Photo Credit: Oli Duncanson

The Radar Festival at the O2 Victoria Warehouse has successfully completed its fourth year. This music festival consistently pushes the boundaries of music. The latest edition promised an eclectic lineup, seamlessly blending established acts with emerging talents across various genres, including progressive metal, instrumental and synth. This unique blend of genres created a diverse and exciting musical landscape. Against a backdrop of vibrant lights and a pulsating atmosphere, the festival showcased remarkable performances, capturing the essence of contemporary music culture. Join us as we delve into the highlights, standout moments, and unforgettable experiences that defined Radar 2024.

Friday:

Friday’s lineup started with Cestra, a solo artist known as Kat Marsh, on the Sneak Energy stage. Her haunting vocals, reminiscent of a siren’s call, captivated the audience from the first note. The gothic, enigmatic outfit perfectly matched the mood of her music, enhancing the overall ambience. A particularly impactful moment was when she removed her mask, intensifying her stage presence. The set included melodies that were paired with dark synths and electronic drums. In addition to collaborating with TesseracT on their ‘World of Being’ album, she accompanied them for their headline show on Saturday with Choir Noir.    

During the performance on the main stage, Earthside delivered an atmospheric set of modern progressive metal and cinematic rock. Despite encountering technical issues with their backing track, the band handled it professionally, not allowing it to detract from their performance. They ended up doing a full instrumental set instead. The first song, ‘We Who Lament’, was drum-led and set the tone, accompanied by back visuals to convey an artistic imagery sensation. Frank Sacramone, the keyboard player, commanded attention by energetically immersing himself in the music and moving around the stage with fervour.

Unpeople hit the Sneak Energy stage with an electrifying display of raw energy and magnetic stage presence. The four-piece band delivered diverse sounds, from groovy pop-punk to alt-rock melodies, and seamlessly incorporated rhythmic and roaring riff styles, showcasing their versatility and refusal to be confined to a single genre. Throughout their set, they engaged with the crowd, hyping them up with fist bumps and rallying cries such as “Not finished with you yet,” igniting the audience’s excitement and leading to the first circle mosh pit of the weekend. They are a band to watch in the future, especially if you enjoy bands like Kid Kapichi.

TheDanish/Swedish band VOLA took to the main stage and was one of the most anticipated sets of the day, and they did not disappoint. Since, their studio music transferred well into the live performance at RADAR. Likewise, their music has evolved into blended sounds like progressive and tech metal, with electronic synth influences. Combined with introspective lyrics and detailed soundscapes that captivate the audience while listening to their music. This was clearly shown when they performed their set, as the band started with the strong contender song ‘Alien Shivers’, which shows off their electronic sound. When it came to their second song, ‘Stray The Skies,’ a mosh pit erupted, and crowd surfers began to make their way to the barrier. Other songs on the setlist were Paper Wolf and 24 Light Years, which take a more mellow tone and direction, and their newer song, Break My Lying Tongue, which delves into a darker and heavier theme. They kept the audience memorised and their spirits high, from the playing of the drums by Adam Janzi to the amazement of Asger Mygind’s ability to perform complex and intricate riffs and sing with velvety harmonies at the same time. Throughout the show, there were mini-mosh pits within mosh pits formed by the crowd, singing their hearts out to each song on the set. Creating a sense of community and showing what live music is all about.

For this reason, it became a favourite set for the whole weekend. We also had the opportunity to interview and catch up with bassist Nicolai Mogensen, which you can read. VOLA’S new album’ Friend of a Phantom’ and headline tour are set to happen in November.  

Swedish band Thrown packed out the second stage despite running a bit late. Theirset was preceded by Limp Bizkit being blared by the speakers, setting the stage for an accelerating and killer performance. They are known for their dirty, aggressive and intense breakdowns as they dive into both genres of sucker-punching metalcore and anger-inducing hardcore. Also, adding trap, phonk and nu-metal into the mix. The crowd’s energy was uncontainable as they threw themselves into the music, with headbanging, thrashing and moshing throughout their set. Even the Sneak Energy bunny joined in with the moshing. If you enjoy listening to Thrown,give bands like Graphic Nature a chance. Their new album ‘Excessive Guilt’ is being released at the end of August, and Thrown will be back in December to support the stacked While She Sleeps tour.   

Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ proceeds before Friday’s main headline act on the Sneak Energy Stage. With their distinct metalcore sound, Caskets get the crowd going with the initial song, ‘Drowned In Emotion’. Their vibrant and lively performance kept the audience feeling enthusiastic by dancing and singing along. A poignant moment of the set was when Matt Flood said the song ‘Only Ones’ resonated deeply with them and meant a lot to him. As he raises his fist in appreciation and fondness for the audience, they cheer and clap back. In doing so, he replied, “It means the world to us, and we are honoured,” he expressed the idea that they push them to be the best that the band can be. The pits opened when ‘Glass Heart’, a well-acquainted song, played. Matt jumped to stand on the barrier and join the crowd. The ending song was ‘Better Way Out’, and no better way to end the set than the drummer James Lazenby throwing his stick into the crowd.

Headlining Friday’s main stage was The Midnight, where this performance marked the first time seeing this band. Instantly, the band brought an 80’s synthwave ambience, which felt straight out of a “Top Gun” soundtrack crossed with Stranger Things. Their song ‘Neon Medusa’ features an impeccable guitar solo, catchy hooks and pulsating synths. The beloved song ‘Days Of Thunder’ produced steady beats, reverb-laden drums and saxophone solos, which proved to be a hit with the audience. The purple vaporwave and blue lightening evoked images of neon-lit cityscapes and long drives under starlit skies. Ended their set with ‘Sunset’, which transported the crowd to a summer’s evening, evoking the feeling of warmth and nostalgia. Both Tyler Lyle and Lelia Broussard’s vocals complemented each other well. Their set was a perfect and fun way to end the night, leaving the crowd singing along and eager for more. It was great to witness the welcoming fan reception of this band due to their sound being less heavy than some of the other acts on the lineup. If you like 80s-sounding bands like White Lies, then be sure to check this band out.  

Saturday:

Opening the Sneak Energy stage on Saturday. The four-piece band based in Brighton, Tribe of Ghosts, exploded with a balance of powerful female vocals paired with jarring and fear-inducing screams, embodying the brutality of female rage from vocalist Beccy Blaker. They combine metal and pop influences, such as Charli XCX, to envision the sound of industrial and modern post-metal. Their punchy riffs and punishing drums added to the dystopian-sounding atmosphere that they created, setting a high-energy and cathartic tone for the day. The band’s set closed with an early tease of what is to come with their new music and debut album ‘CITY’.   

British progressive metal band Ithaca owned the main stage despite some technical difficulties initially with the backing track and monitors. Maintaining composure by throwing in some humour and continuing to put on an energetic performance. Djamila Azzouz knows how to command the stage and work the crowd with her fiery stage persona. As a band, they delivered a raw and real set by showing that there is nothing wrong with being honest and vulnerable. During the show, they bring honesty to the foreground as they engage with the crowd by sharing important messages about social issues, equality and mental health. Since these themes are depicted in their music.   

Just before Graphic Nature came on stage, the Prodigy hit song ‘Breathe’was playing, giving the audience a sense of what they were about to hear and witness with their performance. Ending their UK tour by playing at the RADAR festival, the band has had a fantastic year with realising their new album ‘Who Are You When No One Is Watching’. They are a band taking the nu-metal scene by storm, and watching them at RADAR proved that. Their harsh, screamed vocals, pounding drums and down-tuned, distorted guitar riffs were seen in songs such as ‘Locked In’, ‘Blinded’ and ‘Something I’m Not’ that they played on their set, causing massive mosh pits to break out. With the song ‘Human’, electronic and industrial features can be heard, adding a layer of complexity to the track.  During his speech to the crowd, Frontman Harvey Freeman shared personal experiences by touching on mental health, anxiety, and neurodivergence, adding respect and empowerment. As their angst-ridden set ended, the audience was chanting for an encore, the first time it was heard during the weekend. If you want to read more about the band, you can find our interview with Harvey Freeman on the website.  

Dirty Loops, a Swedish trio who also headlined the RADAR Festival in 2022, provided their performance with their music being infused and created by a juxtaposition of genres that involve the 80s, modern synth wave, jazz and pop. Before they entered the stage, a wave of “woos” came from the audience and were introduced by an angelic and choir-sounding backing track. The band is known for covering a variety of songs, and they started off the set with a cover of the iconic Lady Gaga song ‘Just Dance’. When it came to the cover of ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber, the band asked the crowd to form a circle pit, which made for an interesting and entertaining experience. So, it made a nice change compared to other acts already performed during the day.

Envision an ethereal, transportive, and otherworldly stage, with TesseracT as the main headline set on Saturday. Lorn played before they entered the stage to set the scene of being in another world. From start to finish, the band’s set was nothing short of being spectacular. From combining dramatic lighting and lasers in synchronicity with the music to the added dimension of Choir Noir. It was memorable and captivating to see all the production elements join together and elevate the performance to another dimension. The thought, time and consideration that went into this performance were incredible to watch, and you can tell how much TesseracT cares about what they produce regarding their music and stage production. Their performance took the audience on a journey through the catalogue of their music, including some surprises of songs ‘Tender’ and ‘Sacrifice’ that made a live debut. It started with the infamous ‘Natural Disaster,’ a compelling track that exemplifies TesseracT’s ability to merge technical proficiency with emotional resonance. One standout moment was hearing the instrumental interlude playing. It initiated the feeling of goosebumps and shivers down the spine. The song ‘Tourniquet’ opened with a serenity introduction and an intricate guitar line. When the chorus hits, it marks a more anthemic delivery with Daniel Tompkin’s hypnotic and clean vocals. The whole set was a cinematic experience, and it will be interesting to see where they go in the future because immense things are heading their way.

Sunday:

All the way from Melbourne, Australia, is the quintet band Future Static. Their show on the Sneak Energy stage gave a hard-hitting, groovy, alternative and emotionally charged sound. Mixing the contrast of clean and gritty vocals with vocalist Amariah Cook and bassist/vocalist Kira Niel, they join together to form passionate harmonies that complement one another. Their set included ‘Icarus’, a high-speed song that catches you off guard in the best way, and it made you feel like you were running while you were listening to it because of the change in tempo and pace. During the set, the band got the crowd jumping along, and they were enjoying every moment of it.  

Mike Dawes, set on the main stage, provided the Sunday with a calmer change of scenery with his creative modern fingerstyle guitar covers and comedic crowd interaction, especially when he made an Oxymoron pun as he replaced the band on the RADAR lineup. This made for a second solo guitar act of the weekend at the festival. It included songs like the viral hit ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ by Gotye and last year’s headliner Sleep Token with their sentimental and emotive song ‘Euclid’. During his performance, Dawes showed the crowd how to play the bass, drums and melody of songs and engaged by asking them to clap along, which made for an insightful experience.  

Pintglass, who had previously performed an afterparty set for the festival on Friday, stepped in at the last minute as a replacement for Siamese, which was unfortunate. Honestly, the expectations for them were uncertain, but the performance turned out to be a pleasant surprise and one of the fun sets of the day. They came and owned the Sneak Energy Stage by bringing hardcore, or more fittingly, ‘geezercore,’ with high-vis jackets and ski masks, igniting mosh pits with aggressive breakdowns. For those who enjoy the chaos that bands like Knocked Loose bring, Pintglass is a great recommendation.

Blood Command turned out to be one of the favourite sets of the Sunday. As it was the first time seeing them, so was unsure of what to expect. This makes them a prime example of what RADAR is all about- discovering new bands. They turned up the heat since it was one of the faster-paced bands of the day. Their act contained thrilling guitar solos and synchronised riffs accompanied by the drums. Vocalist Nikki Brumen took full advantage of the step-up catwalk on the Sneak Energy stage. She confidently moved around the stage, taking every opportunity she could. While performing, Nikki took the time to give thanks in a heartfelt speech, which she compared to giving an Oscars speech. An iconic moment is when Nikki spits on the crowd, leaving them in a frenzy. Where she even, at one point, joined in with crowd surfing. Her fearless presence on stage left a lasting impression.  

Continuing their successful year, Holding Absence, a post-hardcore band from Cardiff, took to the main stage at the RADAR Festival. These guys always know how to excellently execute their stage presence and crowd interaction. They are known for their poetical, heartfelt lyrics and melodic, moody sound. ‘Like A Shadow’ was their opening song, capturing their ability to channel their signature style of driving instrumentals and soaring melodies. Everyone can agree that singing along to their songs in unison is a therapeutic way of releasing emotions because they can resonate deeply with them. Especially, hearing Lucas Woodland’s vocals live in songs like ‘In Circles’, ‘Afterlife’ and their ending song ‘Wilt’. His voice can range from hauntingly delicate to fiercely intense. It is genuinely heartwarming to see that this band appreciates their fans and that they mean a great deal. So, they consistently listen and put their heart and soul into their performances. He explained to the audience that he went to the festival last year and loved it. So, from this he grasped the opportunity for the band to perform at the festival. Also, it wouldn’t be a Holding Absence show without Lucas’s classic high kicks! You can check out our wonderful interview with Ben Elliot from Holding Absence to hear more about the band.

Humanity’s Last Breath, a band from Sweden, closed off the Sneak Energy stage as being the main act. Taking their name in the literal sense, they instantly formed the emotion of their being a pending doom of an apocalypse, and the end of the world was approaching. They added to this eerie and sombre atmosphere by heightening it with dark backdrops and orchestral soundscapes. Their sound, especially from vocalist Filip Danielsson, brought powerful and guttural growls like a hunter ready for its prey. Thus, terror is inflicted on the listening audience, which is a rare sight to behold. So, bringing deathcore to its finest.   

Ending the weekend on a high note was Leprous, a Norwegian progressive metal band, who returned to the main stage at the RADAR Festival after previously playing at the festival in 2022. The band’s set was special in that they alternated between pre-chosen songs and those selected from the crowd in real time by using the old-school method of raising hands to pick the songs. So, this made the performance exciting and interactive. Where there was a sense of unpredictability, making the idea alluring. The audience showed their appreciation back by there being a wave of crowd surfers throughout the set. The show was surprised when the audience chose the song ‘Contaminate Me’ to end the night instead of the extensive and regularly played ‘The Sky Is Red’.

As the final notes and cheers echoed through the crowd and the venue, the lights dimmed on another spectacular year of the RADAR Music Festival. It’s abundantly clear that this festival has firmly established itself as a must-attend event for all music fans. The festival’s unwavering dedication to showcasing a diverse range of talent, from breakthrough artists to industry heavyweights, created an unforgettable experience for attendees. This year’s RADAR Festival went beyond just a music festival, with its electrifying performances, palpable sense of community, and spirited atmosphere. It has truly become a celebration of the ever-evolving landscape of music culture. The anticipation for next year’s festival has already begun. Make sure to mark your calendars for next year’s RADAR Festival, as it’s an unmissable music event!

RADAR Festival returns to Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse 4th – 6th July 2025. Early bird tickets on sale HERE.