Portsmouth Guildhall to Host a Two-Day Rock and Metal Showcase Featuring Elvana, Kris Barras Band, Dreamstate, and More
After a necessary postponement due to construction at Portsmouth Guildhall, the award-nominated Takedown Festival is making a powerful return in 2025. The festival will now span two days, taking place on Friday, April 4th, and Saturday, April 5th. Tickets will be available starting Friday, August 30th, 2024, at 9 AM BST.
The 2025 lineup is packed with heavy-hitters. Elvana, the famed “Elvis fronted Nirvana,” will headline Saturday night, promising a unique blend of grunge and rock ‘n’ roll. On Friday, the Kris Barras Band, led by the former MMA fighter, will kick off the festival with their hard-hitting blues-rock sound.
Joining the headliners are Welsh alt-rockers Dreamstate, MOBO-nominated Kid Bookie, and fast-rising UK metalcore stars Acres. The lineup also features an eclectic mix of talent, including Lake Malice, InVisions, URNE, The Nightmares, and the high-octane Celtic punk band Ferocious Dog.
Kai and Sarah Harris, the duo behind Takedown Festival, expressed their excitement, stating, “We are unbelievably happy to be able to share the lineup for Takedown Festival 2025. This year has been particularly economically turbulent for everyone and to date, this year, 60 UK festivals have been cancelled, postponed or lost and we feel incredibly fortunate to be able to return with a lineup we are very proud of. We would like to thank our community for the support we have received this year and we hope to see you in the pit!”
Artist Reactions
Dreamstate’s Jessie Powell echoed the excitement, saying, “Very excited to be finally playing Takedown Festival. The lineup looks stacked and we are ready to shred the room to pieces. See you in the pit!”
Kris Barras also shared his enthusiasm, adding, “Takedown Festival has been one I’ve wanted to do for a while. They always put out a great lineup featuring the best Rock and Metal bands the UK has to offer. It’ll be an honor to headline the Friday night.”
Ferocious Dog’s statement was equally charged, “We’re excited to tear it up at Takedown Festival 2025! We are delighted the festival is back on its feet and that we can bring our high-octane Celtic Punk to Portsmouth Guildhall. We’re ready to give it our all and make sure that the Ferocious Dog set is one you won’t forget.”
A Festival Reborn
After an eight-year hiatus, Takedown Festival made its much-anticipated return in 2023 with headliners Sleep Token and Skindred. Moving from its original home at Southampton University to the larger Portsmouth Guildhall, the festival quickly reclaimed its status as a major event in the rock calendar. This resurgence has not gone unnoticed, with the festival earning nominations for Best Small Festival, Best Metropolitan Festival, and the Grassroots Festival Awards at the 2023 UK Festival Awards.
Full Announced Lineup
- Elvana
- Kid Bookie
- Dreamstate
- Kris Barras Band
- Acres
- Lake Malice
- InVisions
- URNE
- Fort Hope
- The Nightmares
- Blanket
- The Bottom Line
- Bad Touch
- Skarlett Riot
- Shields
- Scarlet Rebels
- Pint Glass
- Harbinger
- Lastelle
- Seething Akira
- Black Coast
- Adharma
- Swear Blind
- Tribe Of Ghosts
- Ferocious Dog
- The Raven Age
- Desert Storm
- Empyre
- Thuum
- SUNK
- Slakrr
Tickets for Takedown Festival 2025 will go on sale on Friday, August 30th, at 9 AM via www.takedownfestival.com.
