It’s day two of Birmingham’s modern music festival, The Sanctum. With day one being a huge success, day two has a lot to live up to, with another jam-packed full day and a full courtyard at the Dead Wax, Digbeth. Let’s jump right into the reviews!
Within Reach
Kicking off day two is Within Reach, getting the crowd engaged from their first note on stage; they showcase their intense sound with high kicks and drop-dead growls—the perfect harmony of sounds to warm up this afternoon’s Sanctum festival. Performing brand new single “Hesitate”, guitar solos hit hard and heavy. Their 30-minute set was a little taster of what they are going to continue to grow into.
Scatter The Tribe
The small but mighty Scatter The Tribe have come to perform their first show outside of London today in Birmingham. Their heavy breakdowns and incredible sounds keep getting better and better with each song. Their stage presence is absolutely on point, keeping the crowd captivated and all eyes on them. All I have to report on them is seeing them while they are small, cause they are going to be selling out shows in no time!
Veiled
Up next is a personal favourite of mine, the metal band from Leeds, Veiled. Having followed the band since 2024, they always impress me with their stage presence to being around their fans. Giving the crowd to recruit them to the Sect, the heavy day of the sect kicks off with the red and white set and new touches through the stage, they capture the crowd, filling every moment with movement. No matter how many times you see Veiled, you will always notice new things about them. For a band whose set is dark, they are such a lovely band.
Draconian Reign
After seeing Draconian Reign earlier this year, I was looking forward to checking them out again. They fit in extremely well with today’s lineup with their incredible sound, and they capture the crowd. The only downfall I have to give the band is their lack of use of stage lighting, which makes them a little hard to photograph, but it is something to can be easily fixed. Their heavy sound is something which just draws you in and keeps the audience locked into them for the 30-minute set, which showcases their talents!
Indevth
I ended up walking out into the crowd of an Indevth open mosh pit with two-steppers and everyone just having a mind-melting moment. Their tight sound fills the outdoor space with extremely tight sound. The band has everyone up and watching them; they just captured everyone’s attention, and it’s all eyes on them during their set! With what I caught of Indevth set, I can’t wait to see them again!
Eschalon
The smoky 5-piece band fill the stage. Eschalon has been a name mentioned to me many times throughout the Sanctum weekend, with the powerful set they put on, and you can understand why! With deep growls and stretching out over the stage, their set pulls the audience in, keeping the heads nodding and all eyes on them. Their set with multiple stage guests, they have smashed it
Waterlines
Waterlines could just have an entire festival review on themselves; they are such a lovely and high-energy band. Kicking us off with an impromptu Backstreet Boys cover as lead singer Ben sits on the light box before the show even starts (with an imported sing-along from the crowd), heckling the crowd to get up and moving, their cheeky nature is exactly what this is all about, having fun. Waterlines’ stage presents is powerful and a perfect blend of nu-metal and EDM Party vibes, with the band’s “Pretty Green Eyes” cover always going down a huge treat and “Set The Pace” getting the crowds moving from left to right. They are always just down for an amazing time. The Yorkshire lads are always down for a good time and always know how to make the evening a success! With their Bloodstock performance just days away, these guys aren’t going to be small for long, and they deserve to have headline slots at more festivals!
The Five Hundred
Finishing up today’s second day is The Five Hundred, who have been dominating the UK music scene with their dark and mysterious stage presence. They enchant the crowd, putting them under their spell. The Five Hundred showcase their immense talent throughout their sets. They are another band on today’s lineup who won’t stay small for long!
The Sanctum Day Two Overview
And with that, The Sanctum is finished for 2025. It has been one of the best small festivals I have ever been to! Every detail had been beautifully polished. Joe and The Sanctum team should be so proud of what they have achieved in bringing an entire community together. You felt so welcome from the moment you stepped through the door to the moment you left. Seeing so many friends brought together from all around the UK for this extra special weekend. This is what live music is all about: being together, supporting each other and making a safe and beautiful space. I can’t see what 2026 is going to bring for the team!