In the heart of Luton, at Castle Live, lives an annual celebration of the good stuff. We were lucky enough to get a spot on this year’s SOLD OUT Saturday, and we were not disappointed.

Photo credit: Courtney Wallace, KC Blackwater

As well as being looked after by a lovely team, the attendees of CastleFest were treated to a stellar line-up. There was so much talent throughout the day, some bands we knew and some we didn’t. Nonetheless, we were impressed. We’d also like to give a shoutout to Marshall Amps for being a part of the event.

We managed to catch KC Blackwater, an expressive and new age band hailing from Milton Keynes and London. Mixing rap and metal, the band certainly have a niche sound.
“We came here to dance CastleFest!” Frontman Cameron Owden announces mightily. Classing themselves as “bedroom punk”, the band showcase their heavily political and expressive thoughts through some funky rock and spoken word rap. Adorning smart white shoes and a navy coat, Owden dances around the stage as he delivers his notes.
A terribly British “suck your mum” makes its way over the airwaves, and the crowd are loving the energy. Songs we’re graced with include “Anxiety Machine”, “Self Care”, and finishing with “How to Kill a Man”.

Photo credit: Courtney Wallace, Assimilate

Assimilate is a band we know very well, and their stage antics are something not to be missed. They challenge some of the biggest names with their stunts, and it’s honestly some of the most impressive parkour we’ve seen. There’s usually something to hang from, jump onto, or run between, and frontman Jake Aston will find something to launch from - all while serving some harsh screams. This show was no different. The stage’s wooden structure turned into a climbing frame, and the crowd was served a taste of what these guys can do.
The setlist is heavy, it’s inclusive, and it’s punchy.
”I wanna see some clapping, and now maybe some headbanging if that’s alright.” Aston requests. The crowd are more than happy to oblige.

Hearing some of the new songs from their latest album “Gallows Humour” was fantastic, including “Thoughts and Prayers” and “You’re Not Yours”. They were great choices to bring to the show, as you can join in on the chorus’ even if you’re hearing the song for the first time, while still sticking to that heaviness. Truly a great performance, as always, from the band.

We have a lot to say about HENKA, and even more pictures from the day (which can be found in our CastleFest gallery here: http://www.creature-records.co.uk/news/castlefest-2025-gallery).

Performing solo, the incredibly talented Portuguese artist wows the crowd with her lyricism and range in vocals. Songs like “Parasol” and “Fading Out” are perfect choices to introduce the audience to her sound, which is a combination of dark pop, synthwave, metal, and industrial. She’s certainly setting a bar for electro-splicing artists, and it’s no wonder she made it into a qualifying round for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
We receive the narrative around this however, as HENKA performs her Eurovision song “I Wanna Destroy You”. It’s amazing to see live, after hearing it on the qualifier. It’s heavy, artistic, and dramatic.

HENKA, meaning “change” in Japanese, is so grateful for everyone in the audience, and for the event.
”This was my first ever gig in 2022.” She explains, causing cheers to break out.
”Please go and buy my merch so I can feed my cat. This song is called “I Am A God””.
It’s powerful.
After a whirlwind of a set, HENKA’s last song is an unreleased track called “Hurricane”. In her words, it’s a song for old school t.A.T.u. fans. It’s heavy with some pop elements thrown in, and it’s incredibly good.

As the sky gets darker, Bristol-based five-piece IOTA come out to perform - and there’s some attitude in their strut. They’re a fuelled alt-rock band that has the crowd fixated on them, and vocalist Jodie Robinson is manoeuvring across the stage - holding the crowd’s focus. They’re having fun with it, performing some of their new material like “Sober”. It’s a nice refresher in this segment of the festival, reminding you about the diversity in genres here. The crowd are joining in on the fun too, swaying to the rhythm as Robinson drops to the floor of the stage singing.

The day was a, quite literal, roaring success. The bands were all amazing, and the range of genres was impressive. There was the right level of difference without trying to cover too much ground, in terms of audience, so it was very complimentary. It felt like a cove of metal nestled in Bedfordshire had erupted unapologetically. For those that have never graced Castle Live, it’s a great grassroots venue. Make sure you’re there next year!

CastleFest 2025 LIVE REVIEW

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