In Pictures: Pendulum headline Tribes Unite festival at The National Bowl

Headlined by Aussie electronic-rock outfit Pendulum, dozens of acts from across drum and bass and adjacent genres performed on five stages at the iconic Milton Keynes venue.

For main stage headliners Pendulum, they were back at the Bowl having previously supported the likes of The Prodigy in 2010 and Linkin Park in 2008.

Pendulum are due to release their fourth album Inertia this month – their first new record in 15 years.

And, with more than two thirds of the new record already out in the wild, fans were treated to a good chunk of their new material as well as some of the band’s biggest hits.

While the day was dominated by a host of huge drum n’ bass names, Pendulum’s instantly recognisable electronic sound is rooted far deeper in rock than any other act on the bill.

So, when they took to the stage as darkness settled in, they sounded unlike anything which had preceded them.

Pendulum opened with two new tracks from Inertia – the first Napalm featuring Joey Valance & Brae who earlier on in the day put in a solid set of hip-hop – before launching into one of their biggest hits Propane Nightmares which sent the thousands inside (outside?) into a frenzy.

Visually Pendulum’s set was an onslaught from start to finish.

While they weren’t the only act of the day to employ the tactic of ‘flames and bursts of CO2’ – they were the only ones to turn it up to 11.

The band, led by singer and guitarist Rob Swire, remained largely silhouetted and backlit all night as huge screens behind and flanking them blasted out colourful, often glitchy, visuals while lasers occasionally reached out across the fans to the back of the Bowl.

Fans were treated early on to their remix of The Prodigy’s Voodoo People while their latest single Cannibal featuring Wargasm proved there’s still a strong drum n’ bass edge to the band.

However, Halo – featuring metallers Bullet For My Valentine – can probably lay claim to being the heaviest thing to be belted out across Milton Keynes in years.

Other highlights of Pendulum’s set included Witchcraft and set closer Tarantula which took the band back to their earlier, drum n’ bass heavy sound.

The main stage at Tribes Unite boasted a wealth of talent all day.

The aforementioned Joey Valence & Brae encouraged circle pits while also treating fans to the likes of Punk Tactics and a cover of Charli XCX’s 365.

4am Kru’s jungle influenced drum n’ bass whipped up the MK crowd from the second they arrived on stage while other highlights of the day included Wilkinson and Andy C – the latter who, accompanied by Tonn Piper- ended his set with a version of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs.

Main support to Pendulum came in the form of Pendulum spin-off Knife Party, for a set learning more towards electro house than the ‘rockier’ sounds of their headline show.

It’s been a bit of a vintage year for The National Bowl. Tribes Unite followed the recent Reggae World two-dayer and Bludfest and Forever Now festivals earlier in the summer.

While it offers basically nothing in the way of shade and other stage locations tend to get a bit ‘dusty’, there’s something great about seeing the venue continuing to compete against modern sport stadiums which have every luxury at their disposal.

It’s probably also something to do with being a part of the venue’s rich musical legacy – which Pendulum have firmly cemented their place in.

For more information about Pendulum visit https://pendulum.com/