Tufnell Park’s Downstairs at The Dome was packed and loud as Wisconsin-bred Archers touched down in London. With great support from Tropic Gold, it was a night of heavy music, huge choruses, and a lot of sweat.

On a chaotic Easter bank holiday weekend as Storm Dave bears down on the UK it would be a fair cop to say that 2026 festival season hasn't quite started yet. Although we may be a little while away from fields and camping (and mud) the start of April is the perfect time for the Guildhall in Portsmouth to get everyone warmed up for a summer of debauchery and play host to a few dozen raucous bands across two days and three stages.

As the iconic notes of Edith Piaf’s ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’, blasted triumphantly around The Islington Academy2 and French metalcore outfit Resolve strode onto the stage, an already thoroughly warmed up and packed out room lost their collective mind. Before the main act had even had a chance to play a note, a trio of bands with their own pull on the London crowd had their chance to impress.