Outbreak, an independent music festival dedicated to counterculture and underground music hosted its annual festival in Manchester. Although the festival is primarily linked to the hardcore punk genre, it features a variety of eclectic and diverse artist throughout the weekend. This year, the festival concluded on Saturday with a slow, sombre performance by Alex G, followed by a chaotic finale on Sunday with Knocked Loose headlining the main stage. In between artists like Denzel Curry, Slowdive, Sunami and Gods hate took on one of the 3 stages at the festival offering a range of entertainment to all listeners. The festival takes pride in celebrating underground music, reinforcing this by showcasing many talented artists who are often overlooked. Some of my favourite’s discoveries from the weekend included Jane Remover, Kunami 99 and Final Resting Place. While some of these artists may be recognised within their genre many remain outside the mainstream music scene, which often excludes them from bigger festivals. Outbreak offers these people a platform to perform and a space for their fans who appreciate the subcultures.
Before diving deep into each day and the acts that followed, I’d like to cover the festival itself. As a passionate festival-goer, I’ve attended numerous festivals, but outbreak felt entirely unique. From the moment I joined the entrance line I was welcomed by friendly staff and security who genuinely appeared pleased to be there. Upon entering the festival, I started exploring the facilities and areas—something I typically don’t do at regular festivals. However, Outbreak is different; not only is it a compact festival held entirely at the BEC Arena, but it also features several areas in addition to its three stages. The merchandise area offered a variety of merch from numerous bands depending on who was performing that day. It wasn’t just a single stall, but many, filling a room alongside outbreaks own merch. Crash records also had a stall in the room selling records of artist playing as well as other albums from an array of genres. Additionally, there was a barber in the hall offering free haircuts throughout the weekend. The festivals also included open area with benches and food stalls. This year, the festival broke its tradition of exclusively allowing vegan vendors by permitting non-vegan food sellers. Although this decision sparked some controversy among hardcore and straight edge fans, the stalls remained bustling all weekend, offering a wider selection of food options.
The only drawback of the festival was it occasional overcrowding which made it feel a bit cramped given the number of attendees. The lack of seating which became a bit tiring at times, especially when standing for long periods, and navigating through the crowd was challenging. However, it is common for festivals to get busy, and it simply required some patience to manoeuvre through crowds. And the crowd of outbreak mainly contained friendly faces from the fans, which is something some sfestivals lack, making it easier to navigate crowds.
It is evident that the festival has been designed to celebrate various subcultures and underground music just by its focus on the hardcore subculture and values. The stage is set up without a barrier between the audience, allowing fans to jump on stage, stage dive, and crowd kill. Access to the front areas require a wristband which is obtained but signing a waver prior. While this setup may seem risky, Hood Soulja stage security is hired specifically for events without barriers, focusing on hardcore concerts. This allows fans to mosh, crowd kill, and stage dive as safely as possible, as the security personnel are well trained in managing such activities. The Hood Soulja security team was once again very friendly and courteous while ensuring everyone’s safety. It was also reassuring knowing that the security understood the crowd and ‘rules’ of a hardcore crowd and pit, ironically, I felt comfortable throwing myself of a stage. Moreover, the festival sticks to typical hardcore principles by prioritizing vegan vendors, promoting free political expression, keeping merchandise prices relatively low, and providing a safe environment for moshing and crowd killing. This not only creates a small hardcore community over the weekend but also cultivates a sense of community throughout the weekend. Though some may argue the festival has slightly moved away from soley the hardcore scene it still keeps true to its root while broadening the genres showcased across the weekend.
Ultimately, the performances themselves did not let us down this year, despite some controversy over stage splits. Both days brought energy leaving the fans elated as they left the festival. Saturday leaned towards a shoegaze atmosphere featuring acts like TAGABOW, Slowdive, and Alex G, while Sunday embraced the hardcore subculture with performances from Pest Control, Contention, Weapon X, and Knocked Loose. Yet a range of genres where infused into the lineup on both days. Notably, the presence of hip hop remained prominent throughout the weekend with acts such as Denzel Curry and Jane Remover. Additionally iconic hip hop track where played in-between sets keeping the energy high. The set from Knocked Loose will forever stay in my memory. The stage illuminated with a neon cross as the audience waited eagerly for the band, who kicked off with a powerful performance of “Blinding Faith.” A calm yet thrilled crowd quickly transformed into a chaos of energy as mosh pits erupted. In the midst of the frenzy, I had never witnessed so many joyful faces, as everyone embraced the thrill of the moment. It was an unforgettable way to wrap up a festival. Just an hour earlier, I had been watching Denzel Curry rap across the stage, and now I found myself being jostled around by heavy riffs and intense vocals. The variety of genres at Outbreak will always amaze me but they make it work as they blend a range of overlooked subcultures in an unforgettable experience for a weekend. Leaving no shortage of options throughout the weekend; whether you were a die-hard hardcore fan or a devoted shoegaze enthusiast, you could fully enjoy the festival experience. The artists brought the energy, and the fans matched it, creating a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere all weekend long. You might end the weekend with bruises and sore legs, but you will certainly leave with unforgettable memories. This festival is truly one to attend, thanks to the friendly staff, welcoming community, and the eclectic mix of artists.
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