Festival Review: Y Not 2025 – Friday
FRIDAY
The Prodigy | Y Not Festival | Photo by: Faye Stacey – View From The Pit
After waking up early-ish, I wandered down to the press tent around 9am. There’s something so peaceful about the site in the morning when no one’s around, the calm before the storm. After half an hour of chilling, gathering my thoughts and refreshing my notes from the night before, an almighty roll of bass rumbled across the fields. It was time for The Prodigy’s soundcheck.
They ran through ‘Breathe‘ and I stood right in front of the main stage, my cheeks wobbling like I’d just jumped out of a plane. If this was just soundcheck, I knew the night ahead was going to be loud. Excited and giddy, I headed back to camp.
We were staying in Paradise Peaks camping, it’s an extra cost but worth every penny. Compared to last year, they’d really stepped it up. Showers were plentiful and cleaned immediately after use which felt like the ultimate luxury for refreshing after a fuzzy night.
Taylor Liam Jackson | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Faye Stacey – View From The Pit
We hadn’t planned anyone in our schedule for the Hog & Barrel tent that weekend but walking past first thing Friday, we noticed it was absolutely rammed and it was only just gone midday. Curiosity got the better of us, we had to check it out. The tent was heaving for young Derby lad Taylor Liam Jackson. I’d seen his name floating about before but never really paid attention. Within minutes, I understood why he had such a big crowd so early.
Just one lad and a guitar, with a voice that cracks and bends in ways you don’t expect. It feels like it shouldn’t work but it really does. He’s cheeky too, full of banter and once he’s got a crowd, he keeps them hooked. New tune ‘Let Me Go‘ went down a storm, showing he’s more than just a lad messing about. He thanked his manager, Dean Clarke of The Derby Indie Collective and Shed Seven’s Rick Witter, saying Rick was the reason he picked up a guitar. Fittingly, he followed it with a cover of Shed Seven’s ‘Going For Gold‘.
His fans already had a clear favourite, with shouts of ‘Daydream‘ echoing around the tent. That was saved for the closer but the crowd wanted more. You can tell when an artist has “that one” live anthem and he’s already got it. It wouldn’t surprise me if next year he’s bumped up to a bigger tent, maybe even the main stage in years to come. An unexpected but brilliant first act for us.
The Futureheads | Y Not Festival | Photo By: The Futureheads HQ
A great addition this year was the 2pm Special Guest slots, these are designed to get people in early. Friday’s was The Futureheads, a band I’ve always liked but never seen live.
After a cold and miserable morning the band not only brought the sun out, they also gathered a massive crowd for that time in the day, this helps when you’re armed with an arsenal of bangers. They kicked off with ‘Beginning of the Twist‘, instantly setting the tone, for the rest of the set.
Banter bounced between members, it was a fun way to shake the fuzzy heads, a giggle and a dance, what more do you need?
Sometimes during the set you found yourself just stood there in awe, the way the vocals are layered like a barbershop quartet is pretty damn impressive. A highlight was the folk tune ‘Old Dun Cow‘, sung completely a cappella. The crowd was hushed into silence until the raucous “MACYNTIRE!” participation moment.
They wrapped up the set with their iconic cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love‘, the whole place singing along.
Raised By Owls | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Kev – Kayenelleltd
Straight after, over in the Giant Squid, chaos erupted with Raised By Owls. If you’ve not seen them, imagine heavy metal colliding with pure absurdity or “heavy mental,” as I’d call it. They came out dressed as Oasis, with Mr. Blobby as Liam Gallagher waving dildos around, while frontman Sam Strachan claimed to be Noel. “Anyway, here’s Wonderwall”, only, of course, they never played it which was a shame, that would of been batshit crazy.
The band were full of jokes, this is our 6th time playing Y Not, why do you keep coming?
Their set was part game show, complete with rounds of “Best Headbang,” “Best Growl,” and “Best Barney Greenway Dance.” Prizes included T-shirts with ridiculous slogans ‘Circamsizan Survivor’, the other said ‘If I Get Circumcised Where Will I Hide My Smegma’, definitely not Sunday Service atire. There was also a trophy for “World’s Best Growler,” presented by a Slipknot-inspired Cocknose.
Beneath all the madness though, their musicianship is undeniable, Sam’s guttural vocals looked effortless and the band were tight as anything. They ended with a cover of Limp Bizkit’s ‘Break Stuff‘, joined by the Cookie Monster on stage. Completely bonkers but brilliant.
After giving our heads a wobble, we wandered to The Allotment, to catch up with some of the hottest talents hosted by This Feeling.
The Slates | Y Not Festival | Photos By: BuckoPhotography
First up, The Slates. These lads are one of the UK’s best-kept secrets but not for long. They walked on to ‘Freed From Desire’, turning the tent into a mini rave before tearing into ‘Hello, Don’t You Know‘. The tent was bursting inside and out, the crowd were instantly in their hands.
Frontman Louis Barnes took a heartfelt moment mid-set to wish his grandma a happy 80th, shouting “Love you, Grandma!” which made it feel like she might actually be there.
Their newest track ‘Calling Up‘ felt like the one that could push them deeper into the scene, how Radio X aren’t all over that tune is a mystery! While ‘Sheild Your Drink‘ had the whole tent singing back every word. A proper anthem.
Hearts | Y Not Festival | Photo By: RhonaMurphyPhoto – This Feeling
Next up, Hearts from Gothenburg, Sweden, though you’d swear they sounded straight out of Manchester. They blend a gritty Northern sound with electro undertones and they play like they’re headlining Glastonbury, no matter the stage size. ‘Slide‘ had everyone clapping along, ‘Always You‘ felt like a ready-made festival anthem and their bassist looked born for the photographers, every move was a pose.
By the end, they’d cemented themselves as a band firmly on my radar.
Breeze | Y Not Festival | Photo By: RhonaMurphyPhoto – This Feeling
Then came Breeze is a band (all one word), a trio of brothers, Albert, Harry, and Alfred Anderson whose connection on stage is almost telepathic. ‘Shoot It Down‘ was an absolute monster live and it’s criminal this hasn’t made it onto a video game soundtrack yet. ‘She’s Got It‘ added a lovely touch, as it was written by their Dad in the ’90s, I didn’t know this until Albert said it on stage. Anyway, their dad Richard happened to be grinning away at the side of the stage, their biggest fan. The youngest brother Alfred, on drums has really grown into his role his vocals on ‘Where Is My Mind?‘ by Pixes were a huge surprise, I have never seen him do that before and it really works, it’s a massive asset having him join vocals like that. The tune blended seamlessly into their own track ‘Eyes Wide Open‘.
Just when I thought they were done, they ended with ‘Teenage Dirtbag‘, a tune nobody saw coming but a guaranteed tent-wide singalong.
Breeze feel like they’re on the cusp of something big, something more has clicked and this an exciting time for the lads.
Primal Scream | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Faye Stacey – View From The Pit
As the day moved into the evening, it was time for the big hitters. Primal Scream were the perfect warm-up before The Prodigy. They opened with ‘Don’t Fight It, Feel It‘, instantly transporting us back to the days of Acid House. Bobby Gillespie, looking slick in an all-white suit against a white backdrop, carrying himself like a true frontman.
Alongside the hits, they slipped in newer tracks ‘Deep Dark Waters‘ which lost a few in the crowd, but soon reeled them back with ‘Medication‘ and ‘I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have‘.
Then came that magical golden hour moment. The sun dipped, the sky turned red, with the hazy sunlight and smooth tunes, life just felt perfect. The set ended in style with ‘Loaded‘, ‘Movin’ On Up‘, ‘Country Girl‘ and ‘Rocks‘, an unstoppable run. Bobby even came down to the pit to shake hands with fans. A beautiful moment, and a perfect set-up for what was about to follow.
The Prodigy | Y Not Festival | Photo By: John Springett
By now, anticipation was fever-pitch, The Prodigy weren’t due on until 10:15pm, later than most headliners but with good reason, you want full darkness for this show. We planted ourselves in front of the sound desk for the best view, slightly uphill, ready for the chaos.
And then, boom… The Prodigy hit the stage with ‘Voodoo People‘ and it felt like the ground split open, the bass rattled through every rib in my body. Within seconds, the entire arena was theirs. With ‘Omen‘ following, the atmosphere turned electric and eerie, that unique Prodigy blend of uncomfortable but euphoric.
Tracks like ‘Light Up The Sky‘ and ‘Need Some 1‘ proved they’ve still got fire in them, drawing younger fans together with the old guard. When ‘Firestarter‘ dropped, the most moving moment arrived, a tribute to Keith Flint, his image recreated in green lasers dancing across the stage. Maxim stood military like, almost like a statue in salute to the truest and purest warrior of them all. Spine-tingling.
They delved into old-school territory with ‘No Good (Start The Dance)‘ and ‘Their Law‘, each one darker, heavier and more powerful than the last.
What sets The Prodigy apart is that they perform live, it’s not a DJ set but a full-on assault. Liam Howlett is like a Puppet Master, when his fingers strike the keys, it unleashes the beasts. Maxim prowling like a general, Leo Crabtree battering and climbing his drum kit, and Rob Holliday slicing through with guitar. To think they’re in their 50s and still doing this with the same ferocity and energy is mind-blowing. They should be seen as national treasures.
The encore blew the roof off, ‘Smack My Bitch Up‘, ‘Take Me To The Hospital‘ and ‘We Live Forever‘. A relentless barrage of sound, light, and pyro. Big up to the lad who gave us glasses to put on which turned every light and laser into a love heart, that shit was wild. By the time they signed off with ‘Out Of Space‘, Derbyshire had well and truly been taken to another dimension.
The set was all anybody could talk about for the rest of the weekend, strangers bonding over what we’d all witnessed.
Hanging in the Balance | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Nikki Wilson – The Indie Masterplan
After that adrenaline rush, we stumbled across the Hanging In The Balance fire sculpture, rotating spheres of flame, like a living piece of art. We sat there chatting with Malcolm, who tended it on the night time, letting the heat and glow calm us down. Eventually, we ended up back in The Allotment, finishing the night with indie bangers from This Feeling until close.
What. A. Day. Technically, the first “full” day but one that’ll be hard to top. Tomorrow, there are going to be some very tender revellers but we go again!
