Review: Outbreak Festival brings hardcore titans to Trafford in epic three-day event

Bowlers Exhibition Centre, nestled in the the back streets of an industrial site around the corner from the Trafford Centre, played host to an an electrifying three day post hardcore and hip hop festival this weekend (June 28 - June 30). A pilgrimage for the alternative and counterculture over the past 13 years, Outbreak Festival revels in delivering the very best of hardcore punk, emo and alternative rock and rap to the masses.

The festival was split across three days, with night one focussing more on hip hop acts. Noticeable artists such as JPEGMAGFIA and Flatbush Zombies were in attendance but the biggest draw, for sure, was the New York-based rapper, Action Bronson.

Action Bronson, who is known for his east coast lyricism inspired by legends such as Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep, is perhaps an unlikely headliner for Outbreak, but delivered a set that was not to be missed. While Bronson delivered a stellar performance, it was his live band that truly knocked it out of the park. The music felt soulful with a jazzy, almost Latin feel that was truly unforgettable - and you could tell Bronson was eating it up as much as the audience.

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Day two brought a harder sound to Trafford, with industry titans playing throughout the day. For me, the main attraction of day two was Balance and Composure, who were supposed to play a 40 minute set just before 5pm. Unfortunately, the band had some major travel issues which meant they were rescheduled for 11.50am on Sunday, but more about that later.

To bridge the gap. Philadelphia emo group, Sweet Pill, stepped in and played an extra set, which was more melodic than than rest of the thrasher-filled line up. Despite being the band's first time in the UK, they received a more than positive reception from the crowd.

Of course, those who bought tickets to Outbreak probably came for Poison The Well, Touché Amore and Basement, who headlined the night. Basement, who played their first gig in two years, who were not rusty in the slightest. Lead singer of the band, Andrew Fisher, sung his heart out and the crowd parroted the vocals right back at him.

Finally on Sunday, it was time to see Balance and Composure - and I couldn't have been more excited. Granted, I got to the festival at 11am and the queue for coffee was longer than the line for beer than at any other point during the festival, but the early alarm was worth it.

Outbreak was Balance and Composure's first gig in the UK in 10 or so years and they've been sorely missed. The band finally arrived on British shores after coming back from a four-year hiatus last year. They opened with two of their latest tracks, Body Language and Cross to Bear.

They then played singalong classics from their first studio album, Separation (2011), and The Things We Think We're Missing (2013). While the band was undoubtedly stifled by the beyond early set time, those who managed to wake for it were having the time of their life. The reaction was slightly subdued for the first few tracks but the pit picked up by the time the band got to the live renditions of Tiny Raindrop, Notice Me and Reflection.

Closing the festival was American Football, a band that I thought I would never get the opportunity to see live so I was giddy with excitement. The Midwest emo band were originally only active between 1997 and 2000 and yet created one of the seminal albums in the genre.

American Football kicked off their set with the gorgeous and optimistic instrumental, Five Silent Miles, before moving onto some of the more well-known tracks from their debut self-titled album. Without a doubt, my favourites of the night were You Know I Should be Leaving Soon, But the Regrets are Killing Me and obviously, Never Meant, a certified classic.

I also appreciated how safe the entire festival made me feel. Usually, drunken rowdiness goes hand in hand with hardcore shows, and that's to be expected, but there was none of that at Outbreak. In fact, everyone was on their best behaviour and I couldn't sing the praises of the staff highly enough who were nothing but helpful. Plus, the merch was reasonably priced as was the food, which is always a bonus.

If you're looking to dip your toe into hardcore festivals without committing to Download next year, consider Outbreak. The festival is back in the autumn for a one day event with mega bands The Story So Far and Citizen headlining, both of which I cannot wait to see.