Exciting new bands and noughties indie legends - what I can't wait to see at Victorious Festival 2025
It is the eve of Victorious Festival and in less than 24 hours the gates will be open and the live music spectacular will begin.
While I may be somewhat biased, Victorious Festival is one of the best located festivals in the country - sitting in the heart of Portsmouth with the stunning backdrop of ships and ferries cruising past.
As with every festival though, it lives and dies by the acts on the stage, and while there are some naysayers online I believe it is an exciting line-up with a good mix of established acts and young up and comers.
Madness, Vampire Weekend, and Queens of the Stone Age are other names that popped up again and again with our readers excited see the big names performing in their home town.
As am I, the likes of Vampire Weekend and Kings of Leon came on to the scene in my mid to late teens and their early albums have been on my rotation ever since. Just as Bloc Party’s debut album ‘Silent Alarm’ has been - with the band set to perform songs from that album in their Sunday slot just before Kings of Leon, it is an evening not to be missed.
Beyond the headliners there is much to look forward to. While the opening acts are not always blessed with the largest of crowds, those that do arrive early on Friday will be rewarded with Brighton band HotWax kicking off the weekend on the Common Stage.
The rock band released their debut album this year and have been gaining acclaim with their energetic live performances. In fact Friday is packed full of bands on the rise with Lime Garden, another Brighton based group, then set to take to the Castle Stage in the early afternoon. Two bands who I cant wait to watch and that is before the festival has really even got going.
By now you may have realised my music tastes, with rock and indie at the forefront of my must sees. With that in mind, my other Friday highlights are Sprints and Wunderhorse who are both performing on the Castle Stage.
Wunderhorse were the name that stuck out most to me when the full line-up was announced. Their first two albums were excitingly consistent with well-crafted songs written brilliantly. Having supported the likes of Fontaines DC and Sam Fender they could be on the same trajectory.
Of course, these recommendations could be as welcome as a wet blanket if rock and indie is not to your tastes. However, one of the beautiful parts of any festival is seeing acts you know nothing about. Remaining on my list of ‘can’t misses’ for the weekend is The Last Dinner Party on Saturday but other than that (and the headliners of course), I am looking forward to wandering around the stages to see what surprises are in store.
There is much more to Victorious Festival than just the music though. All three comedy acts are worth top-billing and I must admit I didn't know Jasper Carrot was still performing. I’m glad that he is though, I look forward to settling in on Sunday to watch the legend in action.
With the ‘Neighbourhood Eats’ section showcasing a number of local eateries, I will try and work through as many of them as I can. Piecaramba opened in Albert Road earlier this year but I have not had the chance to visit yet. This year they won ‘The People’s Choice Award’ in an online vote, meaning they have been awarded a free pitch at the event. I will be making the most of the serendipity to try one of their pies for the first time.
This year will also be the first time I have brought my daughter to the festival. Having never even considered the kids area before, it will now be a must visit. It is difficult to say who is looking forward to meeting Sonic the Hedgehog more, me or her (It is definitely me).
Whatever you are looking forward to most, the wait is nearly over and Victorious Festival is finally here. The News will be there every step of the way bringing you the latest news, pictures and videos from our hometown festival.