Victorious Festival 2026

Fri 28/Sat 29/Sun 30 August 2026 at Southsea Common.

Well I’ve had a great time but I certainly may have limited my experiences this year. There are about 75 bands on the line-up and loads of other performance areas beyond the Common Stage, Castle Stage and the stage Under The Trees that I went to. I managed just  fifteen bands over the three days – carefully picked. I packed in early on Sunday as the storm clouds gathered and after a busy Friday I couldn’t muster the strength or enthusiasm to leave some seated comfort for Richard Ashcroft – I listened. At 63 with dodgy legs I know my limits. 16 miles walking was enough.

Even I have started to resist the drinks prices and the added plastic cup bonus nonsense. With some health considerations also, I went alcohol-free on Friday and Sunday – the less said about Saturday the better.

Two days with the Hideaway bonus, not three. Then on the food front I cut down again, although some lovely options out there but it’s a lot of money for a lot of fatty food in most cases. Great chicken tikka roti and veg samosa around the back of the Castle Stage. A few £4 cans of pop and a couple of the most over priced ice creams I’ve ever eaten – nice though at the time.

The festival organisers also seem to have cut back. The line-up just seemed a bit lighter this year, especially Sunday and the crowds looked smaller to me, especially at the Castle Stage.

Still, I enjoyed all the 15 bands I watched. I walked away after a few songs from a few other Common Stage names that I thought were just dreadful, possibly more fitting for a kids’ party, but I am advised that they were just not my thing so my fault not theirs eh. Enough of a prompt for me to wait for the line-up next year and not grab the early bird tickets.

So a whistle stop tour of my fifteen band weekend.

FRIDAY

Freddie Halkon on the Castle Stage first of all. This indie pop rocker supported The Reytons on tour  which is where I stumbled on him. An instant hit with a bold sound with clear lyrics that stood up to the wind – a good start to the three days. Weather was holding up today, despite a mixed forecast.

Local favourites Crystal Tides next and a substantial crowd attracted. Saw two sets by them one year here. Always entertaining.

Over to the main, The Common Stage, for Cast. As soon as the first song starts, Free Me, you remember how good they are and how familiar. With dirt swirling in the wind Sandstorm was apt. Contender for first day favourites.

The 20 minute weave (it’s about half a mile) through bodies back to the Castle Stage took me to see Staines boys, Hard-Fi. A few songs from their great new LP together with the hits, including Cash Machine and Living For The Weekend. I loved seeing them again. Half an hour not enough. Suburban Knights is another one of my fave slower ones.

This year I had vowed to limit my trudges between the main stages so at this point I just took it easy, armed with my seat waiver and collapsible stool, which served me very well this year. I was waiting for The Royston Club.

My pick of the day. Big crowd for these Welsh indie rockers. Two very good albums and the excellent anthem Cariad to finsish.

SATURDAY

The weather was pretty shocking on Saturday. High winds led to some signs and screens being lowered. However, despite the odd short  heavy downpour, it was mainly swirling drizzle. I got over just to see the end of Matt Hennessy‘s set. Sounded good – new to me.

I was here for The Clause. I’ve seen them a few times over the last year or so and acquired their first album and live studio record on vinyl. The anthemic indie rock from these Solihull youngsters cut through the drizzle and the enthusiasm in the large crowd kept it all going.

I lingered longer at the Castle Stage for Dylan John Thomas. During August I’d been listening to his 2024 eponymous LP, following a recommendation. Liked what I heard – the guitar and Glaswegian vocals that are in a similar vein to his mentor Gerry Cinnamon.

His new LP, Nothing Here Worth Taking, is out in October.

After this it was time for a drink and some food (Pizza). I went for a sit down and a chat in The Hideway. Instead of walking in search of some more bands on my list (Doves, Kate Nash) I took the easy option of popping out to stage front later to hear the accessible sounds of Nile Rodgers and Chic. Happy vibe in strong winds and a bit of drizzle. Enjoyable atmosphere. Beer flowing. Nile Rodgers later commented on his Instagram that it was the worst weather he had played in and noted his surprise that other bands played later.

He’s written so much for so many big names and he played some classics along with the Chic numbers. Let’s Dance and Modern Love, that he wrote for Bowie; Madonna’s Like A Virgin and Sister Sledge’s We Are Family, to name a few.

Lead singer Naomi Rodgers was pretty fantastic. She doesn’t appear to be related to Nile.

Despite the weather, I had to see out today. The Black Keys were last on. I first saw them in Madrid in 2012 – I only went because The Maccabees were supporting and we were in the city. Since then a string of CDs bought and they have boomed to a big venue band. They aren’t are big venue band but they play them.

This setting was excellent. Moody grey sky. Bluesy rock’n’roll that made a festival feel like a compact gig. The stage lights created a more intimate feel. This is not a band to watch in the larger arenas they now play in – so many bands you can say that about.

Gold on the Ceiling earlier on and Lonely Boy to finish. Brilliant, with songs from nine LPs in between. This year’s winners in my ears.

SUNDAY

The miserable weather forecast of earlier in the week had evaporated by the time the early morning downpour was over. Someone at Victorious HQ must have wished for some gaffer tape to be stuck over the weather forecasters’ mouths this week. Nothing catastrophic. The ground was still firm everywhere on the site.

Got in for Norwegian popster Sigrid. She has been here before in recent years. Exuding happiness and smiles, how could you not like listening in the sunshine, not that I knew the songs.

Then I was off on a mission, to see The Guest List. I’d been told. I’d been listening on Spotify. I wasn’t disappointed.

Mancunian strains of indie rock that had shades of early Radiohead. First LP, Something Real, just out and I am listening to it almost daily at the moment.

Best New band I have seen in a while and we booked to see them on tour, while still in the festival on Sunday afternoon. Yes, that good.

These young men have a lot ahead of them and I will be following.

After that, I wandered and ate and sat for a bit. I heard a very loud and rocky Reef from a distance – not bad still after all these years. I was saving myself, my legs, for The Enemy.

A breathless 30 mins of non-stop bangers from the lads from Coventry. Tom Clarke said his throat was failing him. It was the last gig of their festival season so he got some help at the end…. not that he gave up on the high notes.

Pace set with these three to start: Aggro, Away From Here and Had Enough. Brilliant. Did they have a slow song? Oh yes – Happy Birthday Jane.

We Live and Die In These Towns was a heart felt singalong. The obligatory smoke flare was set off. People on shoulders. I loved it. As a former Coventry resident, before they broke into action, I’ve followed them more loyally than I might. Another of just a few musical names for the Sky Blue City to shout about…and they shout loud.

They finish with This Song Is About You. Another one about miserable reality that everyone revels in. A great short, sharp set.

I was pretty much done for the weekend after that cracker. Enough walking and standing. No interest in the rest of the main stage. I saw a bit of The Streets on the way out. The rain and wind was due later for Kasabian without Tom, which isn’t my Kasabian thanks.

So I rallied a small group for a trip to the stage at Under The Trees. No hay bales to sit on this year. Maybe the fire risk in all the rain or some other safety concern. Always a relaxed little stage. I wanted to catch Bloodworm and so pleased I did.

Bloodworm supported Suede on their recent tour and because I was chatting in the bar at Pompey Guildhall beforehand, I missed nearly all of their set – I got in for the last few songs and knew I’d missed something good. This was a chance to put that right and excellent it was too. A bit of an early Cure sound with that echoing guitar and essence of Sisters of Mercy at times.

Another new band to watch and there were plenty of older faces in the crowd that  looked to be thinking the same.

Next on this stage was singer songwriter, with guitar and band: Fiona-Lee. I recognised the name and with a bit of checking noticed I’d seen her solo before, supporting Coach Party at The Joiners  in Southampton. I felt some loyalty as I remember good things. So I hung about, perched on my collapsible stool, and fuelled by a £6 choc ice on a stick and £4 can of water. Why do we put up with this?

Worth waiting for. An easy listen with some edge and enhanced with the full band. I shall listen more.

That’s it. Victorious Festival 2026. I wonder if it will be my last. I usually find enough to entertain me, but I felt the line-up drifting away from me this year.

This festival has always been reasonably good value, but possibly a bit diluted this year – maybe that was the rain eh. Maybe I’m not happy clappy enough.