Name: Rebellion Festival
Where: Winter Gardens, Blackpool
When: 6th – 9th August 2015
Headliners: The Damned, The Boomtown Rats, The Buzzcocks
Forty years after the birth of punk, and 38years after the NME announced its death, 9,000 punk rock fans will descend on Blackpool this August for Rebellion, Britain’s biggest and longest-running punk event.
As well as the expected big name bands – this year The Damned, The Boomtown Rats, featuring Sir Bob Geldof, and The Buzzcocks will be headlining – the festival hosts a busy literary stage, art workshops, an acoustic stage and spoken word performances.
But what does punk mean in 2015? Has the spirit of anarchy been diluted into nostalgia? The bands, fans, and festival promoters behind Rebellion insist it has not, and that austerity has given the movement a new reason for being. The fest is proud of its anarchic DIY ethos, and all involved would happily explain why modern punk still matters.
Rebellion Facts
The four-day Rebellion fest has been running for nineteen years, most of them at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. Past years have seen performances from John Lydon’s Public Image, The Pogues, Adam Ant, Cock Sparrer, Slade and evenChas & Dave, with world-respected writers such asIrvine Welsh andJohn King being interviewed on the Literary Stage.
US punk icons such as Henry Rollins and Jello Biafra have performed at the festival, Jello flies over most years.
TV’s Loyd Grossman even appeared on the 2008 bill with his veteran punk band Jet Bronx & The Forbidden. But the core appeal remains pure punk acts like UK veterans The Boys and the UK Subs, led by 71-year-old Charlie Harper.
This year, The Damned, The Boomtown Rats and the Buzzcocks headline a bill packed out with more than 250 groups. These range from Sham 69 to Neville Staple fromThe Specials via 1970s glam rock veterans The Sweet and US Ska-punk legends Less Than Jake.
Promoter Jennie Russell-Smith insists that the fest will never be just a retro event. “With Rebellion we took all the punk bands we love and want to see year on year and combined them with the best of the new breed. We also included many sub genres and aspects of the ‘alternative’ scene in general, we’re proud to have an event that we feel has a true festival spirit.”
The festival started in Blackpool in 1996 under the name of Holidays In The Sun, then moved briefly to Morecambe before settling back at the Winter Gardens. *Around 150,000 people have attended over the years.
Unexpected fans include former England footballer Stuart Pearce and female boxer Jane Couch.
The festival’s New Band Stage has proved a real success with audiences. All the bands that played on there in 2014 have been invited back for a slot on this year’s main festival stages.
As well as the literary stage, Rebellion features Punk Art exhibitions, Acoustic Stages, Poetry and spoken word performances, CD, vinyl and vintage clothing stalls. There have also been tattooists and healing workshops. But Jennie insists: “At heart we’re still a Punk festival, and we’re lucky that we’re still 100% Independent and a true D.I.Y. family run event.”
Since 2010 everyone who buys a ticket to the festival has received a free full colour A4 programme. Last year’s one was 84 pages long packed with interviews, reviews and articles. These programmes have now become sought after souvenirs.
Full line-up here and info HERE
Pictures: Dod Morrison
