By Jase Walker and Josh Bicknell
It’s the start of RADAR Festival 2025 in “sunny” Manchester and the crew for this festival have been through the wringer to say the least. Following on from the issues having to drop Bob Vylan thanks to extreme media pressure on the venue, the atmosphere on day one is tense but hopeful despite some last-minute dropouts and seemingly no replacement headliner for Saturday. Beers are in and we’re determined that today’s going to be a big one with Carpenter Brut doing the big set at the end.
FLOYA kicks off the day for me with their wonderful mix of poppy choruses and reverb drenched melodies that echoes and bounces around the main stage floor. Whatever tension I felt up until this point has disappeared without a thought and it’s time to embrace some damn good music that sounds right at home at the main stage. After a fantastic introduction on the second stage at RADAR a couple of years ago, they’ve since toured extensively and released more music that has seen them go from a small presence to a much more emphatic and strong force.
The early crowd keenly sings along and joins in with all of the crowd participation, it’s early doors still but FLOYA sees a pretty solid turnout that makes it clear their love for the band has only grown since their last appearance. A band that strikes me as truly humble for their success since their inception and continues to pen banger after banger could not have been a better choice to kick things off for this weekend. (JW)
For me, Floya opened RADAR with a burst of light and positivity, offering a sleek fusion of alt-pop and rock that felt both intimate and arena-ready. Phil Bayer’s vocals were flawless, and the duo’s chemistry made the Kerrang! Stage felt strangely personal. Songs like ‘Wonders’ shimmered with synth-laced optimism, while guest appearances gave their set some extra punch. Warm, uplifting, and polished to perfection, Floya were a refreshing contrast to the heavier acts that followed. (JB)
Tropic Gold hit hard and fast on the Sneak Energy Stage, blending stomping alt-metal riffs with slick vocal swagger. Frontman Jacob Parris kept pits moving and spirits high, delivering standout moments on ‘Holy Horror’ and ‘Dead To All My Friends’. Their sound sat somewhere between club-ready hooks and moshpit aggression, and they wore it well. Loud, catchy, and sharply executed, Tropic Gold are building momentum, and RADAR got a clear taste of it. (JB)
Next up is one of the biggest draws for me this weekend, synthy metalcore group from Germany, Avralize! I’ve been super keen on catching these for a long time after their most recent album shot to the top of my listening list last year!
Opening with ‘Freaks’ gets things off to a good start and probably the end of my voice for today already. They sound absolutely gigantic and are laying waste to the second stage right from the start, pits, crowd surfing, it’s all kicking off within moments of them starting.
‘Canvas’ grows the energy in the crowd ever fiercer and I feel sorry for the unwitting photography types getting caught in the middle of the fierce storm in the middle of the room. Honestly looking at it, I’m not sure whether it’s a moshpit or just one massive bouncy group hug because the jumping is almost entirely in unison to Avralize’s stomping rhythms.
Seriously, these guys are absolutely killing it. RADAR clearly was looking forward to these and they came out the gates with a high energy set and an utterly oppressive sound that battered me for the full show. Absolutely incredible. (JW)
Next up is another new one for me this weekend, Cyan Kicks. The amount of people I’ve had recommend these to me is pretty mind boggling so there’s little chance I’ll be missing these. Immediately greeted by fat riffs and a singer that reminds me a lot of Lizzy Hale in both vocal style and stage persona! It’s pretty obvious to me that this is right on target for a recommendation, solid riffs mixed in with pop sensibilities and great use of synths to layer up their sound, spot on.
The crowd seems a bit less enthused to throw each other about compared to earlier but the vibes a bit different and warrants more dancing around and singing along really. Sporting a similarly bouncy and fun energy to the likes of Electric Callboy and Lake Malice, they’re a lot of fun to watch and show off a real flair for their live performance. (JW)
As December Falls brought sharp pop-pun
k energy with a serious emotional edge. Bethany Curtis led from the front, switching between sass and sincerity across a set full of shout-along hooks. ‘Bathroom Floor’ and ‘For The Plot’ stood out as highlights, packed with big riffs and bigger choruses. There’s nothing especially radical in their sound, but what they do, they do well. Honest, well-crafted, and ridiculously catchy, they had the Kerrang! Stage crowd completely locked in. (JB)
Zeal & Ardor closed day one for me with something transcendent. Their black metal–meets–spirituals sound was jarring, hypnotic, and totally captivating. Manuel Gagneux’s presence was magnetic, shifting from growls to gospel chants with unsettling ease. ‘Gravedigger’s Chant’ and ‘Run’ were thunderous standouts, soaked in dread and defiance. It wasn’t a party; it was a ritual. Heavy, haunting, and entirely their own, Zeal & Ardor delivered a set no one else could even attempt. (JB)
Finally, it’s synthwave juggernauts, Carpenter Brut. To say I’ve been excited about this show is a massive understatement! Foreshadowing the show, Backstreet Boys’ ‘Backstreets Back’ blasts over the speakers, cheesy but the best way to introduce some sexy ass synthwave. Their unmistakable droney bass fills the room with thick noise while the lighting goes balls to the wall with frequent flashes of white mixed with deep crimson red. Leading with ‘The Widow Maker’ featuring Gunship following their introduction, we’re set for a full hour of some fucking tasty music and I couldn’t be happier! This isn’t exactly riff territory but it is infectious melodies territory accompanying energy that goes every bit as hard as any other metal band. ‘Beware The Beast’ gives the audience (me) a chance to scream some words out while popping a few dance moves here and there.
A funky choice of ‘Disco Zombi Italia’ even gets a drum solo break in the middle of it and just makes this so much more tasty. The song that got me into Carpenter Brut in the first place still sounds every bit as fresh. At this point I’m somewhat lost in the middle of the music as they blast through a bunch of massive tracks from Leather Teeth but I’m still waiting for them to play ‘Cheerleader Effect’! Okay well I’ll settle for ‘Turbo Killer’ instead, the one song I always go to when trying to recommend Carpenter Brut to anyone, the song along with its incredible video is enough to switch anyone onto them. Speaking of which, where’s the videos for their live music?! I miss it so much!
As we draw to the finale, their big finisher of ‘Maniac’ is still a mainstay of their encore, and what an immense finish it brings to an act that I truly cannot get enough of at all. What a fantastic Friday to kick off RADAR 2025. Same time tomorrow yeah? Well, if I don’t totally wreck myself at Satan’s Hollow, maybe. (JW)
- Photos by Charlie Bluck/Claire Alaxandra/Coal Poet Media/likeanao. Courtesy of RADAR.
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