SOS Festival XVI
Whittles @ Tokyo, Oldham, Manchester
4th – 6th July 2025
Friday 4th July Part One
Review and photographs by Linda McDermott
Now in its 16th year, SOS Fest continues to be a real gem in the rock calendar, drawing in a loyal crowd from across the country to support grassroots bands and live music. Held at Whittles in Oldham, the festival makes the most of both its indoor and outdoor stages, meaning the music never stops. This weekend, I’m looking forward to catching some of my old favourites and discovering a few new bands along the way. That’s the beauty of these small, family-friendly festivals, great music, new discoveries, brilliant atmosphere, and the perfect chance to catch up with like-minded people. So, if you couldn’t make it there, here’s day one for you.
Not Now Norman opened SOS Fest with a bang, pulling in an impressive crowd for the first set of the weekend. Their mix of gritty rock songs and bold stage presence set the tone early; you really do want to listen to both albums.
At one point Zander joked that one of the songs was more of a pop song than a rock song, but with the crowd singing along, who cared what genre it was? They then launched into the raw energy of Bad Liar, which kept the momentum going and the crowd firmly on side.
Taylor Grace owned the stage with flair, and I always find her theatrical and mesmerising to watch. Keeping the raw energy going she dedicated Why Don’t You Like Me to a recent troll, at least the troll was good for something! Then the crowd joined in for What I Want before Not Now Norman closed their very quick 40 minutes with Shut Your Mouth and their first release End of the Day. A fantastic set that really lifted the mood and got the festival off to a brilliant start.
https://www.facebook.com/NotNowNorman
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Who I Am
The Darker My Horizon brought the heavy rock vibes to the outdoor stage, and not even the rain could dampen the atmosphere. The courtyard was packed, and the weather was quickly forgotten.
The band declared they’d be keeping the chat to a minimum because they just wanted to play heavy rock music, and that’s exactly what they did. With a few albums already under their belts, this set was a great introduction for those of us who hadn’t heard or seen them before.
Loaded with big riffs and shout-along choruses, The Darker My Horizon hit all the right notes for the heavy metal faithful. The crowd lapped it up, with heads banging, and grins all round.
If you’ve not discovered them yet, check out their latest album From Out of the Ashes, it’s a belter and well worth the download.
https://www.facebook.com/darkerhorizonuk
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The Hit Man
Ransom brought out the rock and roll in full force with a brilliant set packed with energy, personality, and great songs. Every member of the band was clearly enjoying it, and singer Matt’s love for what he does poured off the stage, reaching right to the back of the room. The crowd were with him all the way, smiling, singing, and soaking it all up. The band dedicated a song to DJ extraordinaire Paul Cash, who’s supported them for a long time, and they performed Enter the Dragon in his honour.
You just know when you’re enjoying a band as they finish way to quickly and that’s what happened with Ransom. To round off a fantastic set, it was Back to the Boozer, with a deafening chorus belted out by the crowd. A fantastic band that you’d want playing at your party.
https://www.facebook.com/TheRansomUK
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Hell, Fuck Yeah
Luke Appleton was on double duty this weekend, also playing with Saturday headliners Absolva, but first up he brought the rock with his Power Trio. Mixing older tracks with some newer material, the set had both grit and melody. He dedicated the title track of his last EP Forever Viking to a friend.
The guitar work on Heart Returns (from the album Snake Eyes) was absolutely top notch as I listened to both the singing and the instrumental. We also got a touching dedication to his mum, Lynne, and a taste of some newer songs that hint at strong things to come. The trio wrapped up with What Heroes Do, a rousing anthem that built as it went, closing the set on a real high.
https://www.facebook.com/lukeappletonofficial
One of the real joys of this well-run festival is the steady stream of live music, with each act bringing their own flavour. McHale’s Permanent Brew were up next, a bluesy five-piece with bags of soul. With rich keys weaving through the guitars, they delivered a set full of slow-burning grooves and gritty charm. Café Bar A GoGo oozed laid-back blues cool, while a new addition to the set, brought a groovy rhythm that had the room swaying. Adding to their mellow vibe, the drummer played barefoot, his boots and socks resting beside the kit, a wee detail that somehow summed them up perfectly. They wrapped up with some good-natured audience participation, with a crowd who were more than happy to get involved.
https://www.facebook.com/mchalespermanentbrew
Doomsday Outlaw
The rain was still coming down, but us rockers are a hardy bunch, so it was back out to the outdoor stage to catch Doomsday Outlaw. Fresh from a recent tour in Holland, they’ve been writing new material, and Give Me Love, making its UK debut, went down an absolute storm.
Phil’s voice is something else: rich, bluesy, and full of power, hitting all the right notes with ease. They also treated us to another brand-new track, so new it didn’t even have a name yet, simply introduced as the new one.
When Phil dedicated the song, If This Is the End to his late father, it became one of the most emotional moments of the set, genuine, heartfelt, and deeply touching.
The band also threw in a punchy cover of Radar Love and wrapped things up with One More Sip, a new title for the formerly named Drink Yourself to Death, renamed to boost its chances of airplay, which I hope it got, as it packed the same punch.
The band were clearly moved by the support, thanking the crowd for standing in the rain and belting out the choruses of the more familiar songs. It was a proper shared moment between band and fans, the kind that festivals are all about. Doomsday Outlaw are a class act for sure.
https://www.facebook.com/DoomsdayOutlaw
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One More Sip
What a brilliant day, a proper celebration of grassroots rock, with every band offering something different and memorable. The whole event ran like clockwork, and that’s all down to the organisers and their team who clearly put their heart and soul into it. There was an after-party to keep the buzz going, but I chose to pace myself so I could soak up every moment of the weekend ahead.
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