Manchester Punk Festival 2025 – Notes from our panel discussion
WORDS BY TAYYABA
PHOTOS BY MIA PATEL
Manchester Punk Festival 2025 // From left to right: Riaz, Prav and Tayyaba
Our collective member and punk aficionado, Tayyaba, recently hosted a panel discussion at Manchester Punk Festival 2025 with panellists Riaz, vocalist of Grail Guard and Prav, drummer of Reason To Leave. Below are notes from the discussions – have a read and check out their bands.
As part of Manchester Punk Festival 2025, we were invited to host a panel discussing the experience of South Asian people in the UK punk scene.
I hosted the discussion, which was held upstairs at The Salutation, and was joined by Grail Guard vocalist Riaz and Reason To Leave drummer Prav. We chatted about everything from their musical influences growing up to how they got into their bands. We discovered (perhaps unsurprisingly!) that we’d all grown up with Bollywood films and music, but we’d had quite different experiences of music otherwise.
Below is a summary of some of the experiences and perspectives shared by Riaz and Prav during the discussion.
Riaz (vocalist) – Grail Guard
Riaz, Grail Guard
Riaz kicked things off by sharing how he grew up in Nuneaton, near Coventry, and how his disco-loving dad influenced his love for music. He started his first real band at 14, a ska band with about eight members who squeezed onto tiny stages. Riaz and his friends wanted to create a lively music scene in their small town, which didn't have much going on at the time – they played in pubs they were technically too young to be in but managed to draw crowds of around 100 kids who danced and had a blast! This was significant for Riaz because it was the first time he felt part of something meaningful. He felt like an outcast at school, being a geeky kid who loved reading fantasy novels and playing video games. Music became his ultimate escape and a way to connect with others.
Riaz's dad, who loved disco and soul, was worried about the pub environment and the potential for drinking and smoking. But for Riaz, it was all about the music. He shared a great story about how his parents tried to destroy his first band T-shirt, a Rancid shirt, by bleaching it. Instead, it turned into a sort of tie-dye shirt - he always got asked where he got it and felt so cool for having something so unique.
Riaz's love for music and determination to play in bands, despite cultural and family challenges, were clear throughout his story. He emphasized how being in a band and playing music helped him feel like he belonged and gave him an outlet for his creativity and emotions.
Check out Riaz’s band Grail Guard on Bandcamp.
Prav (drummer) – Reason To Leave
Prav, Reason To Leave
Prav, originally from India and now living in Chester, started playing drums in the 9th grade. Getting his first drum kit was a challenge at home because his mum was against the noise, which got a lot of nods and knowing smiles from most of the room. But his dad supported his passion for music and got him the kit. Prav’s dad shared his love of Western music which ranged from everything like Engelbert Humperdinck to Kenny Rogers, exposing Prav to a variety of musical styles.
His musical education started with learning blues and jazz from his drum teacher, who emphasised these genres as the foundation for all music. This strong foundation helped Prav as he played with bands in India, exploring genres like funk rock and blues rock. He played in various bands for about three to four years before moving to the UK in 2017 to study music. Moving to the UK was a significant turning point for Prav – he was exposed to a diverse range of music and cultures, especially in London where he was often amazed by how varied people and different music scenes were.
Prav joined Reason to Leave in 2021, when vocalist Mike invited him for an audition after seeing a clip of his drumming. Prav was thrilled by the fast-paced punk drumming, which was a new experience for him. He mentioned that playing with Reason to Leave has been a continuous learning experience, and he enjoys the rush of playing their high-energy songs.
Prav also talked about the differences between the music scenes in India and the UK. In India, gigs were often held in pubs where the audience wasn't necessarily there to watch the band. In the UK, even small venues have dedicated audiences who care about the music. He appreciated the support and engagement from UK audiences, which made playing gigs more rewarding. He also talked about the passive pressure from his family to pursue a more traditional career path and how he had to constantly explain his love for music – they kept assuming it was just a hobby (despite him studying it!) and that it wasn’t really a viable long-term career.
Overall, Prav's journey from playing drums in India to joining a punk band in the UK highlighted his dedication to music and the diverse influences that have shaped his musical career so far.
Check out Prav’s band Reason To Leave on Bandcamp.
Standing up to racism
The audience had some great questions for the panel, ranging from opinions on TV representation of South Asian punks (like Channel 4’s Lady Parts) to how the scene has changed in recent years.
We discussed the importance of lyrics and representation in music with Riaz talking about writing lyrics for Grail Guard, especially the song 'Our Street', which reflects his experiences growing up as South Asian and Muslim. His lyrics express his frustration with the increasing Islamophobia and racism in society, noting that social media has made these issues worse. Similarly, Prav noted that his bandmates in Reason to Leave shared his anti-war values as reflected in their song ‘Bloody Hands'. Prav expressed that it was important to him for people to understand the impact of the war machine on global politics and society.
We also spoke about the importance of challenging racism and creating inclusive spaces in the punk community. Prav shared an incident where he saw someone wearing a swastika T-shirt at a gig and how the band's singer confronted the person. The discussion really emphasised the need for solidarity and support within the UK punk community. Bands that are anti-racist and anti-fascist need to step up and call things out when they see or hear about them. It’s not enough to just say your band is anti-racist. If you have a platform and an audience, it's an opportunity to stand up for your values and create a safe space for your audience.
Sharing our stories
Before we started the event me and Riaz were talking about how even though we’d known each other for a while, we’d never really sat down to share our stories – mainly because we’d never made the time to, but having this opportunity to discuss things in a wider forum was a great start. Many people in the audience came to have a chat with us after the event, as well as throughout the rest of the weekend, and shared how we’d given them a lot to think about.
We’re happy that events like Manchester Punk Festival are actively working to be more inclusive and accessible, to have the bands and audiences they attract be a better reflection of how truly diverse the UK punk scene is. This year was the 10th Manchester Punk Festival and they recently won UK’s Best Small Festival, and you can see why – the organisers (who are all unpaid volunteers) work very hard to put together a vibrant and varied event.
See you at the next Manchester Punk Festival!
About Tayyaba
Tayyaba is an avid ska-core fan with a love for smaller grass-roots venues and the DIY ska-punk scene in the UK. Born and bred in London/Essex, she now lives in Bradford with her husband and cat (who both enjoy doom and black metal, so the ska brings a bit of pep to the household!)