It may only be in its fourth year but Warrington’s Neighbourhood Weekender has quickly become known for one of the largest indie parties around. Instead of clubs with sticky dance floors and stale snakebite, it's all about a sun-soaked day with retro anthems, bucket hats and guitar bands aplenty.
The two-day event certainly has a laid back atmosphere, with only a short walk between the three stages stretching Victoria Park. Glasgow rising talent Dylan John Thomas is the highlight of the afternoon on the Big Top stage - the Gerry Cinnamon-inspired vocalist is clearly one to watch as his rousing set whips the packed crowd into an early dance.
Fellow Scots The Fratellis soon arrive on the main stage with their infectious hooks and high energy. With Chelsea Dagger, they can't go wrong, a song you've heard a million times but always sounds better in person and the lively crowd knows.
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Fresh off the back of an incredible 2021, The Lathums are welcomed to Warrington like North West homecoming heroes. Chants of ‘Wigan, Wigan’ ring out for the biggest crowd of the day so far.
Fight On and The Great Escape ignite a huge wave of bodies as pints fly through the air. The young Wigan band are rightly loving life. Their infectious enthusiasm shines through as they close with the brilliant Artificial Screens with the whole crowd bouncing before they depart to continue their undoubted domination of the 2022 UK festival scene.
The Big Top stage is nearly full for Doncaster's The Reytons who own the stage with their blistering and no-nonsense indie set. A sweat-filled and rowdy arena dances through raucous set closer Broke Boy Cartel as they mark themselves as a live band to catch this year.
Over on the main stage, popular Australian band DMA's fill the penultimate slot of the day as they work through a celebration of their music. Hyper-charged single The Glow is the highlight as the sun begins to set over the large main stage.
And how better to end a day of live indie music than with Manchester's very own The Courteeners?
An array of colours from power paint rainbow flares light up the Warrington sky as pints fly through the air.
2021 was another incredible year for Middleton's finest with the huge headline Cricket Ground show in Manchester followed by the Whites Of The Eyes tour which took in smaller venues like Scunthorpe and Hanley.
After a seven-month break, they are back in style as they explode into fan favourite Cavorting quickly followed by Acrylic causing an electric movement in the enthusiastic crowd. Liam Fray, complete with leopard print hoodie, is in a mood for a party and it’s a St Jude love affair as the delirious crowd lap up the Saturday night atmosphere.
The pace only slows down as Liam takes the stage on his own for Please Don’t and Smiths Disco before the full band return for the triumphant Hanging Off Your Cloud.
They drop ‘one from the vault’ with That Kiss which sets off a huge sing-along among their adoring faithful. Traditional rowdy set closers Not Nineteen Forever and What Took You So Long ignite the already lively crowd into a maddening frenzy.
The perfect end to day one of the festival. Who says indie is dead?
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