Colin's Top 25 Favourite Albums Of 2025

This year has sucked so bad. Sure, there have been some good times. I got to attend two weddings and see some of my favourite people get married. I’ve been to great festivals and gigs and got to cross two bands I had never seen before off of the bucket list. But unfortunately those good times have been heavily outweighed by the bad. However, like always, when times are hard I turned to music. “When I’ve got the music, I’ve got a place to go” etc. etc. 

When I started CPRW all those many years ago, it was to give back to a community that had given me so much. I used to get really frustrated by other websites/blogs/zines that started out as a way of supporting DIY punk rock and then got (in my opinion) quite rubbish. Taking the DIY punk approach to things, if you don’t like something then do it yourself.

Before writing this next bit, I want to preface it by saying that I am fully aware that music and all other forms of art are subjective and that’s the beauty of it. I love a chat about my favourite music with people who think I’m talking nonsense. It's a big part of the fun, especially coming from a genre of music that is quite niche and not what most people would consider cool. But I read some end of year lists recently and it got me frustrated again. Where is all the DIY punk rock that these sites used to champion? Who’s shouting about the true scene these days? I had had a bad day and for some reason this put me in a really bad mood. Full on stroppy Colin. It was an overreaction from a nearly 40 year old man I am happy to admit. However, it did inspire me to do my own list of my favourite albums of 2025.

Whereas I haven’t listened to over 500 albums released this year, like I did the year previous, I have managed to listen to well over 100 punk rock albums. So I think I’m pretty well placed to give an opinion on what I think are the top releases of the year. And I am going to mention, once again, before anyone shouts at me that I am fully aware that music is subjective. My list will definitely be different to yours, and yours will be different to Belinda in the post office, and Belinda’s will be different to Rhea’s at the supermarket, and so on and so forth. I always liked to do these lists to inspire people to go and check out any albums that they may have missed and shout about some bands and releases that I love. Giving back to the community that has supported me so much.

Fight Me IRL. by Fight Me IRL. (Denmark)

Before we get properly into the list, if you haven’t already scrolled to the bottom and just read the list and gotten on with your day (I am well aware that folk don’t like long form stuff anymore and I should just do a minute long tickety tock reel), I do want to give a special mention to Copenhagen’s Fight Me IRL. I was lucky enough to see this awesome four piece at Nasty Cut Festival in 2024, before they had released any music, and was blown away. I’d been itching to get something I could listen to at home since then and over a year later they finally released their album/EP. I’m not really sure what label it falls under. But my personal rule for these things is that to count as an album it has to be at least eight songs and Fight Me IRL. (also the name of the release) is seven. It’s seven bangers though and would have placed very high on this list if it was eligible by my own strict rules. If you love bands like PUP and Jeff Rosenstock, I imagine you’ll love Fight Me IRL. I love them and am very excited for them to release more music and hopefully catch them again at Nasty Cut Festival in 2026. Check out the songs North Bridge, 25 and Eternal Damnation.

https://fightmeirl.bandcamp.com/album/fight-me-irl

Now on with the top 25 favourite albums of 2025.

25. Suspicious Package by Tape It Shut (UK)

Suspicious Package is the long awaited debut album by Reading’s political punk rockers Tape It Shut. The three piece have been playing songs from this album live for years now and it’s fantastic to finally get them recorded and released to the world. I’ll admit that I’ve given Dan Tape some playful grief about there being too many songs on it but when you listen to the album in full it’s hard to pick a song that I’d cut. The fun thing about an album that is 16 songs and 47 minutes long is that you’re going to be finding new things that you love every time you listen to it. If I were to redo this list in six months (I’m absolutely not going to), there is every chance that Suspicious Package would be higher. Check out $cam, Employee Of The Hour and See Yourself In Five.

https://tapeitshut.bandcamp.com/album/suspicious-package

24. Paradise Mausoleum by Deforesters (Canada)

Toronto’s Deforesters are a band close to my heart because they always remind me of my dear friend Robyn. They’re not the most active of bands these days but when Robyn mentioned that Deforesters had released a new album I was dead excited. I loved their previous effort, 2017’s Leonard, and couldn’t wait to check out their latest album Paradise Mausoleum. Deforesters play that heart-on-your-sleeve, gruff, shout-along-with-your-pals punk rock that I adore. Paradise Mausoleum is an introspective album, packed with songs that everyone will relate to. Deforesters feel like quite an underrated band within their genre but I’m sure if you give them a spin you’ll love them like I do. Check out Virgin Birth Of The Two Day Hangover, Springsteenian and Asshole Robert Frost.

https://www.instagram.com/deforesters/

23. Let’s Tip The Landlord by The Brokedowns (USA)

The Brokedowns released one of my favourite albums of 2023 with Maximum Khaki. Osama Van Halen in particular is often stuck in my head. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that they would be releasing its follow up in 2025. Once again released by the prolific Red Scare Industries, Let’s Tip The Landlord sees the Chicago based four piece continue to write rough and ready melodic gruff punk. Like Deforesters, this is music you’re going to want to shout along with whether it’s on record or in a sweaty club with a bunch of strangers who have become your new best mates. Music that brings people together is the best music. Check out Date Night In The Hague, Let’s Tip The Landlord and The Power Of Love.

https://thebrokedowns.bandcamp.com/album/lets-tip-the-landlord

22. Good Intentions by Racehorse (UK)

Bristol’s Racehorse are a band, like Tape It Shut, who finally released a long awaited debut album this year. Good Intentions feels like it’s been years in the making but when it finally arrived it surpassed all expectations. I feel like Omar has been working on this band the whole time I’ve known him (which is nearly ten years at this point) and I was so pleased for him with how good this album has come out. His vocals in particular stand out – emotional, passionate, angsty, he’s got it all. Accompanied by some superb musicianship, Racehorse might be one of the UK scene’s best kept secrets. I hope they continue to build on this album and play some more shows across the UK. Someone book them in London for me, please and thank you. Check out Four Against One, Local Band and Punchline.

https://racehorse.bandcamp.com/album/good-intentions

21. Break The Silence by Jet8 (Czechia)

Jet8 followed up their awesome 2020 album Chasing The High this year. Break The Silence is another superb skacore release from the Prague based six piece. From the outset there is an intense and aggressive sound that carries on throughout the entire album. Something I really enjoy about Break The Silence, and Jet8’s sound in general, is that they work just as well at a punk rock/hardcore show as they do a ska show. They clearly draw influence from both genres. If you’re new to Jet8 then this serves as a great introduction to the band. But also go and check out their back catalogue while you’re at it. Check out Stop For A While, Faces and Let’s Make It Clear.

https://jet8.bandcamp.com/album/break-the-silence

20. Still Here by Brutalligators (UK)

Brutalligators played one of my favourite sets of the year when I was fortunate enough to catch them at Nasty Cut Festival in May. This was my first time seeing them and I finally got all the hype I had heard about them. They blew me away. Fast forward to November and they released their brand new album Still Here. Here we have ten emo/indie punk rock bangers that are equally relatable, uplifting and cathartic. Still Here has plenty of fantastic sing-along moments, in particular the anthemic Get Better, but there are also quieter moments that will really grab you emotionally. Check out Still Here, Get Better and What’s Next.

https://fikarecordings.bandcamp.com/album/still-here

19. All Pain No Gain by Kingfisher (Canada)

I think I have to thank my friends Punk Rock Avenue from Canada for pointing me in the direction of Kingfisher. If you’ve been reading CPRW since the early days, when this blog was actually active, then you’ll know how much I love a gang vocal. All Pain No Gain is chock full of them and they sound huge. Sonically Kingfisher play melodic punk rock with big hooks, gritty vocals and massive choruses. What’s not to love about that? Each of these songs has me itching to throw my fist in the air and shout along with the band and if your band can get that emotion out of me then you’re doing a grand job. Check out Small World, Yesterday and From Parts Unknown.

https://officialkingfisher.bandcamp.com/album/all-pain-no-gain

18. GO by MAYSON’s PARTY (Japan)

Fun fact, GO by MAYSON’s PARTY was the first album released in 2025 that I listened to this year. The fact that it remained within my top 20 for the year shows what a high standard it set. As you can probably expect from a Japanese ska punk band, they are incredibly tight but where they stand out from many of their compatriots is how much fun they are. I’ve said so many times over the years that punk rock and ska doesn’t need to change the world on every song. It’s more than acceptable to just be fun. Fun is great, who doesn’t like fun? This album is a party. A really fun party. Check out Now We Go, Punk Rock Bomb and their wonderful cover of Daydream Believer.

https://www.instagram.com/maysonsparty_jp/

17. Superbucle by Yawners (Spain)

I do not speak Spanish. Not a single word outside of sí. That however did not stop me from really enjoying Superbucle by Yawners. Their previous couple of albums have mostly been in English with one or two Spanish songs included. However Superbucle, aside from one song in English, is mostly in Spanish. It’s such an infectious album though, I can’t help but enjoy myself whenever I listen to it. Yawners, which is the project of Madrid based Elena Nieto, plays indie/emo punk and seems to have created quite a name for themselves within that scene. Check out Merienda-cena, Self-diagnose and 1 de enero.

https://yawners.bandcamp.com/album/superbucle

16. Pinch Hitters by Miller Lowlifes (USA)

Pinch Hitters is the debut album from Florida’s Miller Lowlifes. I’ve been fortunate enough to catch them a couple of times at The Fest in Gainesville, before they had released much music online and loved them. This may be partly because I also really enjoy singer and guitarist Richie’s other band, Articles. It’s that raspy voiced melodic pop punk sound that Fest is known for. Pinch Hitters is ten songs that anyone from a working class background will relate to. Songs about hating your job and wanting a change are on the menu here. Written in a way that will have you wanting to get down to your local bar and shout along to these songs with your friends. Check out Learn My Worth, Go and I’m A Lowlife, Baby.

https://millerlowlifes.bandcamp.com/album/pinch-hitters-3

15. Parade! Parade! by Aren’t We Amphibians (USA)

I hadn’t heard of Aren’t We Amphibians a month or so ago. I took to the Internet and asked some friends for recommendations for albums from 2025 and my friend Theo recommended them. Check out Real Life Presents for Theo’s gigs. Aren’t We Amphibian’s are a jangly, mathy, emo band from California. In September, the three piece released the awesome Parade! Parade! I can remember my first time listening to it (admittedly it wasn’t that long ago), sitting on my sofa and being absolutely mesmerised by it. I was surprised to discover this huge sound is made by only three people. I’m not a big emo guy but for Parade! Parade! I certainly make the exception. It doesn’t hurt that there are a smattering of horns on the album. Check out Dunce Hat, Forgiving Jeff and Family On 6.

https://arentweamphibians.bandcamp.com/album/parade-parade

14. On The Dancefloor by The Planet Smashers (Canada)

From a band I had never heard of to a band that I’ve been a big fan of for a long, long time. Whenever ska legends The Planet Smashers release a new album it’s a reason to be excited. On The Dancefloor is the band's first in six long years and it was more than worth the wait. The Smashers have the distinctive sound that we all know and love and they don’t really veer from that on On The Dancefloor. They don’t need to though, they are masters of their two-tone inspired, ska punk sound. On The Dancefloor has party songs, break-up songs and songs about rebellion. The punk trifecta really. The Planet Smashers have been releasing albums for thirty years now. If they keep up this quality, I hope they continue to do so for at least another thirty. Check out Falling, Police Brutality and Torpedo.

https://planetsmashers.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-dancefloor

13. Desertion by Spite House (Canada)

Montreal’s Spite House released their second album Desertion on Pure Noise Records at the beginning of the autumn. I was put on to their first album, 2022’s self titled effort by my friend and former CPRW contributor Richard not long after it’s release and found myself pleasantly surprised by what I heard. Fast forward three years and I’m now also really enjoying the follow up. It’s probably heavier than most things I listen to and features no trumpets whatsoever but it does feature this intensity that really pulls you in and keeps you enthralled from the start of the album to its conclusion. This is one of those albums that feels like an event when you listen to it. It’s a powerful listen. Check out Desert, Down The Drain and Midway.

https://spitehousemtl.bandcamp.com/album/desertion

12. Strangers At Home by Weak (Spain)

I don’t think I’ve ever had two Spanish acts on my end of year lists. I guess today is the day that we change that. Weak are a four piece that are based in Madrid and Asturias. When they come together they create fantastic, anthemic melodic punk rock. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that this is pop punk music for grown ups. It’s another that most people listening will find relatable but will also have them tapping their toes along with the melodies, whilst the lyrics lodge themselves into your brain. The highlights for me are when the singer really stretches their vocals and adds that passion and energy that I adore. Check out Turn On The Lights, Not Like The Others and I Owe You.

https://weakpunkrock.bandcamp.com/album/strangers-at-home

11. Crèmecore Deluxe by Prize Dink Camp (Belgium)

Belgium’s Prize Dink Camp are one of the most interesting bands in the world of ska and, to be quite honest, if you haven’t checked them out yet then you need to sort that out pronto. The synth ska trio released their first full length back in February of 2025. Crèmecore Deluxe takes on a variety of political and social issues that we all have to deal with daily. This gives the album a darker feel than what you might expect but it really works out. The whole album feels like a lot of progression from their earlier releases and I’m a fan of that. Check out Pick Me Up, The Four Seasons Of Wavivaldi and Crèmecore.

https://prizedinkcamp.bandcamp.com/album/cr-mecore-deluxe

10. It’s A Mad, Bad, Sad, Rad World by Brunt Of It (USA)

It’s A Mad, Bad, Sad, Rad World is my number one ska punk album of 2025. Brunt Of It are a band I’ve been aware of for a long time but, if I’m being completely honest, I had no idea they were still together and putting out music. It was a lovely surprise to discover they had released a new album and I loved it immediately. Led by lead singer Boofish, the long running band’s trademark skacore sound is better than ever. There’s the punk rock intensity combined with the fun that the upstrokes and horns provide. This is one of those wonderful albums where you hit play and can’t help but want to dance. 2025 is Brunt Of It’s 30th year as a band and they’ve managed to drop their best ever album. How many bands can claim that I wonder? Check out Right Light (featuring David McWane), Holding Patterns and HR-187.

https://bruntofit.bandcamp.com/album/its-a-mad-bad-sad-rad-world

9. Now And The Future by Horace Pinker (USA)

Horace Pinker are a band I’ve been aware of for a long time but never really checked out. Then for some reason I decided to check out their latest offering, Now And The Future, on a long train journey home. I quickly kicked myself for not bothering with them previously. What a good band! For those who don’t know, Horace Pinker are a four piece melodic punk rock band who are based in Chicago. Now And The Future is their 7th full length album and first since 2011. Something I really enjoyed about the album is the vocals. At times they feel reigned in but when the moment feels right the band are not afraid to unleash a full power vocal assault. If you’re a fan of bands like Face To Face or Hot Water Music I urge you to listen to this album. Check out Three Against Me, Warmup For The Future and Just Around The Corner.

https://peopleofpunkrock.bandcamp.com/album/now-and-the-future

8. Dark Thoughts by Lone Wolf (Netherlands)

We are big Lone Wolf fans in our household. The Rotterdam based band are one of the most consistent and prolific bands in the European punk scene. Seemingly putting out a great album every couple of years. You’d think with the amount of music that the band releases that perhaps the quality would drop. That’s certainly not the case on Dark Thoughts, the band’s fourth full length album. Blending Ramonescore and indie punk effortlessly, Dark Thoughts sounds exactly like you would expect a Lone Wolf album to sound like. On previous albums there has been more of a split of vocal duties between Ox and Merel but on Dark Thoughts Ox is the main vocalist. This is because it’s a much more personal album than the band’s previous efforts as Ox explores mental health. I don’t think this topic is explored enough in the world of Ramonescore and I’m pleased Ox had decided to do this. Excitingly Lone Wolf are playing Manchester Punk Festival next year and they need to be at the top of your must see list. Check out High All The Time, Get Better and Rip It Apart.

https://wearelonewolf.bandcamp.com/album/dark-thoughts

7. All Dead Bars Go To Heaven by Dead Bars (USA)

Seattle, Washington’s Dead Bars returned with their first album in six years with the excellent All Dead Bars Go To Heaven. Something I’ve always enjoyed about Dead Bars is the simplicity that they approach their music with. This approach remains on this, their third full length album, but they seem to have refined the sound somewhat. There’s definitely some garage punk influence on the album that was perhaps missing from previous albums. What also remains are the big sing-alongs and John Maiello’s charming lyrics. The album tackles subjects such as love, dealing with loss and self acceptance. Like Lone Wolf, Dead Bars are also playing Manchester Punk Festival for the first time next year, and I expect some other shows around the UK to pop up as well. Check out I Wanna Be A Ghost, Valentine Heart and Give A Metalhead A Hug.

https://deadbars.bandcamp.com/album/all-dead-bars-go-to-heaven

6. Hot For Hormones by Hormones (Australia)

Love to the wonderful Scott from Brassneck Records for putting me onto Hormones. The Melbourne based foursome released the excellent Hot For Hormones back in September. Playing infectious power pop/punk, Hormones write anthems for the LGBTQ+ community. There’s plenty to learn for anyone listening to the album and my goodness you’re going to have a fun time listening. Hot For Hormones is jam packed with ear worms that you will be singing to yourself for days afterwards. Hormones are legitimately a band that I can see doing some great things. Writing great songs about an important subject, we all need more bands like Hormones. Check out Got My Head Straight (The Rest Of Me Got Gay), Transgender Menace and You Don’t Have A Son.

https://hormonesforall.bandcamp.com/album/hot-for-hormones

5. Nobody’s Going To Heaven by Elway (USA)

Elway are one of the most consistently brilliant punk bands of the last ten years. Every album they release is packed with massive anthems. This trend continued with their latest effort, Nobody’s Going To Heaven. As anyone who has ever listened to Elway before will know, Elway can write a big fist in the air anthem and Nobody’s Going To Heaven has eleven of them. Nobody’s Going To Heaven sees Elway at their most angry as they take the state of America to task. They are not happy with the commercialism that’s plaguing the country, and let’s be honest, the majority of the world. As ever Tim Browne’s gift for sharp, witty and poetic lyrics nail it. It’s been too long since Elway made the trip to the UK, here’s hoping there’s something planned for 2026. Check out The Cost! The Price!, Down The Land And Far Away and Nobody’s Going To Heaven.

https://elwaytheband.bandcamp.com/album/nobodys-going-to-heaven

4. Errth by Errth (USA)

Errth are a supergroup that came out and blew the gruff punk community away this year. Featuring members of Aspiga, Public Serpants, Reunions and Seeing Snakes, they released their self-titled debut on Uncle Style Records in March. I’ve enjoyed everything Uncle Style have released so far (I wish they had a UK distro) and Errth kept that trend going. I always enjoy when a band has multiple lead singers, especially when the have contrasting styles. It gives the album a varied sound and keeps the listener’s attention. The album is full of melody but also has this quality that drives it forward and gives it an undeniable energy. I expect this album to place highly on a lot of end of year lists this year and rightly so. Check out 8760 Hours, New Orleans and Last Time You Saw Me.

https://errthisaband.bandcamp.com/album/errth

3. Ghost Familiar by Familiar Ghost (USA)

I listened to Ghost Familiar by Familiar Ghost at a time where I was struggling to get excited by new bands. I hit play and 29 minutes later I was on a mission to tell all my friends about this amazing album I had just listened to. I was so excited. Familiar Ghost are a band/collective from Philadelphia. I say collective because looking at the amount of folk who contributed to the album it’s too many to just call it a band! Playing gruff pop punk music, there’s a rawness on the recording that really appealed to me. I’m not a huge fan of over produced/super polished sounding music. The rawness of this recording gives the album a whole new energy and gives me a feeling of what it would be like to see them live. Seriously, I adored this album. I think with more listens it could easily climb this list. Check out Men At Work Without Hats, Less and Tornado Tornado.

https://familiarghost.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-familiar

2. Nothing To Be Sad About by Fine And Great (Germany)

Munich’s emo punks Fine And Great released their debut album Nothing To Be Sad About on Fond Of Life Records in June. I had loved the three piece’s previous singles and EPs and was very excited when a full length was being released. I’m also a very big fan of Manu’s other band Captain Asshole. Fine And Great go down a more emotional road than CA with heart on your sleeve lyrics, mathy guitar riffs and driving drums. I adore the dual vocals that Manu and Tooney provide throughout the album, there are some delicious harmonies here. They have also mastered the art of knowing when to be quiet and when to let it all out and shout loud. Fun fact: an album Manu has written has never been lower than 2nd on my end of year lists. I’m a big fan of his work. Check out Brunch Is For Losers, Namek Used To Be A Safe Place and Tokyo III.

https://fineandgreat.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-to-be-sad-about

1. New Lungs by Burnt Tapes (Greece/UK)

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, New Lungs by Burnt Tapes is my favourite album of 2025. I’ve never made any secret of my love for this band, not just as a band but as people as well. I love them so much that I came out of review retirement for them. Their debut album Never Better was in my top five albums of all time and when they released New Lungs it somehow managed to eclipse it. That’s some feat. I can remember my very first listen and thinking this does sound like the Burnt Tapes I know and love but you can also hear so much progression. They’ve not just tried to repeat from they’ve done previously, they’ve taken a chance and tried new things and it’s worked wonderfully. The classic – yes, they’ve been going for long enough now that we can say classic – Phil and Pan dual vocals are as good as ever. Whether they’re trading lines or harmonising for one another, they sound great. Interestingly I don’t think there’s a song on New Lungs that tops Yuzi, Dirt Roads or Go Drunk (play it live!) but as a complete album it’s almost perfect. There’s not a single song here that I wouldn’t miss if had been cut. It’s clear that a lot of effort has gone into not just the songwriting but also the way the album flows together. It’s a ride. If you want to read a full review of the album you can here but honestly just go and listen to it again, whether it’s your first time or your one hundredth. This is a special, special album. Check out it all.

https://burnttapes.bandcamp.com/album/new-lungs

Thanks for reading all of that. Maybe you agree with me, maybe you don’t. Music’s subjective and stuff. Maybe there’s some stuff on the list you haven’t listened to before. Maybe you have and might want to give it a second go because of my ramblings. That would be cool. If none of these albums do tickle your fancy then maybe check out these honourable mentions?

New Dead Ends by The Best Of The Worst
True To Form by Left Alone
Bad Luck, You Can Make It Next Time by Cleavers
Beliefs & Thieves by The Kilograms
Pyramid Scheme Of Dreams by The Carolyn
A Sea Of Nude Limbs Thrashing by Our Sins
All My Friends Are Ghosts And Soon I Will Be Too by Bats Bats Bats
Misery Champion by Flinch.
Hope In The Haze by Tired Radio
Burn After Listening by The Riptides
Curtsy When You Land by Madison Turner
To All The Ones That I Love by Press Club
Highway To The End by Dark Thoughts
Ultimate Worrier by Back Teeth
Partial Eclipse Of by The Pomps
Candybars And Stars by Worst Advice
At The End Of All The Thrills by Old Chase

Album Review: New Lungs by Burnt Tapes

It’s been three years since I attempted to do an album review but if there is one band that will get me to sit down behind my laptop and do one it’s my friends Burnt Tapes. On August the 8th they will release their long awaited second album, the follow up to 2019’s incredible Never Better (one of my all time favourite albums). The new album is titled New Lungs and being released once again by Lockjaw Records (UK) and Wiretap Records (USA), as well as a tape from Nasty Cut Records (Denmark). Tapes on tape – it’s about time, right?

I feel like I need to address the fact that this review might come across as incredibly biased. These guys have been friends of mine for a long time now, they started out as Burnt Tapes around the same time as I started doing CPRW and we’ve reviewed every EP and album they’ve released, along with countless live shows. I’ve never made it a secret how highly I think of Phil, Pan, Jordan and Tone not just as musicians but as people, so yeah this will probably come across as a really biased review. I’m saying nice things about my friends’ new album, but rest assured that every word I type in this review I really mean and I’m not just buttering up my mates. I’ve had New Lungs on repeat in a dark room where I usually sleep for a couple of months now and I’m excited to share my views on it with you. Let’s take a deep breath and jump right in.

New Lungs begins with the song Crisis Actor. The song starts with a familiar Burnt Tapes tone that has me thinking of Lost In Transit, the final track from Never Better. It almost feels like a continuation or at least a call back, something the band are known for doing. I love this. Crisis Actor eases you into the album with Pan’s vocals over that welcoming riff. Before long the whole band comes in. This song sets the tone for the whole album with its big, emotional build. We then launch into a stretch of the four singles the band released in the run up to the album. Up first is MOTHERSGUILT. The very first line features a common Burnt Tapes trope – grinding teeth. I immediately got a kick out of this. The song explores the theme of feeling like you’re not meeting other people’s expectations of you and using the guilt that gives you as fuel to keep on going. I feel like that’s something that most of us has gone through at times, making the song hugely relatable. The chorus will no doubt earn some big sing-alongs and feel cathartic for many. 

Little Sister was originally released way back in 2023 and gave us a glimpse as to what was coming from the band. Phil takes over lead vocals for this deep and emotional song about a particularly hard and dark time with his mental health that he went through. He tells a story about the journey of reaching a low point and reaching out for help before things get even lower. This is a mid-tempo track with a catchy chorus. The stand out moment on the track however is the guest vocal appearance from Hannah Hermione Greenwood from Creeper on the bridge. This really adds to the emotion of the song. As of yet, Hannah hasn’t joined the band to do this live – maybe at the album launch at the Black Heart in Camden on the 19th of September? That would be cool. Next is the brilliantly titled You Only YOLO Once. This is one of the higher tempo tracks on New Lungs and really showcases the band’s trademark sad boy pop punk moniker. Sonically it’s an upbeat, almost summery-sounding song but when you dig down into Pan’s lyrics you discover a song about his own mental health struggles. The line “every now and then, it hits me like a bullet train” is one I imagine a lot of people listening will find extremely relatable. I know I certainly do. Of course there is another broken teeth reference in the song, because of course there is. I’ve heard that they’re trying to get a dentist sponsorship.

The album’s title track, New Lungs is the fourth and final single from the album. Continuing the more poppy version of their sound, New Lungs once again talks about mental health. The song actually starts out feeling quite hopeful as Pan sings “new lungs set to breathe new seasons, held breath and an unsure sweaty brow, I’m better now, I’m better.” This mood soon changes though as Pan sings about having a toxic relationship with either another person or their own brain and that person/brain and being brought down once again, not knowing who you are anymore. This song features another great chorus and some big hooks that will really pull a live crowd in. Shelf Life Of The Party is another fantastic song title. Phil is back on lead vocal duties and the energy remains. On my first listen to New Lungs this is one of the songs that really stood out to me. It’s about getting older and feeling burnt out, lost, like you’re finished and you’re not the person you used to be. Phil’s vocals bring an intensity to the song that I love and I really hope it becomes a regular in their live set going forward. 

Track seven is titled Office On Repeat. On my first listen of New Lungs, my first thought was that this was the album closer as it has a huge, epic ending. There’s still three more bangers to come though and trust me, the closer is an incredible ending for the album. Office On Repeat starts out as a mid-tempo pop punk song talking about the end of a relationship. As we reach the final third of the song, the tempo and melody changes and we get a big emo ending that will get a big reaction from a live crowd. There’s a few moments on this album that do make me think that this has been specifically written with a live crowd reaction in mind and I’m a big fan of when bands do that. The pace is brought right back up on Future Strangers. Have you ever come to a point in your life where it feels like something has hit a road block, you don’t know what comes next and you begin to question everything? That’s what this song is about. I enjoyed the sliver of hope that track gives you as Pan sings “it’ll all make sense in time.” It’s a simple and powerful lyric that works so well in the song.

The penultimate song is named OnlyFriends. The song starts slowly, similar in style to the classic Things Get Weird. Pan sings softly as the song gradually builds up to its big finale. This slow start really adds to the emotion of the song and really pulls you in. There’s no slow start and then bang, you’re in, OnlyFriends builds and builds and takes you with it. When that big moment does finally come in and it hits you, you feel ready to be hit. Fantastic songwriting. There is also a moment in the song when the band becomes the big stadium rock band they deserve to be when they implement a crowd participation clapping section. The tenth and final song is So Long, Sundays. This might be the most ambitious piece of songwriting that Burnt Tapes have ever attempted and of course they pulled it off. A perfect choice to bring the album to an end. This song is about going through all the hard times that happen in your life and eventually finding your way out of the other side. New Lungs is an album that has plenty of down moments, so having this moment of hope at the end is really refreshing. It serves as a great reminder that no matter how hard things can get, sometimes it will get better and it’s always great to be reminded of that. There’s a moment at the end of the song that I won’t spoil for you but it’s something that I never, ever expected to hear on a Burnt Tapes album. I guess they’ve been hanging out at the New Cross Inn for too long now. 

It’s been six years since the Burnt Tapes released Never Better and you can really hear the progression the band have made as a band on New Lungs. You can hear a change in their sound but everything you ever loved about the band remains. Daly George from The Ranch once again did a phenomenal job with the production on the album, he did a fantastic job bring all of these songs to life. New Lungs has been my most anticipated album of the year since the band released Never Better and it did not disappoint. I’m not even that sad that the reworked version of Go Drunk didn’t make the cut, as each song brings something different but it all flows nicely together. It’s an album that can be listened to as an album or as singles. I do feel like each one of these songs could’ve been used as a single. As I said at the start of this, Burnt Tapes are my friends and this could come across as biased, but I truly believe that this is a fantastic album. I would say that if you loved Never Better then this might be a bit of a grower but you’ll soon come to love it just as much, if not more. Well done friends, loving your work.

Burnt Tapes play an album release show with Modern Shakes and Making Friends at the Black Heart in Camden on Friday the 19th of September. You should come to the party. Get your ticket here.

Manchester Punk Festival 2025

I'm laying in my hotel room bed watching people clean really dirty rugs (on the Internet) and I'm thinking to myself I should probably start work on my review of Manchester Punk Festival 2025. I know I keep saying that I'm retired from writing but I know, and you know, that MPF will always pull me back in. I absolutely love this festival and will forever talk about it. I've also reviewed every single MPF since it started and it would be a shame not to do the 10th anniversary edition.

 

If you were at the festival (and you should've been!) you will have hopefully picked up the wonderful free programme the festival provides. And hopefully you read my article (so pleased they let me do an actual article this year) about how MPF has changed, evolved and expanded over the years. It's online here – go and check it out if you want. Paul Smith told me it was a pleasant read and that's high praise as he also recently told me that I looked like a funeral director at his brother's wedding. In that article, I mentioned how the biggest change for me personally at MPF was that at the first one in 2015 I attended not knowing anyone, ten years later I'm lucky enough to have made so many friends it's impossible to walk anywhere around the festival without bumping into a friendly face. MPF is this wonderful event that brings together people from punk scenes and communities from all over and it's the best. It sounds like an overused cliché but MPF really is a big family reunion. I got to hang out with my pals not just from the New Cross Inn/London scene but also legends and heroes from Manchester (obviously), Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Hastings, Reading, Brighton, Leeds, Warrington, Birmingham, Scotland, Wales, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and, of course, South Africa via Denmark. Probably some more places as well, but I'm writing this on four hours sleep. It feels really special that we all get to have this annual meet up to spend time together doing something that we love and we should never take that for granted.

I've written the last paragraph as a precursor (good word for four hours sleep) for this review as I feel like this whole thing is going to be more of a love letter to my friends rather than an actual unbiased ‘journalistic’ recap of my experiences at MPF 2025. When the complete festival line up was announced, I noticed just how many bands I’m mates with were playing and I immediately worried that they were going to clash with some other bands I wanted to see and I would have to make a tough decision. Ultimately, I went with the theory of if I’m seeing one friend's band I should try and see all my friends' bands. Sadly I did have some clashes with that, so I went with the ones who were making their first appearances at MPF or were bands from our New Cross Inn family. Sorry if I did miss your band, I’ll make sure to see you next time.

Manchester Pals Fest is a nickname that the festival has had for years now and this year it felt more like that than ever. The first band of that pals fest played the festival's traditional warm up show on the Thursday night. After some storming sets from Brighton's melodic punks Not The Face, local riot grrrl act Open Fly and Ipswich hip hop/punk rock crossover megastar Native James, it was time for Tripsun’s final show for a long time as guitarist Mike is about to move to Switzerland with his lovely new wife Chloé. All of the very best to this wonderful couple – we will miss hanging out with them dearly! Good job I’m in sixteen (probably) group chats with Mike so I will be able to lovingly mock him when the mighty Crystal Palace knock Aston Villa out of the FA Cup on Saturday. (I’m sure this won’t age badly). I’ve seen Tripsun more times than any other band and it’s always a great time. The whole band were in high spirits and put in a headline worthy set themselves despite only having a thirty minute set. Playing a mixture of bangers from the incredible Kill The Dream album, including Apathy where the band were joined by Beth from Crocodile Tears for the Stu Daly part, as well as some old favourites it was one big sing-along from beginning to end. In just a couple of songs I found myself right at the front of the crowd with scene legend and wonderful human being Chris Fishlock shouting along to the songs. This year, Tripsun have also added a couple of covers into their set, Weezer’s Pork & Beans and Green Day’s When I Come Around went down a storm with the crowd and the set was then finished with Chemstrains which included a traditional Fishlock stage dive. Mike, Hassan, Andy and Zandro – we love you, don’t be away too long my friends. The night was concluded by another Brighton band, Dakka Skanks. The band sounded huge in the Rebellion venue (I probably should’ve mentioned where the gig was taking place already but leave me alone, I’m out of practice). The band were slick, they eased the crowd in with some slower tracks but as the set progressed they upped the tempo of the songs and the crowd responded by creating a frenzied skank pit in front of them. The crowd was suitably warmed up for the upcoming three days of fun.

Over the years of festivalling, I’ve discovered a great way of waking myself up in the mornings after a rubbish night's sleep in a hotel is by going for an early morning walk. Every day it became routine to go for a short walk from the hotel to the nearest Greggs and grab some breakfast for myself and Emma and our best pals Robyn and Brett. This early morning walk did wonders for me everyday and I really recommend trying it.

A tradition we have every year is to meet outside The Union at 11am, one hour before wristband collection, to make sure we’re in and out as quickly as possible. This is always a big highlight for me because it’s a chance to catch up with pals before things kick off and it becomes non-stop for the rest of the weekend. When we arrived at The Union there was currently a two person queue, our mates Paul and Will from My Third Leg. This was Will’s first time at MPF because he’s a family man and he could only do two days of the weekend because he’s got proper adult responsibilities. But you could see how much fun he had at the festival and he told me afterwards that he now gets what’s so special about the festival. Hopefully he can make MPF a regular event for him every year. You don’t just do one MPF!

Sticking with our yearly traditions, Emma and I then went to Bundobust for lunch with Robyn, Brett and Dan and Jess of Vegan Punk fame. Bundobust is the perfect way to fuel yourself ready for some long days. I probably best try to avoid going so chickpea heavy with my food choice next year though.

Food consumed, Emma and I then made our way to YES, which has become my favourite MPF venue. There were already plenty of festival goers hanging out as we made our way to the YES Basement for Skint Knees. It was already a one in one out situation but thankfully it didn’t take long for us to squeeze our way into the room. It was an impressive set from a band I wasn’t too aware of before the festival and, if I’m honest, I only really went to see to make sure I was in the room for the next band. I enjoyed how Skint Knees had three different singers and would swap instruments around. Often when bands swap instruments between members during the set it can ruin the flow of things but Skint Knees were clearly well rehearsed and did a great job of keeping things going. Next up were Japanese ska/pop punk act Relents. Probably the band on the line up that I wasn’t aware of before they were announced that I was most excited to see. And I don’t think I was alone in that as the basement quickly filled up and I later discovered that there was a huge queue going all the way back up the stairs into the bar of folks hoping to get in. Relents were fast, fun, tight and put huge smiles on faces of everyone in the room. There was a level of silliness that I loved and it had me grinning from ear to ear. It was tough to have to leave the set early but I had my number one pick of the entire weekend to see next, the wonderful Our Lives In Cinema. I also felt like I was being very kind to the people in the queue by leaving early and letting them catch a bit of the mighty Relents. I hope it’s possible for them to come back soon.

I’ve been good friends with Our Lives In Cinema’s lead singer, Mark, for years now and ever since he went to his first MPF in 2019 he’s been desperate to play it. I’m quite convinced playing MPF is a big reason he has kept the band going for so long. When we entered the Pink Room at YES it was already quite full up and Emma and I had to weave our way to the front of the crowd. I wasn’t gonna miss the chance to see my buddy play his dream gig! As soon as they started with Dials, the opening track from their awesome album Eat Your Feelings, I had a feeling that this was going to be a good one. It was and then some. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Our Lives In Cinema many times over the years with a few different line ups, but this was easily the best they’ve ever been and I was so proud of my friends because, fun fact, CPRW alumni Dan Peters also plays bass in Our Lives In Cinema and has been a great addition to the band. Mark is one of the most wholesome people that I know and proved as much by stopping midway through the set to ask to record the crowd saying hello to his mum Patsy. I’ve long said that Our Lives In Cinema are the New Cross Inn’s best kept secret and I’m now very excited to see the progression of the band as more and more people discover just how awesome Our Lives In Cinema are. I can’t think of a better band to have a breakout year.

After Our Lives In Cinema, I told Mark how much I loved him before heading over to The Union to catch a little bit of The Slow Death. We weren’t able to stay for long before we headed off again to the Bread Shed for our friends in Baldhead’s debut MPF show. We got in just as they started their set with their customary intro song of the beginning of Andrew WK’s classic, Party Hard. I’ll always be disappointed that they don’t play the entire song but they do have plenty of great originals to play as well. As we made our way through the packed crowd I noticed just how packed the stage was. Baldhead had organised the biggest horn section I’ve ever seen them play with and it sounded huge. It was amazing to see my friends' band, that they started as a bit of a joke and now has become this awesome thing, not only gets to play but smash their set at the best festival in the UK. It was lovely to see the UK ska punk community come out in support of the band and I’m pretty certain that there were lots of people who had never heard of the band in the room also checking them out. I’m sure they didn’t leave disappointed. Baldhead are an infectious group who went ambitious with their set and pulled it off in some style. Another group of friends I’m very proud of!

Next I headed back to The Union to see the mighty Vanilla Pod. One of the few bands playing MPF this year who also played the first edition in 2015. I entered the room as they were midway through my favourite Pod song, Surrounded By Idiots, which was a shame but at least I didn’t miss it completely. I did get to hear Saturday Night though, which I was pleased about. I met up with Robyn and Brett and we left a little early to head over to Gorilla for Broadway Calls. I believe they were playing their first UK show since 2013 (Broadway Calls historians can correct me on that) and there were a lot of people excited to see them, many for the first time. The Oregon pop punk three piece didn’t spend too much time chatting and ploughed through many of greatest hits including Call It Off, Basement Royalty, Be All That You Can Be, Van Rides And High Tides and Back To Oregon. A great set and thankfully we won’t have to wait so long to see them again as the band are back in the UK in October. Then we went back to the Union to see a bit of Roughneck Riot. We were supposed to see the Warrington punks earlier this year in Milton Keynes but unfortunately they had to pull out due to sickness, so seeing them at MPF made up for that. Always an incredibly tight band that are lot of fun to watch, and they write some proper anthems. After this we consumed some vegan pepperoni pizza and made our way back to Gorilla to end the main part of the day. As we arrived Millie Manders and the Shut Up were halfway through their set. The band were well rehearsed and delivered an extremely slick set featuring many of their most powerful political songs to a crowd that adored them.

The first night of MPF offered up one hell of a clash as we had to choose between our friends Call Me Malcolm doing their first MPF headline set at Gorilla or legendary punks Dillinger Four headlining the Union for their first ever appearance in Manchester. I think anyone reading this will know me well enough to know that I picked ska and I picked my friends. And by the time that they had finished their set I knew I had picked the right thing for me. The boys went big time for their slot and after setting up they left the stage before promptly coming back on with their own walk on music. They then proceeded to tear through a greatest hits set from their three classic albums I Was Broken When You Got Here, Me, Myself And Something Else and Echoes And Ghosts. Three of the best ska punk albums ever released. I’ve seen most of these songs so many times now but they never fail to excite me. It felt so good to be surrounded by the New Cross Inn family as we danced and shouted these words back at our friends on stage. Halfway through their set we got to witness one of the most lovely moments of the entire festival as Lucias Malcolm invited the legend that is Chris Lowry of Warrington Ska Punk onto stage. Chris then spoke of his love for saxophonist, and one of the funniest (intentionally and unintentionally) people I know, Mark and asked him to be his ska punk husband. It was a moment for the ages and all at CPRW wish them the best for the future. Of course, as every Call Me Malcolm set is, the fun was ended with the epic anthem All My Nameless Friends. This ended up being one of the biggest sing-alongs of the entire weekend and it was a joy to be part of. A lot of people can say they were there when Dillinger Four played Manchester for the first time. I’m quite proud to say that I was there the first time Call Me Malcolm headlined Gorilla at MPF for the first time.

Once Malcolm finished their set we were ushered outside of Gorilla. We took some time to have a quick chat with Ell and Michael from Baldhead and told them how good their set was. We then headed down the road to Rebellion for the first of three nights of after party cover sets at the venue. Our main attraction to this after party was to see MPF organiser and wonderful human being Liam Gallagher for the Oasis cover band Chunderwall (I’m not sure if that’s their official name, but let’s roll with it). I’ve never been an Oasis fan and know very few of their songs but it’s always fun to see mates do cool things and Tree and the rest of the band smashed it. Going in I felt as though I knew very few Oasis songs but I was surprised that I recognised most of the songs in the set. Perhaps that’s because all Oasis songs sound the same, perhaps they’re all great songs and have become lodged in my brain without me realising? Either way, this was a lot of fun and it was quite the experience being in Manchester and being surrounded by a packed room of people who love this band and their music. We finished our night with an Avril Lavigne set by The Menstrual Cramps. I went into it thinking I knew about three Avril songs, clearly I was wrong as I found myself singing along to each and every one. TMC put all of their own trademark energy and passion into these songs and the highlight was a sped up version of Complicated to conclude the set. Apologies to our friends in ALLDEEPENDS whose set we missed because we were at Rebellion – sometimes clashes really suck. Hopefully we can catch you again soon.

Saturday started bright and early with the Sober Social at Sandbar. Unlike the previous years’, Sober Social wasn’t run by the wonderful Sarah as she had too much on. Instead the Sober Social had been handed over to my buddy Jake and I to look after. I was a bit nervous that nobody was going to show up but thankfully we managed to draw a nice sized crowd of lovely people to enjoy a sober drink with us before the bands started again. Thanks to the MPF crew for trusting us to look after this. Finally part of the team after ten years!

After the social, Emma, Jake and I took some time to go and get some lunch. It’s always nice to see Jake and I fondly remember being introduced to him by MPF/TNS’ Bev who said that we would get on like a house on fire. Bev wasn’t wrong.

Our first band of the day was Diaz Brothers from Sunderland. I’ve been wanting to see these gruff punks for a while and they did not disappoint. I didn’t know too many of the songs they played but I loved everything I heard. I believe they have a new record coming out this year. Then we made our way to Gorilla for some more NXI pals making their MPF debut. This time it was the six piece ska punk machine Filthy Militia. This band has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, especially since they added Eve and Tom from Lead Shot Hazard and Leo from Just Say Nay. Frontman Frosty is just adding NXI ska royalty to his band and it’s working for him. I think they played one of the bravest sets of the weekend. This was their first time ever playing in Manchester and they decided to play a set of mostly unreleased songs. In fact, the only songs that they played that are out in the world were Jesus, Differences and Land Of The Dead. Differences got a great sing-along and it really went off for the final track Land Of The Dead where Frosty stripped down to his Catbite booty shorts and joined the crowd for a sing and a dance. That was a lot more of Frosty than I was expecting to see this weekend but once again I was really proud of my friends.

Once Filthy Militia finished and Frosty put his clothes back on, Emma and I headed back to the Bread Shed for the final ever show from Mark Murphy And The Meds. We were joined by our friends Craig and Toby and also met up with the Vegan Punks. Mark Murphy started this band as a lockdown project that went on to release two great albums and play a handful of shows. I was excited to get the chance to see them once before they broke up even if it did mean missing Redeemon destroying the Union. Mark Murphy And The Meds played a joyous set of fast paced Ramonescore songs from both albums and it was everything I would’ve wanted and more. It’s a shame that the project is ending already but I’m sure that Mark has something exciting planned for whatever he does next.

Next up was a trip to YES to see Chloe Hawes and Hell's Ditch. Chloe was a late addition to the line up and a very welcome one. It was a nice and chilled out acoustic set in the basement. Despite the late booking, a big crowd turned out for Chloe, including their tour pals in Forever Unclean. This was actually my first time seeing Chloe acoustic, having previously only seen them play full band versions of these songs. Despite struggling with a poorly voice during the tour, Chloe sounded great and captivated the room. I always imagine it’s difficult for an acoustic set at a punk festival, I don’t believe there were many this year, but Chloe smashed it. I also enjoyed the Essex vocab that slipped out from time to time. I heard an ‘innit’ and a ‘mate’. It was like being home. After Chloe finished I headed upstairs with Brett to watch Hell’s Ditch. It feels like ages since I last saw them and they had already started by the time I climbed the stairs. It was like being in Sound Control ten years ago going up those stairs. I think Hell’s Ditch are one of the best melodic pop punk bands in the country and they impress me every time I see them. They do a great job of getting people dancing and have a lot of fun with it. Frontman Nicholas was showing how he had all the cool dance moves throughout the set and encouraged the crowd to join him in a boogie – which many of us did. At one point my friends Beth and Sarah partook in an impromptu Macarena. At multiple times during the set Nicholas was carried into the crowd on the back of festival legend and super human being Richard Harris. The highlight of the set for me was when they played The Likes Of Us and I had a dance with my pal Lander from Prize Dink Camp. (Hey, super lovely MPF organisers, please book Prize Dink Camp for MPF 2026, they’re very good, thanks). This was a great little stint at YES with two great acts back to back but then it was time to head to Union for the final two acts of the day before the after party and my personal Saturday headliner.

I had planned to get to the Union early to grab a pizza before Smoke Or Fire and The Menzingers. That plan ultimately failed because unfortunately the Union’s food people had a kitchen malfunction and couldn’t serve food in the evening. This was a bit annoying but these things happen so it is what it is. I was expecting the Union to hit capacity quite quickly and didn’t want to risk leaving in my hunt for some food incase I didn’t get back in. Luckily Emma was heading to the Union from Gorilla and I told her of the food issues here, so she popped into a shop and brought some crisps with her to the Union. We then took our place for Smoke Or Fire and The Menzingers!

Smoke Or Fire’s Joe McMahon was another act who played the first ever MPF, acoustically in the Thirsty Scholar. This was the second time that he’d played with Smoke Or Fire at the Union as well and was greeted with a big crowd of people ready to shout along with these classic songs. A lot of these songs were over fifteen years old now which makes me feel old but they went down such a treat. We were back with Robyn and Brett at this point and I enjoyed watching how enthusiastic they were singing along to the songs. A great warm up for The Menzingers. The Menzingers playing an MPF felt like a really long time coming, given their friendship with Moving North’s Kieran Kelly, but they finally made it happen. The building very quickly hit capacity and I was told that there was a very long line of people hoping to get in. We stood with our friends from Burnt Tapes who had previously done a very well received Menzingers cover set at MPF. I had a nice time making jokes about the band on stage covering them. The Menzingers played a nineteen song set of songs from On The Impossible Past onwards and every song was greeted with so much enthusiasm. Everyone was in such high spirits around us. I can’t think of a time when I’ve been in a room with that many people where everyone was united together and making sure that everyone was having a great time. I think I enjoyed that more than the actual set and the set was a fantastic all-time set. I was having a lovely time watching all the people around me have the time of their life. Emma was getting to watch her favourite band ever play her favourite festival and was on cloud thirty seven – cloud nine was not high enough. There were beach balls bouncing around the crowd. I got hit in the head at least one time because of this. Not by the ball but by the nice lady standing next to me as she attempted to hit it away. She apologised many times which only added to the great vibes in the crowd. I also found it funny to see every member of Chloe Hawes And The Holy Claws crowd surf at least once during the set. This was a triumphant set and a great way to mark a decade of MPF.

But as I said, The Menzingers weren’t my headliner. My headliner was the first band of the Bread Shed P-Rock TV after party. It was Tape It Shut. Tape It Shut, like Chloe Hawes, were announced just days before MPF 2025 and were given the unenviable task of clashing with Grafteoke. Tape It Shut have been working hard over the past year in helping to build a scene with Shadow Promotions in their hometown of Reading and it’s been great to watch that hard work pay off from afar. That has meant they’re as tight as ever as a band and played a storming set of songs from their upcoming debut album – which I’ve been fortunate enough to hear and let me tell you, you should be very excited about it. Playing their distinctive brand of blisteringly fast political punk rock, Tape It Shut’s energy was infectious, spilling into the crowd, and it wasn’t long before there was a mosh pit going off for them. I also thought it was incredibly gutsy for Dan to speak some politics during the after party. We were of course all there to party but what Dan was saying was well received and important to hear. I was once again incredibly proud of my friends, especially Dan who was my podcast partner on the CPRW podcast many times and someone who I’ve come to think of as ‘my child’. I think Dan might be approaching 30 years now but in my head they’re still 24 or however young they were when I first met them. A great set from Tape It Shut – keep an eye on their socials for news of when the debut album is going to drop. Or offer me £100 and maybe I’ll leak it.

 

After Tape It Shut finished I decided to hang around at Bread Shed for the next band whilst my hotel buds Emma, Robyn and Brett sensibly went to bed. I however continued to have a great time singing and dancing along to some P-Rock TV classics whilst Stank Finger got ready. Great Yarmouth’s Stank Finger feature in the P-Rock documentary and were a great choice for this party. Their brand of pop punk and ska went down a treat. They understood the assignment perfectly and made sure the party kept going despite the late night. Highlights of the set for me were their covers of NOFX’s cover of Radio by Rancid and Whitmore’s On The Ceiling that was used for the P-Rock channel advertising as well as their original song GY Sky Rats. I smiled throughout the entire set. Great fun.

With that I left Bread Shed with Mike and Chloé, had a nice chat with them about moving to Switzerland, politely declined the most polite weed dealer I’ve ever encountered and found my way back to the hotel and went to bed, pumped for one more day of the festival.

(Also, if you have no idea what P-Rock is, use Google, this is already long enough without me explaining it.)

Sunday started by hanging out with friends and enjoying a pizza at Sandbar. The sun had finally come out for the first time all weekend and I was having such a lovely time with catching up with friends that I decided that I didn’t fancy starting my day in a basement watching a heavy band. From footage I’ve seen, Midlands hardcore crew Grail Guard smashed it in the YES basement though – as I expected they would. I’ve learnt at MPF 2025 that sometimes it’s nice to skip a band, especially if you’ve seen them before, and spend some quality time with friends that you don’t always get to see. When we did eventually decide to leave, we made our way to watch Italian melodic punks Packers in the YES Pink Room. Emma and I left Sandbar with our friend Charlotte and her partner Matt “Hubba Hubba” Speer but they eventually decided to leave us behind because we kept running into friends along Oxford Road. It’s great bumping into friends at MPF but my gosh it can take some time to get anywhere! Admittedly, me shouting across the road when I saw friends didn’t help with things! We eventually made it though and saw almost all of Packers’ set.

Packers were one of the bands that I was unaware of before they were announced for MPF that I was most looking forward to seeing. They were already ripping through their set when we arrived and it was great to see a nice sized crowd had assembled to watch them. When I listened to them before the festival, it had me thinking that they were a bit of a mix between Smoke Or Fire and Strike Anywhere and seeing them live really cemented this feeling. They didn’t waste too much time with chatter and just kept playing and playing. This was another great pick for the festival. We stayed in the Pink Room for Belgian pop punks For I Am. I’ve known guitarist Bjorn for a few years now but I’d never managed to see his band before, so I was very pleased to finally be able to. This energetic blast really kick started my day, For I Am were perhaps one of the most energetic and fun bands I saw all weekend. Lead singer Hanne and bass player Bo in particular were incredibly engaging – it was hard to take my eyes off of them to see what the rest of the band were doing. This was so much fun and I was so glad to finally see For I Am. A big highlight of the festival for me.

Next we moved on to Gorilla to see GIRLBAND!. But not before checking in with Robyn about our plans, she asked if we thought she’d like GIRLBAND! and we said ‘yes’ so she decided to come along. We arrived just as the previous band had finished and had to wait a couple of minutes before the security at Gorilla would let us in. This was a great idea as the entrance/exit at Gorilla is quite thin and can easily become congested if there’s a lot of folk going in both directions. I didn’t know a whole lot about GIRLBAND! going into their set other than a few people were quite excited about them being at MPF. I soon discovered they were a three piece from Nottingham who play alternative indie punk music. This was a bit of a change of pace from the highly energetic For I Am. It was more of a chilled out set but was just as engaging. I’m predicting that this band could go on to do some big things in the UK alternative scene.

Our friends Forever Unclean stole the show at MPF 2022 with their after party slot. This year the Danish three piece were rewarded with a slot on the big Union stage. I have to admit I was slightly concerned about how busy it would be for them, especially as Brutalligators were playing at the same time as them in Gorilla. My worries were pointless though as there were already loads of folk in front of the stage when we turned up. Despite being from Copenhagen, Forever Unclean always feel like they’re a part of the UK scene because they’ve managed to make so many friends all across the nation. Partly due to being a great band and partly because they are wonderful people, so make friends wherever they go. Proof of this was the amount of friends that had gathered from all the different scenes across the UK ready to party with the band, who are also celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2025. They had a forty minute set which means they managed to squeeze a lot of songs into their set. All were great but I think the biggest reactions were for Worthless and Waves – both have huge choruses that are screaming out for a shout-along. If you missed Forever Unclean at MPF, there’s still a chance to come and celebrate their 10th anniversary at Nasty Cut Festival in Copenhagen at the end of May.

 

We left the Union next with the intention of going back to Gorilla to see Buds. We failed at this because we kept bumping into lots of lovely people and had some lovely chats with them. First it was Mark and Matt from legendary NXI band Müg. I don’t bump into these guys anywhere near enough so it was great to take the opportunity to talk to them. I had a chat with Matt about how much he was enjoying his first experience of MPF and I believe Emma had a chat with Mark about art. They’re arty folk. After our chat with them, we didn’t even get to the corner of the street before we bumped into Fred The Punk who was telling us about his misadventures in the morning buying a massive bottle of whiskey/cider that he wasn't able to finish himself. It’s always an absolute pleasure to bump into Fred, who also enjoyed his first ever MPF. After all this chat, we decided to skip Buds. (who we will be seeing at Nasty Cut next month) and get some food. In hindsight, I think this was the right move for us, Emma had been feeling under the weather and we both really wanted to make it to Burnt Tapes at the after party.

Fully refuelled, we made our last visit of the year to the YES Basement. First to see Croatian punks No More Idols. Unfortunately for them they didn’t draw the biggest crowd but it didn’t stop them giving their best for the set. They explained during the set that this was the first time playing with the combination  they had. Apparently their normal drummer couldn’t make it and their bassist was filling in on drums for them. All things considered, they did a great job. The main reason we went back to the basement was for our friend Lewis’ band Back Teeth. They play a style of gruff punk that the folk in a small Gainesville festival known as The Fest adore. Before they even started the room was packed ready for their set. Lewis acknowledged that he thought he was on first name terms with everyone in the room, which is not surprising given that he’s a very charming and nice man. His band are great as well. This was my third time seeing them in less than a year and this was the best time yet. They sounded massive in the basement. This is the type of venue that this band was made to play in. Small and tight, with the audience right on top of the band, ready to sing the words right back in the band's faces. This set was another big highlight of the festival for me. Along with a bunch of songs from their upcoming album that I’m very excited to hear, they played the appropriate Weekend At Loosey’s and treated the crowd to an Iron Chic cover which earned a big shout-a-long.

After this we popped back to our hotel as I realised that I’d forgotten my keycard and had planned on staying out later than Emma, then we made our way back to Gorilla to watch Italian ska punk legends Talco. As we entered Gorilla, Emma spotted an empty seat in the small upstairs area and decided to take that whilst I found a bunch of NXI buddies. I wasn’t that familiar with Talco but I did know that Paul Smith was very excited to see them and we like all the same music so I would probably enjoy it. I didn’t just enjoy it, I was blown away by them. They played a relentless set which barely stopped for the entire hour that they played. Despite not singing in English they had the crowd in the palm of their hands just with this infectious energy and incredible music they were playing. My eyes were fixated on the stage for the majority of their set. Toby getting toilet paper stuck to the bottom of his shoe and then his attempts to get it off did prove to be hilariously distracting however. The crowd was going wild for Talco. From my vantage point at the side of the stage, the pit didn’t stop moving and I lost count of the amount of crowd surfers. This was as triumphant of a set as sets could possibly be. It felt like a celebration, it felt like a party, it felt great. Afterwards I likened the set to watching an orchestra, just at a much higher tempo and with more people falling on top of each other.

That was the end of the main part of MPF 2025 but there was still an after party to attend. We headed to the Bread Shed one last time to see the last of our friends from NXI to play the festival. The best band in the world, Burnt Tapes. Before that though we got to experience some hardcore punk all the way from Trinidad and Tobago courtesy of Anti-Everything. I love that MPF always takes the chance to bring bands from far away who don’t necessarily have much of a UK fan base and put them in front of people. I’m certain Anti-Everything came away with more than a few new fans with their political hardcore songs. They spoke well between songs about a few subjects that really opened my eyes to some things that I’ve never really thought about before and I appreciated that. They didn’t just have some thoughtprovoking messages though, they also had great songs and a great live show. They finished the set with their guitarist/steel drum player (yes, you read that right) being crowd surfed with their drum – it was quite the sight.

Finally it was time for my personal Sunday night headliner. My wonderful friends in Burnt Tapes. The front of the stage was packed well before the band were due to start their set. I was happy to stand at the back of the pit with my good pal Sarah Shout Louder and dance and sing at the band with them. Much like me, Sarah’s friendship goes way back to before the band’s first ‘proper’ EP Alterations was released and we’ve both seen the journey Phil, Pan, Tone and Jordan have been on together. I think I’m okay to speak on her behalf to say how proud of them we both are. It was also just really nice to have the chance to hang out with Sarah, we don’t get to see each other very often and she’s usually super busy fixing problems at MPF so this was cool. Forgive me, it was late and I’d had about ten hours sleep all weekend so the set list was a bit blurry for me. I do remember shouting along to every word and pumping my fist in the air about one thousand times (give or take) to every song. This was my first time getting to hear brand new banger MOTHERSGUILT from their upcoming second album live and it fit into the set seamlessly. I do remember the final two songs being Things Get Weird (which they keep threatening to retire) and Yuzi. It was at this point I found my way to the front of the crowd to have a shout with my pals who were at the front. I love the Burnt Tapes so much and I truly think they’re the best punk rock band in the world at the moment. The crowd obviously thought so as well as they chanted for one more song. Normally going over set times is a strict no-no at MPF but the stage manager allowed it and we were treated with their cover of I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore, arguably played better than The Menzingers did it the night before.

That completed my Manchester Punk Festival 2025. I had planned on making the long walk to Rebellion to catch KNOFX but this felt like the perfect way to end the weekend for me. We said our long goodbyes to our dear friends and made our way back to the hotel.

I’m now on the bit where I try and summarise just how good a time I had and how much this festival means to me but I just don’t know where to start with that. It’s always the best time, you know this, I don’t need to say it in my own unique rambly way.

It being the tenth anniversary of MPF made me all reflective and the main thing that I think about is how I didn’t really know anyone in the UK DIY punk scene when I attended the first festival. Ten years later I have countless friends from all over the world and it means so much to be able to meet up and hang out with them, even if it’s only for a brief moment at this festival. You may have noticed that I mentioned my friends a lot in this review and that’s because the people attending are just as important as the bands that play. If you are one of my friends and I didn’t mention you in some way, I love you too. We’re all so lucky that we have it and we should never take it for granted.

I got to have a brief chat with Bev and Tree and different points on the final day and I made sure to give them both a hug and say thank you for not only the weekend but for the last ten years. What blew my mind was how they both thanked me for attending. Tree even went as far as to tell me that the work CPRW has done reviewing the festivals over the years has helped them keep on going at times which made me tear up as I write this – it meant a lot to hear that. My thanks are obviously extended to Andy, Kieran, Danny and the rest of the MPF team for all the hard work that goes into this festival. I can’t imagine just how much hard work and time goes into it and it would be so easy for them to say ‘okay, that’s enough now’ but they keep going and they keep making it bigger and better every year. It’s a true testament to what incredible people they all are. Love to all the the people working at the venues as well, everyone was really nice and friendly all weekend. I made a point of telling one of the security guards at Bread Shed how much nicer all the security at MPF are compared to what we have in London. It’s a small thing to be friendly but it certainly goes a long way.

Two years in a row I’ve had really tough starts to the year. This year my mental health has been lower than it’s been in as long as I remember but having MPF to look forward to and attend and see all my wonderful friends, on stage, in the crowd or running a festival really helps.

Thanks for the best ten years MPF, I’m already looking forward to the next ten. LOVE YOU!

Tickets are already on sale for Manchester Punk Festival 2026, which will be the tenth edition but the eleventh year – confusingly, because of COVID. You can buy tickets here.