Tramlines 2025<\/strong><\/a> at Hillsborough Park in Sheffield was, in a word, euphoric.<\/p>\nFrom start to finish, with showstopping sets from hometown heroes to a field full of people sharing the moment that England\u2019s Lionesses<\/strong> retained their Euros title in nail-biting style, the weather, the bands, the fans, and the idyllic scenery all combined to make a weekend to remember for a long time.<\/p>\nPulp<\/strong> were the main draw for Friday\u2019s proceedings, but they didn\u2019t just headline the day; they hand-picked the line-up, which made for a wonderfully unique and eclectic run of bands that each left their mark.<\/p>\nThe first 2 bands on the main stage both featured a relation to Jarvis<\/strong>, his son\u2019s band Spanish Horses<\/strong> played a set that started the day with a sound that was reminiscent of The Cribs<\/strong> at their finest, and his nephew\u2019s band Femur<\/strong> absolutely blew the cobwebs (and nearly the PA) away with an energetic and engaging show that made them a highlight of the day.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nFemur frontman Felix displays many of his uncle\u2019s characteristics, from looks to shape throwing moves, but blends them with a more Justin Hawkins<\/strong> style of delivery, ramping up the rock and definitely making an impression. A fantastic band that will blow the roofs off the smaller venues they play \u2013 well worth seeing.<\/p>\nLiving legend punk poet John Cooper Clarke<\/strong> treated a rammed tent to a set of rapid-fire poems and clever word play, delivered with the rhythmic flow of a horse racing commentator on T\u2019other stage. He suffered slightly from some volume issues but had the whole of the audience on his side with his poems \u201cSheffield<\/strong>,\u201d \u201cTwat<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cEvidently Chickentown<\/strong>\u201d all stealing the show.<\/p>\nThe batshit crazy Baxter Dury<\/strong> put on a commanding performance on the main stage, even though half the time he looks like he\u2019s bored by the whole affair and the rest he\u2019s striking martial arts poses or wrapping himself around his mic stand. He feels like a man on the edge, and there\u2019s zero filter \u2013 in fact, it was a close call between him and Cooper Clarke as to whose was the most expletive-filled set of the day.<\/p>\nThe lush electronica-fused sound of John Grant<\/strong> was an engaging and fun experience over on T\u2019other<\/strong> stage. \u201cAll That School for Nothing<\/strong>\u201d from his latest album was a funky, soulful blast, and in a short set, he captured everyone in the tent, ending with the stone-cold classic \u201cGMF,<\/strong>\u201d which is one of those tracks that sticks in the brain for ages after you hear it. Grant is a proper class act, and a longer set would have been great, but you take what you can get at these kinds of festivals, and what we got was special.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nIt was then left to Pulp to make their homecoming, and they did not disappoint. Jarvis and the band were welcomed as the heroes they are. With the new album More<\/strong> featuring heavily the likes of \u201cSpike Island<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cGrown Ups<\/strong>\u201d, they were well received with their quirky storytelling vibes. The biggies like \u201cSorted for E\u2019s and Whizz<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cDisco 2000<\/strong>\u201d got the massive reactions you\u2019d imagine, but a track like \u201cSheffield: Sex City<\/strong>\u201d that hadn\u2019t been played live in nearly 15 years landed extremely well.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is Hardcore<\/strong>\u201d had Black Sabbath<\/strong>esque vibes to it, which sounded amazing, and then they brought local hero and former member Richard Hawley<\/strong> on stage as special guest turning up the crowd volume yet again, with the sons of Sheffield combining on a wondrous \u201cSunrise<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cLast Day of the Miners\u2019 Strike<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\nThe field in Hillsborough that was hosting Tramlines must have registered on some Richter scale somewhere when they played \u201cDo You Remember the First Time?<\/strong>\u201d and then again when they brought back Hawley for the encore of \u201cCommon People<\/strong>\u201d as the crowd was just a homogenous sea of bouncing limbs. Pulp is a different class and proved it.<\/p>\nDay two began with a chuckle at Lucy Beaumont<\/strong> on the comedy stage before getting a ridiculous number of steps in by picking bands on all three of the big stages throughout the day to catch as many of the bands as possible, beginning with the effortlessly cool She\u2019s In Parties<\/strong>. Even with an early timeslot, they drew a decent crowd who were rewarded with a gorgeous set of shoegazy dream-pop \u2013 either they were in the know, or they liked what they heard as they passed by the tent, in which case they probably discovered their new favourite band for the weekend.<\/p>\nTHE K\u2019s<\/strong> played on the main stage, having dropped their new album a mere 24 hours earlier. They\u2019ve been popping up everywhere recently on support slots with bands like James<\/strong> and so on, and are predicting (albeit themselves) that the album will hit No.1 in the charts. They are building some momentum, so they may well be playing higher up on festival bills this time next year.<\/p>\nThe not-so-surprising surprise package of the day was Natasha Bedingfield<\/strong>, who received one of, if not the best, receptions of the weekend with her hit-filled set. The crowd were in strong voice as she played \u201cSingle<\/strong>,\u201d \u201cThese Words,<\/strong>\u201d and one of the best songs ever written in \u201cUnwritten<\/strong>.\u201d The sound of a full crowd singing along was a pure goosebump-inducing moment. Her voice is incredible, and there\u2019s a generous amount of Stevie Nicks<\/strong> inspiration in both her look and stage presence, making it hard to take your eyes off her as she performed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nThe hits kept coming with the legendary voice of M People<\/strong>, Heather Small<\/strong> \u2013 who looked and sounded stunning. Every song was a stone-cold classic, from \u201cOne Night in Heaven<\/strong>,\u201d \u201cSight for Sore Eyes<\/strong>\u201d to \u201cProud<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cMoving on Up<\/strong>\u201d the crowd saw a master at work. Phenomenal.<\/p>\nIt was down to Franz Ferdinand<\/strong> to keep the energy going over on the main stage, and even after 2 decades, they have lost none of it. Frontman Alex Kapranos<\/strong> barely had his feet on the ground as he leapt, and scissor kicked his way about the stage \u2013 it was no wonder as \u201cDo You Want To<\/strong>\u201d and \u201cTake Me Out<\/strong>\u201d were easily two of the bounciest tracks anyone heard all day.<\/p>\nLocalish lads The Reytons<\/strong> headlined the main stage. Even if they hadn\u2019t come a long way to get here, they\u2019d come a long way to get here after years of playing the fringe venues. They drew a huge crowd and took their moment with style \u2013 but the draw of a fun and energetic set from Brighton\u2019s Rizzle Kicks<\/strong> was too tempting to avoid, as a packed T\u2019other stage proved. It was one of the largest and bounciest crowds the tent saw all weekend. They were infectiously fun, and the full band added to the set \u2013 a great way to end the day.<\/p>\nSunday felt a little light line-up-wise compared to the rest of the weekend, but there were still plenty of gems to be found around the site.<\/p>\n
Russell Howard<\/strong>\u2019s set was hilarious, showing why he\u2019s one of England\u2019s finest comedians. Queer alt-pop duo\u00a0Cowz<\/strong>\u00a0were fantastic on the\u00a0Leadmill Stage<\/strong>\u00a0with their punk, pop electronica, causing quite a stir, and even better were Cork band\u00a0Cliffords<\/strong>, who were visibly shocked to see a packed tent in front of them \u2013 and equally excited to be in Sheffield as the guitarists\u2019 favourite film was made there.<\/p>\nThey are a band to see as soon as you can \u2013 their indie rock is a cathartic experience with shades of Wolf Alice<\/strong>, and in vocalist Iona Lynch<\/strong>, they have both a secret weapon and an unfair advantage. She\u2019s a burst of energy and as engaging as they come. One of the discoveries of the weekend for sure.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nThere was only one place to be on Sunday afternoon as the whole of Sheffield seemingly congregated at T\u2019other stage for the wonderful CMAT<\/strong>\u2019s set. She\u2019s not only on a high at the moment but every time she steps on stage, she\u2019s becoming more and more of a superstar \u2013 and she\u2019s doing it with her unique brand of humour, style and sass. She\u2019s hilarious to watch and a wickedly talented performer who does everything with her tongue firmly in her cheek. She\u2019ll be in massive venues before long, so catch her on the next tour while you can.<\/p>\nThe Last Dinner Party<\/strong> added a touch of class to the main stage with their delicious-sounding indie rock and exquisite theatrical flair. Their dramatic flair and theatrical presence are perfectly personified by Abigail<\/strong> as she sweeps and flows her way around the heavily Ancient Greek inspired stage set, and their Kate Bush<\/strong>, Bowie<\/strong> and Roxy Music<\/strong> influences are clear to see. They had a lot of fans in attendance, but almost definitely converted the casual listeners there, too.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nWith a lengthy gap between The Last Dinner Party and the headliners, Tramlines showed the Euro final on the big screens of the main stage. As the crowd collectively held their breath while the England women\u2019s team took the game to a penalty shootout, the boys in Kasabian<\/strong> had to delay their stage entrance.<\/p>\nWhen the iconic Chloe Kelly<\/strong> struck the winning penalty, the tens of thousands of fans exploded in absolute pure joy and ecstasy \u2013 a shared moment that will never be forgotten \u2013 and one that could have been even more iconic had Kasabian come onstage wearing England shirts and launched straight into \u201cClub Foot<\/strong>\u201d instead of teasing a few snippets of other people\u2019s songs and opening with \u201cCall<\/strong>\u201d from their latest album. When they played \u201cClub Foot\u201d, the crowd erupted again, and the energy levels were at the highest they had been all weekend. Serge\u2019s confidence, a tribute to Ozzy and a bagful of absolute bangers all led to a euphoric closing of the festival.<\/p>\nTramlines is pretty hard to beat in terms of family-friendly festivals, and they deliver year on year. It has the perfect balance of nostalgia and new \u2013 and is fiercely proud to showcase new local and upcoming artists of all different genres across its stages \u2013 and we already have our sights set on returning for next year\u2019s party.<\/p>\n
Tramlines Festival returns to Hillsborough from July 24th to July 26th, 2026, and you can keep updated with all the lineup news and ticket info at the Official Tramlines Website<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Article Views: 61
Tramlines 2025 at Hillsborough Park in Sheffield was, in a word, euphoric. From start…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":307780,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8817],"tags":[748,393,4884,1620,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-307779","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sheffield","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-sheffield","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114950441937786882","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307779\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/307780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=307779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}