Where – The 1865, Southampton
When – Saturday 15th August 2026
Review and photographs by Linda McDermott
It is the seventh consecutive sellout year for Nozfest at The 1865 in Southampton, a one-day festival celebrating grassroots music. Jodie Bowie and her team had put together an exceptional lineup, although The Karma Effect, who were due to be second headliners, had to pull out at the last minute due to illness. I wish them well, but for the rest of us the show must go on, with the other bands getting a little extra time to fill the slot.
The venue is a great setup, with the main stage at the far end of the room, with three bars, and a balcony overlooking the stage on the right-hand side, where the merch and VIP area are set up.
The day kicked off with Chris Payn and The Parade, a six-piece whose keyboards add an extra layer of depth to their sound. They got things moving straight away with Pow, Pow, Pow, which received an immediate response from the crowd, with plenty of singing along, while Breakfast had everyone clapping to the beat at Chris’s command. I particularly liked Clowns, with its circus and funfair feel running through the music, before Arrows slowed things down, its harmonies building beautifully towards the end. Talk Is Cheap lifted the pace again, and another invitation to sing along with the chorus was happily accepted. It was a great start to a day packed with live music.
With a quick turnaround, Mikey Ball and The Company brought their catchy melodic rock to the stage. Apologising for taking four years to release No Time To Lose, Mikey explained they are now back on the musical trail, with a new album and another single called Warning Sign, on the way.
The new track continues their bluesy melodic sound, with that familiar backbeat that gets your foot tapping. Then Mikey left the stage and took his guitar solo into the crowd, met with cheers and a sea of phones. It was a great moment of connection between band and audience. Finishing with One More Night, they left me looking forward to hearing that new album.
Molly Karloff changed things up with their grungy rock, and from the moment they hit the stage, they had the crowd hooked. Simon’s distinctive vocals have a real power and character to them, and it wasn’t long before the crowd were singing along. Tyler and Simon strutted around the stage like a couple of cockerels, bringing plenty of attitude and energy to the performance, while the band sounded tight and powerful throughout. She Said, Do You Wanna and Do It Again kept the momentum going, with the crowd fully engaged, before You Don’t Know My Name and Supernaturalation brought the set to a close, all classic Molly Karloff songs that had everyone joining in. A confident, energetic set from a band who sounded bloody brilliant.
The Rattlebacks were next, bringing their sleazy, grungy rock from Brighton and an energy level that was impossible to ignore. They came running onto the stage like headless chickens to huge cheers, with attitude and drama pouring off the stage. The set was so frantic I genuinely didn’t know where to look. Their heavy, powerful songs matched that attitude perfectly, while fans at the front singing along added to the atmosphere.
My favourite was probably the self titled Rattlebacks, with its sleazy attitude and grungy guitars. Then the guitarist headed to the balcony and played to a life size inflatable doll of which kind I do not know! Both ended up back on stage before the doll was launched into the crowd wearing a free T shirt. The energy never waned. These guys know how to put on a show.
I was now ready for Thieves of Liberty who are a firm favourite of mine and having just seen them kick ass at Firevolt Festival, I was looking forward to their set. Despite a seven hour journey from Sunderland, they still had time to chat to fans before heading onto the stage. These guys know their craft. Drums, bass, and guitars come together effortlessly, while James’s voice is sublime and fits their melodic rock perfectly. Lovely Day brought a heavier blues feel, before one of my favourites, Rabbit Hole. Guitar duelling in the middle of the room is always a crowd pleaser, and it certainly was here. With new fans made, they finished with Shangri-La, the title track from their album with James at the barrier connecting with the audience. Class.
Beth Blade and The Beautiful Disasters hit the stage and nailed it from the start. With four albums under their belt, there was plenty songs to choose from, and their catchy rock ’n’ roll perfectly complements Beth’s powerful vocals. I was particularly happy to hear You Only Love Me When You’re Drunk and Tonight, I’m With You, both hook driven and guaranteed to get your feet moving.
Beth thanked everyone for their support, because without the people who turn up, grassroots music would not survive. Then she asked everyone to scream “rock ’n’ roll” three times before launching into I Ain’t Got Nothing. The response echoed around The 1865, with people singing and dancing along. The final song was dedicated to Ozzy and Lemmy, which ended their set brilliantly.
With the night in full swing, it was time for Juliet’s Not Dead, and I was more than happy to see them on the bill. I’ve played their album The World Is Ours nonstop for months, and it going to number one in the download charts is a massive achievement for the guys. Kicking off with Sinner or Saints?, a song I could happily put on repeat, they had me hooked from the start. It is a brilliant singalong song that manages to have me dancing about, and I don’t do dancing.
They continued with more favourites from an album that genuinely has no filler. Battled Scarred slowed things slightly, with Stevie’s clear vocals building into an emotional chorus, where the music and harmonies add as much feeling as the lyrics. There were plenty of fans in the room, me included, and I was left wishing their set had been longer. If you’ve not listened to them yet, consider this your wee nudge.
I can’t believe we were now onto the penultimate band, but what a band. Sweet Electric had travelled from Germany the previous night to play their 45 minute set before heading straight back. Now that’s dedication. With Australian frontman Brad at the helm, they ooze a good time. Their music is energetic, glam, fun, and good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll, all wrapped up in a gold lamé jacket, baseball cap, and trainers.
There is something about Sweet Electric that makes me smile from the start of their set to long after they finish. The band held everything together with a great beat and fantastic hooks and riffs, while Brad bounced all over the place, even giving a cowbell its moment on stage. I noticed a few cowbells in the audience too, obviously belonging to die hard fans. Party Rock Anthem had everyone bouncing together, a song you need to listen too. Sweet Electric are a party band if ever there was one. They return to Southampton on 15 October, so if you can go, do. I swear you’ll walk out de-stressed and smiling.
Finally, the stage was cleared, and a hive of activity began as everything was prepared for headliners South of Salem. There was a real buzz in the room as people headed to the barrier for the best views. Soon the lights dimmed, the intro music started and they launched into their set.
Favourites included Let Us Prey, their cover of To The Moon and Back and Static, which had the crowd singing loud and clear as the band played to all corners of the room. A huge cheer went up when Joey announced the much awaited third album was now complete, although there was still no release date. Hellbound Heart brought a heavy beat, followed by the relentless Vultures.
My favourite, Jet Black Eyes, kept the momentum going, with the band and Joey getting the crowd to belt the song back at them. When South of Salem finished their set and walked off, nobody moved. Joey asked from the wings if we wanted one more song. Of course we did. Back they came for Left For Dead and Cold Day In Hell, bringing a fantastic day of rock music at The 1865 to a close.
This is a great wee festival, and I would totally recommend it, so look out for those tickets for 2027. Follow their Facebook page for more details. https://www.facebook.com/nozfest
Why not check out all bands and give them a follow to find out more about them and their gigs
South of Salem
Sweet Electric
Juliet’s Not Dead
Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters
Thieves of Liberty
The Rattlebacks
Molly Karloff
Mikey Ball & The Company
Chris Payn & The Parade
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