Undercover Festival the alternative music festival coming to Essex for the first time announces a change of headline act…
Undercover Festival is bringing two packed days of alternative music including punk, ska punk and so much more to The Showground Battlesbridge Antiques Centre nr Wickford South Essex.
Taking place on 26 and 27 September 2025, organisers are promising the best in grassroots and legendary alternative music plus the friendliest crowd around.
Legendary Punk band Subhumans have been added to the line up as joint headline act for Friday 26th Sept alongside ska-punk favourites Popes of Chillitown,Scotland’s legendry Skids will be joined by Essex’s finest sons Eddie & The Hot Rods on the Saturday (27th Sept) plus so much more over both days.
Dick Lucas – Subhumans:
“Undercover Festivals are always a good crack, and Mick always gets a great lineup sorted, the September one will be no exception!”
Announcing Subhumans swiftly follows the announcement that a focus of the festival will also be several young local South Essex bands, Destroy The Idols / Monumental / Dharma Hounds / Rat Hole / Hinge / Fraser Morgan + so much more
Arvin – Popes Of Chillitown:
“We are so looking forward to playing Undercover Festival in Essex this year. The line-up is pure vibes, and we’re pleased to finally be a part of it!”
Described as a proudly independent celebration of DIY and alternative culture, the ‘nomadic’ Undercover Festival has run since 2013 across Kent, London, Surrey and Sussex. Mick festival organiser said: “Small festivals are two a penny but you won’t find anything like Undercover, which is why we have moved our small festival to a unique location that fits our desire to be that different from any others”.
“We believe the usual run-of-the-mill festivals tend to book bands that in the main are broadly similar, we try for a lineup and experience that is something different and appeals to a crowd definitely not catered for elsewhere. Being a small independent grassroots festival is tough because media attention is always on the big guns, but we believe we have struck a chord with people who like their music full of the passion and energy that only acts like ours generate.”
The Showground (Battlesbridge Antiques Centre, Battlesbridge, SS11 7RF) is easily accessible by road, rail and bus. Tickets (£79) include camping, showers, parking and novel attractions found at no other UK festival, such as a museum, record shops and vintage sellers. An on-site guest house and campervan access are also available. Merchandise stalls, a reasonably priced festival bar and food will also be on-site.
Day tickets have now been released, but they are expected to sell out soon as they are on sale in limited numbers. Tickets are available online from Gigantic or in-person at Undercover gigs (Guildford), Intense Records (Chelmsford), Sounds of the Suburbs Records (Ruislip) and Dirt (Norwich).
While Undercover Festival is hitting the road after a run at Guildford’s The Suburbs at the Holroyd, the venue remains home to Undercover’s regular gigs, with at least 20 booked in for 2025. www.undercoverfest.com
