Unforgettable Victorious Festival: student review

Student review by: Abang Rashif Rasyadan
Photography by: Mallory Baker

Victorious Festival 2022 was finally back last weekend! The line-up performers were sprinkled with exciting performers like Sam Fender, Anne-Marie, Bastille, Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini, Becky Hill and many more.

Victorious Festival is always on a to-do list for all Portsmouth folk, from young to old, during the summer break. This year, I had the opportunity to experience one of the biggest music festivals in the UK.

The festival was held at Southsea seafront from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 August. From a distance, I could see the Common Stage upright on Southsea Common, and when I got there to find a breath-taking view, seeing the animo from the crowds made me want to join them. I didn’t stop yet. I continued walking towards Southsea Castle and was struck by the one stage that stood there, and I soon found out, it was called Castle Stage, which is where Bastille, my favourite band, performed.

Those two stages grabbed my attention as the big names will be performing there; Friday afternoon ‘til evening was a glorious moment as the crowds loved the performers from Self-Esteem, and late at night performed by Stereophonics, which took back to the 90s ambience. The next day on Saturday, I came early to the stages to catch up with the performers from Sugababes to enjoy their famous RnB and kind of groovy sounds, also the angelic voices of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy. I am utterly convinced that all the faces are delighted with the performance, including me.

After raving with the crowds in the Common Stage, I continued to watch other performers on other stages. I became aware of the song Running Up That Hill, played by one of the Indie-bands on Beat and Swing Stage, and they played many famous songs that gave the audience a sense of karaoke. 

Realising the time, I returned to the Castle Stage as I did not want to miss the place to watch my favourite band Bastille. While I waited for their performance, I watched the performance from Sports Team; albeit I never listened to their music, I was amazed but their performers; it was ridiculously joyful to watch. As it got dark, the act from British band Kula Shaker performing their famous track Govinda, which was first released in 1996, spiced up the night; crowds, especially people above my age, serenely reminisced their youth.

On the same stage, Bastille was about to perform, and thousands of people were ready to release their excitement into dancing and singing; it was reflected in their faces as they were so intoxicating; in the crowds, I met a couple, around 50 years old, who were obsessed with Bastille and one of them has met with Dan Smiths in some occasion. I was shocked as I had never met someone their age like the young generation of music. Well, I met them now, so I argue for tackling those of them who say our music is boring.

They like Bastille, likewise me, and they have been to many of the Bastille concerts and never regret it. It is true; their performers were beyond incredible from the start until the end. They perform a few new songs from their latest album, Give Me The Future, Doom Days and some of the songs from older albums such as Good Grief and Lost In The Fire. Crowds started to get even wilder when Dan Smith, the vocalist, dived into the crowd while singing Happier. The audience went wild at the last song, Pompeii, and when I returned to the Exit gate, people were still singing the famous chorus from the music.

The next day (Sunday) was also unbelievable. The Eurovision finalist, Sam Ryder, elevated the joy and intoxicating time at Common Stage even more and continued until late in the afternoon. There was a wave of people in Castle Stage to watch Becky Hill. And late at night, the end of the shows was ended-well on both of the stages; at the same time, in the Common Stage, crowds went wild by the performers from the most-watched new-comers artist Sam Fender as well as on the Castle Stage, Anne-Marie embraced everyone with her gorgeous voice to keep the night warm.

By far, Victorious Festival 2022 will be unforgettable for everyone who attended and watched one of the performers; many visitors are incredibly pleased with the line-up and their performances. We all hope to go to this spectacular, hilarious, local festival again next year and spend the time with our loved ones.

I know that you cannot wait for next summer to come, but you can buy early-bird tickets for Victorious Festival 2023 on their website (https://www.victoriousfestival.co.uk/) and hopefully, there will be an even more exciting line-up!

See you at Victorious next year!