We’re into the summer term, and as the sun pokes its head in and around the April showers, thoughts turn to Blackpool in August.
The Rebellion Festival is back in its original form after last year’s R-Fest/Rebellion doubleheader—a move which, according to social media, has divided most of the die-hard Rebellion congregation. In an interview with Foxy Radio, Festival organiser Jennie Russell Smith said the R-Fest may return in 2024.
There were a few issues in 2022 with punters having to queue and, in particular, getting back into The Winter Gardens. However, the R-Fest experiment was a worthy triumph that may help sustain and even allow the festival to develop and grow in the coming years.
On April 6th, Rebellion was named as the Festival Of The Year at the Vive Le Rock Magazine awards at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire.
In other RF news, The Winter Gardens has now installed some state-of-the-art air conditioning which will improve the festival experience no end as it did you used to get a little warm and sticky in The Empress.
For those considering coming to The Rebellion Festival for the first time, here is Originalrock.net’s rough guide and what to expect and why you should try to experience it at least once in your lifetime
Where is it?
The Winter Gardens
Church Street
Blackpool
Lancs
FY1 1HL
When is it?
Thursday 3rd August
Friday 4th August
Saturday 5th August
Sunday 6th August
Who’s playing this year?
Hundreds of bands are booked this year to play across seven stages across four days, all located within The Winter Gardens. Highlights include The Damned, Henry Rollins, New Model Army, Steel Pulse, Bad Manners, The Neville Staple Band, The Exploited, Big Country, The U.K Subs, Die Totten Hosen, The Dickies, Bob Vylan, Ruts DC and The Bar Stool Preachers.
Away from the music, there is a Punk Art Fair, Max Splodge Bingo and a Literary stage in The Winter Gardens’ brand-new hi-tech-uber modern wing.
How much does it cost?
Weekend tickets are now £203 each.
Day tickets are £83 each.
(Weekend tickets are cheaper if you buy early.)
There is no camping.
Tickets are available from.
https://rebellion.keekmerch.com/
Both day and weekend wristbands allow you to leave and re-enter the Winter Gardens; you can dip in and out as you please.
Layout.
The Winter Gardens is the perfect indoor Festival location. The seven venues/stages within the area are within a minute or two of each other and easily accessible. You can hop from one stage to another, and while there may well be a few crossovers of bands you want to see, it’s all very user-friendly.
Stages.
Empress Ballroom (the main floor is standing only, while upstairs has seating and standing.)
Opera House (seated)
Pavilion (standing)
Club Casbah (standing)
Almost Acoustic (seats and standing)
Arena, Rebellion Introducing and After Dark Stage (standing)
Literary Stage (seated)
Although not “official” stages, The Mazzai Cafe has Guest DJs spinning tunes while Max Sploge’s Bingo and Boggy plus Rat Boy’s Magic/variety shows take place in The Old Vic.
Stalls.
The Horseshoe promenade is transformed into an alternative and bustling marketplace. Many bands have stalls selling merchandise directly to punters. Vinyl, clothing, literature, and everything in between are available from around the globe. It’s pretty much impossible to leave this area empty handed.
Rebellion has its giant merchandise stall at the Festival entrance, and last year, an official Rebellion T-shirt would have set you back £17.00
Art Fair
Located next to the Literary Stage, The Rebellion Art Fair is an absolute must. From Charlie Harper’s original cat paintings to Brian Alderson’s stunning led glasswork, the art fair is a feast for the eyes and a kicker to the wallet. These authentic pieces can be held until you’re ready to collect them.
Food and drink.
Inside The Winter Gardens is a restaurant serving plated meals, a cafe selling sandwiches, rolls and cakes, a hot dog stand, confectionery koisks and a mash potato booth. All diets are catered for, vegan, gluten-free etc. The standard is way above usual festival fayre and fairly priced to boot.
A lot of alcohol is consumed at Rebellion, so bars are in and around all seven stages, plus two or three stand-alone pubs/bars. A pint will set you back between £4.50-£5.00, and a bottle of pop for £2.50-£3.00. Free water is provided at each bar. In 2022 bars took both cash and card.
Blackpool is awash with pubs, and the ones close to Rebellion tend to be cheaper than inside The Winter Gardens. Food-wise there is a healthy mix of independent outlets and the more well-known chains, Pizza Hut, Bella Italia, The Pound Cafe, Costa and M&S, all within spitable distance from the festival doors.
You cannot take food and drink into the Winter Gardens.
Where to stay.
Blackpool is packed with B&Bs and hotels, again to suit every budget. Book early to grab a room at the best price. If you fancy a chain, Travelodge, Premier Inn, Hilton and Ibis are now in Blackpool.
Getting there.
Train, Plane, coach or automobile are all viable options.
Most hotels and B&Bs offer on or off-site parking, while Blackpool has a North and a South train station. The nearest airport Is Manchester.
Atmosphere.
Simply put, Rebellion is the friendliest festival on the planet. People travel from all over the world to attend Rebellion, and they make the most of it. The security is incredibly helpful and polite and will help rather than hinder your enjoyment. Everyone respects everyone else, and it’s a simple system that works perfectly.
For fans of.
Punk, New Wave, 2-Tone, Reggae, Oi!, Hardcore, Rock ‘N’ Roll, Goth, UK82, Post-Punk and anything related to these genres!
What to wear.
Whatever you like. Band T-shirts and jeans or combat shorts are a favourite, but you will see every alternative fashion known to any gender. If you’re staying close to the festival, swapping outfits is easy depending on the weather, spillages etc.
Trouble. None.
The festival is welcomed to the area with open arms, and many local establishments have punk tunes playing throughout the day and night. Rebellion brings thousands of people into the area, and a healthy relationship has formed that works for all concerned.
All ages.
Rebellion is an all-ages festival, and while I wouldn’t bring children, many do; they do seem to love it.
Tips.
Alcohol, don’t go mad on the first day and stay hydrated. The festival site opens between 11 am and continues until the early hours, so if you want to enjoy the headline band, pace yourself.
Taking a break, there are seats, and quiet area’s within the Winter Gardens, so if you need a breather, head to the shiny new Literary stage area and chill out.
Plenty of toilets are on the festival site, including disabled and baby-changing facilities. The loos by the Art Fair are brand new and very comfortable for those who like a better class of porcelain to sit on or stand over.
If you’ve had enough fish, chips and curry sauce, Blackpool has some fantastic restaurants, including the mouth-watering Stafanni’s Pizzeria, a few steps from The Winter Gardens.
Away from the festival, Blackpool is a bustling seaside tourist mecca. The Pleasure Beach, piers, Bingo, themed pubs, waterparks, and trams are all encircled by a host of amusement arcades and hotels, plus Blackpool has a beautiful beach.
My bands to see, Bad Manners and Neville Staple, will bring the 2-Tone hits to Rebellion, and both tend to attract large crowds, so get there early. No Rebellion would be complete without The U.K. Subs, and while you can see them in September on their last tour in smaller venues at Rebellion, Charlie and company always draw a few thousand for this annual sing-a-long-a-Harper. The Bars Stool Preachers, New Model Army, and The Damned will all pack out The Empress, while Henry Rollins’s spoken word show at the Opera House could be exceptional. Lower down the bill Riskee And The Ridicule, Desperate Measures, The DeRellas, Rum Lads, Dirt Box Disco, and Henry Cluney will all be on my radar.
Merchandise.
Avoid buying the bootleg T-shirts and put your hard-earned back into the Festival and/or band coffers if you want some official merrchandise.
Drink water, plenty of water and pack paracetamol.
Many punters arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday and head to the stunning The Waterloo Bar, one of the finest Rock N Roll boozers and live venues in the UK and well worth a visit. If you do make it to this side of town, check out Notarianni’s ice cream on Waterloo Road; trust me, their vanilla ice cream is unbelievably delicious.
If you still haven’t had enough live music, then The Tache Rock Club has pre and post-Rebellion gigs, and The Sex Pistols Expose always draws a fair crowd.
If you fall in love with being at Rebellion (and you will), then you can purchase 2024 early bird tickets from the Festival box office at a discounted rate; if you like where you are staying probably best to book for next year while you’re there.
There are no V.I.P. or meet-and-greet options at Rebellion. If you want a selfie or autograph, most bands can be found in the Horseshoe area at some point, with many manning their own merch stalls.
Finally being from the South, talking to strangers was a first for me, but in the North, people will chat and pass the time of day, don’t panic; it’s pretty standard! Be polite, respect the festival staff, bands and fellow attendees, and most of all, enjoy the world’s greatest indoor festival.
For more Rebellion information, including tickets, FAQ’s and timings head over to,
https://www.rebellionfestivals.com/
For more general Blackpool tourist information, head over to,
https://www.visitblackpool.com/