
This year, Radar Festival returned to Manchester under a cloud of controversy. Just days before the event, it was announced Saturday headliner Bob Vylan was not going to be playing following his Glastonbury set, prompting calls to boycott the festival. Combined with other last-minute dropouts, there was an element of uncertainty of how the weekend was going to unfold.
But Radar has always been more than just the headline acts. This was my third year at the festival, and I'm not the only one who keeps coming back and its carefully curated, genre-blending line-up is one of the key reasons why. It consistently champions rising talent, standout female-fronted acts, and makes a clear effort to spotlight international artists. And this year was no different.
Kicking off Friday, Mother Vulture opened the Sneak Energy Stage with a ferocious, vocally powerful set. It's been said before, but opening a festival is no easy task and the band certainly delivered. They didn't ignore the elephant in the room either. They referenced the Bob Vylan fallout with calls to 'Free Palestine' alongside thanking Radar for the opportunity to play.
On the main stage, German duo Floya impressed with their tight electronic-rock and debut album Yume. "Any nervousness goes away as soon as I'm on stage," vocalist Phil Bayer told me post-set, and it's no wonder why. The crowd's loud reaction to "Who's heard us before?" confirmed they weren't playing to strangers. Amplified by their energectic stage presence, their catchy choruses hit even harder live. And if that wasn't enough, a surprise appearance from Jack Bennett (Lonely the Brave) on 'Wonders' hinted at an exciting future collaboration.
As the day rolled on, so did the momentum. Tropical Gold kept the second stage crowd moving with pulse-quickening riffs and no-nonsense breakdowns, while Lake Malice levelled things up on the main stage.
The duo took over the stage with the confidence of a band who are aware their fanbase is rapidly growing. Before diving into 'Creepers', Alice Guala threw up her middle finger, "If you've been to our shows before, you know what to do," she shouted, and they certainly did. Their set included the debut of 'Nobody Wants to Be You', complete with choreographed dancers making them one of the stand out acts of the day.
As Everything Unfolds opened with their powerful new single 'Set in Flow,' their first release since the passing of drummer Jamie Gowers. Always good at whipping a crowd into chaos, they didn't hold back. "You don't stop until I say so!" Charlie roared, urging circle pits and crowd-surfing throughout.
Next up, As December Falls were their usual high-spirited selves. "We were called the happiest band at Download," Bethany joked recently, and it's easy to see why. Their joy radiated through fan favourites like 'Therapy' and 'Join the Club'. Before closing out, guitarist Ande made the crowd promise, pinky fingers in the air, to turn up for their September tour.
But one of the most anticipated sets of the day came from Zeal & Ardor. Their dark spiritual-meets-metal fusion drew a huge crowd and tracks like 'Run,' 'Death to the Holy,' and 'Gravedigger's Chant' were played with precision. The set proved just why they're such a powerful and enjoyable band to watch.
On the second stage, Ghostkid closed the night with full-theatrics. Despite their horror-inspired aesthetic they were in a celebratory mood. With white eye contacts, sharpened teeth and textured facial scars, they celebrated guitarist Jan Marco 'Jappo's birthday and addressed the crowd warmly, calling them family and thanking them for being there.
After that, Carpenter Brut finished things off on the main stage with a pulse-pounding electronic set. It may not have been for everyone, but it was a testament to the breadth of genres Radar continues to embrace and follows past appearances from acts Perturbator and Igorrr that are key to adding another layer to the line up.
Kicking things off early on Saturday, hardcore favourites Pintglass, who delivered two chaotic sets last year, including a surprise Sunday slot, brought that same "GEEZER" energy straight to the main stage. This time, they came armed with a brand new track: "Pintglass," from the album Pintglass, by the band Pintglass. If there was one way to start things off, this was it.
On the second stage, Lastelle switched gears with an emotive post-hardcore set. "We're not Pintglass," they joked, but they didn't need to be. With frontman Adam and drummer Mike trading vocals, they seamlessly moved between gentle ambience and heavy breakdowns, offering something different to the line up.
Making their first UK appearance since 2019, Intervals were greeted with open arms. Despite flying back to Canada the next day, frontman Aaron Marshall reassured the crowd it had been "absolutely worth it." Their technical brilliance was matched by a genuine warmth, a theme that ran throughout the weekend.
With a mix of German, Norwegian, and Swedish acts on the bill, many bands were making their UK festival debut. This included German metalcore band Annisokay, who delivered one of the rowdiest sets of the weekend.
Their blend of melodic hooks and brutal breakdowns had the crowd bouncing, and even security staff could be seen nodding along behind the barrier. Backing vocalist and guitarist Christoph said, "We didn't know how this was going to go," but their smiles showed that they were enjoying it just as much as the crowd, and their January UK tour is already looking like a must.
After being bumped to headliners at the last minute, Normandie had a tough task ahead, but they pulled it off with ease. Despite a slightly smaller-than-usual Saturday night crowd, the Swedish band rose to the occasion.
"We've never played this long before," frontman Philip Strand told the crowd before launching into 'Serotonin', one of 17 tracks in a high-energy set. "There's a lot of love in this room right now," he added. Between soaring choruses on 'Renegade' and circle pits to older tracks like 'Collide' fans danced, jumped, and sung-along. It may not have been the Saturday night headliner people expected, but Normandie exceeded all expectations.

It's never easy to get the Sunday started. After two days of moshing and wrecking knees, it's tempting to let the audience sit it out, but Waterlines had other ideas. Opening the Sneak Energy Stage, they gave it everything they had, "thank you for coming down early" Rhys shouted. Arm-in-arm, the crowd jumped from left to right under his guidance, moving perfectly in sync to a song he created just for this moment.
Tiberius followed with their trademark cheeky showmanship. Radar regulars with a gift for crowd work, they came armed with balloons, beach balls, and giant riffs - a fun contrast to their burly appearance that made them all the more engaging.
Continents returned from hiatus ready to unleash in the best way. "You in the middle, you're doing f***ing great!" they shouted mid-set, egging on the pit with charm and ferocity. Also returning to the circuit after time away were Brighton trio Yonaka.
Following a nine-month break to focus on new material, the band are back more self-assured than ever. With a clear sense that they're entering their strongest phase yet, they debuted unreleased track 'Problems', which landed perfectly alongside fan favourites 'Predator' and 'Hands Off My Money'.
Back on the second stage, Artio delivered one of the weekend's strongest vocal sets. Fresh from opening Download's Dogtooth stage, their Radar performance only showed that they're fast becoming rising stars.
It was impossible to miss the sea of Vukovi merch worn throughout the day, and their set more than delivered on the hype. Vocalist Janine, dressed in her now-signature catsuit, gave a masterclass in unapologetic self-expression.
"Yes, Radar! This is f***ing class!" she shouted as the band tore through their hour-long set, featuring key tracks from their album My God Has Got a Gun, including 'GUNGHO', and 'MISTY ECSTASY'. Alongside guitarist Hamish, the duo performed with the energy and confidence of future headliners.
Dream State followed suit with one of the loudest singalongs of the weekend. Another female-fronted band showing exactly why this scene needs to keep making space for different voices.
And finally, Underoath, appearing for their only UK festival date this year, closed the weekend with fierce intensity. The metal hereos made every minute count, demanding energy from the crowd who gave it back in full. For the fans who bought a Sunday ticket just to see them - and the bands who stayed behind to catch their set - there was no need for the extra encouragement.
It was a powerful end to a weekend that, despite early uncertainty, showcased some of the most exciting acts in the scene. More than that, it proved how Radar continues to be a platform where artists grow, build their fanbase, and move up the bill year after year.
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