Rebellion 2026 Day 1

As I’m an old school kind of guy I still eagerly await the line up announcement for Rebellion, first the day splits and then the line up times. My view of Clashfinder is seeing Paul, Mick or Topper somewhere so it’s spreadsheets by day for me.

Thursdays sheet starts with 35 bands over the 12 hours. Rebellion is a test of endurance for me. I’m a sponge and I want to soak up all the good vibes.

It starts at noon with Hagar The Womb. The queue for wristbands is at its longest at this stage as all the weary travellers look to get into the venue on time. Hagar The Womb were one of those bands I delighted in as a young punk. They had the anarcho feeling with a carefree abandon, not getting lost in the seriousness of the world. 50 years of punk, 30 years of rebellion and 45 years as Hagar the womb they say as they enter into idolisation. This must be the biggest crowd I’ve seen the “Hags” play to and they are very comfortable with it. The dual vocals of Ruth and Karen no longer need the sheets for prompts about lyrics and the full sound of the opera house has us all bopping along. Mitch has a tendency to appear anywhere with his bass and the gatherers house stage gives him a chance to get up to all sorts of mischief, including mingling with the crowd

Andy Higgins used to play in Litterbug, and runs Just Say No To Government Music. He has released some great music recently As Magic of the Marketplace.
He wasn’t here today but has been ably replaced. Litterbug are more Buzzcocks than Leatherface but still have a nice pop punk local feel to kick things off on the Arena stage.

David Delinquent is always a good man to get the crowd going. He was looking for audience participation when talking about people’s bosses!! The Acoustic room is going to be home to many sing songs over the next few days and David sets the tone. The layout of the Spanish hall has change for the year with seats around the side. No doubt the floor will Become a seated area over the next few days.

John Robb is a local lad that has done well for himself. He seems to be a constant feature on tv commentary programmes and is becoming the expert on British punk culture. He plays in the Membranes and Goldblade but for now he is on the Literary stage talking about how Punk Rock Saved his life. Me and you both John. And everyone else in this room. He spoke of being under threat as a kid in Blackpool and managed to quote the Adverts “safety in numbers”. John is becoming more of an entertainer with these talks and the Literary Stage has gotten bigger for the year. John was a fitting introduction to this large stage.

I stayed here to chat to John about his trips to Dublin including an impending one in November so missed Carol Hodge. Rich Cross was up next in the Literary stage. Rich has just written a book on Poison Girls and was in conversation with Peter Jones, from Paranoid Visions, who has spoke on many occasion about the influence of a Poison Girls gig in Dublin had on him. PM Press have just published the book and were the main instigators behind this happening. It was the publisher who contacted Rich rather than him pitching it to them so the relationship was built up a different way. Peter Jones managed to get Aidan Walsh’s name into the talk which was good to hear
Because of this I missed Kent Nielsen. Kent will be in Dublin later this year, another one I look forward to.

I was torn between Blyth Power in the Opera House and Lesley Woods from the Au Pairs on the Literary stage. I first saw Blyth Power in the project arts Centre way back and have seen them on a number of occasions since so the stories of Lesley won out. I was glad as I got to hear about her views on rebellion being a reunion and her reason for being in a band came from school influences. It was at University where politics came to the fore. Punk showed that anyone could be in a band but the sense of injustice and unfairness in her songs came from political thinking in University. Lesley put the Au Pairs back together but the original members didn’t want to rethread those old steps so Lesley sent messages to people through Facebook and re-started the band. Loads of gigs and studio work on the way.

After missing her set earlier I stayed to listen to Carol Hodges stories. While the rest of the troop were hearing rhythms and reminiscing I was in the stage where people tell their tales and document the scene we grew up with. This is my rebellion at this stage and I can’t get enough of this history.

I did feel a pang of responsibility so legged it to the fully seated Opera House for Dublins own Molly Vulpyne. The Irish contingent were put in force for this. A fierce loyalty amongst the many people who travel over for rebellion. Not for them that they can see Molly in Dublin. No they are here to show solidarity and support.

Back up the literary stage to hear Bow Wow Wows Annabelle Lwin tell her side of the story. And what a fascinating side it was too. What started out as a band manufactured by Malcolm McLaren became a touring group singing for their supper and Annabella told of the transition to the packed crowd and her admiration for Stevie Wonder. I wonder, as she says this, how do we the audience feel about this with our clash,crass, drongos from eueope and skids T-shirt (and that’s just my row of seats).

After Anabella I needed some uplifting tunes so headed to the Empress for Bar Stool Preachers. This is where the Darts was on, this is a room used for Ball Room Dancing but the whole place was punk rock dancing to Bar Stool Preachers. Some people give them a hard time as it seems to be difficult to be that nice. I love the cheesiness of it all. And so do the maximum crowd in the place. It can be emotional when you hear 3.000 people singing “never look down on anyone unless you are giving them a hand up”

Tony Adolescent told some stories of hardcore in LA and how he got into punk via New York and English scenes. They formed the adolescents in 1979 with huge influence from KROQ radio.

I have been watching Grail Guard from the comfort of my social media bubble for a while. Many of my friends like them so I wanted to check them out. We all sang along to Fuck You you Fascist scum and then they vanished.

The it was over the see The Drowns. I still hadn’t time for food and was beginning to wilt but the tunes and energy of The Drowns kept me going. They are now a slimmed down three piece but have lost none of the speed and atmosphere. Right throughout its about getting people to be good to each other and have a good time the songs aren’t happy songs, they said they would love to write happy songs but the worlds not in a happy place as they break into Relentless. They play Alternative Ulster at a speed I’ve never heard before, incredible. They finish by reminding everyone they will forever be anti racism and anti fascist.

Steve Ignorant was doing a set of Crass songs, he’s doing it in Dublin next year so I went to see The Primitives in the seated comfort of the Opera House. This is the place the likes of George Formby or Morecambe and Wise played. One thing very noticeable today was the crowd numbers. While Steve was packing out the Empress Ballroom the Adolescents were packing out the cavernous Casbah stage and the Primitives had standing room only in the Opera House. People everywhere. Everyone in the Opera House was waiting for the Primitives was to play Crash, the one song we all remembered and it came towards the end of a really good set.

I was very excited by the prospect of seeing the Au Pairs. I know there’s has been some inter band squabbling and for people who wrote the songs it is a huge shame. I had their first album and for a period it was a constant on my turntable. I taped it so I could listen to it at night. The sharp tones of Lesley’s voice sending me to sleep as my political radar was sharpening. The Au Pairs record was an anthem for the age, criminally under appreciated it was a surreal experience sitting in the Opera House hearing those angular angry songs in the shadow of a Morecambe and Wise statue. Leslie’s guitar and voice were as acerbic as ever. I got immersed in the set. Even when played in different keys at times. There will be bands playing all over the UK and beyond in the west with a post punk feel of driving bass, pounding drums and guitar coming in like a knife through their verses. None will be as good as the au pairs. Listen if you don’t believe me.

I justified missing Scream as I’ve seen them twice this decade. I have never seen Bow Wow Wow, haven’t seen a picture since that initial 7 inch Malcolm McClaren exploited them for. I hung around for a while but needed to leave to see The Mob.
Seeing the Mob theses days is as close to a religious experience as I can get. Lead singer Mark is the pastor of the Chapel of Unrest and is still busying being up to mischief in Rockaway Park In Bristol. The sound is as haunting as ever. The songs open their arms and want you to get lost in that sound. How 3 people can produce such perfection is way beyond me.

I could have left happy them with the cloud of the Mob ringing in my ears but as it was the first night I popped my head in to see The Buzzcocks or Buzzcock to be more accurate. Unlike the mob who have all 3 original members playing together it is just Steve Diggle left in the Buzzcocks as they have kept writing new songs and recording along the way. This is not just a set of classics from the 70s but it spans Steve’s time with the band. I only lasted three songs and decided to head for air with The Mob ringing in my ears and the broadest smile on my face.

What a day, what a festival. Tomorrow I will need to plan a bit better as food will be needed.

Niallhope