romance and The 1975, Mouth Culture marry grunge to more alt-pop sounds. ‘Johnny’s Cold Shoulder’ is a slower, more emotional song and shows Voss’s vocal range. ‘Cherry Red Rage’ allows Mason Clifford on guitar and Todd Groome on bass to shine as heavy riffs and beats drive the song. Touring member Mitch Goodwin on drums keeps the drive of the songs high and complements the band to perfection.
With mosh pits and crowd surfers, the Gullivers crowd are having the time of their lives. Each song gets them going more than the last, ending on the larger than life ‘Cherry Red Rage.’ Voss asks the crowd if they are “ready to rage?” and rage they do!
Featured image and gallery: Hoang Phan Notebooks were carried from one workshop to another. Writers from different generations sat around tables, sharing manuscripts and listening to each other. Outdoors, small groups strolled along Oxford Road, pausing before buildings steeped in literary history. This was the scene during the Manchester Writing School Summer Festival 2026, held…
Featured image: Katja Ogrin With many sore heads and limbs this morning after the most hardcore day of the festival taking place yesterday, many are recovering from the moshing and pit brutality of the previous day’s antics. As the tradition of a morning movie in the Serpents Lair prevails, the crowd sprawls out onto the plush,…
Featured image: Abbi Draper After an electrifying start to the weekend, with temperatures slowly climbing, many lather themselves in suncream, shed their band shirts and rise from their tents to trek towards the arena. Saturday has big things incoming for the humans of Bloodstock 2026. Some pace themselves for the day and hide from the early…
Featured image: Abbi Draper After a memorable Thursday opener, Bloodstock 2026 opens its gates once again onto the Hallowed Grounds of Catton Park, kicking off day two of its 25th-anniversary celebration of metal. As the sun rises on Catton Park, festivalgoers emerge from their tents to prepare for another day of mayhem. The morning brings…
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