Live review: Turnstile, Outbreak Fest London

Outbreak has taken the bold move to add a London edition this year in collaboration with LIDO Festival, with a huge open-air set-up in Victoria Park. Who could possibly be the perfect fit for such an event? Turnstile, duh. For the Baltimore quintet – known for their genre-bending ferocity – it’s their biggest-ever headliner on UK soil, which is not only a monumental occasion for the band, but for the scene as a whole. Today, over 15,000 people descend on the capital to celebrate all things hardcore.

Backed by new songs from their latest masterpiece NEVER ENOUGH, it’s no surprise that they deliver a set made for nights like these. As the opening notes of the title-track reverberate around east London, Brendan Yates takes centre stage with an almost studio-sounding delivery, and the song’s drop is met with pure ferocity from a band taking full advantage of the moment they’ve so deservedly created for themselves.

Turnstile’s sound has always been a fusion of everything hardcore is about, and everything it could be. Tonight, they make it all feel both explosive and fluid. Each moment – from the driving power of T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION) to the old stompers like Pushing Me Away – is delivered with a perfect balance of unrelenting aggression and groove-laden melody, with the new songs seamlessly blending with the raw energy of their earlier catalogue.

“The first show we ever played in the UK was in 2013 at Outbreak,” remembers Brendan. “We flew out for just one show. Here we all are together 12 years later – what an amazing gathering of beautiful bands and people. We love you.” It all comes full-circle, as the crowd make their feelings known by creating a huge dust cloud through the relentless pitting that doesn’t let up until the final note is played.

The likes of I CARE and HOLIDAY are tailor-made for grandeur, but somehow, Turnstile don’t lose the edge they’ve always had. Yes, it crosses into more of a mainstream territory, but it’s still unapologetically them. ALIEN LOVE CALL sees Blood Orange make a surprise appearance, before BIRDS finishes off the night with a wild crescendo of flailing bodies and the chance to make security earn their keep.

This doesn’t feel like any old gig – it’s a timestamp in history for the band and the hardcore scene. They’re officially the genre’s ultimate ambassadors. Turnstile summer is well and truly underway!

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