Festival Review: Y Not 2025 – Saturday
SATURDAY
Courteeners | Y Not Festival | Photo By: John Springett
Saturday had a slightly different start for us. We were booked in to interview one of my favourite bands, The Twang! And waking up still fuzzy from The Prodigy, my stomach was in knots, face-to-face interviews are well out of my comfort zone, I’ve got a bit of a stammer too so the nerves were high but not as high as the excitement.
Mr Motivator | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Kev – Kayenelleltd
To break the tension, we strolled over to the main stage where none other than Mr Motivator was opening proceedings. His positivity is unmatched and seeing him energise a field of hungover revellers instantly lifted the mood. Honestly, it wouldn’t be Y Not without him, a true festival legend.
The Twang Interview | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Nikki Wilson – The Indie Masterplan
When the time came to sit down with Phil Etheridge from The Twang, the nerves melted away, he was a top bloke, funny, genuine and so easy to chat with. We talked about everything from the band’s cheeky album titles to who the biggest liability in the group is and even about Grandmaster Ash’s many talents. He had us laughing within minutes, by the end of it I was buzzing, not just from the adrenaline of getting through the interview but from knowing we’d had a proper moment with one of my favourite bands.
Full interview coming soon.
The Twang | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Marc Whiffen – The Indie Masterplan
When The Twang hit the stage at 2pm, the anticipation was sky-high. They stormed straight into ‘Wide Awake‘ and suddenly all the nerves I’d felt earlier were replaced by pure joy. Phil was beaming as he clocked the big early-afternoon turnout and the whole field felt like it had been transported back to the band’s early days.
‘You On My Shoulders‘ came next and the sight was magical, people climbing onto shoulders, arms swaying and even casual fans mouthing along once they caught onto the lyrics. This tune has cemented itself as a modern festival anthem and in moments like this, you understand exactly why Phil said earlier that he can’t imagine a Twang set without it.
Then it was a double hit of ‘Two Lovers‘ and ‘Barney Rubble‘, the latter in particular was made for festivals, the chorus bouncing off the sunshine and the sea of fans singing back with smiles plastered on their faces.
‘Either Way‘ pulled in passer-bys, proving that their songs still have that magnetism but the real special moment was their long-loved cover of ‘Drinking in LA‘. Honestly, they’ve been doing it so long it feels more like their own track now. Watching Phil perch himself in front of the drums with what was almost certainly not just Red Bull in hand (our earlier chat suggests rum is more his style) was a joy to watch. He looked like the band’s biggest fan as he sat grinning at the rest of them smashing it out.
They closed with ‘Cloudy Room‘, a song that unites the whole field in one last singalong. The atmosphere was pure euphoria and by the look on their faces, the band were as buzzed about the reception as we were about seeing them.
Alright Interview | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Nikki Wilson – The Indie Masterplan
Afterwards, we found ourselves back in the press tent and then, in a twist of fate we were inside the artist green room again for an unexpected interview with ALRIGHT. A band we’d been desperate to catch live later in the day.
Red Rum Club | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Faye Stacey – View From The Pit
Next, we headed over to catch Red Rum Club. Sadly, we missed the start due to the ALRIGHT interview but we made it in time for ‘Hole in My Home‘, which radiated pure sunshine vibes, both in the sky and in the crowd’s hearts.
Now on album number five ‘Buck‘, their sound has grown bolder and darker. The title track, performed with a giant horseshoe on stage, gave the set a new edge, hinting at the era the band are stepping into. Tracks like ‘Crush TX‘ showed off that heavier side and live, it hit like a sledgehammer, proving the band can balance their upbeat trumpet-and-hooks vibe with something grittier.
‘Black Cat‘ was a knockout, sandwiched between ‘Would You Rather Be Lonely?‘ and ‘Vanilla‘. That knuckle-sandwich of contrasts kept the energy surging. Closing with ‘Vanilla‘, it was anything but plain, the field bouncing and grinning with every note.
The Cheap Thrills | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Kev – Kayenelleltd
We tried to keep it Scouse by catching The Cheap Thrills but rookie error, I led us to the wrong tent. By the time we finally found the right one, The Giant Squid was rammed inside and out. We squeezed in for the final few songs, including ‘Party‘ and ‘Codependence‘, which nearly tore the roof off. Members of Red Rum Club even stormed the crowd to join the chaos, proving just how infectious the atmosphere was. We left gutted to have missed the full set but certain we owe these lads a proper review next time.
The Lilacs | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Jake Haseldine
Then came what was easily the most emotional set of the entire weekend, The Lilacs. The tent was packed and just before the band were about to launch into their set, frontman Ollie Anglesea paused, saying, “Hang on? I’ve forgotten something.” Seconds later, he returned with none other than Sam Birchall. Sam’s been bravely fighting the battle of his life and seeing him walk out on stage was enough to bring a tear to every eye in the room. It was raw, it was beautiful and it was a moment we will never forget.
The band kicked things off with ‘Where’ve You Been Hiding?‘ but honestly, the crowd (and probably the band too) were still reeling from the emotion of Sam’s appearance. You could feel the weight of it hanging in the air, it took everyone a minute to collect themselves.
From there, the set just snowballed. ‘You’re Not That Daft‘ landed perfectly, I believe this made its live debut at the same festival last year. ‘Sally‘ was performed mid-set, I’m used to this being the opener but it’s good to hear it still in the set, it’s very raw and perfect in the set. Their newer material, especially ‘The 395 (To Forever)‘, has elevated them to a new level, the songs are bigger, the sound is tighter and the crowd reaction was electric.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Lilacs set without ‘Grace‘. Ollie asked the crowd if there was anyone by that name and as always, a few “Graces” popped up though I’d wager more than half were fibbing just to get the dedication. Regardless, the tune went down a storm and Ollie doesn’t seem to mind a few white lies.
We stepped outside during ‘Grace‘ to see the view from the field and were blown away, the tent was overflowing and the crowd stretched all the way back to the ice cream van. It proved just how far The Lilacs have come since opening that same stage at midday last year.
They finished with ‘Vicarage Road‘, a tune that felt like a victory lap. There’s no doubt in my mind now that the next time they play Y Not, it has to be on the main stage.
Alright | Y Not Festival | Photo By: RhonaMurphyPhoto – This Feeling
By the time ALRIGHT took to The Allotment, I was buzzing with anticipation, i’d only really discovered them in the run-up to Y Not while making a playlist but their tunes had quickly wormed their way into my head. After interviewing them earlier in the day, I felt even more invested, they’re sound lads with a background so relatable to me, seaside towns, grit and charm, summers full of colour and winters full of grey.
From the first note, the energy was electric. Joe Darnell, their frontman, is a natural-born performer, every step, every movement was in rhythm with the music and his joy was infectious.
I’m not sure if the band spotted this but during ‘Dress Code‘, a dad and his little daughter in a princess outfit made it to the barrier. She’d clearly got the memo about a dress code, it was a heart-warming, festival-perfect moment.
ALRIGHT know how to craft a middle-eight that turns a song into an anthem. ‘Everlasting‘ is the perfect example, it soared through the tent, uniting everyone inside. Joe was bouncing around like the PE teacher that he is, almost leading a full-on workout, in a lot more cooler way than Mr Motivator did earlier in the day though and thankfully, there wasn’t any spandex on show either.
‘Homegrown‘ followed, another masterclass in writing songs that connect instantly. You could see people who had never heard them before turn into instant fans on the spot. By the time they closed with ‘Rat Race‘, a politically charged, part-sung, part-spoken track that felt almost Streets-esque, the crowd was theirs. It was a sobering, powerful end to a set that had otherwise been pure joy.
Walking out of that tent, I knew ALRIGHT weren’t just another new discovery, they’re the real deal. I already can’t wait to catch them again in Scunthorpe.
Courteeners | Y Not Festival | Photo By: John Springett
Then came the headliners! Courteeners. This was personal for us, the band were the reason we first ever spoke to each other almost four years ago, yet somehow, this was the first time we’d actually see them together.
As Oasis’ ‘Morning Glory‘ blasted through the speakers, Liam Fray could be seen psyching himself up behind the stage. He emerged in white jeans, a leather jacket and a Burberry scarf, effortlessly cool as always and launched straight into ‘Are You In Love With A Notion?‘. The roar from the crowd was deafening, and the air was thick with pyro smoke within minutes.
Courteeners rarely shake up their setlists too much but the addition of tracks from ‘Pink Cactus Café‘ breathed new life into the show. ‘First Name Terms‘, reworked from their old road-tested ‘Lie Back And Think of England’ from 2022 pluss the title track, with its whistles was beautiful and felt like being pulled into a warm hug.
When ‘That Kiss‘ popped up it was a shock but a welcome one, the reception proving just how adored those deep cuts still are. Then came ‘The 17th‘, which turned the field into a rave, strobes, chants and bodies moving in unison.
The acoustic section was another highlight. Liam and Elina Lin performed a tender cover of Labi Siffre’s ‘It Must Be Love‘, before Liam stayed out alone for ‘Bide Your Time‘. I say he was alone, he barely needed to sing as tens of thousands of voices carried it for him, it was spine-tingling.
What struck me was the mix in the crowd. The OG’s from 2008 were shoulder-to-shoulder with their kids, who are now hardcore fans and old enough to come along themselves. The energy of the younger lot kept the pits alive, while the older fans sang every word with pride, the youngers are keeping the pyro flame burning. It was the perfect snapshot of where the band are in 2025.
Courteeners | Y Not Festival | Photo By: Kev – Kayenelleltd
The encore began with ‘Hanging Off Your Cloud‘, a slow-burner that had everyone hugging mates and kissing partners. Then my personal favourite, ‘Acrylic‘, took me right back to the first time I heard Courteeners. It was raw, rough-edged and magical, like stepping into a time machine to 2008.
Of course, ‘Not Nineteen Forever‘ was the biggest singalong of the whole weekend. Pints in the air, dark fruits spilling everywhere and thousands of voices shouting in unison, it was spiritual in a very Courteeners way. They wrapped things up with ‘What Took You So Long?‘, weaving in a snippet of James’ ‘Tomorrow‘ before an explosive finale. When the lights went up, the “Woah-oh-oh-ohs” carried across the entire site long after the band had left.
We weren’t ready to finish there, so we followed the chants into The Quarry, where Wilkinson was waiting with a full-throttle DJ set. Heavy bass, pinging lasers and CO2 cannons kept the crowd bouncing deep into the night. ‘Balance‘ and the Becky Hill collaboration of ‘Afterglow‘ had everyone on shoulders, belting it out as if it were the headline set itself, I guess for the D&B heads, Wilkinson was the headliner. I’d definitely go out of my way to catch him again.
Finally, we wound down at the Hanging In The Balance sculpture, chatting with the lovely Malcolm under its glowing frame before ending the night, once again at The Allotment. This Feeling DJ Kieran Poynter nearly gave in to chants at the end for one more tune but when the lights came up, he said “Come back tomorrow.” And no doubt we will be back.
And just like that, Saturday was done, a day of nerves, euphoria, emotional highs and unforgettable performances.
