We rocked out for three days in the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, jumping to some big bands and nerding out with Element Games. The 36-band line up, across two stages, was a perfect amount of music that was complimented by masterclasses, gaming stalls, and an art market. RADAR really understood its audience, and how interests overlap, so let’s delve into it all a bit more.

Friday…

To christen the grand opening of 2025’s RADAR Festival, Mother Vulture made their entrance on the Sneak Energy stage on Friday. The Bristol-based rockers gave it their all, pouring their energy into every track. They played a great selection of songs, including “Phoenix”, which the crowd loved, and showed us the true meaning of showmanship. Each member of the band really got into their performance, spinning themselves and their instruments in a flurry of adrenaline.

The next band we caught was Floya, a band that aren’t afraid to throw themselves around from start to finish. Guitarist Marv Wilder joined the crowd to play right in the middle of the pit, while vocalist Phil Bayer serenaded us from the stage. The band’s mixing of EDM and rock blew us away, and had a really unique sound which lifted us to very high spirits. They covered songs “Drift”, “Florescent”, and “Epiphany” to name a few, and closed their set with “Wonders”.

The band seemed shocked at how many audience members knew their songs, with around half the attendees cheering when asked if they had heard of them. Using this as fuel, the band gave it their all for the entire set. What a great way to open up the Kerrang! Stage, and with a guest appearance from Jack Bennett of Lonely the Brave.

Next up we have the legendary Lake Malice. Alice and Blake always amaze us with their stage presence and passion, and this time was no different. The duo start us off with “Blossom”, which was a perfect entrance track to their set. We are also graced with some great songs like “Creeper”, “Scatterbrain”, and a new song “Nobody Wants to be You” - which took the crowd by storm. New songs always have a hit and miss when they’re played live, especially if they’re unreleased. You can see artists often have that nail-biting moment, as they gauge the crowd’s response. But “Nobody Wants to be You” was so warmly welcomed, and it fit right in on the setlist.

Like at Slamdunk earlier this year, Lake Malice brought out dance troupe Kaos Kreatives to add another level of artistry to their performance. Once again, adorning their shiny silver outfits, the group joined Alice in bringing the tracks to life in a new and exciting way.

As mentioned, the festival not only offers a great range of bands across the weekend, it offers festival goers the opportunity to dip into some other great art forms. This year Oak & Ember, a Scotland based art gallery, had pieces of art work for sale during the event. The market showcased the work of over 20 artists, including prints and original pieces, and it quickly became a hit.
There was also a gaming market segment upstairs, featuring Element Games, who stocked everything from Gundam to Pokémon cards, to Warhammer and Magic the Gathering. There were also plenty of stalls for guitars, drums, Ernie Ball, and Doom: The Dark Ages.

We also need to shine a light on the awesome free masterclasses that the event held each day, including The ‘Sappenin Podcast Live, instrument workshops, and Arch Echo’s panel on Composition & Production.

Now…I’ve been very excited to write something up for Zeal & Ardor, so strap in. I felt like I had walked into their church, their inner sanctum, and boy was I ready to submit to their faith. Going off of the popularity of genre splicing bands, like the powerhouse that is Sleep Token, Zeal & Ardor play on that same courage and craftsmanship. Never before did I think it possible to jump from a Southern blues-esque sound to a black metal séance, yet here we are. I feel like I’m in a cult narrative, like Devil in Ohio, just watching something incredible unfold. Top songs for us were “Devil is Fine” and “Death to the Holy”.

“Zeal & Ardor is very much a thing in transit,” Manuel observes. “It’s definitely a restless organism that I have the privilege of raising.”

The band was founded by Swiss-American frontman Manuel Gagneux in 2013. The band describe themselves as an entity, and pull their foundations from black metal and African-American spirituals. Live, they come across quite synthy, and with a touch of dark Southern charm. The almost constant standing ovations from the crowd put into perspective just how much their music resonated with people, and this was nothing short of powerful.

To finish off the first day, we had Carpenter Brut. A contrast to the rest of the line-up, but still welcomed by all. It was synthy, with elements of heavy guitar, and minimal vocals. It was a great finisher for big CB fans, as it mellowed the day from hard hitting rock and metal to major night time rave vibes.

The lights production of their set was exemplary, with lasers and their big red flower logo illuminating the entire venue. Festival goers were dancing through until the end of the night, throwing their hands up and banging their heads. The band even played their cover of “Maniac”, which ignited the crowd even more, as they formed a circle pit in pure celebration of the 80’s hit.

Saturday…

For us, Saturday started off with the charismatic Air Drawn Dagger. Lead vocalist Maisie improvised, as her earpiece stopped working. To resolve the situation, she jumped into the crowd, along with her setlist on the floor, and started her own circle pit - covering “Omen” by The Prodigy and “Toxic” by Britney Spears, erupting the crowd before delving into some of their own tracks.
Maisie fearlessly jumped around with everyone, even climbing onto the tables near the Eyesore Merch and American Socks stands, giving us all that initial burst of energy for the day.

There’s a cheekiness and punk-esque attitude with Air Drawn Dagger, that seems to resonate a lot with the audience. Maybe it seems a bit nostalgic, as some of the first mainstream memories millennials have of this trait is from Avril Lavigne. But Air Drawn Dagger is more like if Avril Lavigne knicked someone else’s skateboard, drew a dick on it, then told the wheels to fuck off.

Next up on our list was Pintglass. We were newbies to these hardcore geezers, but they were everything live that we thought they would be and more. Never in my time did I think I’d ever come across “geezacore”, but here we are. The troupe appear on stage in hi-vis jackets, with beer bellies and an “oi oi”. The lads pack a punch, and not just with their attitude. They’re ready to start one.

We are graced with “Café Brawler”, and chants of “I fucking love black pudding!” as the band churn out their ladsladslads lyricism around Stella Artois. It’s a lot of fun.
Geezer. Geezer. Geezer!

Studio Ghibli-inspired LASTELLE also wowed with their set on the Sneak Energy stage, getting up close and personal with the crowd. Hailing from Oxfordshire, the group have an emotional and experimental sound; combining post-rock, post-hardcore, and pop elements, so there’s something here for everyone.

The Sneak Energy stage definitely seems to have all of the energetic bands this weekend, with many jumping into the pit to join fans, or running around stage. LASTELLE take their turn in getting up close to the barrier, where many smiling faces sing along and raise a hand in support.

The band play some cracking tracks, like “Breathe Me In”, which showcase the roars of lead vocalist Adam Rigozzi very well.

Heavy Brummie group Oceans Ate Alaska bring their multi-genred mayhem to RADAR Festival with a skank face and a fist pump. These guys spread their roots into soft strings, djent, metalcore, and many crevices in-between. The five-piece band played single “Endless Hollow”, an emotive look into frontman Joel’s depression, and the audience loved it - appreciating the brutal honesty and relatability.

Among the carnage, the band humbly interacted with the crowd - giving thanks to everyone for being there. They finished their set with “Escapist”, giving a final “hoorah”.

Later, we caught up with the guys and nerded out over the free Gundam that Element Games was offering throughout the weekend, and niche comedy-horror YouTube show “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared”. The band are humble, genuine, and excitable, and I think these are vital ingredients when being an artist. Leave your ego at the door.

Novelists take to the Kerrang! stage, mere weeks after playing Hellfest in homeland France, and they do not disappoint. The band all really get into it, and the crowd love them for it. Camille, the latest member of the group, powers through sickness to play the set - and also share her disdain for the burger van outside - “disgusting”.

The band plays hits like “Prisoner”, “Say My Name”, and “All For Nothing”, while being backlit by some insane shades of blue. The band get really into it too, smiling with each other as they feed off of the energy. It’s emotive, it’s powerful, and it’s a collective experience.

Normandie really stepped up this weekend too, swapping out with headliner Bob Vylan, as their set was cut - after their recent Glatonbury performance. The band filled a much longer set time, stating it was the longest performance they’ve done to date. Nonetheless, the band were ready, or at least had a strong façade about it.

Normandie played a phenomenal setlist, with tracks like “Renegade”, “Babylon”, “Something to Die For”, “Hostage”, and even the 2016 hit “Collide”. Many members of the audience adorned Normandie merch, especially those who had made the extra effort of getting a front row space.
Something I learned from their performance was that they have incredible stage presence. Frontman Phillip Strand just gives that little bit more energy into his stage struts, posing and smiling as he interacts with the crowd. You can tell he’s enjoying it, and channelling that energy with everyone else. They were great to see, and not one to miss in the future. The band stated that RADAR Festival was their last performance of the year, so it made it extra special that their set was extended. I think it fuelled them, and showed them that they were deserving of the extra time - as well as capable. Being a headliner came really naturally to them.

Sunday…

We started Sunday off in the best way we possibly could, with Scotland-based band Tiberius. Oh boy…ohhhhh boy. We did not expect to have the rollercoaster that we had with these guys, but let me tell you…they slayed. If you want raw energy, incredible music, and a fuck tonne of beach balls, then this is the band for you.
If you come to watch our awesome interview with them, you’ll soon learn of the heart-warming story behind their band name, and that these insanely talented dudes are also a great group of nerds - the best mix! The prog-metal is welcomed on this line-up, as is the comedy.
”Beach balls! We need more beach balls!” Frontman Grant Barclay demands, and his prayers are answered. More inflated beach balls and balloons joined the bouncing crowd. Though, we have to give security guy “Paul” a special mention, as the band did kick a couple of inflatables into the back of his head at full pelt. But, the gentlemen did ask for mercy in the form of starting a chant for him.

Comedic value aside, these guys are incredibly talented. The atmospheric harmony belted out by Grant Barclay is showstopping. They played “Mechanical Messiah”, and “Leviathan”, to name a few. Nothing screams “showmanship” to me more than a band that has both incredible stage presence and true talent live. Where’s the main stage Download Festival slot?!

Next up was Yonaka. Now, I will admit, Yonaka are a band that I haven’t delved into deeply, but the songs that I do know are ones that I hold quite dearly. Being able to see Yonaka, and experience “Greedy” and “Seize the Power” live was a terrific experience for me. Not only that, but lead vocalist Theresa Jarvis packs a punch live. There’s some rawness to her, and it’s channelled through the songs perfectly.

She starts a chant “Hands. Off. My. Money!” before breaking out into the full song. Other tracks included “Predator” and new song “Problems”, which are equally well received. There’s this strong and vibrant female energy resonating with me, as well as the crowd, that grows as the set goes on. I feel like I’m in safe, strong hands, and a few tears knock themselves out of my ducts during the performance.

Vukovi were a highlight of the whole weekend, bringing passion and humour to the stage. Vocalist Janine, with her strong Glaswegian accent, thanks everyone at several points during the performance, and also intermittently chugs away on a beer. “Class”.
Some great songs like “Mercy Kill”, “I Exist”, “Gungho” and “My God Has Got A Gun” all made it onto the setlist, and we even put our necks out for “Creep Heat”…someone pass the Voltarol!

Janine also left Hamish on stage to climb onto the barrier, and hold the hand of a front row fan, as she sang to the crowd. Everyone cheered, and joined her in singing all of the words. The intimacy of the set evolved, as Janine looked over the crowd with such joy and fulfilment, almost in disbelief that so many knew the words.

As Janine flicked her outfit’s tassels out the way, and gave a speech on her gratitude, a front row fan shouted that the beverage’s origins were from her home town. Janine chimed in “What?…That beer’s from your city? Well done. It’s good! I recommend it. 10/10.”

Ending the set, Janine returned to the crowd with an “I’m going in!” before crowd surfing a few rows back, but quickly having to request she be returned to the front with a “take me back!”, closing the set with “La Di Da”.

Last, but certainly not least, we have the throwback band of the year…Underoath. The 2000’s called. They want their angst back.

The volume seemed like it had been cranked up, as I could feel everything in my chest. Literally. It’s heavy. Like, really heavy. “Reinventing Your Exit” and “Breathing in a New Mentality” crack the whip controlling the crowd, and they obeyed. Underoath also blessed us with a new track, “Shame”, which was well received.

The Floridian metallers jumped around, with frontman Spencer Chamberlain swinging his mic around on its cable. The band do an amazing job of closing up the festival, as Sunday’s headliner, and remind us that they’re still here to melt our faces off.

RADAR Festival was a varied and driven event, and there was something for everyone. I didn’t come across a single rude person involved with the event, everything was smooth, and it felt like you could see everything and not miss out due to clashes. I loved the art and gaming elements, they really broke up the days with nice extra activities, and the masterclasses were also a great experience for those wanting to learn from the experts.

We will be back next year, and we can’t wait to return in full force!

Reviewed by Courtney Wallace.

RADAR FESTIVAL 2025 Live Review

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