From 24th-26th July 2026, Sheffield’s Hillsborough Park came to life with an eclectic mix of performers taking to the stage at Tramlines Festival to deliver a weekend to remember.
Over the course of the weekend, both long-standing and emerging artists were given the opportunity to display their talent. Despite the fact that many bands who took to The Leadmill Stage were lesser-known, the tent was consistently filled with listeners eager to discover new musicians.
The up-and-coming bands of Westside Cowboy and Bleech 9:3 were most notable in their ability to deliver exceptional performances, exhibited by each of their crowds spilling beyond the capacity of the tent. Having gained momentum over the last year, these bands’ large, energetic audiences’ can only be a sign of their promising futures.
While there was some diversity between the music genres of the headliners, each left the Sarah Nulty Main Stage to thunderous applause. This is a testament to the variety of music enjoyed across different age groups and tastes. Wolf Alice and Fat Boy Slim were most successful at putting on unforgettable performances, with their shows combining their biggest hits with new music. 
In contrast, Courteeners arguably lacked stage presence, descending into silence after every song rather than radiating charisma. Nevertheless, they undeniably made up for this with their performances of their most popular songs, including ‘Not Nineteen Forever’, which were significant in revitalising the crowd with a surge of energy.
Yorkshire pride was evident among many artists at Tramlines, especially Sheffield’s own Reverend And The Makers and Leeds’ Kaiser Chiefs who each won over the audience by starting a ‘Yorkshire’ chant. Kaiser Chiefs did not disappoint with a setlist of their iconic tunes which resulted in a show so exhilarating that lead singer Ricky Wilson was invigorated enough to scale the side of the stage to sing a verse of ‘I Predict A Riot’!
The highlight of the festival was Blossoms’ performance. Their dynamic front man Tom Ogden simultaneously entertained and immersed the audience in their show with an unmatched stage presence. The band played a stream of their hit songs, opening with ‘Gary’ which immediately prompted the audience to chant along to the catchy beat.
We were given a taste of their upcoming album Songs From The Wedding Cake through their performances of ‘Meet Me In Love’, as well as ‘Joke About Divorce’, during which Rick Astley was invited back onto stage to perform his collaborative section of the song. Their set concluded with the fan favourites of ‘Your Girlfriend’, ‘There’s A Reason Why (I Never Return Your Calls)’ and ‘Charlemagne’, ensuring that they ended their set to an ovation.
Ultimately, Tramlines 2026 was a celebration of various music genres, age groups, and the North, creating an opportunity for rising and enduring talent alike to enthral the masses.
