Southsea's Icebreaker Festival announces a summer meltdown

Since starting in 2015, the festival has become a fixture in the local music calendar, growing steadily each year.

Last year, they expanded to two days and a dozen stages with 160 acts performing.

But this year, organisers consciously scaled back the January festival, which still saw 1,500 music fans descend on seven venues along Albert Road and Elm Grove in Southsea to see more than 80 acts play.

And with the dust having barely settled, they have revealed why – the new summer event which will take place on Saturday, July 18.

Co-organiser and founder Mike Hartley said: ‘After Icebreaker 2019, we decided we wanted to focus more on the bands – with so many acts playing on two days it was hard to do that.

‘Hopefully doing it this way, people will have more time to see the bands and not miss out on so many things.

‘We’re really excited

And solo acts and bands can now apply to play at the summer festival.

Mike emphasised: ‘This isn’t leftovers from the winter festival, it’s a whole new event, and we want as many bands to come through in Portsmouth. ‘We want about 80-90 per cent new acts on the summer bill.

‘This January's festival, we had a lot of new names on the line-up, we don't just play the same bands each year. I think there’s only been two individuals who’ve played all of them – and they’ve both been in different bands!’

A limited number of super-early bird tickets went on sale for the summer event at just £5 but they have already sold out.

‘They all went in six hours’ Mike added, ‘we couldn’t believe it. But we have kept the regular ticket prices at the same as for the winter festival which is £12.

‘We're really excited about this.’

Bands can apply to play at, and tickets are also on sale at icebreakerfestival.com.