In its second year, No Play Festival presented a diverse musical landscape, featuring a heavier lineup of local talent and international bands spanning from punk to deathcore. This year’s festival was a whirlwind of raw emotion and aggression, with every band pushing the limits of live performance. The crowd was electrified by brutal breakdowns and relentless circle pits, making the festival feel like an unstoppable force of nature.
At the heart of this musical earthquake was The Arts Club, where hardcore bands unleashed their fury, shaking the crowd to its core. Following the tremors, the underground sanctuary of EGGBs on Steel Street became the perfect refuge for those seeking even more intensity. At the same time, just around the corner on Slater Street, the Jacaranda pulsed with raw energy. These three venues formed the ultimate hardcore battleground, delivering an intense and unique festival experience.
Malice kicked off the main stage on Saturday with a powerful set. Each song was louder and more intense than the last, with raw vocals from Josh Davies (who was previously in Monasteries) and crushing breakdowns from guitarist Aaron Wright (also from Monasteries) that whipped the crowd into a frenzy. The circle pit erupted early on, and from there, it was pure chaos. The thunderous drums, guttural growls, and thick smoke made for a brutal atmosphere and defining deathcore.
Newcomers WitchEater, a deathcore quintet band from Birkenhead, didn’t just play. They controlled the main stage and crowd. Switching effortlessly between screams and deep growls, the vocalist commanded a pushback in the pit, making room for the storm of breakdowns and high-speed tempo shifts. The deep vibrations from the riffs and drums made the ground rumble, especially when the guitarist joined in on the stage antics. They are influenced by bands such as Suicide Silence, and Thy Art Is Murder.
Forager brought Manchester grit and heaps of energy, starting with a tribute to Liverpool, their favourite place to play. As they had previously performed on last years lineup. Vocalist Oliver Lindop climbed on the lighting rig while the band powered through distorted, bass-heavy tracks. When the mic wasn’t being hurled into the air, the crowd was screaming the choruses back at them. Forager got the crowd bouncing to their guitar-led rhythms and dynamic drumming, encouraging them to sing along to their socially conscious lyrics, a hallmark of the grunge and punk scene.
Rozemary, a local metalcore and alt-rock band, absolutely owned the Royal Artist’s Stage at the Jacaranda. The band brought a more melodic yet powerful approach, with unmistakable Spiritbox influences shining through their set. Vocalist Izabel’s clean screams perfectly complemented the punchy drums and guitar riffs, commanding the crowd to two-step and fully immerse themselves in the heavier tracks like ‘Prey’. Their final song had a softer start before unleashing a torrent of thundering drums and powerful vocals, leaving an indelible impression on the audience.
Living up to their name, punk and hardcore band Going Off unleashed an onslaught of moshing and head banging. Their frontman physically grabbed and hugged the crowd, bringing them in for an intense experience that included fast-paced riffs, synchronised scream drums, and a brutal song dedicated to PTSD, creating a sense of turmoil. The mosh pit was pure bedlam, with people carrying each other as they screamed, “What the world’s about to witness.” The band’s low growls and rapid transitions between fast and slow riffs kept everyone on their toes, as their catalogue of songs only lasted under three minutes each.
Birmingham’s Cauldron slowed things down but kept the intensity at max by blending the genres of death, metal and hardcore. Their heavy, drawn-out breakdowns and earth-shattering “bleghs” from vocalist Frazer Cassling made the pit feel like it was moving in slow motion but with devastating force and stayed relentless throughout. Drawing comparisons to Knocked Loose in the sense that their drumming was tight, with elements of syncopated patterns that included cymbal crashes and tom hits.
The five-piece band Grove Street brought a different flavour to the No Play Festival, blending 80s and early 90’s rap/hip-hop backgrounds with aggressive modern hardcore tones. Hailing from Southampton, their set was rhythmic and bouncy, with the crowd moving to old-school thrash guitar riffs and drum solos. Vocalist Ben Sullivan kept things interactive and engaging by passing the mic to the audience and asking everyone to bring more energy. One highlight was their aggressive track ‘Caught Slippin’ which had the entire crowd head banging in sync.
Despite facing the first technical difficulties of the day, Heriot came through with an unforgiving set. With two distinct vocal styles from vocalist Debby Gough, clean and harsh, they created a stunning contrast, all backed by crushing breakdowns. The flashing lights matched the harshness of their sound, creating a visceral sensory experience. A massive circle pit opened up, and the crowd surged to join in, feeding off the intensity of the performance. They have supported bands like Architects and Lamb of God and their first debut album ‘Devoured by the Mouth of Hell’ is set to be released on the 27 September.
Closing out the music festival was SeeYouSpaceCowboy, and this performance marked the San Diego band’s first time in Liverpool. They headlined the main stage and caused absolute mayhem from start to finish. Fans went wild as an inflatable shark bounced around the pit, and the band fed off that energy. The guitarist’s stunt of throwing his instrument into the air (and catching it) was just one of many wild moments.
The audience sang along, clapped in unison, and moshed like there was no tomorrow. Even a crew member jumped into the crowd, and the lead vocalist from Cauldron made a guest appearance on the penultimate song, adding to the madness. Their past songs have delved into addiction themes with deeply passionate performances. Their newer album, ‘Coup De Grâce’, released early this year, takes on a more jazz and sax-laden tone and is influenced by the Sin City graphic novels and bands such as Bloc Party and Foals.
No Play Festival was a sensory overload of hardcore and metalcore greatness. Each band brought their unique style to the stage, ensuring the crowd was either moshing, head banging, or screaming along the entire time. From technical breakdowns to intimate crowd interactions, this festival was a celebration of raw power and passion. Though it’s a smaller music festival, it promises to be one to watch, bursting with potential and excitement. As, with each year, it grows, drawing in more talent and dedicated fans. There’s no doubt the future holds something great, and it’s clear that the best is yet to come.
