We’re at the half way point of festival season and for the time being it’s a weekend to keep the tents and wellies locked away for a change and head over to the indoor surroundings of Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse to attend the 5th year of Radar Festival who have pulled out yet another fully stacked line-up of the best emerging talent. Spread over three action packed days, Radar is always a yearly highlight in the city with large numbers of fans coming through the front door each day to find new bands and support their most loved.

The build up to this years festival would be a little different that usual with some shaky moments surrounding it no closer than the week of the event however that wouldn’t stop the smiling faces of revellers pack out the venue over the weekend as well as the passion of the bands on the bill to produce some incredible sets.

FRIDAY

The theme of the day for me based on who I seen was purely female fronted powerhouses and kicking off that vibe was the incredible Lake Malice - each time I see this band live, they just get better and better, the sheer power that is ejected from their live show is a spectacle to witness. Kicking off the set with the mammoth single ‘Blossom’ really got the ball rolling with an explosive bang. The crowd eating up every moment, even some starting a mini moshpit in the middle to raise the atmosphere even more. Singer Alice Guala controlled every inch of the stage making sure that the bands mark was left. The set was filled of their very best bangers including the likes of ‘Creepers’, Nobody Wants To Be You’ and the always amazing live ‘Mitsuko’, a song that always gets the crowd moving and as always, guitarist Blake Cornwall pops into the middle of the crowd as they circle pit around him. They closed off their incredible set with ‘Bloodbath’, the perfect ending to a show that will certainly be a festival stand out.

Next up we remain at the main stage for the always lively As Everything Unfolds. They are a band that will forever leave you wanting more with their fiery and in your face live sets. With a jam packed festival season already for the band, it was nice to see them back on UK soil for this one and they absolutely delivered. There is always a high energy anytime the band step on the stage and its very clear to see how much they are adored by the Radar faithful - probably the biggest crowd of the day so far is enough to tell you what you need to know about these guys. The set had everything you could possibly expect from an AEU live show - the screams and growls from singer Charlie Rolfe are mind blowing, although she is not the only captivating member on stage as Jon Cass who energises the full area around his keys setup.

The set had it all with the likes of ‘Ultraviolet’, ‘Hiding From Myself’ and ‘Flip Side’ setting the crowd off. Despite the technical issues with Charlie’s mic, she and the crowd powered through as they sang back word for word until a new mic was handed on stage showing the incredible support this band has from loving fans. The pits and crowd surfers continued and the energy levels never dropped. ‘Felt Like Home’ and ‘On The Inside’ see’s the set out in big style.

As December Falls are a band on the rise purely off their own endless hard work as a DIY band. Seeing them second from top on the main stage makes me as a fan incredibly proud of everything they are doing and the set they produced showed why they should be in that position. With their new album ‘Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine’ just around the corner, it was the perfect time to show both new and old fans exactly what’s to come in the bands next chapter.

Kicking off with ‘Ride’ set the bar for what was to come, Bethany’s vocals on incredible form as ever. The levels this band hit on stage blow me away every time, the energy and just overall happiness while playing is one of the many reasons they are loved so much and it’s one of the many reasons why they will reach incredible heights. They threw in several live debuts during the show with ‘For The Plot’, recent single ‘Ready Set Go’ and ‘Bathroom Floor’ all going down a treat with fans - of course the classics like ‘Carousel’ and ‘Little By Little’ both receiving a heroes welcome. The band are due to take on their biggest headline tour later in the year and if today is anything to go by, it will be something special.

Closing off the day, we head to the second stage to catch a band who are making their UK festival debut - Berlin’s Future Palace have only had a handful of tours both support and headline in the country yet have built a solid fan base in that time. With the room packed for their set tonight, it was shaping up to be something special. Anytime I have seen this band live they always produce a high energy performance - singer Maria Lessing controls the stage and the room with perfection and the whole experience is captivating to watch. They produced an explosive show with big songs like ‘Heads Up’ and ‘Dead Inside’ going down a treat with fans. They also threw in the added surprise of As Everything Unfolds singer Charlie Rolfe joining them on stage for the massive ‘The Echoes of Disparity’, a collaboration that’s one of the best in modern alternative music and is simply insane to witness live - the vocals from both Charlie & Maria are mind blowing and show the sheer strength that both of them have.

SATURDAY

A quieter day music wise but a fun day none the less, kicking off the day the was the incredible Break Fifty - the Surrey based Nu-Core band were added to the bill late on due to some drop outs but despite the late coming, they produced an explosive set worthy of any slot on the bill. Their sound has been described as a nu-metal and hardcore mix and it’s very clear to see why. Their live show is worth watching, the clean and harsh vocals from singer Hugo rip through the room. The high every never drops as they bring out the two steppers from the very first song to the last with scattered pits thrown in for good measure. Their love of late 90’s classics & a filthy breakdown go hand in hand with what they produce and it was a perfect set to kick start the day.

Next up we have a band that rising high right now and being fresh off playing Glastonbury Festival, Sheffield’s Air Drawn Dagger are making waves with their electro emo pop sound and today’s set shows exactly why they are rightly a band to watch right now. With a sets being moved around, it then meant that they would have a slightly later slot in the day and the people certainly turned up. Getting straight in about it with ‘Sanctifound’ and ‘Castle’ giving the Radar people a solid taste of what their all about and some of the goods off their debut album ‘A Guide For Apparitions’ that was unleashed earlier in the year. Mid set disaster seemed to have struck with singer Maisie’s in-ears deciding their day was done - without hesitation she continued the set in the crowd, moshing and controlling the entire show.

Starting her very own circle pit for their incredible cover of ‘Omen’ by The Prodigy that was mixed in with ‘Toxic’ by Brittney (yes I know, it’s a slay), the mood and atmosphere was such a privilege to be a part of and just shows how this band will not accept any defeat, they are a party. The crowd never stopped, mainly because Maisie never let them, I mean that whole room was in the palm of her hands - the commitment to keep the place moving made this show one of the weekend standouts, from starting the mosh pits to joining in on them, she even threw in some spin kicks for good measure. They closed the set off with another from the new album in ‘Bellyaches’ followed by their 2023 mammoth single ‘You Should Have Known Better’ seeing this makeshift masterpiece over the line.

Sunday

With how quiet the previous day was, Sunday was as stacked as you can possibly get with some big names taking over the stages today. Up first was a little taste of Scottish anthemic progressive metal from Edinburgh lads Tiberius. No strangers to the Radar stage, they return once again to bring their iconic party to their loyal fans who follow them near and far. The room was lit up in colour as the fans flooded the room with balloons before being joined by a sea of beach balls provided by the band themselves. The atmosphere around the room is perfect and it just sums up what this band bring to any line-up they are on - they sum up exactly what a live experience should be and it’s just filled with endless joy. Their Scottish charm mixed with quirky prog-metal sound go hand in hand and they should always be one of the first names on any festival bill.

Next up we have another late comer to the line-up and it’s a band that been on my must see list for a while now - Hertfordshire’s High Regard have added their name to the ever growing list of incredible talent to come from that part of the country joining the likes of Enter Shikari & Lower Than Atlantis to emerge from the region. Carving their own path in the scene with their energetic pop-punk and punching melodies, they are growing to be one of the most exciting names in the UK. Their vibrant energy is set from the off as they fill the room with clean yet jagged riffs and the stunning yet in your face vocals from singer Georgia Casey who does all in her power to get the room moving. Their music resonates perfectly with their fans as they explore themes of mental health, heartbreak and self discovery.

Another Scottish band on todays bill really know how to bring the party regardless of where they are playing - Vukovi’s chaotic live shows are iconic and anytime they step foot on the stage, you know exactly what you’re going to get from them. The power duo of Hamish & Janine rip through rooms from minute one to the last and today is no different. Kicking off the set with material from their latest album ‘My God Has Got A Gun’, they set the tone for what was to come as they fire out banger after banger stretching over almost 10 years. Straight away Janine commands the whole room as she sets up multiple pits anytime she gets the chance to. Big anthems like ‘Lasso’, ‘SLO’ and ‘Run/Hide’ set the crowd into a frenzy with the energy never dropping. The setlist covered all bases with old and new getting the same reactions as the Manchester faithful eat up every second of what they are watching.

I’ve been lucky enough to watch this band is all different sized rooms and fields, each time they grow and grown into one of the best and strongest bands that Scotland has to offer. Their sound is explosive and whether they are firing out classics like ‘La Di Da’ or slower anthems like ‘Creep Heat’ you just know the passion and dedication this band show on stage will never ever change and it’s one of the many reasons they are loved the way they are from Scotland to Europe and beyond. It won’t be too long before bigger stages and biggest festivals slots are calling their name and one thing is for sure, Vukovi are ready.

Closing off the day is a band who deserve the headliner status. Dream State have worked tirelessly to get to where they are - playing major stages and releasing some of their best music to date, the Welsh icons are ready to start taking things to a whole new level. Having playing the main stage at this years Slam Dunk festival as well as appearances coming up at 2000 Trees and supporting Funeral For a Friend in Cardiff, they are already deed in probably one of their biggest summers with another big tour on the horizon with WSTR later in the year.

The room they pack tonight may not be big enough and that’s really saying all you need to know about what people think of this band. The noticeable merch seen throughout the day highlighted exactly who people were here to see and they were not left disappointed. Starting as they meant to go on with the incredible 'Bloom’, it set the standard for the set with energy levels at an almighty high. We caught up with singer Jessie Powell earlier in the summer and she said their latest single ‘Bittersweet Scars of My Past’ was her favourite release so far, hearing it live it was clear to see why - with the meaning behind the song so powerful, the passion that is put into it on stage is breath taking and really makes it one of the bands all timers.

Both fans and the band have such a special connection and its pretty obvious to see as you watch the joy beaming from stage to barrier and beyond as the fans sing their hearts out to every word with nothing but endless passion and love. It may seem like such a cliché when bands say their fans are the best but the Dream State family really are one solid unit. The band don’t stop the intensity, the big singles like ‘Chin Up Princess’, ‘Hand In Hand’ and ‘Still Dreaming’ almost take the low ceiling off, clear fan favourites. As they close on ‘Primrose’ the euphoric cheers around the room are deafening and as the band bow to their fans you can see the happiness spread across each and every member. They are as strong as they have ever been and are powering towards bigger and bigger things each day. The Dream State train is moving at lightening speed and I never want to get off.

Despite the challenges leading up to the festival, the Radar team have shown what the strong togetherness of their entire crew can achieve and this weekend will live long in the memory of this event as something special. From the incredible fans the walked through the doors, the bands who put on countless joyful sets and to the staff who made the event what it was, the entire Radar community joined as one to showcase what this festival is all about and to help celebrate some of the best and most exciting bands in the scene right now. See you in 2026.

The Big Review: Radar Festival 2025

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The Big Review: Radar Festival 2025

Reading & Leeds announce over 80 new artists to this years line-up

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