An Evening of Melodical Alchemy

A report by Désirée Bichsel

When I arrived at the main stage, the old town street was already packed. I heard TTSSFU before I saw them. Their ethereal sound floated over the crowd, drawing me in instantly. I wanted to move closer to the stage—not just for the writing, but because something about them genuinely captured my full attention. Their appearance, too, was magnetic. The band members, dressed in crisp white shirts and black ties, complemented front-woman and songwriter Tasmin Stephens’ own iconic look.

In her white slip dress, black boots, and blonde wig, she sang with an emotional rawness that cut through the air. Her voice was siren-like, a haunting melody paired perfectly with the eerie guitar sounds. The entire set seemed to build towards one inevitable climax. Stephens screamed out her frustrations, ripped off her wig, and stormed off the stage. Without a doubt, it was one of the most powerful exits I’ve ever witnessed.

Next up was Chalk. It felt as though my dream-like state simply carried on. Their performance was nothing short of a dark and gritty surrealist masterpiece—part psychedelic odyssey, part raw indie exploration. The strobing lights and heavy reverb created an atmosphere that made you feel disoriented—but in the best possible way. The crowd, hypnotised, swayed and danced as one, pulled into the swirl of it all.

Ross Cullen’s vocals, though occasionally indistinct, had a raw, almost otherworldly quality. It didn’t matter that I could barely make out a word he was singing (or speaking?) because his delivery felt like a primal force—an emotional outpouring that communicated far more than words could ever convey.

The final and main act of the evening was Idles. Within the first ten seconds of their set, the mosh pit had already begun to take shape. The crowd’s energy was as electric as ever. As was the band’s. It had been a long time since I’d seen musicians so passionate, so alive on stage. Each member seemed to have their own signature moves, adding to the chaos and excitement.

Between the guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan’s wild crowd-surfing antics—including Bowen running around an empty fountain turned festival bar and chugging beer—there were also some genuinely heartwarming moments. Like when lead singer Joe Talbot made a heartfelt tribute to his bandmates, thanking them for supporting him through hard times. Or when the band and the crowd united to chant “Free Palestine”, creating an assertive sense of unity.

Their angry, thundering drum and bass lines mixed beautifully with their themes of vulnerability, inclusivity, and resilience—creating an empowering, electrifying experience that left everyone buzzing long after the last note.