Outbreak London: here to stay
Photos by @stories.from.the.pit
Outbreak Festival 2025 made a powerful entrance into London this summer, it was held in Victoria Park as part of Lido festival. The most famous hardcore festival in the UK made quite a statement to the London fans, it was truly a bold reimagining of what a heavy music festival can look like in 2025. With a lineup that ran from classic hardcore to futuristic noise-pop and underground hip-hop, the event felt both underground and mainstream.
Turnstile
At the centre of it all stood Turnstile. Their UK-exclusive headliner show started about half an hour later than originally announced. It was truly worth the wait for the 15 000 people that were in the park when the band exploded onto the stage. Their set blurred the lines between aggression and celebration, with bursts of colour and positivity that stood in stark contrast to hardcore’s typical vibe. They opened with Never Enough, featuring an extended flute solo by Shabaka. The lead single from their latest album with the same name, showcases Turnstile's ability to blend various musical styles together and by the looks of it fans seem to absolutely love it. Immediately after the first notes hit, the crowd transformed into a wave of moshing, jumping and crowd-surfing, a living organism reacting to every breakdown and dreamy bridge.
Turnstile's set relied heavily on their most recent albums, Glow On and Never Enough, with only a handful of older tracks making the cut, Come Back for More and Fazed Out among them, marking a clear shift into a new era for the band. Just before the encore, the band played Holiday and the crowd exploded from front to back, left and right. Everyone was going crazy into one of the biggest mosh pits we’ve seen recently.
Adding to the charged atmosphere was the moment when a girl wearing a Free Palestine shirt appeared on the large screens. It was a subtle but powerful reminder of the values Turnstile stands behind. Later in the set, Alien Love Call took things in a more intimate direction, made even more special by the appearance of British singer Blood Orange, who joined the band on stage for the performance.
“The first show we ever played in the UK was in 2013 at Outbreak,” frontman Brendan Yates pointed out. Unlike their debut gig back then this time it wasn’t just a hardcore show but a vision of where heavy music is heading. It felt utopian and the summer rain in the park almost made it spiritual. Heavily influenced by the visual aesthetics of their latest album Never Enough, it looked like the kind of set that fans will reference for years. To cap it all off, Brendan stage-dived into the crowd, reaching out to greet as many fans as he could.
Knocked Loose
But Turnstile was far from the only highlight on Friday. Knocked Loose delivered the weekend’s most intense set, a masterclass in modern metalcore brutality. They sounded massive. Vocalist Bryan Garris yelled and growled over heavy breakdowns, sparking some of the wildest mosh pit action of the day and your much needed walls of death. Their blend of precision and ferocity made them feel like a festival headliner, even if they weren’t at the top of the bill.
Speed
The Australian band Speed brought their signature style straight-ahead hardcore with enough kinetic energy to match the insane heat in the Stage two tent. Their set didn’t slow down for a second, and frontman Jem Siow kept talking to the crowd the whole time, pushing everyone into a wild, unstoppable frenzy. His loud shouts and unpredictable energy made the performance feel chaotic, but also like everyone was part of something together. Many would agree that Speed was the purest hardcore act of the day. Unpolished, explosive, and absolutely wild.
Glassjaw
Later, Glassjaw brought a heavier, more serious tone to the festival. There’s something powerful about a band that’s been around so long but still feels fresh. Their set focused on deeper cuts and fan favourites. Daryl Palumbo’s voice was full of feeling, both aggressive and dramatic. For longtime fans, it was an emotional moment. For new listeners, it was a chance to see where so many of today’s bands got their inspiration.
From the underground came Kumo 99, a duo that felt like they were sent from the future. Their music mixed punk, fast breakbeats, and strange, glitchy sounds. It felt like a hardcore show in combination with a secret rave in a Tokyo alley. Their set was a bold reminder that punk energy comes in many forms.
The rest of the festival had its mix of surprises. The Club tent hosted acts like Sunny Day Real Estate, Have a Nice Life and Model/Aktriz, which filled up fast. A lot of people couldn’t get in, which led to some frustration. But for those who made it, the experience was raw, deeply moving and special.
By the end of the night, one thing was clear: Outbreak London wasn’t just a copy of the Manchester version. Whether you came to dance, scream, cry, or just sit in the dirt with your friends, Outbreak gave you the space to do it. And if you were there when Turnstile hit the stage and the whole place lit up you know you are part of the right community, and we all hope that Outbreak will return to London next year.
