Rebellion 2026 Day 4 the end or the beginning?

One sign of a good festival is to see how enthused you are at the end for something new. Be that looking forward to next year or seeing something that happened that inspires you in some way. After Rebellion last year I vowed to take a different direction in my personal life. I left my job, got a new one – did a fanzine and put on a number of Panel events, including the Dublin music book and fanzine festival last April. I wouldn’t put it all down to the Passion Killers but their energy and excitement got me thinking, as did a lot of the literary Panel. Take control of your life and do what you want to do as well as be wahat you want to be. Who knows what the next 12 months hold in store but hopefully there will be punk rock driving it through some sort of sense of community.

I head to the Winter Gardens with Blackpool filling up with visitors to watch war planes fly overhear. The only noise I want to hear is from stages INSIDE the Winter Gardens.

Dash’s sound filled out the opera house. They are a band for a stage like this. B52s meet Devo with an intergalactic new wave sound.

My plan for the day is to spend as much time at the Loud Women introducing stage as possible. The old bands have had their day and the youth need a chance. Hex Poseur are a three piece with a loud punky rockin sound.

I move on to see On the huh, this band are becoming regulars at rebellion. They bring their sing along street punk to the Casbah.

Gaydar are a three piece punk rock band with songs going off in noisy fashion but with different rhythms. Nice to see the twin pronged vocalAttack between drummer and guitarist taking turns to scream for awareness.

Millie Manders was in the acoustic room and it was a very packed and warm room she was playing to. Lots of good will and sing along tunes. Millie doesn’t hold back on her politics and was talking about feminist punk acts throughout. It is positive to see community at work here. The music of Millie Manders is not your straight forward punk tunes and it owes just as much to pop music BUT it’s that sense of identity and community and being ready to talk about the plight of Palestinian people or for trans people trying to find their way in the world that makes this festival home to her. Not too many bands this weekend were speaking about the horrors of war but Millie Manders was displaying whose side she was on with her choice of T-shirt.

Shanne Bradley is a quietly spoken woman with some story. She got her first bass after Captain Sensible thrashed her room!! As they do!!! David Bowie in 1972 was her first gig. It was amazing, she would throw in some wonderful anecdotes “that’s when we recorded Chrissie Hynes first demo”. Just like that. As you do. She went on to move to North London and formed the Nips with Shane McGowan amongst others. “It seemed logical to form a band, didn’t really think about it”. It was tough work for an interviewer but such an interesting person.

Thwack are a breath of fresh air and such an addition to the festival. Violin, cello, guitar and bass with a nice wild sound. Bands like this provide an expression and a space for the real outsiders of today. This is the punkest act I’ve seen all weekend. Dressed whatever way they want regardless of gender and ready to scream and shout with colour and anger.

Mona Freaka, from New York, brought their riot grrl attitude and sound to the stage. I didn’t take any pictures because I didn’t want to be the old guy taking snaps of teenage girls but they produced some racket.

JC Carroll in the acoustic room provided some light relief. I never thought I’d be able to have some coffee and cake while listening to the person who wrote sound of the suburbs sing that very same song. Surreal

Back to Loud Women Stage in the Pavillion and Australian 2 piece Witch Spit. They were the first 2 piece I’ve seen (unless Meryl Streek counts as a 2 piece) but you wouldn’t think it with the fine racket they made.

I popped into the ball seated Opera House for some pop from the Darling Buds or I should say ‘Bud’ as they have one original member left. At least it’s the songwriter. It was lovely to sit down and hear some pop tunes. My stamina is fading as I wonder how I will make it through the evening.

It’s difficult to listen to guitar driven power chords for 4 days in a row, 12 hours per day but I try and persevere. Band names get lost as sets merge into each other John Otway and Atilla The Stockbroker wouldn’t merge into others with their comedic rock opera where they look belligerently at each other.

A little break for food as after 4 days I’m learning the important things are to give my ears a rest and eat at times. Back for the whoremones from the states who care little about what anyone say or does and blasted out some powerful noise from the stage, and successfully seeking audience participation on the dance floor.

Gina Birch isn’t as noisy but was part of the Raincoats that led the revolution for women in bands. They made the threads on the boards that the outsiders of today start on and now push out even further and rightly so. My first noticeable drum machine of the weekend (as in band with a drum sound and no drummer playing it).

Hawxx pack a noisy rhythmic punch in the loud women stage. This pavilion has been getting great crowds all day. And now even with bands creating circle pits, with or without high 5s. They have a nice bit of politics in the mix too which is always good to see and hear. Hawxx produce one of the noisiest but together sets I’ve seen. So important that bands like this exist and the future of punk rock is safe in the hands of the Loud Women stage and this introducing stage.

I depart thinking how positive it must be for people starting out in music to see such bands and learn from them. Yes, anyone can play in a band, and yes anyone can express their feelings and be comfortable with themselves and their bodies once they aren’t trying to make others uncomfortable. I was thinking about the talk about the poison Girls the other day and that the community that is punk sprung from outsiders, yesterday’s outsiders are today’s norm so always be ready to go down that road. I leave behind the winter Gardens with Blackpool tower all lit up and the Rebellion Festival flag flying high knowing I’m missing Sick on the Bus, Ruts DC, UK Decay, The Dickies and Stiff Little Fingers but knowing I have seen the future and it’s looking good for punk.

Niallhope