Since 2018, Portals has been London’s must-attend event for fans of all things “post-”. The best of post-rock, post-metal and (occasionally) post-punk have graced the two-day festival over the years, and the demand let it upgrade to the hallowed Earth venue in Hackney a couple of years ago. Sadly, 2025 marks Portals’ last edition in its current format, but attendees still get three stages (the main ‘hall’ stage, the second ‘theatre’ stage, and the bar) of excellence to enjoy. Here are the artists that defined the final instalment of this forward-thinking extravaganza:
Joliette (Hall, Saturday)
Portals brought out the big guns early this year. Joliette were only the second act to grace the main stage on Saturday, yet they went on to become possibly the heaviest band of the entire weekend. Hailing from Mexico City, they dished out a rabid post-hardcore onslaught, with each song being progressive and twisted but always charging forward at full fucking force. Recent singles Nimbus and Limítrofe didn’t offer any give whatsoever, laying down an exciting precedent for new album Pérdidas Variables, which gets unchained next month.
Cats And Cats And Cats (Theatre, Saturday)
Cats And Cats And Cats were so excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album that they did it one year early. The self-described “math pop-loving fools” played Sweet Drunk Everyone in full to a crammed theatre stage and brought all the bells and whistles to do its expansive songs justice. A choir and string section turned the set into a must-watch, with finale Splutterheart feeling especially vibrant as four dancers twisted and spun to its post-rock deviations. The standing ovation at the end was richly, richly deserved.
Brontide (Hall, Saturday)
Brontide became an influential force in the post-rock world by cutting the crap, condensing their songs into an armada of bull-headed riffs. Their 2017 split was a profound loss to the scene, to the point that their comeback show at last year’s Arctangent saw the tent they played overflow. Recent single Mineral offered hope that the trio were here to stay this time, and their top-notch Portals set strengthened the optimism. Amidst their hour of pit-igniting energy, drummer William Bowerman declares that they will continue and release more music soon. Thank Christ.
Brontide – “Tonitro” // CutLoosetv – YouTube 
Kalandra (Theatre, Saturday)
Saturday’s final performers, Kalandra brought Scandinavian tradition to the modern era on the second stage. The Norwegians’ frontwoman Katrine Stenbekk sang with all the strength and grace of Nordic folk vocalists, while her bandmates framed her voice with more contemporary rock, prog and electronic textures. As well as a host of transcendent songs, the band brought an immersive light show and impressive stage props, making them feel like a bona fide main event. Their midnight stage time meant the theatre wasn’t at its fullest, but that fact quickly felt irrelevant.
And So I Watch You From Afar (Hall, Sunday)
And So I Watch You From Afar are post-rock’s ol’ reliable. From Arctangent to Pelagic Fest, seemingly every weekender dedicated to their genre books them and gives them a prominent spot, but it’s not without good reason. The Northern Irish collective’s songs are jaunty and bouncy escapes, and on Portals’ main stage they received arguably the strongest turnout of the entire festival. Set Guitars To Kill opened up a rare pit towards the end of the set, albeit with pushing and circling replaced by excited jumping. The light show was just top-shelf, as well.
ASIWYFA – Set Guitars to Kill – YouTube 
Julie Christmas (Hall, Sunday)
Julie Christmas has played the UK a good few times since releasing comeback album Ridiculous And Full Of Blood last year, but catching the noise rock songstress still feels like a special occasion. Her Portals headliner was a surge of sound, yet her wiry voice still stood out amidst the maelstrom, powerfully contrasted by the roars of guitarist/co-vocalist Johannes Persson. A rendition of Cult Of Luna team-up The Wreck Of S.S. Needle, never before played by Christmas’ solo band, affirmed this as the weekend’s essential spectacle.