It will be the band’s first performance in Liverpool for over a decade
Thousands arrive at the Pier Head each year to enjoy On The Waterfront(Image: Liverpool Echo)
On The Waterfront will return in 2026 as four more days of incredible live music will take over the Pier Head. The festival, which is ran by Cream, has become one of the most exciting events in the Merseyside summer since the first edition.
Next year will mark the fifth edition and is set to take place from June 18 – 26. Cream has announced the first headliners will be alternative rock band, Snow Patrol, who will close out the festival as Sunday’s main act. The band, formed in Dundee, have been a massive act for over three decades and have created timeless anthems such as Chasing Cars, which was released in 2006.
The performance at On the Waterfront will mark their first time performing in Liverpool for over a decade and tickets go on general sale at 9am on Friday, October 10. You can also sign up for for presale access which gives live at 9am on Thursday, October 9.
The bill for the final day of On the Waterfront is beginning to take shape as Liverpool indie band Circa Waves and dream pop trio, Sunday (1994), have been confirmed as support.
Snow Patrol is following in the footsteps of musical icon, Sting, who closed out the 2025 edition of On The Waterfront. The former Police frontman, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, brought down the curtain after another special four days in front of the Three Graces.
Other headline acts this year included The Wombats, The Wolfetones and Cream Classical Ibiza. Sting was supported by Liverpool band The Christians on the final day of the gig.
Snow Patrol on stage (Image: PA)
However, the legendary Liverpool band were forced to bring an abrupt end to their gig after drummer Lionel Duke suffered a heart attack on stage.
The drummer was swiftly rushed to hospital and has now made a full recovery as he is back performing with the band. Frontman Garry Christian spoke to the ECHO about the incident as he vividly recalled the traumatic moment he realised something was not right.
The 70-year-old said: “The first part of the day was so exciting to be playing in front of 14,000 Scousers. That’s a great big thing. What happened is we started the show and we did Forgotten Town and we went into Born Again.
“In the intro of the next song, I was thinking this doesn’t sound right. I’m facing the audience, so I don’t know what’s going on behind me. I look around and I saw Lionel hunched over his kit.
“I thought, ‘What’s he doing fixing his pedal now?’ I realised he wasn’t moving and I dashed over there. I had to crouch down. I looked at his face and his eyes were just fixed. Then it all went crazy.”
Garry immediately shouted for medics and is forever grateful for their fast work, as the drummer’s life was saved after he was taken to hospital and underwent emergency surgery. Sting took to the stage and dedicated a song to Lionel and Garry heaped praise on the Message in the Bottle singer.
He said: “Sting was very gracious. [After Lionel’s heart attack] he wasn’t going to do his gig but our manager Emma insisted that he did. Lionel had been rushed to hospital, his heart was going and everything seemed like it was going to be fine.
“There were 14,000 people there waiting to see [Sting]. He dedicated his last song [to Lionel], Fragile, and it was so emotional. He was great about the whole thing. He was asking about Lionel and he’s invited us to his last gig of his tour in London on October 28. It’s a great gesture, so hats off to him.”