Winning over a crowd instantly is an oft-aspired-to goal for bands breaking into the alternative scene, but rarely has that been achieved as completely as Warrington-based rockers Crawlers did at the opening of their set on the Festival Republic Stage! Their penchant for great big stonking chorus lines filled with infectious energy made them an instant hit with the crowd, and meant they had the entire tent bouncing along before they had even completed one number!

Another of Crawlers’ many charms in their unflinching lyrical candour. Tracks like ‘Hush’ put the tumultuous emotions caused by anxiety microscope, examining them with a dry venom and punk rock bite that threads its way through each and every one of their tracks. Each verse built into a throttling chorus that stamped and snarled with a vicious power – the phrase ‘girl power’ feels far too infantile a statement for these renegades- this is WOMAN power at work.

As if that wasn’t enough, Crawlers broke the mould even further with a brilliantly delivered stunt; of all the badass ways to announce the drop of your debut album, producing a huge banner from seemingly nowhere and stringing it across the stage is about as infinitely cool as they come!

By the time the penultimate track came around, a fierce chorus of voices and a sea of glittering lighters joined the band in their melancholic grandeur – ‘Come Over Again’? Don’t mind if I do!