REBELLION FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2026 AS PUNK ROCK TURNS 50

REBELLION FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2026 AS PUNK ROCK TURNS 50

TAKING PLACE AT BLACKPOOL WINTER GARDENS, 6TH – 9TH OF AUGUST

HEADLINERS THE STRANGLERS, COCK SPARRER, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS AND SHAM 69 JOIN A HOST OF CONTEMPORARY AND LEGENDARY PUNK ACTS

MORE INFO AND TICKETS AT REBELLIONFESTIVALS.COM

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Rebellion Festival, the world’s largest annual punk event, is set to return August 6th to 9th to its long-standing home, the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Initially known as Holidays In The Sun, the Winter Gardens first opened its doors to mark the then 20th anniversary of punk and hosted headliners X-Ray Spex, The Damned and Buzzcocks for the landmark three-day event back in 1996. Another thirty years on and Rebellion Festival is going stronger than ever. Returning again as punk rock celebrates its 50th anniversary on from that initial explosion of energy in 1976, interest in the music and culture shows no signs of dissipating and the last two years have seen the festival completely sell out across the four-day gathering.

“Goodness, 30 years! Over half our lives doing the thing we love most,” exclaims festival organiser Jennie Russell-Smith. “We just can’t wait to celebrate our anniversary with everyone this year. We’re working hard to make sure it’s a wonderful year for all of our supporters old and new. Going into it on the back of two sold out years is both exciting and challenging but as usual we’re going to put the best festival possible on (as we try to every year).”

Every year, Rebellion Festival work hard to curate a line-up that balances festival favourites alongside new talent and bands from every area of the alternative and punk communities, and 2026 is no different.

“We’ve tried to include as many bands as possible who’ve really become part of the fabric and family of Rebellion,” states Jennie. “Stiff little Fingers, Cock Sparrer, Sham 69, The Stranglers, The Bar Stool Preachers, Die Toten Hosen, UK Subs, Cockney Rejects, Slaughter and the Dogs etc, too many to mention them all but they know who they are.

“Diversity and up and coming bands are always foremost in our thoughts so it’s great to have

Millie Manders and the Shutup, Maid of Ace, Split Dogs etc to celebrate with us, continues Jennie. “Most of all we’re looking forward to seeing the people that support us year in year out, there’d be no Rebellion without them and we appreciate them massively.”

These join many other bands already booked to grace the several Winter Garden stages, which include Skids, Buzzcocks, Ferocious Dog, Spear Of Destiny, Ricky Warwick, The Godfathers, Subhumans, Scream, Anti-Nowhere League, Penetration, Bow Wow Wow, Ruts DC, Bad Cop Bad Cop, Adolescents, UK Subs, Discharge, The Chameleons, Au Pairs, The Courettes, The Kids, Riskee and the Ridicule, GBH, The Dickies and many many more.  

Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com for more information and updates and to buy tickets for what is surely going to be the best celebration 50 years of punk rock, and Rebellion’s own big 30th birthday!

DISCOUNTED TICKETS ON SALE NOW: https://www.rebellionfestivals.com/buy-tickets

Family friendly / All Ages event with under 12s FREE (accompanied by an adult)

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/RebellionPunkMuskFestival

Skids – ‘Songs From A Haunted Ballroom’ (Cleopatra Records)

Skids – ‘Songs From A Haunted Ballroom’ (Cleopatra Records)

Open your mind and just let the music do the talking.  That’s how I approached this album of covers from the Skids but it had to meet certain criteria before being considered for inclusion on this album and to be fair, they only bloody well pulled it off!

Veteran punk rock outfit Skids have returned with a powerful new studio album that pays tribute to the band’s hometown venue, the historic Kinema Ballroom in Dunfermline, Scotland. Both a live venue as well as a traditional dance club, the Kinema became a musical and cultural epicenter for the youth in Scotland’s Fife province, especially during the late ‘70s, early ‘80s punk rock movement. It would also become the home venue for Skids who played numerous shows at the Kinema as both a support act for such legendary bands as The Clash as well as the headliners for multiple sold-out events.

Now, Skids take a walk down memory lane, performing songs by the bands who influenced them in those early years. ‘Songs From A Haunted Ballroom’ includes versions of tracks by The Clash, The Adverts, Ultravox, Sex Pistols, and Magazine PLUS new versions of their own early hits “Into The Valley” and “The Saints Are Coming!” so laying themselves open by covering some iconic punk tunes.  Let battle commence.

The first single from the album, a supercharged version of Ultravox’s ‘Young Savage’ is an eyebrow-raising moment because it’s both vibrant and has boundless energy. Then it’s one of those peek through your fingers moments as they take on ‘Complete Control’ and again I breathe a sigh of relief because they manage to stay on the right side of the cover version style and don’t do it cabaret style.  Capturing a good sound on those guitar crunches that was Jones and Strummers style and Jobson does a convincing job on the vocals.  Purists will no doubt be all over this complaining about one thing or another but I think they do a sterling job and pay tribute rather well.

 

As I relax a bit more it makes sense they do ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’ it’s more Skids style and again it’s really well done. They even manage an energetic take on Rockpiles ‘Heart Of The City’  so its not quite there but to even take on such a top tune deserves some kudos.

 

What this record does do is send your mind back to what seems like better times when music was pouring out of every nook and cranny of the UK and everyone seemed to be indulging in pop culture in one way or another.  I guess they were simpler times with fewer distractions for young people’s time and energy.  I just hope Jobson will wear the Glove when they play ‘Rock On’ Live.  Cool song and a cool respectful take. One of the best versions here is ‘violence’ (never have too much cowbell), not enough bands sound like Mott The Hoople anymore.

 

Some of the best tunes here are indeed the lesser-known covers or ones you weren’t expecting  ’35mm Dreams’ springs to mind and to be fair the guitar sound captured on ‘Submission’ is most worthy then laying it side by side with ‘New York Groove’ is a great idea and two very different genres collide.

 

It’s hard to fuck up a cover of Iggys ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ such is the majesty of the track and Skids manage to avoid any embarrassment but making it a CD-only track is a little puzzling considering the vinyl revival going on.I guess it seems only fair that the band includes two of their most famous tunes as part of this look back at what made the band sound like they did and ‘Saints Are Coming’ is still a fantastic song as is ‘Into The Valley’ and fond memories of school discos come flooding back.  This only leaves the final track which again is a CD-only affair with Vinyl lovers.  ‘Christmas In Fyfe’ is their very Scottish affair and maybe one vinyl lovers won’t mind being omitted but don’t let that distract you from what is a really good album.  On the back of the acoustic record which again I really enjoyed this will also nestle in nicely in my collection – Check it out and remember your own memories of when new bands and sounds were hitting your ears on a daily basis.  Ah, the memories thanks skids this was a real tonic!

 

Pre-order the CD & vinyl: Here

Pre-order/pre-save the digital: https://orcd.co/skids_songs_from_a_haunted_ballroom

Author: Dom Daley

The Damned confirm reschedule dates and support for UK tour

The Damned confirm reschedule dates and support for UK tour

The Damned’s upcoming shows have been rescheduled to 2022.  The events will now take place in Feb 2022-

11th Feb for Glasgow, 12th for Manchester whilst Birmingham is now set for the 16th Feb and the two London shows

Friday 9th July 2021 moves to Friday 18th February 2022   

Saturday 10th July 2021 moves to Saturday 19th February 2022 

They will be joined on tour by the following guests:

Friday : Special guests Skids + TV Smith & The Bored Teenagers + Small Town Tigers

Saturday: Special guests Wildhearts + Penetration + Small Town Tigers

 

THE DAMNED original line-up has reunited for a UK tour featuring the founding members Dave Vanian, Rat Scabies, Captain Sensible and Brian James.

 

*If you cannot attend the rescheduled date, you are eligible for a refund* for the face value of your ticket(s).

All tickets must be returned to and received by us prior to the rescheduled date. Please return them, along with a quick note stating your order number to: Eventim Customer Services, PO Box 75668, London, WC1A 9QE.

(Please note: we recommend sending tickets via recorded delivery, as we cannot issue a refund if these are lost in transit)

If your tickets are TicketDirect (print at home), for venue collection, or if you haven’t received them, please contact our customer service team at customerservice@eventim.co.uk.

*All refunds are subject to our Terms and Conditions of Sale, which can be found here: https://www.eventim.co.uk/help/terms/