Psyched Fest, Albert Road Southsea, 18th September 2021

It’s a big deal for a small festival to have to postpone but Psyched Fest came back with a bang on Saturday, showcasing a wonderfully diverse selection of artists at The Wedgewood Rooms, Edge of the Wedge and Lord John Russell on Southsea’s Albert Road.

It seems like recent Alcopop! signings Keg stole the show for many, the majority of those we spoke to on the day citing it as their favourite set.

Other stand outs at The Wedge/Edge were Nuha Ruby Ra, Baba Ali and, as could be expected, the unstoppable bounce of PVA.

Along the road, Lord John Russell had an eclectic mix on the line up, including strong sets from Fast Trains, Dad Hair and Platypus Complex pictured below.

Psyched Fest has always been a great place to discover emerging artists and catch up with some favourites you’ve see before – having seen virtually no-one for 18 months, this was especially welcome this year. Just some of our highlights in this area came from Ghost Car, The Early Mornings, Barbudo, English Teacher, Web and Modern Woman.

Sadly, this was the last scheduled Psyched Fest, however Nicki and all those involved can be rightly proud of what it achieved and the legacy it leaves behind. Signing out with Billy Nomates on the main stage is no bad way to go.

Psyched Fest 2021 was presented in conjunction with Strong Island Recordings, Honeymooner Records, Mix It All Up, Calamity Cratediggers and Missing Promotions, with visuals by Innerstrings.

Words / photos by Callum / Siobhan

20th September 2021