Time at Rebellion doesn't operate in a linear flow. Much like MArty McFly's experiences in Back to the Future, one moment it is Wednesday night with hundreds of bands on offer, and the next it is somehow you have been transported to the final day.
Despite the fluctuations in the time-space continuum, one thing you can rely on is Channel 3 giving you a solid set of So-Cal punk. If it hadn't been for the long breaks between albums (only 7 in 46 years), Chennel 3 could have been considered as highly as their contemparies in Bad Religion. However, what we did get was a blistering 40 minute set with Mike Magrann in exceptional form.
It had been a long time since I'd last seen Birmingham's/the UK's/the world's greatest railway-themed punk band. While Eastfield have never claimed to be ground breaking in their song structures, what they do give you is a massive smile on your face every time you see them. Gneric? Yes. Fun? Absolutely.
For some reason I've never really gotten into Chelsea. Maybe this is due to my devotion to The Arsenal. However, I heard rave reviews from friends after they saw them earlier in the year at Beat Generator in Dundee. They were well worth a revision in my perception of them with a solid set that has made me want to revisit their back catalogue.
Aussies Convict Class were a bit of revelation. While their name was more than familiar, I hadn't spent much time listening to them. Streetpunk/Oi with more than a nod to The Oppressed with lots of gang singalongs. Definitely a band I'll see again when they next make their way north of the Meridian Line.
My love of Dick Lucas is not hidden. While I have seen Subhumans and Citizen Fish multiple times, I had waited years to finally see the final part of the Lucas triumvirate, Culture Shock. Making it through a 50 minute set in the blink of an eye, they showed why they should be brought out on tour far more than they have in recent years.
A festival the size of Rebellion will inevitably have last minute changes. Walking in to the Mpress Ballroom expecting Haywire's Boston hardcore, I was of course a bit taken aback to hear the sound of banjos. No need to fear, it was only that Shanghai Treason and Haywire had swapped slots. This was no bad thing. I finally got to see Shanghai Treason on the RIS stage at Rebellion in 2025 and abosdlutely loved their set then. The move to the main stage at such short notice might have fazed some bands but not Yorkshire's finest. A great set that even converted disappointed hardcore fans full of testosterone.
The Loud Women stage on Sunday's RIS stage has become something of a go-to since it was introduced. If there was going to be one band I had to see there it was always going to be Wokerati Party. Turning the "W" word on its head as a badge of pride against a tide of Piers Morgan, Reformists and Andrew Tate followers, Wokerati Party are a joy to see on stage. A blistering feminist set with papier mache heads of Farage and Musk being beaten up. What's not to love?
Brutal is a term used for many heavy bands but few match D-Beat originators Discharge. Blistering from start to finish with a heavy smattering of songs from their classic debut, Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing, their set was a beatdown for the ears. Essential viewing maintaining legendary status in the hardcore scene ahead of the Sound of the Apocalypse 2 in 2027.
After struggling with travel issues, Boston's Haywire finally made it on stage in the Casbah a little before 7pm. While definite improvements have been made to the sound in what is essentially a car park, hardcore bands cn still suffer from a muggy sound. Haywire had no such difficulties. A little over 40 minutes of non-stop ferosity proving that old school hardcore still has a place.
Fans of the Punk-O-Rama compilations will remember Total Chaos, even if it always felt like they never fitted in with the rest of the Epitaph roster. Undeniably indebted to Dead Cities era Exploited their set was passable with everyone waiting for the inevitable set closer of Riot City.
There is a reason why Stiff Little Fingers are perrenial headliners at Rebellion. They do exactly what is said on the tin. That may sound like a criticism but it is actually the opposite. Jake Burns is a consummate frontman who can hold a packed audience in the tips of his (Stiff Little) fingers. Their set may have songs that cannot be dropped but everytime you see them it feels fresh and alive. Their headline set to close off the weekend was no different. 75 minutes of classic punk rock marking the perfect end to another Rebellion Festival.
Rolll on August 2027!
