LIDO FESTIVAL 2025 PRESENTS... OUTBREAK FESTIVAL! // VICTORIA PARK, LONDON
Heavy thrills delight thousands
★★★★☆ (4/5)
TURNSTILLE HEADLINING OUTBREAK FESTIVAL AS PART OF LIDO FESTIVAL 2025 AT LONDON’S VICTORIA PARK
PHOTOCREDIT: BUFOLA
A scorching Friday at Outbreak Festival in Victoria Park set the stage for Baltimore outfit Turnstile to play their genre-defying approach to hardcore. A whirlwind journey of muscular riffs, rhythmic grooves, and anthemic melodies delighted the thousands in attendance.
Accompanying Turnstile on the day was a star-studded collection of multi-genre artists that delivered set after set of impeccable performances for the early revellers. Little detracted from this lineup, except when the demand for the enclosed “Club” stage far exceeded its three-hundred capacity. This left some disappointed as they missed out on their favourite acts.
A shot of adrenaline in the form of post hardcore dynamos Glassjaw. Their heavy guitars and pounding drums served as a foundation for powerful vocals that drove the crowd into a frenzy. It was a treat for all to see this influential act show their mastery of dynamics and stagecraft.
Singer-songwriter Alex G played a spellbinding set as the penultimate act on the main stage. Weaving lo-fi indie rock with experimental flourishes to deliver his unique style. His hazy melodies and introspective lyrics clearly resonated with the audience, as he drew one of the largest crowds of the day. From the dreamy swells of “Runner” to the ethereal beauty of “Gretel” his music captured the beauty of the setting sun.
A decidedly more explosive set came from hardcore punks Knocked Loose, as they pummelled the crowd with a set that grabbed their attention and refused to let up. Ending their set with an impromptu wall of death, which stretched all the way to the back of the second stage, their fans ended the performance in a euphoria of limbs.
With the second and club stages falling silent, it was time for the festival headliners Turnstile to take to the stage. Opening with “Never Enough” the ethereal intro gave way to a heavy wall of guitars and drums. The band's ability to bridge between hardcore punk and genre-defying experimentation served to produce an electrifying headline slot.
Throughout, the band's set covered their lengthy fifteen-year career, especially focusing on tracks from the albums “Glow On” and “Never Enough”. Their ability to meld unchained aggression with melodic sensibilities was on full display as they deftly navigated from heavier tracks such as “Birds” to more melodic tracks like “Seeing Stars”. Further, the set saw varied textures as spiked riffs would intertwine with lush reverb to create a multitude of sonic landscapes.
While interaction with the crowd was minimal, this did little to dampen Turnstiles' command of the crowd or their audience's evident passion. Even as the hot summer sky broke with torrential rain, the fans continued to dance, sing and mosh with abandon. This continued right to the close, as the final notes faded to leave only the cheering of the delighted crowd.
TURNSTILLE HEADLINING OUTBREAK FESTIVAL AS PART OF LIDO FESTIVAL 2025 AT LONDON’S VICTORIA PARK
PHOTOCREDIT: BUFOLA