Songs on Repeat: August 2025 - Festival Bangers!

After a 4 month hiatus On Repeat is BACK! Here we bring you our Festival Bangers!

KEMPSEY

Wolf Alice – Don’t Delete the Kisses

Although not the most upbeat and lively of songs, it was absolutely perfect to see their performance at Glastonbury, albeit via livestream, during a sunset flooded with bubbles, with a very present audience — very serene and spiritual.

Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out

An already catchy, upbeat riff that gets the crowd roaring, the main riff got even better with legendary Peter Capaldi making quite a majestic entrance at Glastonbury to join the band and have the time of his life with fellow Glaswegians.

Mika – Grace Kelly

Making a sparkling and colourful performance at Latitude, really locking in and engaging with the audience. The timeless banger once again won people’s bubblegum hearts.

Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict A Riot

Celebrating 20 years of their album Employment went down with a bang at Temple Newsam. Their biggest hit stirred the crowd rowdy. What more can I say? The track is simply iconic.

The Cribs – Hey Scenesters!

Supporting the Kaiser Chiefs at Temple Newsam, The Cribs also had an album to celebrate — 20 years. Pulling most of the shots from The New Fellas album, they really met the crowd with a wall of noise and their jittery performance. Leeds and Wakefield fans rejoice in their rare appearance.

Amyl and the Sniffers – Hertz

It’s not often you see a punk band come into the light of mainstream media, so I was quite delighted to see they got a slot at Glastonbury, fulfilling their duty through boisterous energy and noise. Very catchy and upbeat — it always wins over the audience.

AMY

I’ve only made it to one festival this year—Slam Dunk—but I did catch Kaiser Chiefs at Temple Newsam, so I’m counting that. Multiple bands, outdoors… It's festival enough for me!

Most of my picks are pure nostalgia: songs my twenty-something self never got to see live, now finally experienced by my forty-something self, regressing gloriously to the days of band tees and baggy jeans (which, let’s be honest, I still wear—forever chasing my youth).

Starting with Slam Dunk:

The Ataris – Unopened Letter to the World

I loved this band back in the day. They’d slipped off my radar, but when I saw they were on the Slam Dunk lineup, catching their set was non-negotiable. This song hit just as perfectly in 2025 as it did the first time I heard it.

Less Than Jake – History of a Boring Town

I’ve loved this band then and now—they’re never far from my listening rotation.

Winona Fighter – You Look Like a Drunk Phoebe Bridgers

Not nostalgic in age, but absolutely in sound—like it was ripped straight from an early 2000s SoCal pop-punk summer. One of the best new bands I’ve discovered this year. They were the main reason Slam Dunk was a must for me, and they didn’t disappoint. Coco is a phenomenal frontwoman, and their energy is electric.

Now Kaisers:

The Coral – Dreaming of You

I’d forgotten how much I love this song. It’s a charming, folk-infused singalong that still hits.

Razorlight – Golden Touch

Another band I adored at the time and somehow lost track of. Their set—celebrating 20 years of Up All Night—put these indie stalwarts firmly back in my heavy rotation.

Kaiser Chiefs – Oh My God

Just because I love this song. No further justification needed!

And a couple from festivals I didn’t make it to (namely Glastonbury):

Bob Vylan – Pretty Songs

KNEECAP – Better Way to Live

Huge respect for both bands. They cut through media criticism and backlash to give a voice to the voiceless, using their platforms to shout for equality and freedom.

Aaaaaand, lastly althought I didnt watch any of their festival sets, but I’m sure they this, I need to add…

Biffy Clyro - Hunting Season

Simply becuase I am OBSESSED! You know when a single song makes you view a whole band entirely differently? That’s this! I’ve been down a major Biffy rabbithole off the back of loving this song and I’m having the best time! 20+ years ago me who saw them play to no more than 100 people and thought they were utter shite would be surpised!

JOHN

Black Sabbath – War Pigs (At Back to the Beginning)

When I watched the live stream of this all-day gig, I was amazed at how many acts there were, but for me Black Sabbath performing “War Pigs” was the highlight, with complete crowd interaction. Not only was it iconic that the original line-up for Sabbath got back together and arranged this event to raise funds for charity, but it feels so surreal in rewatching it after the recent death of the great Ozzy Osbourne. His music changed the face of heavy metal, and the lives of many people.

Brandi Carlile – The Story (At Glastonbury 2025)

I first heard a cover of this song a few years ago from the band Serious Black, but had never heard the original version until recently. The moment Brandi started singing, the sheer power of her vocals, especially in the high ranges, completely overtook the acoustic instruments and matched the volume perfectly when the other instruments kicked in. Admittedly I hadn’t heard much of Brandi in the past, but after that performance, I want to listen to more of her.

Pulp – Common People (At Glastonbury 2025).

Pulp were one of my favourite Britpop bands from the 90s, and Common People has to be one of their greatest anthems. While their performance at Glastonbury was one of the worst-kept secrets, I still couldn’t believe my eyes when they appeared on screen. It is hard to believe that this great song is now 30 years old, but to hear them perform it in front of a live audience made me wish I had attended.

Alanis Morissette – Ironic (At Glastonbury 2025)

I absolutely loved watching Alanis’s set at Glastonbury, as it brought back memories of hearing her songs at The Island in Ilford on a Friday night in the 90s. Jagged Little Pill remains one of my favourite albums, and to hear this song performed with complete crowd interaction was amazing.

Gary Numan – Are ‘Friends’ Electric? (At Glastonbury 2025)

I was lucky enough to see Gary Numan live last year, and as soon as I heard he was going to be at Glastonbury, I just knew that I had to tune in and watch his performance. As soon as the riff started as a warm-up for the festival-goers watching his set, you just knew that they were going to be in for a treat, regardless of whether they had seen him live before or not. Seeing Gary perform live is something that I never tire of.

Supergrass – Alright (At Glastonbury 2025)

While Supergrass never released that many singles in the 90s, “Alright” was one of those feel-good anthems that you could listen to and raise a smile even on a dark day. It has to be said that while this song is now 30 years old, it still sounds as fresh as ever, and Supergrass themselves still sound great live.

Olivia Rodrigo (featuring Robert Smith) – Just Like Heaven

While I am still pretty new to Olivia Rodrigo, I couldn’t believe it when the brilliant Robert Smith from The Cure joined her on stage to belt out one of The Cure’s most famous tracks. As a solo artist, Olivia is clearly talented, but this duet was the highlight of her performance for me. It is great to see that today’s young artists are influenced by artists from the past.

SCOTT

YUNGBLUD - Hello, Heaven, Hello

Biffy Clyro - Black Chandellier

Imagine Dragons - Thunder

Jack White - Old Scratch Blues

YUNGBLUD - Lovesick Lullaby