Thursday at Rebellion Punk Festival, Blackpool.

By Anya Baxter and Jim Blunt.

Rebellion punk festival is at the heart of punk culture in the UK, making Blackpool the host of one of the biggest gatherings of punks from across the globe. We were there to take in the atmosphere.

IL COMPLESSO STREET PUNK

We started our evening in the Pavilion, host to an immense range of bands from street punk to thrash pop. Spanish speaking band Il Complesso kicked off our experience, setting the crowd on fire and putting on an incredible performance.

Photos by Anya Baxter.

PENETRATION

Putting a new wave spin on Thursday night, County Durham band Penetration took to the iconic Empress Ballroom stage, lead by original 1976 frontwoman Pauline Murray, a female legend in the punk / new wave scene.

Photos by Anya Baxter.

T.S.O.L

T.S.O.L (True Sounds of Liberty) are a punk band all the way from Long Beach, California. I'm fairly certain Blackpool's tides were the polar opposite of the sunny beaches their used to, if temperature if nothing else. Original frontman Jack Grisham lead the band onto the Club Casbah stage stirring up an anarcho-punk pit in the crowd, and gaining reputation as one of the best bands to take the stage at Rebellion 2023.

Photos by Anya Baxter.

GANG GREEN

We finished our night with Massachusetts band Gang Green. Lead singer Chris Doherty explained to the crowd is paralysis in his left side, due to a stroke. Despite this disability, he gave the crowd of writhing punks a fantastic night.

Photos by Anya Baxter.