Victorious Festival

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Victorious Festival 2025 will bring the best live music, comedy and family entertainment to Southsea Common on 22, 23 and 24 August.

Super Early Bird tickets for next year's event are now available, with a prize freeze keeping weekend tickets at just £145 - or £11.99 per month on the payment plan.

The 2024 event was another roaring success, with tens of thousands of revellers descending on Southsea Common for three days of great music, comedy and entertainment.

Razorlight got things going, playing to an enormous crowd in the coveted afternoon special guest slot on Friday. The band's current line-up sees all four members of its most successful period reunited - and it was from this era they took the entire setlist; all 10 songs came from the band's first two albums. 'In The Morning', 'Golden Touch' and 'America' were among those ringing out under a blue sky.

Elsewhere on the line up Louis Tomlinson performed a Common Stage set of solo material, as well as a few One Direction tracks ('Drag Me Down' and 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go') for good measure. Over on the Castle Stage it was a typically effervescent set from Lottery Winners, followed by a triumphant return to Victorious Festival for Maximo Park - the band opening with local favourite 'The Coast is Always Changing'.

Those taking a break from the music had plenty to enjoy - not least in the Comedy and Cabaret Stage where bona fide stand-up superstar Russell Howard headlined. Festivalgoers were spilling out of the tent with an estimated 16,000 thought to have been in attendance.

Later in the evening, Snow Patrol made their Victorious Festival debut with a 14-track, career-spanning set. Beloved ballads 'Run' and 'Chasing Cars' got an airing, alongside the likes of 'You're All I Have' and 'Open Your Eyes'.

Following Snow Patrol and closing business for Friday was the legendary DJ Fatboy Slim. Extending his set by taking to the stage slightly earlier than billed, Norman Cook treated the Victorious crowd to a romp not just through some of his own classics but also huge hits by Talking Heads, the Chemical Brothers and Queen - all the while backed by eye-popping visuals.

Those not wanting to catch Fatboy Slim had plenty of choice - including Jess Glynne (backed with a full band and dancers) on the Castle Stage, Dub FX on the Seaside Stage and Chris Helme (formerly of The Seahorses) closing the newly christened Under The Trees stage (formerly the Acoustic Stage).

On Saturday morning all the chat was about who could be the special guests performing a 30-minute early afternoon set on the Castle Stage. That band turned out to be pop-punk legends Busted, who came out to enormous cheers from a crowd made up of all ages and generations. Ripping through eight tracks in their allotted half hour, the band had time for 'Air Hostess', 'Crashed The Wedding' and closer 'Year 3000', among others.

Those wanting a bit more soulful folk could opt instead for Tom Walker on the Common Stage. The Scottish singer-songwriter wowed the crowds with his instantly recognisable voice, closing the set with mega-smash 'Leave a Light On'.

Mid-afternoon sets included bold and funny songwriter CMAT bringing her country-inspired pop hits to the Common Stage, and Lightning Seeds leading singalong after singalong on the Castle Stage (even finishing with perennial football anthem 'Three Lions').

Those seeking out something a little more alternative could find it on the stages further down the billing, with acts playing the Introducing stage including Body Crisis, Wooed and Rats! Rats! Rats!. Or, on the Comedy and Cabaret stage was the bitingly funny Frankie Boyle.

As the sun set it was time for Sugababes to return to Victorious Festival, this time swapping the afternoon guest slot for a pre-headliner show on the Castle Stage. All the group's big 2000s hits featured, among them 'Hole in the Head', 'Push the Button' and 'Round Round'.

American alt rock royalty Pixies followed, dipping into no fewer than six of their albums for an extensive and varied set that included, of course, the likes of 'Monkey Gone To Heaven', 'Debaser' and 'Where is My Mind?'.

Saturday's main stage headliner was Jamie T. The London singer and rapper performing old favourites including 'Sheila', 'Sticks and Stones', and 'If You Got the Money', alongside more recent output. The set concluded with smash hit 'Zombie', followed by fireworks.

On Sunday The Kooks returned to play Victorious Festival's afternoon guest slot for a second time. It's easy to see why: the band drew an enormous crowd the first time around and this year it was hardly any different. The Brighton band drew plenty of singalongs, with 'Ooh La', 'She Moves in Her Own Way', 'Seaside' and 'Naïve' all getting an airing.

Shortly afterwards local singer songwriter Harvey Jay Dodgson performed on the Castle Stage having won the illustrious Road to Victorious competition. Fortifying his pop-rock sounds with hip hop and soul inspiration, Dodgson's songs take as much from Billie Holiday and Kate Bush as they do Jamie T and Kasabian.

Sunday's comedy performances included The Pub Landlord Al Murray, bringing a rapturously received set heavy on audience participation.

As day turned to evening the main stages offered a choice between soulful singer songwriter James Bay on the Common Stage and noisy punks Soft Play on the Castle Stage. Bay played a set leaning heavily on tracks from debut album 'Chaos and the Calm' (including closer 'Hold Back the River'), whilst Soft Play's set comprised mostly new material from 2024's 'Heavy Jelly' - having exploded out of the blocks with opener 'Punk's Dead'.

Becky Hill followed on the Common Stage, returning to Victorious Festival after a slot in 2022 that was so popular the Castle Stage had to be closed off for fear of overcrowding. No such worry this time, however, thanks to a billing in the main arena - where crowds packed the place to hear 'Afterglow', 'Wish You Well' and 'Right Here'.

Meanwhile, Arlo Parks and her band looked as though they truly loved playing at the Castle Stage. Five tracks from the Mercury Prize-winning album 'Collapsed in Sunbeams' featured, including 'Too Good' and 'Hurt'.

After Parks it was the turn of Wet Leg who admitted that, even though they come from across the water on the Isle of Wight, this felt like a homecoming show. Performing some songs for what could be the last time (as next up for the band is writing and recording new material) they aired mega hits 'Wet Dream' and 'Chaise Longue', amongst all 12 tracks from their self-titled debut album.

The Common Stage, meanwhile, saw a dazzling light show and heavy riffs from Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro. An impassioned crowd (a great many clad in band merch) roared along, with the trio's rockier moments drawing some of the biggest reactions. A four-song encore ended with power ballad 'Many of Horror' before fireworks drew the evening - and indeed Victorious Festival 2024 - to its close.

To make sure you don't miss Victorious Festival 2025, book your tickets at: victoriousfestival.co.uk/buy-tickets/.