There’s no doubt that 2026 is the year that Takedown Festival declared itself a serious contender in the ‘Metropolitan Festival’ category. With 2024 having to be cancelled due to works at Portsmouth’s Guildhall, and 2025 best left being left in the past, it was up to the like of Mouth Culture, Vower and some up-and-coming masked outfit called President to return it to past glories – and my goodness did they deliver.
Friday
Opening the main stage at a festival is never easy, but the Portsmouth crowds made it out early for Kill The Lights, even if they were subdued. Thankfully, the band’s energy was there in buckets and their melodic metalcore was the perfect way to blow the festival cobwebs away. This opened the door perfectly for alt-nu-metal mob The Fear on the Metal For Good Stage. Despite some technical issues meaning their most well known song, ‘White Noise’, didn’t make it into the set, this was still an energetic performance to a crowd that grew throughout the set. Entertaining and engaging throughout, with Mick Satiar out front, it feels like you’ll always have fun watching these. (Dan Hemming)
Walking out onto the stage to ominous piratey music really rings true to the band’s name, King Kraken, although the nautical theme ends there when Adam Healey drops some crazy riffs and kicks off their set. There were definitely some fans in the house with horns being raised and headbanging along to ‘Berserker’. Between frontman Mark Donoghue spotting a familiar face in the crowd to the heartfelt tribute to his Dad for ‘Hero’, King Kraken’s set felt more like being down at your local venue, amongst familiar faces, than at a festival. (Beth Oakley)
One of the big surprises of the day came in the form of Gurt on the Total Rock stage over in the café. Walking in partway through the first song sees you greeted by the vocalist wrapped up in the cable from his mic and making such guttural sounds it is hard to believe it’s just one man doing it. While picking a favourite from their set isn’t easy, when a man opens up about a vasectomy gone wrong you can’t help but admire that. A must see for anyone who likes their music with a groove but sufficiently filthy. (DH)
Lingering at the Cafe stage at Takedown, and you might have thought you’d had a few too many beers and were seeing double, but nope! That’s just the Oxford duo of twins Wall taking to the stage to show that you don’t always need a vocalist to get things going. Laying down the fundamentals of rock and roll with drum beats and gritty riffs, and with every break in their songs, a raspy “YEAHH” was heard from the crowd. Throwing in a cover song for good measure, and it’s fair to say that whilst the room was sparse at first, it had deservingly filled out and there were no complaints from those present. (BO)
Whilst a lot of the line-up here was up and coming bands that some are getting to hear for the first time, there was also plenty of experience, especially on the more ‘classic rock’ Friday. Enter The Wildhearts on the Phil Campbell Main Stage – a band that bring that rockstar vibe that can be lacking in modern music. Unlike some ‘legacy’ acts, The Wildhearts don’t act their age just yet. What they did do though, is have a hell of a lot of fun by playing extended jams throughout their brief stint on stage. ‘Everlone’ particularly felt the force of this with an outro that felt like a celebration of the guitar if nothing else. While that aforementioned classic rock vibe may not be for everyone, the vast majority of alternative music fans can appreciate the sort of skills that were seen on stage during this set. (DH)
One must for any up-and-coming band at a festival is to ensure that you leave everything out there, and Gnome lived that ethos. Their brand of groovy stoner rock felt like a delightful escape from the more classic vibes of the main stage, with songs that spoke out against politicians worldwide, amongst other more immediate issues. The one real shame from their time is that not enough of us were prepared with gnome hats. Something that is going to become part of the Hardbeat festival uniform going forward. At every festival, there’s a band that you come away pleasantly surprised by and Gnome were certainly that band at Takedown 2026. (DH)
The final band on the Metal For Good stage were InMe who at this point are legends of the scene. One of probably only a handful of bands over the past couple of decades that have been able to transition their sound multiple times while maintaining a level of quality most bands can only dream of from one single. Tonight’s set was the end of their Butterfly Demons tour and saw them play White Butterfly in it’s entirety. An interesting decision for a festival set but one that highlighted the dedication of some of their fans. Half the crowd on the Metal For Good stage were there just absorbing Dave McPherson’s insane vocal range while the other half joined the band as backing vocalists, singing every word. Bringing everyone together with the closing duo of ‘Faster The Chase’ into ‘Underdose’ meant we all got to leave on a karaoke-fuelled high. (DH)
The unenviable job of closing out the main stage on day one fell on the shoulders of Therapy?. Admittedly, this was always going to be an impossible challenge such was the gravitas that the Phil Campbell name held and the short time that had past since his death, but it is a challenge that Therapy? did not shy away from. In truth, the songs were great but they were shown up by the likes of Gnome and InMe who seemed to put more energy and passion into their shows. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable end to a day of music that will have had many going home with new favourites. (DH)
Saturday
An early set can come with it’s challenges, with no (or minimal) alcohol-induced vibes flowing yet and everyone’s still feeling a little tired and rusty from the previous day. Nevertheless, Artio prevailed. A combination of clap-alongs, the band’s expansive music and a surprise appearance from As It Is’ frontman Patty Walters seemed to do the trick. With both delicate and heart-wrenching vocal deliveries being provided, it was a set that left you wanting more, good thing it was the start of day two! (BO)
It’s clear everyone got the memo that Waterlines are worth catching at Takedown, as it became a challenge for many to even get into the room. Although a packed room wasn’t sufficient for frontman Ben Mars, who simply wasn’t “going to accept this level of movement”. So much so, they pulled out one of their most popular songs, a metal mash-up cover of Pretty Green Eyes and Elysium, which expanded the mosh pit and had you reminiscing. Despite the security-interrupted wall of death during ‘BRACE.’, there’s sure to be many more crowded sets in Waterlines’ future. Not long after, there was a steady trickle of people into the Total Rock stage for Pavé, perhaps beckoned by Alanya-Jade’s unfaltering vocals. Each move, precise and calculated, akin to watching clips of Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour, which perhaps made it a harder set to relate to. However, the mask was dropped after a brief technical issue and calls from the crowd to “sort it out Kev”, for a moment, it felt like a future inside joke in the making. (BO)
Upgraded to the Kerrang! Main Stage for 2026, Hardbeat favourites Lastelle proved once again why they are one of the hottest prospects in alternative music. Here they’re raw, emotional and engaging and really it’s that rawness that sets them apart from so many others. That and the fact that if you’re not familiar with the band, you’re never quite sure who is going to be singing next. The highlight of another standout set is ‘Breathe Me In’, a song that pulls on the heartstrings, has you drifting off into sentimentality before being dragged back in with some expert showmanship. (DH)
Modern and melodic riffs with a touch of the bounce and stomp energy? It’s like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park had a baby, and they named it Profiler. The backwards cap and punchy rap verses are really feeding this narrative on the Metal For Good stage at Takedown. Between the excitement of hearing a new track and seeing the boys getting their groove on with a few of their more established releases, this band will be filling gaps in future festival line-ups where the Nu-metal itch needs scratching. (BO)
Half an hour after Lastelle had left their mark, it was the turn of Vower on the Kerrang! main stage. When you know that this is a band including alumni from the likes of Palm Reader and Black Peaks, it sets the expectations high. Vower are a band that don’t know how to disappoint though. There’s a swagger when the band walk on stage, a swagger that is immediately earnt as they make their beautifully intricate progressive metal sound entirely effortless. If you manage to break the enchantment of Josh McKeown’s vocals as they range from huge cleans to raspy shouts, you get carried along by a wave of energy that belies the the quiet confidence that the band exude as they saunter around the Guildhall stage. This is a special band.
Following them was another special band. This time in a different way though as Mouth Culture continue their takeover of the UK rock scene. As if constant singalongs to tracks like ‘Don’t Pull Up’ and ‘Ratbag’ weren’t enough, frontman Jack Voss embraces what is often missing from modern bands – a rockstar. As if his vocals weren’t strong enough, it’s clear that the way her commands a crowd with such ease that he was born for this. Mouth Culture’s stock keeps rising and it’s clear that they are heading for the big time. 2026 is going to be huge for these East Midlands boys.
The first big casualty of the weekend came at the expense of Saint Agnes over on the Metal For Good Stage as sound issues reared their head again. In 2025 it was the café stage that be became almost unlistenable due to the painful volume (rock ‘n’ roll, eh?), this year though it was the attack of the click track. Reinvigorated by their recent releases, the band bounded onto the stage ready to take the energy up another level to a room bursting out of the door. What followed was a what not to do as a soundman that hampered the first half of their set. A quick break in the middle to give the sound booth chance to sort it out and for vocalist Kitty A. Austen to release some affirmations and we were back cooking. What followed was exactly what we expect from Saint Agnes – ferocious dark-rock delivered with venom. Takedown, do the right thing and get them back next year for a redo. We all deserve that. (DH)
If you were a fan of pop punk in the mid-2010s, then this set was likely a highlight of the weekend. As It Is emerged on the main stage oozing with nostalgia, and although they may have been briefly swallowed up by the smoke machine, the silhouettes of the crowd jumping along to ‘Hey Rachel’ didn’t go amiss. The set just felt right, like driving down familiar roads and returning home to catch up with friends. Of course, Patty busting out some synchronised dancing to ‘Lose Your Way & Find Yourself’ only added to this feeling and built a connection. A connection that only grew stronger with ‘The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)’. From its heartfelt delivery to the crowd pouring out their hearts to a soundtrack that made them feel seen. (BO)
It seems that the Total Rock Stage wasn’t exempt from the revenge of the click track as Bex also fell victim to them. Such is Bex’s aura when on stage though, it almost didn’t matter and her requests/demands of “Mr. Soundman” all felt like part of the theatrics of a Bex set. It wasn’t just frustrations at the venue that were aired here though, Bex signature defiant nu-punk was dialled in here with energy from start to finish. It helps when opener ‘Taste Better’ opens with some filthy guitars and allows the band to settle into the chaos of the café quickly. ‘Slave 2 The Grind’ shows a bit more restraint in the choruses but provides Bex with the chance to showcase some more considered vocals. Something that to unsuspecting newcomers feels like will continue as Bex quietens the crowd (or at least the ones that aren’t gossiping over at the cake fridge) before ‘Silence’ explodes. Bex is an icon in the making and it won’t be long until main stages are being destroyed at festivals.
The penultimate band on the main stage this weekend was Wargasm, a due as polarising as a certain yeast extract product thanks to some opinions that they are just ‘everywhere’. That’s no surprise though given the fact that Milkie Way and partner in crime Sam Matlock continue to be the blueprint of modern day rockstars. The pair have made the electronic punk-rock genre their own over the past half a decade and spent little time here conjuring up a frenzy. Sadly it seemed that the crowd had tired in their day long wait for a certain masked headliner, that was until Matlock took matters into his own hands and ensured that Milkie was given the respect she deserved… in the form of the biggest circle pit of the day. Thankfully the crowd rose to the occasion. By the time ‘Spit’ and ‘Do It So Good’ came around to end the set the venue was dripping with sweat and beer and still dancing. (DH)
Headlining the Total Rock Stage, and bringing unfathomable energy channelled into dance moves and pure chaos. The Hara is the full alt-rock package. Laying down some turbocharged riffs mid circle pit, belting out some soul-bearing vocals and driving it all forward with some killer downbeats, what’s not to like? Unfortunately for The Hara, the combination of a delayed start and a main stage headliner that evokes curiosity meant that the crowd thinned with each song, but that didn’t stop them from making the most of it. Joining the moshing, cracking a Guinness from the café fridge, and climbing on the amps. Commonly seen antics from the band, but taking on a whole new meaning with a scattered crowd. It’s not just tactics to get people hyped up; it’s a love of the game and a willingness to participate regardless of the conditions. A trait that will surely see this band further than those without it, and one that guarantees anyone in attendance of future sets that they are in for a treat! (BO)
Closing out the festival were the completely and utterly anonymous PRESIDENT. It’s a shame that no one knows the identity of the band such is the devotion of their fans after such a short period of existence. Either way, the atmosphere noticeably changed as the other stages closed and the anticipation grew. As the lights dropped and the band entered the stage, the lights came back up… except it wasn’t house lights, it was the lights of a thousand phones filming. It was clear very quickly that this was not going to be a set where the crowd provided the energy.
Opener ‘Fearless’ provided a great launching point for the set. The guitars filled the room and whoever that frontman is was able to showcase their vocals without auto-tune ruining it. This was similarly the case on new track ‘Mercy’ which was by far the highlight, delightfully showcasing an insane vocal range as beautiful cleans were interspersed with shrieks. Despite their status, though, this is still a new band, albeit one that has given themselves a platform to push on from. Here there was no crowd interaction aside from a bit of arm waving and far too many extended periods where the guitarist and bassist just stood around while backing tracks play (‘Destroy Me’ being the worst culprit of this).
Forgiveness arrives in the form of an impressive stage set up. The huge logo imposingly hovering behind the band, an impressive light show and the always creepy President mask making the ‘campaign’ schtick actually feel genuine. The biggest surprise of the evening came when the band left the stage almost 20 minutes early, having played all of their material and a cover of Deftones’ ‘Change (In The House Of Flies)’. There’s something about a headliner only using two-thirds of their time that leaves a sour taste and some grumbling was heard as the crowds shuffled out. Still though, it looked great, it sounded great (albeit a bit sterile in places) and over time this band is just going to get better and better and bigger and bigger. You won’t be catching PRESIDENT in venues like this much longer so embrace it while you can. (DH)
So that is that. Festival number one of 2026 ticked off. It was sweaty and imperfect – the perfect allegory for rock and metal music if you will. One thing is for sure though, Takedown is a festival that is going to push on from this in 2027 and we cannot wait to see what they pull out of the bag for next year’s festival.
Check out our interviews from the festival, starting with Lizzie catching up with InMe’s Dave McPherson.