Takedown Festival 2025 reclaimed its throne as the South Coast’s premier celebration of rock and metal

Words by AMPED staff, header photo by Alia Thomas (@aliathomasphoto) | April 08, 2025

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Nestled along the south coast in the historic maritime city of Portsmouth, Takedown Festival 2025 made its explosive return after a year’s hiatus, bigger and bolder than ever with its first ever two-day format. The independent rock and metal festival took over Portsmouth Guildhall for a weekend of raucous riffs, thunderous drums and unforgettable performances across three indoor stages, proving once again why it’s become a must-attend event for fans of heavy music.

Photos: Alia Thomas (@aliathomasphoto)

This year’s lineup delivered a thrilling mix of established heavyweights and rising stars, with the gloriously bizarre Elvis-meets-Nirvana fusion of Elvana taking the spotlight as Saturday’s headliners. Their warped genius of blending Presley’s swagger with Cobain’s angst – from a hip-shaking rendition of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to turning the abrasive ‘Rape Me’ into a mass singalong – created one of the most surreal yet entertaining festival moments in recent memory. They were joined by blues-rock powerhouse Kris Barras Band, whose soulful shredding and commanding stage presence brought Friday night to a blistering close, alongside British metal stalwarts The Raven Age and the swaggering, groove-laden rock of Bad Touch.

Photos: Day Rutherford (@dayshootsphotos)

The festival’s triumphant return was packed with standout moments across both days. Welsh alt-rockers Dream State delivered a visceral, emotionally charged set that left the crowd breathless, while Acres merged post-hardcore intensity with haunting melodies. The goth-punk chaos of Lake Malice ignited the stage with their explosive energy, and rising stars SOS proved why they’re ones to watch with their raw, uncompromising performance. Meanwhile, Kite Thief‘s ethereal alt-rock and Glass Grave‘s crushing heaviness showcased the incredible diversity of talent on display.

Spread across three stages, Takedown 2025 offered a relentless barrage of mosh pits, singalongs and guitar-shredding madness that celebrated the resilience of the UK’s rock and metal scene in a year that saw over 60 festivals cancel. As co-organisers Kai and Sarah Harris put it: “It’s great to have it back” – and for fans who packed into Portsmouth Guildhall for two days of unapologetically loud music, that sentiment rang truer than ever. From the circle pits to the crowd surfers, the blistering solos to the warped genius of an Elvis-clad frontman belting out Nirvana classics, Takedown Festival reclaimed its throne as the South Coast’s premier celebration of rock and metal.

Photos: Day Rutherford (@dayshootsphotos)