The Top 10 Bands To See At No Play 2025

No Play Festival is around the corner, and what better time than now to get your ticket to support independent music festivals and see some amazing bands. If you are heading to the festival, here are some bands you should definitely check out!

Lure In

First up, from the Manchester hardcore scene, we have Lure In. Now that the stage splits for the day have been revealed, you have no excuse not to catch at least some of their set if you’re about nice and early. With the release of their debut album, ‘We Are All Going To Hell’, the band have announced a free show playing the full release in Manchester the week after the festival, so it’ll be fun to see what’s in store for their festival setlist as they get everyone warmed up for the day ahead.

Demeanour

While they may be a new band to the hardcore scene, formed in 2024, you may recognise vocalist Izabel Lavin from Rozemary, another band on this year's No Play lineup, which you should also check out if you didn’t manage to catch them at last year's festival. The talent from this group proves that Demeanour has only one way to go, and that’s up, and it’ll be exciting to see more and more people discover what they have to offer. With the recent release of their EP ‘My Own Fate’, what better timing than now to give them a listen?

Omoia

There is truly something for everyone at No Play, and Omoia is another band worth getting down early for. This Leeds-based queer emo band has recently released an EP by the name of ‘Anthology’, which you can listen to now if you want to get an idea of what's in store for you. This band is blurring the lines between genres, making it feel entirely their own, by blending the raw and catchy lyrics that you can expect from alt- rock or emo with the hard- hitting metalcore riffs with a lean into melodic post- hardcore. 

Perp Walk

Fresh from Bristol, we have Perp Walk, a band that dips between hardcore and punk seamlessly. After being on last year’s Outbreak lineup, the band have become unstoppable this year, playing multiple festivals this year including of course, No Play Festival. The band’s northern fan base is growing exponentially to match that of their southern fan base and If this year’s Manchester Punk Festival performance is anything to go by, the crowd will likely be just as feral and the band will definitely match this energy as they are not one to hold back, delivering high intensity throughout their performances.

False Reality

If a thrash-infused hardcore band is what you’re looking for to slot into your day at the festival, look no further. False Reality is making giant leaps in the scene lately, performing at Manchester Punk Festival, Burn It Down, and 2000 Trees just this year, as well as supporting bands like Heriot, Stray From The Path and Stick To Your Guns, to name a few. This London hardcore band is definitely a must see at this years festival as their music is nothing short of brilliant and their energy is unmatched.

XapothecaryX

London vegan straight edge metallic hardcore band xapothecaryx brought out a new EP earlier this year ‘The Machine Demands Blood’, which includes features from A Mourning Star, Not Without Punishment, Iron Deficiency, and Street Justice, covering themes such as genocide, animal experimentation, and addiction, the name of the EP itself being a reference to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This is another band that is playing somewhat earlier in the day but you can still expect a high turnout, so get yourself along and join in with likeminded people shouting about the current state of the world.

Overpower

Bristol thrash Overpower are ready to make some more noise up north. Having previously toured with bands including Obituary, Inhuman Nature and Power Trip, this is a band that knows how to command the stage and get the crowd going. Despite not having any new music out so far this year, Overpower are still expected to put on an immense show, promising high energy, plenty of pits and chaos throughout so definitely save some energy for this one because you're going to need it to keep up.

Angel Number

Self-described as electrogaze/ ethereal/ altrock, Angel Number is a vocally softer band on this list that still offers plenty of hard-hitting riffs and drums throughout, alongside some fun synths. For Angel Number, it's their second time performing at No Play Festival; however, with their latest double EP release, we can likely expect to hear more from these played this year. Whether this sounds like a bit of you or even if you’d just like to pace yourself between heavier bands, definitely check out Angel Number.

Buds.

This band should definitely be on your list of bands to see for No Play this year. What’s better than shouting along to catchy songs that lean into emo, punk and hardcore all at the same time? ‘Picking Wounds, ’ their newest release, will have you on your feet, singing and screaming along and will be a fun one to hear live. Regardless of whether you're heading home early and want to catch one last band or if you feel as though the day is just getting started, make sure to catch Buds and release some pent-up emotions. 

Guilt Trip

Headlining the festival are Manchester’s Guilt Trip, a band that’s made a name for themself as a powerhouse of the hardcore scene alongside the likes of Malevolence. Continuing to prove themselves consistently by playing to bigger and bigger crowds, they have built a solid fan base that only continues to grow as they have toured alongside the likes of Kublai Khan, Architects, While She Sleeps and more. Their live shows are a high-energy force to be reckoned with, so if, for some reason, you haven’t checked them out already, it will definitely be worth sticking around for their well-deserved headline slot.

Words: Libby Percival