There’s a certain ritual to the British festival experience. It involves nervously checking the weather forecast, buying wellies you’ll only wear once, and accepting that for a few days, your diet will consist of warm cider and something questionable from a van. It’s a rite of passage.

But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if you could see world-class headliners and sleep in a proper bed, swapping a muddy field for the sun-drenched cobbles of a historic European capital?

This is the central premise of NOS Alive, and after three days on Lisbon’s waterfront, it’s a premise the festival largely delivers on. Set on the Passeio Marítimo de Algés, a strip of land on the outskirts of Lisbon next to the outlet of the Tagus River, this is a festival where the air smells of salt and suncream, not sheep excrement mixed with damp canvas.

It’s less about endurance and more about enjoyment, offering a compelling argument that your festival ticket can, and perhaps should, double as a ticket for a proper summer holiday.

The Music: A Well-Curated Mix Tape

A festival’s success still hinges on its lineup, and NOS Alive 2025 assembled a bill that felt both current and conscious of its rock roots. The three days were loosely themed, guiding the crowd through a journey of modern pop, indie, and rock.

Thursday was undeniably for the new generation of pop royalty. The main NOS stage felt like a live-action scroll through a very popular Spotify playlist. ‘Benson Boone’ arrived with a flurry of acrobatics and stage presence of someone looking to replicate Freddie Mercury’s stage presence, but like him or not, his energy was infectious. He was followed by the earnest, flannel-clad folk-pop of ‘Noah Kahan’, with thousands of voices bellowing lyrics back at him.

But the night belonged to Olivia Rodrigo. Arriving with the confidence of an artist who knows she’s at the top of her game, her set was a masterclass in modern pop performance. A mix of raw, teen-angst energy and polished, professional stagecraft. It was slick, powerful, and exactly what most of the crowd had come for.

Friday shifted gears. The early evening slot from ‘Girl In Red’ provided a dose of raw, emotional indie, before The Wombats, stepping in at the last minute to cover for ‘Sam Fender’, showed why they are such a reliable festival booking. They rattled through a set of hits with a professionalism that got the job done, providing a solid bridge to the night’s main event.

Over in the Heineken Tent… Barry, despite his inability to swim (which was brave considering his proximity to the waterside), set the pace with another standout set of electronica. This proved to be the perfect warm up to ‘Justice’. The French electronic duo transformed the main stage into a cathedral of light and sound. Their setup, a complex rig of moving lights, felt architectural. The sound was immense, and a reminder of how powerful live dance music can be when done on this scale. Tracks like ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ and ‘Genesis’ landed with delight to the crowd (myself included). This was certainly my personal highlight set of the lot.

By Saturday, the demographic had shifted. The glitter-clad pop fans were joined by a legion of black t-shirt-wearing rock fans, here for two titans of the genre. Before they arrived, Irish songwriter ‘CMAT’ delivered a set full of wit, charm, and impeccable country-tinged tunes.  Some of the weekend’s best moments were found on the smaller stages. Amyl and The Sniffers brought a welcome blast of Aussie punk chaos to the Heineken tent.

The night, however, was a tale of two headliners. Muse took to the main stage with the kind of bombastic, maximalist production they’re famous for. They stood in for ‘Kings of Leon’ but you wouldn’t have noticed, as there was no shortage of devout Muse fans filling the arena.  It was a spectacle of lasers, giant screens, and riffs built to shake stadiums. It was loud, impressive, and gave the crowd a polished rock show.

Nine Inch Nails who delivered the weekend’s most profound performance. Trent Reznor, a figure of relentless intensity, stalked the stage as the band unleashed a torrent of industrial noise and raging guitar. The light show was stark and aggressive, a world away from Muse’s colourful display. It was a compelling performance that proved that after more than 30 years, few bands can match their stage presence.

Girl in Red – Image Credit: Jose Fernandes

WTF Clubbing Stage (Johnny Sequeira) – Image Credit: Sarah Hawk

General crowd – Image Credit: Jose Fernandes

Coreto Stage – Image Credit: Guilherme Cabral

The Holiday: Making More of the Music

The 4 pm start time for the music each day isn’t a bug; it’s a feature. It actively encourages you to treat the trip as more than just a festival. Waking up in a Lisbon apartment or nearby hotel, the day is yours to explore one of Europe’s most vibrant cities.

Mornings can be spent getting lost in the winding, hilly streets of the Alfama district, Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood. Afternoons were for sightseeing in Belém, visiting the Jerónimos Monastery and, of course, sampling the legendary pastéis de nata. The perfect pre-festival routine includes a late lunch and a cold beer in the city, before making the easy train journey to the site, feeling refreshed and ready for the evening’s music.

The real advantage of the festival’s location can be discovered by bolting on a few days to further explore the area. Take a train from Lisbon’s Rossio station, to the fairytale town of Sintra in about 40 minutes. Spend the day exploring the mystical Quinta da Regaleira estate and staring up at the impossibly colourful Pena Palace, perched on a hill. To be able to easily swap a festival site for a UNESCO World Heritage site is a unique and brilliant proposition.

In the end, NOS Alive feels like a glimpse into a more mature, integrated future for music festivals. It understands that its audience might want to see Nine Inch Nails without having to commit to three days in a tent. It proves that a world-class music event can coexist with its host city, rather than being cordoned off from it. By offering sun, unforgettable sounds, and the freedom to have a proper holiday, NOS Alive has created a formula that is very, very hard to beat.

Image Credit: Matt (www.supersharpshooter.co.uk)