Photography by Mat Coffey

Bella Platt

Full Time Student and Live Music Enthusiast, Actively Involved in Manchester and Newcastle’s Music Scene, Interviewing and Reviewing Grassroots Bands and Larger Indie Acts.

Goat Headline Manchester Psych Fest 2025, with appearances from honeyglaze, do nothing and plenty of new upcoming talent

On Saturday, We Braved The Rainy Streets of Manchester To Hunt Down The Best Sets and Bright Upcoming Talent at Manchester Psych Fest. From Swirling Psychdelia to Indie Anthems and EveryThing in Between, The City Delivered. EACH VENUE FELT LKE A DIFFERENT WORLD-From The Sweaty Basements of Ritz and Yes, The Hazy Halls of Gorilla, and The Grand Stage of Academy-The Through-Line was Clear: A Festival Uniting Boundary-Pushing Artists and An Audience Eager to Be Swept Up In Subject New. Manchester Psych Supped Once Again that it isn’t just a showcase, but a celebration of What’s Next.

A Cacophony of Guitar Dissonance and Slapped Drums, Honeyglaze Sueded Audience Attention from Minute One at The O2 Ritz. Opening with The Extended Strumming Opening of ‘Hide‘From their most album ‘Real Deal’, The Three-Lece Most Definitely Had Volume On Full. Followed by ‘Don’t’, A Rebellion Song of Lead Singer Anouska, Standing Up Against Any Who Dare To Disspect. Catchy Guitar Hooks Have Been Mastered By Honeyglaze -EACH SANG IS ADDICTIVE WITH THE STRONG HOOK AND SPEKEN-WORD Like Vocals, Accompanied by Varying Synth Sounds That Add Constant Variation.

They Walk The Thin Line Between Rock and Indie, with Such an eclectic Range of Styles that Anyone Can Enjoy. Through The Set They Eased into their mime melodic songs, a sense of comfort establishment with their audience. This them allowed US to experience the joy of ‘TMJ‘and ‘Pretty Girls’, More Introspective Anthems with Strong Lyrical Content and Once Again Brilliant Guitar Hooks. You can read out Interview with the Band After Their Set Here.

manchester psych floodlights — *Photography by Piran Aston*

Floodlights Bought Aussie Charm and an Undeniaby Tight set to Gorilla. COMPLEX GUITARS Take A Backseat in Their Tracks, with an balance Between Each Member and a Welcoma Harmonica Adionion. RARELY DO YOU HEAR THE FULL EXTENS AND CHARM OF A FRONTMAN’S VOCALS, BUT LOUIS PARSON RINGS LOUD AND CLEAR, UNIQUE SOUND THE AUDIENCE COUDN’T GET ENOUGH OF.

TRACKS Such As’Nullarbor‘Slowly Climb into their full potential, A Change of Pace That’s Mesmerising. The Band Don’s Shy Away from Instrumental-Only Sections, Displaying ES Competency Bare for All-So it’s Important When they speeak that we listen (‘Small Town Pub’ Is a Great Example of This). The Band Manages to Fluctuate Between to Heavier Rock Sound to Folk, ‘Alive (I want to feel) ‘ Demonstating This.

Yes Pink Room was Packed Wall-To-Wall For Do nothing, and the Anticipation Quickly Gave Way to a Set of Razor-Sharp, Infectious Energy. ‘Nerve‘Stood out as a defining Moment – Chris Bailey’s Arresting Vocals Echoed Back From The Crowd, Entwined With Guitar Hooks That Felt Both Emotive and Un Forgetable. It’s a track that cements itself as a groove-llan Anthem, fit for any occasion. At festival it’s rare for one band to commander such a unanimous Sway yet Do nothing Held The Room in the Palm of Their Hand, Delivening hit ater with unnshabable confidence.

manchester psych radio free alice — *Photography by Lucy Craig*

Headliners Goat performed to the academy 1 crowd, adorn in voodoo costumes that maintoined the anonymith of each member. Their Embellished Guises Added An Ethereal Element to the Rock-Heavy Alternative Set, An Initially Unsure Audience Soon Gave in To The Band’s Enchantment. As Well As Six Studio Albums and Writing Scores for Blockbuster Hits- The Band performed The Tightst Set of The Day, Rightfully Earning The Title of Headline. Merciless Guitars Forced Through the Speakers With A Fuzzy Sound and Occasional Wah-Wah; ‘Run to your mama’ Epitomized This with a Sound Straight from the 60s. Their World Influence was Clear Throunge the Set-A Perfect Headline of Psych-Rock for the Festival.

Closing out the midnight slot at manchester psych were the day’s second aussie export, Radio Free Alice. Frontman Noah Learmonth’s Unmistakable Vocals Cut Through the Room For Songs Like ‘Paris is Gone’ and ‘Look What You’ve Done’, Elevated by The Sultry Punch of Live Saxophone. EACH TRACK CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF AN ANHEM, PULLING FROM ACROSS THES THREE EPS, YET THE BAND REMAIN RESOLUTE IN THEIR OWN DISTANCHE SOUND. WHERE CHARISMA CAN OFTEN FENEL SCARCE ONSTAGE, THEIRS WAS IN ABUNDIANCE – Energy and PASSION SPILLING OVER, EACH SANG DELIVERED Like at the end, Unflinching Confession From Noah Himself.