As the days grow longer and hotter, music lovers attention turns to festival season.

Tucked neatly at the tail end of summer, Victorious Festival returns over August Bank Holiday weekend , offering the perfect seaside send-off on the shores of Southsea, Portsmouth.

The lineup captures the balance of household headliners, emerging talent and even a touch of comedy. Often billed as a family friendly, community driven alternative, it offers a more relaxed counterpoint to the chaos of Reading and Leeds, which shares the same weekend.

Riding the renewed Britpop nostalgia sparked by the Oasis Live 25 Tour, Richard Ashcroft headlines the Friday. Saturday see’s The Black Keys deliver a set packed with rock staples, before Kasabian close out the Sunday with their trademark stadium-sized anthems.

For those not content with pursuing the big name headliners, Victorious is packed with rising stars who won’t be playing these sets for long. The Royston Club are a prime example, sitting halfway through Friday. Off the back of a strong 2025, this feels like a breakthrough festival season for the hook-heavy indie band. Ideal for fans of Arctic Monkey’s storytelling and The Wombats’ bounce.

Good Health Good Wealth also appear on Friday’s lineup, riding a meteoric rise after the release of their debut album late last year. Their unpredictable blend of indie grooves with spoken word make them the sort of band you stumble across for one song, and end up staying for the entire set. A must for indie lovers and fans of The Streets, who also incidently appear on the Sunday.

Saturday leans into feel-good energy. The Lottery Winners, fresh from their high profile tour slots with Robbie Williams, arrive armed with singalong choruses and tongue-in-cheek charm aiming to turn the sunlit fields into mass participation.

Further down the bill, The Clause bring their indie-disco grooves. Already festival veterans despite their short existence, and propelled by their 2025 debut album, this could be the last chance to catch them this low down on the lineup.

Sunday offers a sharp change of tone. Seb Lowe delivers punchy indie with socially aware lyricism and bite, while Brooke Combe cuts through the guitar-heavy bill with groove and soul-rich vocals, sprinkled with a modern touch.

While indie dominates, the lineup isn’t one-note. each days feels carefully shaped rather than a selection of acts thrown together, blending pop-leaning moments and alternative textures to keep things varied across the weekend.

Away from the music, Victorious stands apart thanks to its setting. Swapping muddy fields for sea air and open space, Southsea seafront brings a lighter, more relaxed atmosphere, with room to breathe between sets.

There’s plenty to pull you away from the crowds, from food stalls and bars designed to offer a breather. The Solent backdrop, particularly as sun sets, adds a sense of occasion to the whole experience.

As ever, some of the best festival moments aren’t always found at the headliners. Get in early without a rigid plan, and allow yourself to drift between the stages. This way, you’re more likely to find your next favourite artist.

Remember pace yourself, you don’t want to be running on empty just as The Black Keys take to the stage. Take time out, recharge, grab a photo at the Victorious sign or stumble into the unexpected, like the Piano tree.

The seafront setting adds its own twist, with warm days giving way to cooler evenings. Victorious rewards those who leave wiggle room to their day, rather than ticking every box.

I’ll be there on the Friday. See you down the front for The Vaccines and Richard Ashcroft.

Written by Brad Halcrow for The Songbird HQ