Insanity’s Guide To: Citadel Festival

Term might be over, but never fear – Insanity Radio are still here, bringing you our guides to the best music festivals happening all across the UK this summer, with all you need to know about when and where to see the latest and greatest musical talent. Our next stop? Citadel, taking place on Sunday 14th July at Gunnersbury Park. The lineup is even hotter than the predicted weather (24 degrees! I know! Sun, for a British festival? Unheard of.), so sit back, relax, and grab that sun cream, as Insanity takes you through our top picks for this year’s edition of West London’s finest one-day festival.

Inhaler – Main Stage, 12:35pm

Get down early for this one, because the Dublin four-piece are going to be kicking off the festival with an absolute barrage of dirty, heavy riffs. Counting such musical legends including The Stone Roses, Joy Division, and Echo & The Bunnymen amongst their influences, the band have released a steady slew of indie-rock singles since their formation in 2012; the latest being ‘My Honest Face’, which has seen them being compared to their aforementioned favourites The Stone Roses, along with early U2 – musical talent apparently runs in the family, with frontman Elijah Hewson’s dad being none other than U2’s very own Bono.

Squid – DIY Stage, 2:10pm

Now, I’ll tell you this for free – whatever you do, do NOT miss your chance at seeing Squid. I missed out on seeing them at All Points East earlier this summer due to the crowd completely packing out the Jagerhaus Stage for their set, and yes, reader, I was heartbroken. Live, it’s clear to see why so many people were fighting to get in to see them – they’re truly incendiary, creating a frenzied and chaotic energy that simply just takes over, all sound-tracked by the psychedelic-rock noise that’s gained them heaps of praise from the likes of DIY, Clash, and BBC6 Music.

The Murder Capital – DIY Stage, 3:05pm

It’s one thing to hear the latest newcomers to Dublin’s blistering punk scene – but it’s a totally different thing to see them live. Their music is as gut-wrenchingly emotive as it is loud, with lyrics calling for social change as clearly as any placard at a protest. They made waves at the start of the year with their debut single, ‘Feeling Fades’, swiftly followed up by the announcement that their debut album, When I Have Fears, will be released August 16th. Plus, they’ve described their collective style as ‘Hungover Cillian Murphy’, so what’s not to love.

Dream Wife – Main Stage, 3:20pm

Building on – and adding to – the legacy of legendary riot grrrl bands including Bikini Kill, Be Your Own Pet, and Le Tigre, Dream Wife have an onstage energy so palpable that it’s impossible not to get caught up in their heavy-hitting, hard-rocking anthems. Releasing their self-titled debut album in early 2018 – which got 5 stars from NME, don’t you know -,  the band originally formed as a ‘fake girl band’ in 2014 for an art school performance project, which, luckily for us all, they then made into a reality – and thank goodness they did, because they’re providing an incredibly necessary voice in the often male-dominated world of punk and rock music.

DMA’s – Main Stage, 4:15pm

Starting off writing and recording early tracks in a bedroom, the Australian trio have come an incredibly long way since then, with their 2016 debut album, Hills End, becoming Gold-certified, along with a slew of high-profile shows at the likes of Coachella, Reading & Leeds, and BBK Live in Bilbao. Seamlessly blending the vastly different musical influences of each member – the country and folk favoured by guitarist, Johnny Took, lead vocalist and drummer Tommy O’Dell’s love of Britpop, and backing vocalist Matt Mason’s fondness for American guitar rock -, DMA’s bring it all together into creating the high-energy tracks that they’ve become known for. Plus, they did a really great cover of ‘Believe’ by Cher.

Fontaines D.C – DIY Stage, 5:00pm

Cor. What is there to say about Fontaines D.C that I haven’t already said to literally anyone that will listen. Storming the way for the current crop of underground punk bands, Fontaines D.C are, without question, the most exciting band to have emerged this past year, building on the momentum of their early single releases and word-of-mouth whispers with a run of support slots for the likes of Shame and Idles, all culminating in the release of their simply outstanding  debut album, Dogrel, earlier this year and a truly electrifying show at London’s the Garage. If you don’t want to miss out on seeing them this year – their November run of headline shows is almost entirely sold out -, get yourself down nice and early for this one.

Bastille – Main Stage, 6:40pm

It’s going to be something of a celebration for Bastille on Sunday 14th – not only is it the band’s namesake, France’s Bastille Day, but it’s also frontman Dan Smith’s birthday. It also marks a month since the release of their hotly anticipated third album, Doom Days, a record that Smith has described as an ‘apocalyptic party record’ – their first full-length release since 2016’s Wild World. With a wealth of material already behind them since the group formed in 2010, punctuated by witty lyrics and effortless melodies, it’s going to be one hell of a party.

Catfish & The Bottlemen – Main Stage, 8:20pm

Perennial indie favourites Catfish & The Bottlemen crashed back into focus this year, returning with their brand new third album, The Balance, and now they’re set to bring Citadel 2019 to a roaring close with a headline set. They’re be bringing with them their emotive indie-rock anthems that instantly connect with their youthful audience, including ‘Longshot’ and ‘2all’, two standout singles from the recent album, which re-energise the band’s music, all whilst staying true to the sound which so many fans have come to love.

And that’s not even all that’s on offer at this year’s festival! There’s live music from a whole host of incredible artists, including Friendly Fires, Honeyblood, and Cleopatrick, whilst the likes of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Talk Show, Italia 90, and Ugly will be bringing you DJ sets – oh, and there’s a space yoga workshop as well. Something for everyone, really.

Check out the rest of the lineup here, and we’ll see you down the front.