Winter Gardens, Blackpool, UK
As I arrive into Blackpool, a warm unexpected sunshine coats the promenade, seagulls quark at one another, plummeting down towards vacant chips laying around the streets. Having many happy memories of Blackpool from when I was younger, I know the place pretty well. However, whenever I catch the first glimpse of the tower it always ignites and warmths the inner child inside me with pure euphoric excitement, especially knowing my day will be filled with punk and 2p slot machines. Knowing the Winter Gardens is near the tower, I create the mantra: ‘follow the tower’, wherever you are, always follow the tower.
Abiding the mantra, I make my way up towards the 1894 Victorian landmark, the cloud of excitement engulfs me fully into the Blackpool spirit like I am greeted by the hypnotic snake of the Lancashire seaside, stripping me of all my worries and commanding me to have fun. “Blue 4 & 3, 43” bingo calls bellow out of the speakers next to Pats 10p bingo as I enter the bustle of holiday goers enjoying the final few of hours of the Friday sun sunshine. Freshly dipped donuts penetrate the nostrils providing a full sensory orgasm of nostalgic blips as adolescent memories are unlocked and flooded into my consciousness. The sparkling fluorescent lights glimmer from the amusements merging with giant Pikachu teddies, cock rock lollies, fish and chips parlours, and fairy tale horse and carts creating a fluid concoction of pure seaside delirium and utter anticipation for the weekend ahead.
As I descend closer to the Winter Gardens, a satisfying juxtaposition of leathered up studded punks tangle into the array of holiday go-ers within the historical streets under the tower, where the punks filter off and head up to the Winter Gardens. I collect my wristband at the Box Office on Church Street, facing the alternative sea-front of Church Square where hundreds of punks, skinheads and crusties sit around chatting, listening to music, and drinking beers from the co-op adjacent. I head into the Winter Gardens and make my way up to the Literary Stage for my first act of the festival while in complete awe of the decor that surrounds me inside the venue, and the multiple themed rooms that have been transformed into bars and cafes for the festival. I walked through the friendly crowds towards the back exit and up the elevators to watch the legendary Henry Rollins in conversation.
Henry Rollins in Conversation – Literary Stage
As I get myself a drink and get seated at the back of the huge Literary room where two empty Chesterfield seats and a table are positioned towards the crowd and two giant screens are hung either side of the stage sporting the Rebellion 23 logo. A light suddenly projects into the room from the right-hand side of the stage and a silhouette is cast of Henry Rollins as he walks up onto the stage. I felt a glimmer shudder my whole body when I saw him walk through the door and leave me thinking ”fuck it’s actually him”… Henry Rollins plonked himself on one of the chairs and sat with the interviewer (I am not sure who this was) casually for an hour, full of energy and telling tales of his youth reminiscing on his isolated privileged upbringing, importing English punk 7” in the midst of the prog overload while working at an Ice Cream shop. He recalls the Black Flag UK tour in December 81 where he explains playing ‘one of the scariest nights of his life’ in Preston where the local skinheads didn’t take too kindly to his band, and his timely friendship with Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat) and the two discovering music together (predominantly the first Damned & Clash records), and ultimately changing his life. “And that’s why I hate racism, homophobia, misogamy, and fascism” says Rollins about how punk formed his fundamental opinions on life and how Joe Strummer told him to ‘question all authority’. The 62 year old American Hardcore legend sat without ego and provided an entertaining retrospective of comparable stories that many fans of punk can relate to in discovering the genre and the ethos that lays within your whole being forever afterwards.
As the Blackpool Tower peeps over the Winter Gardens, I sit on the floor within the entrance of the Church in the middle of the square eating a box of chips and drinking a bottle of Stella amongst the 80/90 other music enthusiasts lingering in the final bit of sun, before the forecasted storm due tomorrow. I sit and watch the groups of friends laughing and drinking, at the families of young kids sporting Mohawks and kicking beach balls around, and at the bands walking through the square towards the Winter Gardens with their gear.
I think about Henry Rollins’ experience of discovering punk, and I wonder what the experience was for each individual sitting around me in the square and all those attending the festival. What was it that led them to discover punk and what their journey was to becoming who they are today? By no means is punk the most accessible genre to everyone, nor does it infect the masses like radio pop music, it takes specific life challenges and experiences within life to allow you to reach punk, and, especially to dictate your overall persona and appearance. Punk is a place where you can hide when you feel alone, it will soundtrack you through the best and worst times of your life and provide a forever friendship for yourself in enabling you to be who you want to be without anyone telling you otherwise. It is an outlet for your disgust in the world, and it is also a way and means of understanding the world, and the lies that hide the truth. It is nostalgia, it is friendship, it is those two people who stand outside the house party talking about the world while everyone is inside mindless dancing away. It is much more than just a genre of music, it is the enlightenment of realising who you are, what you stand for and where you have come so far in your life.
Dirtbox Disco – Club Casbar
As I wander around the stunning Winter Gardens set-up, weaving into the endless punk merchandise and record stalls situated outside the Pavilion stage and through the historical halls, I head down into Club Casbar and catch the last half of Dirt Box Disco’s performance. I am not familiar with the band, although I have seen their name on many festival line-ups and gig posters, I am walking in completely blind folded and have no idea as of what to expect. The Club Casbar stage is located on the right of the main entrance when entering. It is hosing the likes of Steve Ignorant, TSOL, Chubby & the Gang, Pegboy, Die Toten Hosen, Citizen Fish, Gang Green and many many more throughout the weekend within the giant hall blacked out ceiling hall. One thing I noticed about Rebellion Festival is that it is hard to differentiate which is the main stage as all the stages are very spacious and beautifully presented in the historical halls of the Winter Gardens – the Winter Gardens is the perfect venue for the festival.
A huge crowd gather in the Club Casbar admiring Dirt Box Disco and many singing every word. Crowd surfers vault over the front barrier into the arms of the security guards as Spunk Volcano, the front man for the band, stands proudly in his underpants with a guitar around his shoulder and a Lucha libre mask covering his face. Little did I know that Dirt Box Disco is an off-shoot to ‘Spunk Volcano and the Eruptions’. Dirt Box Disco provided a perfect fusion of old school punk sing-a-long anthems and comical porno jokes to their loyal frantic fans who never stopped bouncing and singing throughout the gig. They definitely don’t take themselves seriously, but they do take their song writing seriously and it goes to show. I would definitely like to see these guys again.
Neville Staples – Empress Ballroom
Next up is the legendary Neville Staples of the Specials in the Empress Ballroom. I head down to the bar early and stand in awe studying the inside the 3500-capacity Grade 2-listed historical dancehall. The same venue where the Rolling Stones caused a riot during their 1964 tour where fifty fans and two police officers were treated at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and the Stones were banned from performing in Blackpool until 2008, 44 years after the event. The Empress Ballroom is a historical entertainment Mecca of Lancashire.
Crowds flock from the bar cautiously holding their pints as they entwine through the crowd towards the front of the stage in preparation for the two-tone star to grace the stage. The band walk on stage holding their brass to the sky, and Neville leans against a walking stick smiling cheerfully at the audience before he leans forward and shouts the “Bernie Rhodes Guns Don’t Argue”, the opening line to The Specials’ 1979 debut single ‘Gangsters’. The crowd erupts, the newly bought pints are propelled into the air as punks and skins bounce in musical harmony to the original rudeboy. Neville and his partner Sugary beam with happiness seeing the wave of synchronised heads bouncing across the Empress Ballroom to hits such as ‘Concrete Jungle’, ‘Nite Club’, ‘Monkey Man’,’ Do The Dog’ and a personal favourite of mine, ‘Little Bitch’. It proves impossible for anyone to stand still while watching Neville, especially on a Friday night in Blackpool, but, also, you don’t really have much of a choice, as the floor is a spring dance floor keeping you on your tip-toes throughout the whole duration of the show. The 68 year old is clearly knocking on but it doesn’t stop his impromptu toasting throughout the off-beat instrumental ska rhythms and skanking during the songs.
The show comes to a close with a crowd participant rendition of ‘Ghost Town’ and the classic Skinhead Symphony (including Guns of Navarone) which ignites the crowd into a final pogo as Sugary films the band and the audience on her phone to end the show. I can only say that I thoroughly enjoyed Neville Staples’ performances, even though he isn’t able to bounce around the stage like he used to, he still orchestrated the crowd with the nostalgic classics of The Specials showing his organic true showmanship that hasn’t been lost.
Citizen Fish – Club Casbar
I quickly head back to Club Casbar to maintain the ska streak and prepare myself for the UK ska-outfit Citizen Fish. After unintentionally missing Subhumans who played only a few hours before, Citizen Fish who share members with Subhumans, focusing on similar issues of social alienation and human interaction, and dealing with themes such as anti-consumerism and vegetarianism but accompanied by a ska-punk-reggae soundtrack. I have been a fan of Citizen Fish for many years but I’ve never seen them live so I am excited, to say the least. Within minutes of entering the stage and greeting the audience, the Citizen Fish explode into a frantic brass-filled ska-punk rumble, manifesting a skanking dance floor within the strobe lights of the Club Casbar stage. Singer Dick Lucas, in a sleeveless t-shirt, skanks and fires suitably relevant and refreshing lyrics into the intense trombone and trumpet cauldron of rhythms, while somehow not seeming like he has aged one bit. The crowd try to keep up with the energetic speed of the band but fail to do so, until they reached the slower, dub-filled sections of their set. Citizen Fish are inspirational, not only musically, but educationally, they subvert the national consciousness and the mainstream culture, and question everything. If you study the lyrics of Dick Lucas you will learn something completely new about yourself and the culture that surrounds you.
Exploited – Empress Ballroom / Steve Ignorant – Club Casbar
I caught the first half of The Exploited in the Empress Ballroom and the last half of Steve Ignorant (the front-man of the anarcho legends Crass). An array of mohawks assembled in the Empress Ballroom awaiting the Scottish street-punk heroes The Exploited. Storming the stage, wide eyed, fist in the hair, Wattie shirtless, sporting his signature Mohawk, runs onto the stage to greet the loyal fans bouncing in anticipation as they open the set with ‘Let’s Start A War…’ the title track from their third album. After a series of health scares over the past few years that have seen him suffer a quadruple bypass and have a pacemaker fitted, and more recently collapsing on stage at the end of 2022 suffering from a heart attack. Most others would hang up their boots and call it a day, but not Wattie. He still manages to emanate raw maniacal energy that intoxicates and cleanses anyone watching. The younger members of the band retain the speed of the earlier records as pints fly into the air, circle pits erupt and chorus fist chants fill the Empress Ballroom. The set consisted of hits such as ‘Dogs of War’, ‘UK82’, ‘Chaos Is My Life’, ‘I Believe In Anarchy’, ‘Beat The Bastards’, ‘Punks Not Dead’ and many more from their vast discography. The Exploited display an energy and speed that proves they are far from done and calling it a day. In fact, I don’t think they ever will.
Half way through the set, I rush down to the Club Casbar to catch the last half of Steve Ignorant’s performance. A mammoth crowd gather to hear a set filled with Crass songs spanning the different eras and influences the band undertook. As I entered, Carol Hodgers was taking the lead on tracks such as ‘Berketex Bribe‘, ‘Poison In A Pretty Pill’, ‘Darling’, from the 1979 album ‘Stations of the Crass’ and the 1981 album ‘Penis Envy’, captivating the audience with her Eve Libertine imitations and screeches. Carol has been described by ‘Louder Than War’ as “The Adele for people into radical politics”, and they are not wrong. Steve returned to the limelight wearing a polo shirt featuring the band’s logo to sing ‘So What’, ‘Big A Little A’, ‘Bloody Revolutions’ and finishing with the notorious anti-establishment hymn ‘Do They Owe Us A Living’ which after 40 odd years since it’s release seemed more relevant in today’s political climate than ever. Crass combine stabbing 77’ punk with experimental abstract expressions that creates the perfect chaotic foundations to hold the anti-establishment lyrics and ethos that cements the band together. Steve Ignorant and his band were excellent, playing the songs of Crass so perfectly that you’d think it was the original members. I would love to see Steve Ignorant in concert again and experience the full set.
I end the day by rummaging around the sandwich section of the cafe inside the Winter Gardens, settling for a pissed up ploughman’s and a stumble back to the BnB.
Saturday:
As I awoke on Saturday morning, the forecasted storm had definitely arrived, soon to which I realised didn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds of tourists that had flocked to the seaside, jumping from shelter to shelter along the seafront braving the storm. Punks, Blackpool and Burton Albion football fans, stag and hens and holiday makers infiltrate the seaside and appear completely unfazed by the brutal west coast angular rain. We find shelter in Coral Island amusements, which isn’t advised, causing a hangover as tickets spiral out of machines, countless 2p coins are dunked into the endless rows of machines, a pirate boat’s monorail sails above while flashing lights are projected from each and every machine that is situated inside the amusements, blurring together into one big tumultuous ocean of mania. I decide I would sooner be in the rain, and leave as fast as I possibly can.
Millons of Dead Cowboys – Almost Acoustic Stage
The first act of Saturday was an accidental but blessed discovery while we attempted to visit each stage in the Winter Gardens. We wandered up the stairs and into the Almost Acoustic room to see Millions of Dead Cowboys, the acoustic metamorphosis of the American punk band MDC (Millions of Dead Cops). Formed in Austin, Texas in 1979, MDC were amongst the first wave of bands to define the sound and style of American hardcore punk and soon rose to popularity with their radical left and social commentary political topics that proved influential within the punk subcultures. MDC released material through Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy’s record label ‘Alternative Tentacles’. In 1982, after a re-location to San Fransisco, the band released their debut album ‘Millions of Dead Cops’ that quickly became a staple in punk history, featuring songs such as “John Wayne Was a Nazi”, “Dick for Brains”, and the harsh criticism of the police, “I Remember”. Other targets of criticism devoid of irony included their critique of capitalism (“Corporate Death Burger”), homophobia (“America’s So Straight”), and American culture (“Violent Rednecks”). In 2020, frontman Dave Dictor and band member Mike Smith released ‘Millions of Dead Cowboys’ that included reworked MDC classics and a few new songs. And what an unexpected joy to see them here at the Almost Acoustic stage on Saturday afternoon!
The Almost Acoustic stage is set in potentially the most beautifully decorated room I have ever seen, or been in at a festival or concert. Originally a fine dining and afternoon tea space, ‘The Spanish Hall’ was designed by Andrew Mazzei in an Art Deco style with a three dimensional frieze surrounding it depicting the Andalusian Hills and Villages of rural Spain.
The 750 capacity venue features a glamorous curved ceiling featuring a pastel blend of blue skies on the walls that merge into white clouds on the ceiling that completely transports you out of Blackpool. Dave Dictor and Mike Smith are positioned on the grand stage performing many MDC hits and several of their newer tracks from Millions of Dead Cowboys. A new song ‘Full of Shit’ was debuted, and several songs in support of Ukraine with crowd participation on the lines ‘Fuck their wars!’ as punks lay around the Spanish Hall drinking beers and observing the beauty of the room. Both Dave Dictor and Mike Smith seemed incredibly happy to be present at Rebellion and shortly after wrapping up their set, they go sit at the front of the stage signing merch and chatting with their fans.
Protex – Opera House
Next, we head over to the Opera House in anticipation for the Belfast melodic punks Protext. Set in an old Opera theatre with seating at the back and a dance floor standing area at the front, Protex walk onto the stage introducing themselves and the band before diving straight into a three-song medley of perfected catchy pop power. A sparse but engaged crowd at the front of the stage enjoy the clean melodic sing-a-long choruses and harmonic dual vocals of both guitarists – a perfect afternoon soundtrack to get your feet tapping and bloody pumping. The running baselines from the bassist sporting a Rickenbacker intertwine with the sporadic drum fills that crash into the clean harmonising and stabbing guitars, reminiscent of Buzzcocks, Husker Du and The Replacements – all of which they probably inspired with their unique sound. I enjoyed Protex so much. Familiar with their records and their authentic sound, Protex played a distinct powerful and rhythmic clean pop set that was so unique and original sounding, providing a breath of fresh air and a post-gig hunt to find their merch desk.
Raw Power – Pavillion
I quickly grab myself a drink from the bar and head over to the Pavillion stage to see the Italian hardcore punks Raw Power. Only familiar with their single ‘Fuck Authority’ from the ‘Welcome to 1984’ Maximum Rock n’ Roll compilation, and the odd song from their debut full-length ’Screams From The Gutter’, I was excited beyond belief to see Raw Power in the flesh and hear more of their discography live. Formed in the Italian province of Reggio Emilia in 1981 by brothers Mauro (vocals) and Giuseppe Codeluppi (guitar), Raw Power mix the classic hardcore punk sound of F.O.A.D. Records / Beer City Records (which they both signed to) and the fast Boston sound. Vocalist Mauro Codeluppi and the band walk onto the stage smiling at the giddy fans packed into the Pavillion stage, hopeful of what is about to explode before them. Raw Power played a half-hour set jam packed with swift fast-moving one or two minute-long tracks with guitar solos reminiscent of Suicidal Tendencies and rapid fire machine gun drum attacks plus the odd cowbell clank. Mauro Codeluppi’s vocals don’t seem to have changed one bit from the record. The slightly high-pitched growls mixed into the raw angry power of the band sent the crowd into a hypnotic gape and an attempt to follow the snare pounds in a synchronised head nod. Raw Power lived up to their name, and the energy of their full-length records. I came out of the gig wishing I could watch them again as soon as possible. If you are unfamiliar with this band, check them out immediately.
The FU’s – Club Casbar
Following on from the speed of Raw Power, I head down into Club Casbar to watch The FU’s. Formed in 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts as a three-piece, they released three records and appeared on the legendary compilation ‘This Is Boston, Not L.A.’ that featured many other Boston hardcore punk bands; Gang Green, Jerry’s Kids and The Freeze broadcasting Boston sound across the globe. Never thinking I would ever see The FU’s, here they are about to walk on stage at Rebellion Festival 2023 in Blackpool. Vocalist John Sox walks onto the stage wearing a trucker hat backwards with the band situated at either side of him holding their instruments and waving at the audience. Sox says how happy they are to be back in Blackpool and that it was 6 years since they last played Rebellion Festival. After a short introduction of excitement from the band they promptly fire themselves into the fast paced Boston sound mixed with a thrash-esque influence and instantly creating a circle pit at the front of the stage where punks fly into one another. A lively and energetic swift set of roughly half an hour saw The FU’s tearing up the Club Casbar stage and reminding the audience that the Boston sound, and the FU’s are definitely not to be forgotten about.
Bad Manners – Empress Ballroom
After quickly devouring a box of chips to line the already half-cut mind that sat inside my skull, we head over to the Empress Ballroom for a ska interlude to see Bad Manners. Max Splodge introduced the band on stage where they performed a couple of instrumental introductory ska songs featuring foolish synchronised dancing from the four-person brass section complimenting the nonsense-filled ska up-beats. The loyal and impatient audience bounce and shout ‘you fat bastard’ at vocalist Buster Bloodvessle as he walks onto the stage in his signature bomber-jacket and pulling out his trademark tongue to the Empress Ballroom. Straight into the hits ‘This Is Ska’, ’Sally Brown’, ‘Lorraine’ and ‘Just A Feeling’ as Buster Bloodvessle leans from side to side with the microphone in time with the rhythm while the young band behind him bounce around the stage playing the tropical beer-soaked ska tunes. The saxophone player orchestrated the practical jokes on other members of the band; balancing an empty pint pot onto the trombone player’s head, closing the other saxophonists’ ears while he was soloing and tipping up the keyboard while the keys player attempts to solo. In between a song, they explain that they had encountered two broken down buses on their way to Rebellion Festival, which didn’t stop the band from beaming with happiness on stage, apart from Buster Bloodvessle who looked annoyed at the young guitarist as it looked like he was dealing with some guitar tech issues on stage. The last time I saw Bad Manners was about 2011/2012-ish and it seems their set hasn’t changed one bit in the time, obviously they aren’t making new music anymore. However, I do think it would’ve been nice to have seen a bit of variety in the set rather than to expect the expected…
Pegboy – Club Casbar
After Bad Manners I headed back down to Club Casbar for the Chicago melodic punk band Pegboy. Formed in 1990 by John Haggerty (ex-guitarist for Naked Raygun), along with his brother Joe Haggerty (The Effigies), Pegboy have maintained a strong cult following since their 1990 debut EP “Three-Chord Monte”. They supposedly played a ‘farewell’ show on New Year’s Eve in 1999, but then denied that it was really a ‘farewell’ show a few years later when they returned live. Now here they are about to take to the stage at Rebellion 2023! Pegboy run onto the stage beaming with joy and full of energy, vocalist Larry Damore greets the audience and the band kicks straight into ‘Field of Darkness’ from their 1991 album ‘Strong Reaction’. Danmore jumps off the stage and sings the catchy melodic punk track to the audience while standing next to the security guards and patting them on the head, which even raises a smile amongst the securities faces. As Danmore climbs back onto the stage, he falls over the monitor and performs the rest of the track laid on the floor as the band members turn towards him and laugh.
It is impossible to watch Pegboy and not raise a smile, they fill the room with an unbelievable sense of jubilation and a strong sense of community. As they continue through their set, hits like ‘Strong Reaction’, ‘Superstar’, ‘Through My Fingers’ and ‘Not What I Want’ are heard in their finest form, and even a cover of Mission of Burma’s ‘That’s When I Reach For My Revolver’ is played while Damore is in the crowd and crowd surfs back to the stage. Pegboy genuinely seemed delighted to be playing Rebellion Festival, and it was apparent not just from Danmore’s enthusiasm and love for the audience, but from the whole band’s radiation of gratification and utter happiness – which was directed straight back to them from the audience. I enjoyed Pegboy so much, and might say it was the best performance I saw at this year’s Rebellion Festival.
Toxic Reasons – Club Casbar
The final act of the night for myself, not the festival, was Toxic Reasons, a hardcore punk band formed in 1979 in Dayton, Ohio. Toxic Reasons recorded their first full-length LP ‘Independence’ in an Indianapolis studio with the Zero Boys‘ Paul Mahern at the controls after doing a series of Midwest touring (including a Rock Against Reagan show in Detroit with DOA and a gig with the Dead Kennedys and DOA at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver). Since then, Toxic Reasons have released 9 LPs and toured the world multiple times and their fast, sometimes crossover style benchmarked the innovation in the genre of melodic, political punk rock, easily heard in bands like NOFX and Bad Religion. After recently discovering their second album ‘Killed By Remote Control’, released in 1984 on Sixth International Records, I became addicted to their melodic approach to hardcore punk, which later helped influence a whole genre and decades worth of bands and music. And really, where else could you see Toxic Reasons, let alone seeing them with Pegboy, The FU’s and Raw Power all in one day? Exactly… nowhere other than Rebellion.
Vocalist Bruce Stuckey and fellow band members greet the packed out Club Casbar stage wearing black leather jackets and volley themselves straight into ’Tomorrow Tonight’ from their fourth album ‘Bullets For You’ released in 1986 on T-Reason Records. Having not changed too much from the scuzzy footage of their Flipside performances, Toxic Reasons belt into their signature guitar-driven, lively, stiff turbo-speed riffs that leaves the majority of the room head banging along. Most of their set consisted of tracks from their debut LP ‘Independence’ including ‘War Hero’, ‘Mercenary’, ‘Drunk & Disorderly’ and several from ‘Killed By Remote Control’, and ‘Bullets For You’. I thoroughly enjoyed Toxic Reasons, and they concluded the day perfectly in all ways. Any fans of NOFX who are sick of repeatedly listening to Punk In Drublic, check out Toxic Reasons for a breath of fresh air and a deeper dive into the true Amercian underground.
As I was walking out after the gig I bumped into Mauro Codeluppi (vocalist of Raw Power) who spoke about how much he has enjoyed the festival, the bands he’s seen and also Toxic Reasons. It goes to show, if you like punk music / alternative music Rebellion Festival really is pinnacle of the genre and for discovering new bands, whether you are an old-school 77 punk, a skinhead, a skate-punk, a rasta, or rude-boy, Rebellion caters for everyone and arms you with a list as long as your arm of bands to check out when you get home. There is nowhere else in the world like the Winter Gardens in Blackpool at the start of August for Rebellion Festival.
Due to work commitments and stubborn managers, I sadly had to leave Rebellion Festival on Sunday morning. Disappointed as I am to miss an unbelievable array of bands that I wanted to see on Sunday, including DRI, Pizzatramp, Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Dickies, Noogy and Beans on Toast… I pack my bags, hand my keys in at the BnB and head back home to try and enter reality once again.
Rebellion Festival is one of the best festivals I have ever attended. The sheer amount of bands that I have discovered, not just punk, but all genres, is phenomenal. The people that attend are unbelievably friendly and talkative, and the security are great and the quality of bands that you will see at Rebellion Festival you won’t see anywhere else. Many of the bands that play Rebellion Festival, only play Rebellion Festival and no others, not even their own gigs. It goes to show what it means to the musicians and the people. The Winters Gardens is the perfect venue for the festival, situated right behind the Blackpool Tower and just a five-minute walk from the sea-front, it gives you the uttermost freedom to enjoy your weekend however you want to enjoy it. Respect to everyone who works behind the scenes and across the festival to make Rebellion happen. If you are an alternative music fan, Rebellion Festival is an absolute must. I have already booked it in my diary for next year.
Tickets are now on sale now for Rebellion 2024
