Takedown Festival 2023: rock and metal one-day event starring Skindred and Sleep Token to return at Portsmouth Guildhall

Takedown Festival is returning on Saturday, April 8 next year – and is moving from Southampton University to a new larger home, Portsmouth Guildhall.

Headliners already announced include the anonymous, masked-rock collective, Sleep Token, and ragga-metal legends Skindred – who headlined the first Southampton Takedown back in 2012. Since emerging in 2016, the mysterious British collective Sleep Token have become one of the hottest tickets around. The full line-up will see more than 30 bands perform across five stages – including one outside, with a mix of heavy-hitters from the rock and metal worlds as well as up-and-coming regional favourites. Also confirmed to play are Loathe, Jamie Lenman, Punk Rock Factory, InMe, Palm Reader, Our Hollow Our Home, As December Falls, CLTDRP, Fearless Vampire Killers, The Bottom Line, Seething Akira, Black Gold and Dendera, with more still to come.

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The revival is the brainchild of Divergent Festivals, who have teamed up with The Guildhall Trust to make the revamped festival a reality. Co-directors of Divergent Festivals, Kai and Sarah Harris, said in a statement: ‘Even in these strange times it feels like the perfect time to be bringing back one of the best loved one-day events on the south coast, taking it back to our roots with one of the biggest line-ups Takedown has ever seen. We can’t wait!’

CEO of The Guildhall Trust, Andy Grays added: ‘We are delighted to bring an alternative rock and metal festival to Portsmouth with a great calibre of artists already announced. Portsmouth has a fantastic music scene, but we felt there was a gap for fans of this genre. As a cultural management who specialises in events, we are excited to add Takedown Festival to our portfolio which also includes Portsmouth Comic Con, Dance Live! and Guildhall Games Fest.’

Takedown Festival began in Salisbury in 2008, switching to Southampton from 2012 to 2015, featuring the likes of Mallory Knox, Charlie Simpson, Lower Than Atlantis, Funeral For a Friend and Don Broco.

Early bird tickets sold out within 24 hours of going on sale. Regular tickets are on sale now at £66. Go to takedownfestival.com.