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Radar Festival 27.07.2024@ O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester

Credit for this page goes to: John Gilman​

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Radar Festival won the "Best New Festival" award at the UK Festival Awards in 2022 for many compelling reasons. Unlike many festivals that focus on awarding artists, Radar Festival is renowned for its emphasis on showcasing talent in progressive music. The festival celebrates innovation and artistry through high-quality live performances and strong community engagement.

Held at the historic O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, the venue itself adds to the festival's unique ambiance. Known for hosting a variety of events, the venue combines industrial heritage with modern facilities, retaining original features like exposed brickwork.

One of the festival's standout features is the proximity of the two stages and staggered stage times, effectively eliminating any stage clashes. Upon arrival, we explored the upstairs music and gaming market, packed with stalls ranging from drums and guitars to video games and trading card games, including the infamous FanBoy Three. After a swift pint of cider, it was time for the first band.

**Kyros**

Kyros opened the main stage, attracting a healthy audience despite the early hour. Formed in London in 2012, this progressive rock band is known for their innovative sound, blending elements of progressive rock, electronic, and pop. Their set, mainly from their new album *Mannequin*, featured 80’s-tinged progressive rock that made for a chilled-out opener.

Set list;

1. Esoterica
2. Rumour
3. Technology Killed the Kids IV
4. Liminal Space
5. The End in Mind
6. Ghosts of You

A quick one-minute walk to the second stage brought us to the next anticipated act.

**Seething Akira**

Seething Akira fuse rock, electronic, and rap elements, characterized by aggressive vocals, heavy guitar riffs, and electronic beats. Their intense sound filled the low-roofed second stage, sparking the first mosh pits of the day. They opened with the brutal "Punishment Instructions" and maintained high energy throughout their set

Set list;

1. Punishment Instructions
2. You Don’t Want None
3. Times Change
4. Metaphors
5. Kenneth Dopeland
6. Ixnay
7. Something in the Water
8. Dioxide

We returned to the main stage just in time for the next band, Ithaca, who I was eager to see after they pulled out of Download Festival in protest of Barclaycard's sponsorship.

**Ithaca**

Formed in 2012, Ithaca are a metalcore band with a strong focus on social issues and diversity. Despite some technical issues, they delivered an intense and emotionally charged set, mainly from their 2022 album *They Fear Us*, saving the fan favorite "Impulse Crush" for last. The hardcore pit was too intense for me, but it looked like a lot of fun.

Set list;

1. In the Way
2. The Future Says Thank You
3. Cremation Party
4. Camera Eats First
5. Fluorescent
6. They Fear Us
7. Impulse Crush

Afterwards, we checked out the gaming stalls and the t-shirt stand. Unfortunately, Friday's crowd had depleted the stock of Brooklyn IPA, lager, and mojitos, so cider it was at £6.50 a pint—standard festival pricing these days. A jaeger cold brew shot was an experience in itself. Missing Hail the Sun, we got a prime balcony position for the next main stage band.

**Heart of a Coward**

Formed in Milton Keynes in 2007, Heart of a Coward mixes metalcore, deathcore, and a touch of djent. Their set was full of aggression tempered with melodic metal, pulling tracks from all four albums and various EPs. Kaan Tassan prowled the stage, delivering a brutal and emotional performances.

Set list;

1. Hollow
2. Drown in Ruin
3. Ritual
4. Collapse
5. Deadweight
6. Grief
7. Miscreation
8. Shade
9. Skeletal I: Mourning Repairs
10. Skeletal II: Arise

Setlist may incomplete or incorrect

**Graphic Nature**

Next up on the Sneak stage was Graphic Nature, a band I was particularly excited to see. Hailing from Kent, they mix nu-metal, metalcore, and garage elements, addressing mental health and social issues in their lyrics. Frontman Charlie’s speech on inclusivity, tolerance, and diversity resonated deeply with the crowd. Their set was outstanding, ending with the singer in the middle of the crowd, where I got a bear hug. Destined for bigger things 100%

Set list;

1. Headstone
2. White Noise
3. To the Grave
4. Something I’m Not
5. Bad Blood
6. Fractured
7. Killing Floor

(Setlist may be incomplete or incorrect)

Back to the main stage for a band I'd been advised to see.

**Car Bomb**

Hailing from New York, Car Bomb surprised me with their technical prowess. Known for odd time signatures, crazy key changes, and very heavy vocals, their brutal riffs and hardcore vocals are not for the faint-hearted. Their experimental side of hardcore metal truly shines in live performances.

Set list;

1. Cielo Drive
2. The Sentinel
3. Scattered Sprites
4. Nonagon
5. Constant Sleep
6. From the Dust of This Planet
7. Blackened Battery
8. Gratitude
9. Black Blood
10. Lights Out
11. Dissect Yourself
12. Secrets Within

After another cider and some relaxation upstairs, it was time for the curveball of the day.

**Dirty Loops**

On paper, a funky soul band in the midst of heavy aggressive metal and alternative rock shouldn't have worked, but Dirty Loops absolutely nailed it. They even got the biggest and friendliest circle pit to a Justin Bieber cover of "Baby". Musically, they were one of the tightest bands I've ever seen, with a standout bassist, drummer, and two keyboardists.

Set list;

1. Follow the Light
2. Just Dance (Lady Gaga)
3. Next to You
4. Baby (Justin Bieber)
5. Rollercoaster (Justin Bieber)
6. Old Armando Had a Farm
7. Run Away
8. Rock You
9. Hit Me
10. Sexy Girls

Sadly, we missed Conjurer as we needed to conserve energy for the headliner, TesseracT.

**TesseracT**

TesseracT, a British progressive metal band formed in 2003, is known for complex compositions that incorporate polyrhythms and unusual time signatures. Their blend of metal, ambient, and alternative rock creates a distinctive sound within the djent subgenre of progressive metal. Celebrated for merging technical skill with emotive storytelling, they are a standout act in modern metal. Tonight, they added four backing singers, Choir Noir, adding another layer of depth to their sound. They opened with the heavy "Natural Disaster" and "Echoes" from their newest album *War of Being*, in a set dominated by recent tracks.

Set list;

1. Natural Disaster
2. Echoes
3. Of Matter (Proxy, Retrospect, Resist)
4. Of Energy (Singularity)
5. Juno
6. Phoenix
7. War of Being
8. Nocturne
9. King
10. Concealing Fate, Part 1: Acceptance
11. Cages
12. Dystopia

The mosh pit was magnificent, including my accidental crowd surf (long story). Finishing with "Juno", "Sacrifice", and "War of Being", the lights came up and it was all over. Radar Festival proved to be an excellent experience, and I’m eager to attend all three days next year. The no-clash formula is perfect. As previously stated, there are many reasons this festival won Best New Festival. Radar, keep up the good work. You are definitely on my radar now.

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