If there’s one event in the UK live music calendar that refuses to sit still, it’s RADAR Festival. Award-winning, genre-agnostic and unrelentingly progressive, RADAR is back for its fourth full-scale edition in 2025 , and it’s already shaping up to be the most expansive and exhilarating yet.
After firmly planting its flag in Manchester with a game-changing move in 2023, RADAR 2025 is once again tearing up the blueprint of what a rock and metal festival can be. Synths? Check. Screams? Check. Riffs, drops, breakdowns, melodic singalongs, and something for the jazz-fusion nerds and electronic purists alike? Triple check.
The Line-up: Wild, Weird and World-Class
RADAR 2025’s lineup isn’t just good, it’s festival-defining. Locked in as UK exclusives are two heavy hitters: Carpenter Brut bring their apocalyptic synthwave to the UK for one night only, while genre-bending post-hardcore pioneers UNDERØATH make their sole UK festival appearance of the year. That alone is enough to make this a must-attend, but RADAR doesn’t stop there.
The rest of the bill reads like a manifesto of progressive rebellion:
- The incendiary Bob Vylan bring their politically-charged punk grime hybrid
- Sonic ritualists Zeal & Ardor will summon their unique gospel-meets-black-metal sound
- Rising rock icons Yonaka, Vukovi, and As December Falls add firepower to the alt-pop-rock crossover crowd
- Metalcore and prog fans will salivate over Intervals, Annisokay, Novelists, As Everything Unfolds, Lake Malice, and Future Palace
And that’s just scratching the surface. With over 30 acts on the bill already, including GHØSTKID, The Scratch, Dream State, Continents, and David Maxim Micic, there’s representation for almost every shade of heavy, weird, loud, and soulful music imaginable.
And if you’re looking for your next favourite band? RADAR’s commitment to spotlighting future legends is unmatched. From upstarts like Artio, Air Drawn Dagger and Tropic Gold, to the mathy, mind-bending tech of Arch Echo and Deity’s Muse, the festival doesn’t just follow the scene, it shapes it.
More Than Music: A Playground for the Alternative Mind
RADAR isn’t just a music festival. It’s an immersive, creative microcosm where music, gaming, and culture collide.
Returning for 2025 is their now-iconic Music & Gaming Market, a paradise for crate-diggers, gearheads, and nostalgia fiends alike. Expect to lose hours in the retro arcade, try out the latest music tech, or just hang out with likeminded fans soaking in a uniquely curated experience. Whether you’re into synths or shredders, there’s something tactile and tangible about RADAR that sets it apart.
Party ‘Til You Drop: Afterparty Mayhem
When the stages go dark, the real chaos begins. This year’s after-parties promise full-throttle energy with:
- A mind-bending DJ set from The Algorithm
- BBC Radio 1’s Alyx Holcombe bringing the scene to the decks
- And the almighty The 900, the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater live band, delivering nostalgia-laced anthems for the skate-punk generation
Put simply, the party never stops at RADAR.
Not Just a Festival, A Movement
One of the most admirable aspects of RADAR Festival is its community-first ethos. With a portion of ticket sales donated to Music Venue Trust and Save Our Scene’s Liveline Fund, RADAR walks the walk when it comes to supporting grassroots venues, the very spaces that nurture the next wave of artists destined to play this festival in years to come.
It’s this commitment to the scene, paired with a refusal to bow to genre conformity, that has earned RADAR real credibility. In just a few short years, the festival has gone from bold newcomer to industry-recognised trailblazer, winning Best New Festival at the UK Festival Awards and racking up nominations for Best Small and Best Metropolitan Festival ever since.
Past, Present, Future
RADAR’s history reads like a greatest hits reel of modern progressive music. From Animals As Leaders and Agent Fresco in its 2019 infancy, to Sleep Token, TesseracT, Leprous, Dirty Loops, and Periphery in recent years, it’s clear that the festival has an ear for the cutting edge.
They don’t just book buzz; they build careers.
The Callous Daoboys’ and Dirty Loops’ first UK shows? RADAR.
The Midnight’s first UK festival slot? RADAR.
A by-request set from Leprous that rewrote the prog rulebook? RADAR again.
Every year, the organisers raise the bar — and 2025 is no exception.
How to Be Part of It
Tickets are on sale now via www.radarfestival.co.uk/tickets
RADAR IS UNMISSABLE.
This isn’t just a festival. It’s a declaration. A celebration of progressive culture in all its forms, a playground for forward-thinkers, and a sonic smorgasbord that welcomes the moshers, dancers, dreamers and gamers alike.
Whether you’re into hardcore breakdowns or ambient synthscapes, neo-soul or math metal, RADAR Festival 2025 is where scenes collide and futures are forged.
🔥 We’ll see you down the front. 🔥
THE FRONT ROW 
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