Portsmouth Guildhall is about to get very loud this Easter weekend, and the lineup speaks for itself…

Words by Alia Thomas, photo by Day Rutherford | 10 March 2026

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Festival season is fast approaching, and what better way to kick it off with the stellar lineup that Takedown Festival has to offer this year. Takedown has always been one for showcasing some of the best rock and metal talent the UK has to offer, and they haven’t let us down with the lineup for this year. The festival is only in its second year of growing to a 2-day event, and if last year was anything to go by, we knew that this year would be special, and we weren’t wrong. If you weren’t already aware, this April, new rock royalty, President, are coming to Portsmouth, but not only are they on the Takedown lineup… They’re playing their first ever festival headline slot on Saturday. If that didn’t get you already, here are some more reasons to get down to Portsmouth Guildhall this Easter weekend. 

To kick everything off on Friday you’ve got the likes of Kill The Lights, InMe and The Wildhearts, besides some rising stars in the form of The Fear, Gurt and DeVere, and to top off an already all-star lineup, ending the night with Phill Campbell & The Bastard Sons… Yes, that’s right, Phill Campbell from the legendary Motorhead, and his band. It’s more of a shoving than an easing into the weekend, with no complaints from us.

Moving swiftly into Saturday the pace only quickens. Returning to the stages are pop-punk princes, The Bottom Line, and Oxford’s finest (and possibly loudest), Lastelle. Along with them comes an assortment of Britain’s most exciting rock and metal bands right now including Vower, Bex, Zetra, Mouth Culture, The Hara, Graphic Nature, As It Is, and the powerhouse duo that is, Wargasm, and topping things off like the cherry on the cake, is President. This is not a show to be missed. We’ll see you there. 

Get your Takedown tickets now.