Live Review | Turnstile Headline London's First Outbreak Festival

*Turnstile – Photography by @ISHASHAHPHOTOGRAPHY*

George Ward

Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.

Outbreak Festival took to London for the first year, headlined by Turnstile and showcasing some of the biggest and loudest names around

On Friday 13th June, Outbreak Festival broke out of Manchester for its first event in London. Taking place in Victoria Park amongst the other Lido festival dates, Outbreak showed off some of the biggest hardcore, hip-hop and indie rock names, with a few curve balls thrown in for good measure.

One of these curve balls was Jane Remover, the experimental artist blending hyperpop, shoegaze and hip hop into a freaky but fascinating concoction. Despite the intense heat, the tent of ‘The Club’ stage was packed, with one of the most hyped crowds of the day, screaming the lyrics of every new track from ‘Revengeseekerz’, although it’s only been in the world for a couple of months. With a special appearance from Danny Brown for the track ‘Psychoboost,’ it was a relentless set, jumping between sounds and genres like a manic animal.

Also on this stage were the equally unpredictable Model/Actriz, fresh from the release of their new album ‘Pirouette’. Even for a band like Model/Actriz, their performance on Friday was seriously wild, with vocalist Cole Haden screaming even more manically than normal and the guitars sounding monstrously jagged. Playing through several new tracks, the band also looked back, treating us to ‘Crossing Guard’ and ‘Mosquito’ from album 1. The latter, one of their very best, was played with a new ferocity and, with Haden yelling “with the body count higher than a mosquito,” you were reminded that Model/Actriz are still very much one of the most exciting bands in the noise rock scene.

Though ‘The Club’ stage did have a good dark atmosphere, it was frustrating to be packed inside; with consistent queues and very little air, some bands were pretty difficult to catch without long waits. So, it was refreshing to get back outside in time for Danny Brown, who took over the main stage with as much energy and positive energy as you could hope for. Looking fit and fresh, Brown rattled through his hits, from his collab with JPEGMAFIA ‘Scaring The Hoes’ to darker cuts from ‘Atrocity Exhibition’.

Though deep into his career, Brown raps with such energy, effortlessly articulating every line while never once dropping his infectious energy. Closing with the nostalgic classic ‘Grown Up,’ he looked right at home on the sunny mainstage and you left wondering why on earth his crowd wasn’t bigger or more hyped to see one of the best rappers around, still operating at his peak.

*Danny Brown – Photography by @ISHASHAHPHOTOGRAPHY*

Slowing things down was Alex G, whose main stage set demonstrated just how vast and impressive his discography really is. From 2010’s ‘Race’ to 2025’s upcoming album ‘Headlights,’ Alex G has consistently been one of the most forward thinking and influential voices in indie rock and folk, and his performance demonstrated this effortlessly. Characteristically hard to predict, Alex G’s set spanned most of his career, from folky guitar ballads to shoutier, full band bangers.

Highlights included opener ‘Gretel,’ which immediately drenched the crowd in a moody atmosphere, and a heavier version of the charming ‘Harvey,’ which proved even these older tracks can be reinvented again and again. While a cameraman got distracted, zooming in on the plane flying overhead, it perfectly summed up how it feels to watch an Alex G set, as you let yourself drift away, dreaming of the past and soaking up the present.

Rounding things off were headliners Turnstile, who proves themselves to be more than capable of leading such a big event. With the crowd still buzzing from the release of ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ earlier this month, we were treated to a polished set, perfectly paced and deliberately arranged to fuck us up, mellow us out and repeat it all over again. With graphics of waves gently rolling in and out, Turnstile opened with ‘NEVER ENOUGH‘. You could not ask for a more perfect festival opener, with its lengthy, synthy and hugely atmospheric intro and hugely satisfying explosion.

Jumping between their various sounds, from hardcore to indie rock, Turnstile’s set never felt messy, instead showing off just how capable they are at handling different moods, genres and scenes. With vocalist Brendan Yates delivering a massively energetic and passionate performance, he held complete control of the crowd, proving himself as one of the great frontmen around, while the rest of the band smashed through the setlist.

From the brutal riffs of ‘HOLIDAY’ to the catchy indie rock of ‘I CARE,’ there really was a little something for everyone. You can expect to see Turnstile’s headline slots continue to grow and grow in size and, after Friday’s set, it’s not hard to see why.