Rebellion Festival is one of the world’s largest punk festivals, held annually in Blackpool, UK. Since its inception in 1996 (originally as Holidays in the Sun), it has brought together legendary punk bands, up-and-coming artists, and fans from around the globe. With multiple stages, art exhibitions, acoustic sets, and a vibrant punk market, Rebellion is more than a music festival — it’s a celebration of punk culture, community, and independence.

With that said, it comes at a price. Personally, I get the feeling of a freak show. The growth of new bands isn’t great—though to be fair, we have to admit that growth is poor across the entire genre.

So, if we look at the lineup and pretend that we and the bands are all in our early 20s—what’s there to see?

Thursday is a great day to kick off the weekend. Meet up with your friends and do some heavy drinking. You might want to check out Millencolin—maybe I’m biased because I’m Swedish. The highlight of the day for me would be Insane, an underrated band. I’ve never seen them live, but if I go, I definitely will.

Friday – don’t forget the first shot. After that, Out of Control might be the most interesting act of the festival. Kicked in the Teeth also gives me hope. Beyond that… sad to say, but it’s mostly “been there, done that.”

Saturday will be an early night for me. Crux, The Molotovs, and Gimp Fist will do. Slaughter and the Dogs gave one of the best live performances I’ve ever seen—but that was 35 years ago, and I don’t want to ruin that memory.

Sunday – try to sober up for a nice landing. For once, the best bands play on Sunday. Fatal Blow is really great. Menace, Bad Manners (they don’t make boys cry), and Grade 2 are also worth mentioning, just to name a few.