Tramlines 2025 Preview
- hayleygrice1
- Mar 16
- 7 min read
It's a weekend that Sheffielder's and beyond look forward to every weekend... Tramlines - that's myself included!
This year's offering is really something special, and we're going to go through the line-up and what to expect ahead of this year's festival.
Friday this year is pretty special this year...
Sheffield band PULP are BACK! and not only that, they've teamed up with Tramlines Festival to curate the Friday line-up.
On the Sarah Nulty Main Stage, you can see the likes of Fat White Family, who previously supported Liam Gallagher at his 2022 Knebworth gigs, whom, speaking from experience were fantastic - Lias Kaci Saoudi heads up for the vocals for the band and I'm hoping to hear the likes of "Touch the Leather Redux", "Tastes Good With Money" and "Bullet of Dignity" to say the least - but we will see - a fantastic choice.
Also on the Friday line-up is Irish singer-songwriter Lisa O'Neill, who you may know without realising, she has previously supported David Gray on his American and Canadian tour, plus you'll have heard Lisa on the debut album for Yorkston/Thorne/Khan as well as having been previously nominated for a Choice Music Prize in 2013 and 2018.
Fans are likely to expect tracks like "All the Tired Horses", "Blackbird" and "Pothole In the Sky".
A great addition to the Main Stage line-up.
Alongside these acts, more to be announced for T'Other Stage, The Leadmill Stage and of course The Library Stage, other acts already announced include Baxter Dury, John Grant, Hot Chip DJ, IMonster, Oracle Sisters, Cloud Cannons and Femur.
Plus some comedy from John Shuttleworth, Justin Moorhouse, Nina Gilligan and Danny Mcloughlin.
The main event on Friday night though...
Of course it's Pulp, Sheffield born and bred, and it's difficult to find someone who doesn't know their music as a 90's Britpop staple.
Fronted by Jarvis Cocker, the band have made a couple of appearances over the last couple of years, notably at Sheffield Arena and in Edinburgh, but this a huge homecoming for the band.
I'm sure I won't be disappointed to hear the classics such as "Disco 2000", "Common People" and "Do You Remember The First Time?" - I'm sure they'll put on a killer show and I'm banking it as a potential highlight of the weekend.
Moving onto Saturday's lineup now and this is probably the day I'm looking forward to the most.
I love Saturday's lineup for a number of reasons, not only is it solid from the variety available, but there is a lot of different unsigned artists across all the stages, a-lot of them local to the area, including self-backed Main Stage headliner The Reytons from Rotherham.
Some of my Saturday picks ahead of the festival though...
A local band with members from across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, who have really been making a name for themselves across the local music scene and beyond is The Rosadocs.
Expect big anthemic tunes, some great banter and some fantastic energy from these guys with hits such as "At Your Door", "Settle Down" "No.54" and "Run Away Instead" to name a few.
A band worth watching for sure and popping on your Tramlines itinerary.
If you haven't heard of The K's then where have you been hiding?! They've really been at the top of their game, they supported headliners The Reytons at their Sheffield Arena gig back in 2023 and are on tour themselves this year, as well as their second album!
Well worth watching for the showmanship alone, but their tunes are BIG and will blow you away.
I'm hoping to hear tunes like "Glass Towns", "Hometown" and "Sarajevo" but either way, not one to be missed.
What a throwback and delight this is! Heather Small - Voice of the M People is making an appearance on the line-up.
This is the injection of powerful anthems that is sure to wow any audience, and also give you that nostalgic feel, as well as some of her solo material, we can hopefully expect some music from "The M People" that Heather previously fronted, so I'm hoping to hear "Proud", "Moving On Up" and "Search For The Hero" but I'm sure it will be everything and more!
Speaking of nostalgia, definitely something for the 90's/00's babies here, Natasha Bedingfield!!
I don't know about you but this was peak music during my childhood, infact, the song "Unwritten" was featured in my Year 6 leaving assembly!
Natasha Bedingfield has made somewhat of a comeback in the past couple of years and I think it'll be a real act to combine generations and music tastes, especially those who grew up with her music.
I'm hoping to hear "Unwritten", "These Words" and "Pocketful of Sunshine" as a minimum, but I'm sure we'll be graced with that and more!
Not only that, but there are some fantastic acts across all of the stages on the Saturday, including Freddie Halkon, Daisy Peacock, The Futureheads plus another nostalgic one for me - Rizzle Kicks, Saturday is really gearing up to be something special for me.
Plus some comedy from Lucy Beaumont, Eleanor Tiernan, Hayley Ellis and Sally-Anne Hayward.
The main event for the Saturday though, the local lads that are proving anything is possible!
Of course I'm talking about The Reytons - a band from Rotherham that continue to push boundries in the best way possible, using their creativity and backing themselves, plus creating a massive family along the way.
Last year they blew up Clifton Park with an absolutely electric performance, it was something special, plus they're finishing off their UK and European tour this year, the lads are really something and deserve that headline spot - well worth watching for their down-to-earth personality alone.
Onto the Sunday now...
For me, The Sunday is perfect to round off a weekend of fantastic music.
Here are my picks from the above for Sunday...
Scouting For Girls are my first pick, their music is SO easy to listen to and I remember them bursting onto the scene in the 00's - creating a lot of the soundtrack of my teen years.
Their personality, catchy tracks, fun lyrics and more, they've still got that punchy-pop feel that just makes a crowd feel good - they're definitely worth watching and whilst they have a fantastic back-catalogue of tunes, I'm most hoping to hear "Famous", "I Wish I Was James Bond" and "Posh Girls" as well as popular tracks "She's So Lovely" and "Elvis Ain't Dead".
A band that has graced Tramlines stages before - hailing from Liverpool, it's Red Rum Club.
If you don't know, get to know - they have a fantastic twist of jazz and indie that shouldn't work but does and they do it SO well.
I was first introduced to the band in 2020 and they have an impressive catalogue of tracks from their four studio albums - all have high-energy, anthemic tunes that will get your hearts racing - well worth putting on your Tramlines schedule.
I'm hoping to hear the likes of "Honey", "TV Said So" and "Monaco" but I'm sure there will be some from their newest album "Western Approaches" plus their biggest tunes "Eleanor" and "Would You Rather Be Lonely".
One I am very happy to see on the lineup is Norwegian songstress Sigrid.
Her style of music is pop-like but also with relatable lyrics and feel-good backing track, it's a set that's worth watching - Sigrid has a brilliant calming presence about her - and it's really uplifting.
I'm hoping to hear songs like "Strangers", "Don't Feel Like Crying" and "Don't Kill My Vibe" but we shall see!
A really solid mix for Sunday's addition to the weekend line-up - honorable mentions also to local band The Sherlocks, who have had a killer couple of years with a tour and also a new album - plus CMAT, who has been supporting Sam Fender on his People Watching tour and The Clause who are really climbing too.
The big finale of Tramlines though - and what a belter it is.
It's Leicester's own Kasabian - they've solidified their place in the indie-rock Hall of Fame in my opinion.
In the last year, they've toured, released a new album and played a homecoming show at Victoria Park in Leicester to a strong crowd - so a firm choice for a Sunday headliner.
Expect big tunes, big personality - especially from frontman Serge, and a bouncing crowd - I haven't seen Kasabian since 2022 when they supporter Liam Gallagher at Knebworth, they were brilliant then and I can imagine they'll blow the crowd's minds at Tramlines.
I've a soft spot for their older tracks personally, so I'm hoping to hear "Club Foot", "Fire" and "You're In Love With A Psycho" personally - but I imagine there will be plenty of offerings both old and new.
That's just some of my picks from the Tramlines 2025 line-up - but not to forget there is something for everyone at Tramlines, through the Tramlines Trust, the festival is supporting local artists and businesses with Little Hillsborough - where you can find a variety of local businesses selling merchandise, bits and pieces and more plus a great line-up of spoken word and poetry if that's your bag.
Tramlines work with a lot of charities and good causes too, including Tickets For Good, plus offering support and grants to local charities and good causes, with some of 2024's receiptents being Sheffield Children's Hospital, Hive South Yorkshire, S12 Pantry and more.
Plus they remember Sarah Nulty, Tramlines Festival Director that sadly passed away a few years ago - the main stage continues to paint her strong love of music and all things creative - #BeMoreNulty.
It's no wonder this year has almost sold out with such a strong line-up - I'm really looking forward to 2025's edition of Tramlines.
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