Anna Hyams

Anna has been a festival fanatic since her first ever outing to Download Festival back in 2001, she's got eclectic tastes and covers everything from metal to EDM and loves a chance to try out new festivals. Anna has covered a few European festivals like Snowbombing and Wacken Open Air, but mainly hits up her UK faves; Download, Bestival and Bloodstock!

Wychwood Festival reveals family-friendly Village Green events, activities, workshops & more

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WYCHWOOD FESTIVAL 2025 VILLAGE GREEN LINE UP ANNOUNCED

VIBRANT ARRAY OF FAMILY ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS CONFIRMED FOR WYCHWOOD FESTIVAL 2025 INCLUDING:

NATIONAL TRUST RANGER RAE AND THE WILDLIFERS PODCAST & STAGE SHOW – DAN THE HAT’S REMARKABLE STREET SHOW – FLAME OZ – CHELTENHAM POETRY FESTIVAL – SILLY SPORTS DAY – SOLO CIRCUS – FIERY JACK’S GAMES EMPORIUM – BLEEPHAUS CREATIVITY – KINDRID SPIRITS ART COLLECTIVE AND MUCH MORE!

JOINING A PACKED MUSIC LINE UP FEATURING:
SHED SEVEN – DOVES – JAMES
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING – THE ZUTONS
THE LOTTERY WINNERS – LUCY SPRAGGAN – DANIEL BEDINGFIELD – FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS – IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE – SCOUTING FOR GIRLS – SONGHOY BLUES – THE MAGIC NUMBERS – HOME COUNTIES – P.E. WITH JOE WICKS AND MORE

THE UK’S STANDOUT BOUTIQUE FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE BEAUTIFUL GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTRYSIDE FOR THREE DAYS OF MUSIC, ARTS, COMEDY & MORE

30th May – 1st June – Cheltenham Racecourse 

https://wychwoodfestival.com

Wychwood Festival has today unveiled the vibrant programme of activities, workshops, arts & crafts and more, as part of the Village Green in 2025. Designed to provide fun, creativity, and adventure for all ages, the Village Green will once again be an interactive hub of engaging entertainment throughout the festival weekend. Packing so many unique moments into three days, the VIllage Green – alongside the highly curated music line up – is what makes Wychwood stand out as one of the UK’s leading boutique festivals.

From 30th May to 1st June 2025, festivalgoers can enjoy an array of stimulating experiences, all included in the ticket price. Whether it’s perfecting circus tricks, moving to the rhythm of Bollywood & Bhangra led by the talented Sohan Kailey, or getting lost in a captivating story, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Highlights of this year’s Village Green programme include the remarkable street show from Glastonbury Festival favourite Dan The Hat, breathtaking fire and LED displays from the award-winning Flame Oz, and the ever-popular Silly Sports Day delivering a lively mix of races, games, and family-friendly fun. Adding to the creative offering, Cheltenham Poetry Festival will host an inspiring spoken word session, encouraging young minds to express themselves through performance and poetry.

In a brand-new addition for 2025, Wychwood welcomes the team behind The National Trust’s hit children’s podcast, Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers. Through an interactive podcast-making show, families will dive into storytelling, listen to episodes on immersive silent disco headphones, and even take part in shaping Ranger Rae’s next big adventure.

Beyond these highlights, the Village Green will also offer a rich variety of arts and crafts sessions, magic workshops, drumming circles, opportunities to take part in the festival’s joyful Sunday Parade, and the soon to be announced Storybox, Wychwood’s very own Children’s Literature Festival. Whether looking to get active, get creative, or simply relax and soak up the atmosphere, the Village Green is a must-visit part of the Wychwood experience.

This announcement comes as Wychwood Festival gears up for another unforgettable summer of music, arts, and entertainment. The 2025 music line-up boasts an impressive roster of artists, with headliners James, Shed Seven, and Doves leading the charge. The bill also features Public Service Broadcasting, The Zutons, The Lottery Winners, Ibibio Sound Machine, Scouting For Girls, and newly announced Lucy Spraggan, plus many more, ensuring a weekend of top-tier live performances across the festival’s stages. Ensuring the crowds are limbered up for such a fun-packed day, fitness personality Joe Wicks will also lead a live P.E. session from the main stage!

With an abundance of family-friendly activities, a welcoming atmosphere, and a stunning location at Cheltenham Racecourse, Wychwood Festival remains one of the UK’s most beloved events for all ages. Under 10’s go free, with family-friendly amenities across seven accessible venues featuring baby changing facilities, a dedicated sensory calm space and affordable £6 Kid’s Meals. 

Wychwood Festival takes place from 30th May and 1st June 2025 at Cheltenham Racecourse. Day and Weekend Tickets are on sale now, with a Weekend Camping Payment Plan available via: https://wychwoodfestival.com/

The Line Up Announced So Far

James – Shed Seven – Doves

Public Service Broadcasting – The Zutons – The Lottery Winners – Daniel Bedingfield – Lucy Spraggan – Fisherman’s Friends – Ibibio Sound Machine – Scouting For Girls – Songhoy Blues – The Magic Numbers – Gentleman’s Dub Club – Goldie Lookin Chain – Skinny Lister – Lack of Afro – The Bug Club – Dub Catalyst – Home Counties – Doreen Doreen – The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican – Roving Crows – Whitney Social Club

P.E with Joe Wicks

Howlin’ Petes: The Smyths – Barrioke – The Beatles Dub Club – Thrill Collins – Hip Hop Karaoke – The Ogretones – Witney Social Club – DJ Carlton (Temps Rising) – Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer

Village Green: National Trust Ranger Rae And The Wildlifers Stage Show & Podcasting Workshops – Circus Workshops With Solo Circus – Fail Fail Fail Win Show Bollywood & Bhangra Dance & Bhangra Pop DJ Set With Sohan Kailey Dan The Hat’s Remarkable Street Show – Fiery Jack’s Games Emporium – Fire Show By Flame Oz – Drop In Funky Drumming With Drum Runners – Adult Yoga With Jane Rotheray – Belly Dance With Syren & Mirage – Street Dance & Creative Movement With Lula May Body Positive Dance & She Shanties With Libby Farrow – Silly Sports Day – Board Games British Sign Language Workshops With Ade Jowett Thrall – Open Mic Session With Neemus Spoken Word With Cheltenham Poetry Festival – Magic Workshop With El Baldiniho Magic & Ventriloquism With Colin Dymond – Musical Theatre Fitness With Chi Chi Kids – Arts And Crafts For All Ages Including Enamelling With Medley Arts – Groovy Records With Complete Wasters – Cuddly Science With Salaric Arts – Doodling & Lino Printing With Gemma Hastilow – Make With Spare Room Arts – Craft With Curty Creates – Music Technology With Bleephaus Creativity With Kindred Spirits Arts Collective – World Class Street Theatre And Pop Up Entertainment To Amaze And Intrigue – The Parade Lead By Sambistas Samba Band

Plus: Comedy – Storybox: Kids Children Literature Festival – Silent Disco – Healing Gardens – Idyllic Camping Beneath the Prestbury Hills! 

Download Festival Introduces New ‘Download Family’ Inner Circle

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Download Festival, the greatest rock and metal festival of all time, have today announced the Download Family.

Community is at the heart of Download, so this is a chance for the festival to give back to the people who make it what it is. The Download Family has been created in order to give the inner circle monthly perks in the lead up to the festival and beyond. Join the Family by signing up here: https://downloadfestival.co.uk/family.
 
By signing up to be part of the Family, the inner circle will receive monthly perks, including limited edition merch drops, special offers from Download’s partners, pre-sales for dedicated rock and metal fans, discounts on Download merch and much more.
 
Download Festival returns this year for its 22nd edition, reborn and recharged in 2025 as DLXXII, with headliners Green Day, Sleep Token and Korn set to take to the stage alongside over 90 more colossal names, with many more yet to be announced. The festival will take place on 13-15 June 2025 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire.

Book your tickets here: www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
 

Wychwood Festival announces first wave line up for 2025!

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Wychwood Festival has today revealed all the headliners and more for the 2025 edition of the beloved family friendly festival. 

Offering an unmissable weekend of iconic performances in music, arts, and family-friendly entertainment, Wychwood’s uniquely intimate setting at Gloucestershire’s Cheltenham Racecourse will come alive again with the magic of summer between 30th May to 1st June 2025.

Joining recently announced headliners James, will be none other than Shed Seven and Doves, alongside a hand-picked selection of the finest live acts, including Public Service Broadcasting, The Zutons, The Lottery Winners, Ibibio Sound Machine, Scouting For Girls and many more.

Shed Seven join the line up off the back of an unprecedented year of success for the Britpop veterans. They joined an exclusive club in 2024, alongside the likes of Abba, Queen, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift when they scored not one but two number 1s in the Official UK Album Chart in the same year. Revered for euphoric classics like ‘Chasing Rainbows’ and ‘Going For Gold’, and celebrated for incredible new material on ‘A Matter Of Time’ and ‘Liquid Gold’, fans can look forward to an electric headline set on Friday night at Wychwood. 

Rick Witter, Shed Seven’s frontman said: “We are really looking forward to coming back to play at the Wychwood Festival again in 2025. The last time we played there was an amazing atmosphere so we can’t wait to come back and recreate it. Expect big songs and rock and roll. See you down the front”

After three years away, Manchester band Doves are announced today as the Sunday night headliner. Firmly back on the scene and gearing up for a highly anticipated new album ‘Constellations For The Lonely’, Doves’ emotive and atmospheric anthems like ‘There Goes the Fear’ and ‘Pounding’, will round off a closing moment to cherish next summer.

The line-up expands with an exciting array of artists spanning multiple genres. Public Service Broadcasting will bring their one of a kind combination of post rock sonics and immersive historical storytelling, while The Zutons, the Liverpool band that gave the world a timeless singalong hit ‘Valerie’, promise a crowd-pleasing set. Rising stars The Lottery Winners have built a reputation as one of the UK’s most entertaining live bands, and serve to add a fresh edge to the weekend, alongside R&B-inspired pop sensation Daniel Bedingfield as part of an exciting live comeback. Festival favourites Scouting For Girls are sure to draw an enormous crowd to enjoy instantly recognisable and endlessly popular catalog of hits, whilst the hypnotic rhythms of Ibibio Sound Machine and angular and upbeat dance-punk tunes from Home Counties are certain to get everyone dancing.

Scouting for Girls’ frontman Roy Stride, said: “We are delighted to be playing Wychwood Festival this year and look forward to playing all our bangers at such a beautiful family festival. Even more excited that some of my favourite other artists are playing including Shed Seven, James & The Magic Numbers. I might even get down early for a bit of a workout with Joe Wicks!!!  It’s going to be an incredible weekend” 

Public Service Broadcasting said: “We’re really looking forward to coming back to Wychwood Festival – it’s always been a great atmosphere in the past and it’s been too long since we were there. See some of you soon!”

Ibibio Sound Machine said: “We’re excited to be playing at Wychwood festival 2025 alongside so many great acts!”
[download artist press shots]
Elsewhere the soulful desert blues of Mali band Songhoy Blues, the feel-good harmonies of The Magic Numbers and the energetic 8-piece experience of Gentleman’s Dub Club continue the eclectic line-up. Adding a healthy dose of Welsh-wit and nostalgia, Goldie Lookin Chain and The Bug Club bring a unique flair to the program. For fans of viral sea shanties – and there’s evidently plenty of them – Fisherman’s Friends have you covered as leaders of the TikTok-driven revival of this glorious age-old musical tradition.

Wychwood’s centre of amusement, Howlin’ Pete’s, will once again host an array of fun and lighthearted moments, featuring tribute sensations The Smyths, TV and karaoke legend Barrioke, and the Beatles Dub Club. Additional highlights include sets from The Ogretones – the Shrek Tribute Band that has to be seen to be believed, Witney Social Club, and Temps Rising founder DJ Carlton, ensuring a good time for all.

Beyond the music, Wychwood delivers a program brimming with family-friendly activities, arts, and comedy. Fitness personality Joe Wicks will lead a live P.E. session, while the Village Green offers everything from Circus Skills and Magic Workshops to Yoga, Drumming, and the vibrant Sunday Parade. Families can also explore the Storybox Kids’ Literature Festival, unwind in the Healing Gardens or lose those inhibitions into the early hours at the Silent Disco.

With idyllic camping beneath the Prestbury Hills, sensational food and drink, and free entry for children under 10, Wychwood Festival remains a firm favourite for all ages. 

Graeme Merifield, Wychwood Festival Co-Founder, said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to unveil next summer’s lineup today! The response to James as our first headliner last month was phenomenal, so we wanted to spread a little early holiday cheer by sharing the rest of our headliners, and more, much earlier than we usually do. Bringing Shed Seven to Cheltenham after their historic run with two number-one albums, and welcoming Doves during their exciting comeback year, has my heart pounding already! But it’s not just about chart hits at Wychwood, we’re also bringing HIITs in 2025… We’re absolutely delighted to have booked in a P.E. session on the main stage with Joe Wicks! This year’s Wychwood lineup is shaping up to be something truly special for the whole family.”

With even more to be revealed over the coming months, Wychwood Festival is renowned for presenting diverse musical lineups, alongside a perfect combination of comedy, arts, 100s of family-friendly activities, and sensational food and drink. Drawing growing audiences of all ages from around the UK and following a fantastic show this year headlined by Sister Sledge, Texas and Ocean Colour Scene, anticipation runs high for the 2025 edition.

Wychwood Festival takes place between 30th May – 1st June 2025 at Cheltenham Racecourse. Tickets for both day and weekend entry are on sale now via: https://wychwoodfestival.com/

Lytham Festival 2025 – Kings Of Leon join line-up

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Kings of Leon are joining the line-up for TK Maxx presents Lytham Festival 2025.

The GRAMMY award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band will headline the North West’s largest live music festival on Wednesday July 2 joining the already announced headliners – Canadian/American singer, songwriter and musician Alanis Morissette (Fri 4), global superstar Justin Timberlake (Sat 5) and Scottish rock icons Simple Minds and Texas (Sun 6).

Details of the Thursday night headliner and special guests will be revealed soon. Tickets for Kings of Leon go on sale at 9am Friday from lythamfestival.com. Individual tickets for Friday to Sunday and five-day passes are on sale now.

Since their debut in 2003, Kings of Leon – brothers Caleb (guitar/vocals), Nathan (drums) and Jared Followill (bass), and their cousin Matthew Followill (guitar) – have released nine studio albums selling more than 20 million copies, and almost 40 million singles worldwide.

In the UK alone, the multi-platinum selling band has reached the Top 10 with all their albums including six that hit the Number One spot.

In addition, they have had eight GRAMMY Nominations, three GRAMMY Award wins, three NME Awards, two BRIT Awards, and one Juno Award. They have toured all over the world headlining the biggest festivals including Glastonbury, Coachella, Reading & Leeds on three occasions and multiple Lollapalooza’s.

This year has seen the band complete a world tour which included a huge show at London’s BST in Hyde Park – an unprecedented record breaking fifth time they have played the iconic location – as well as release their ninth full-length studio album, Can We Please Have Fun.

Lytham Festival co-founder Peter Taylor said: “We are delighted to be announcing Kings of Leon as a headliner for Lytham Festival, and we can’t wait to hear them performing songs from across their unparalleled nine album catalogue of Alternative Rock.

“They join our already brilliant line-up featuring Alanis Morissette, Justin Timberlake and Simple Minds and Texas and we still have one more headliner to reveal along with a whole load of special guests. It might only be December but Lytham Festival 2025 will be here before we know it and we can’t wait to get out on the Green for five days of incredible live music on the Lancashire coast.”

Seven-time GRAMMY Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Alanis Morissette will headline Lytham Festival on Friday July 4.

Saturday July 5 will see multi-talented entertainer, recording artist, record producer, songwriter and actor Justin Timberlake bring his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour to Lytham Green.

And the closing night of Lytham Festival on Sunday July 6 will see a double headlining set from global rock icons and Scottish legends Simple Minds and Texas.

TK Maxx presents Lytham Festival 2025 returns Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 July. For more information and to secure tickets head to lythamfestival.com

Twin Atlantic: Birmingham 2024 – REVIEWED!

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Arriving at the Birmingham O2 Academy, we were surprised by queues winding around the block, only to find that the venue is not only host to Twin Atlantic tonight, but also Rag ‘N’ Bone Man. There’s a marked difference in attire and style for the two crowds, but it’s really uplifting to see so many people out for live music on a frosty Sunday night in November.

Heading upstairs to Academy 2, I am instantly transported back into the gig nights of my youth. Sticky floors, a merch stand on a trestle-table in the corner with hand scribbled prices, and youths in patch jackets shuffling about. I like knowing that the tune might change but the feeling is still the same. If you don’t get that pang of excitement before a gig, I am truly sorry for you.

Daytime TV

First out of the gates is fellow Scottish band, Daytime TV – with enigmatic frontman Will Irvine practically bouncing onto the stage, in his black suit and stompy creeper shoes. Sitting somewhere in the rock/pop-punk sphere, but with a well-blended electronic sound; Daytime TV immediately pique my interest.

© Anna Hyams for SFG – Do not use without permission

Songs ‘Fear’ and ‘Little Victories’ sport elements of indie alongside the clean rock edge, and it’s easy to get swept into the very singable lyrics early on. This is something I feel has been missing from mainstream rock for a while – an undeniable hook, and this band have it in spades. Yelling out “Make some noise Birmingham, thanks for coming down early to check us out tonight. This is a hometown gig for our Guitarist, he’s a Walsall boy!” Will elicits a huge cheer from the now dense crowd, before launching into the very fun ‘Domino’.

One thing I would really like to note about Daytime TV, is that they genuinely just look like they’re having a great time on stage. Dancing around, smiling and laughing through a stellar performance – closing song ‘Lost In Tokyo’ makes for a dynamic ending, and they’ve even managed to get the crowd clapping along – no easy feat for an opening band (especially on a Sunday night). I’d love to see them on some festival bills next year.

Twin Atlantic

Scotland for round two, tonight’s headliner Twin Atlantic hailing from Glasgow are preceded by the ethereal outpourings of… ahem… Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Just as the crowd is singing along (in a very Wayne’s World way, obviously) to the penultimate note, we are top-tier trolled into oblivion as the drop is interrupted by Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Boys Just Wanna Have Fun’. You’ve never heard a room full of people groan so loudly, I tell you.

As the band take to the stage in near darkness and enough smoke to power the entire Upside Down, frontman Sam McTrusty heads to the front to shout Hello to the Birmingham crowd – “Ohh it’s gonna be a good one, I can fuckin’ feel it”.

© Anna Hyams for SFG – Do not use without permission


Starting off strong with ‘Meltdown’ from this year’s (their seventh) album, it’s instantly clear that tonight’s audience are not the casual gig-goer brand, these are all full force Twin Atlantic fans singing along to every word, and I’m here wondering why they haven’t been back on a Download festival bill since the Pandemic Pilot era.

Barry McKenna (keys, vocals) looking like a slightly cooler version of Nandor The Relentless (IYKYK), laughs along when Sam yells “This is our last show in your country this year we realised, so thanks for coming to the last one! So… Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!” and we are treated to the extremely Scottish twangy ‘Free’. I may not be to roll my R’s but you’re damn right I tried to join in anyway.

© Anna Hyams for SFG – Do not use without permission

‘Barcelona’ is an absolute earworm of a song, it’s been on repeat on our car journeys and it’s not hard to see why – everyone is absolutely belting it out at the top of their lungs under the pulsing red lighting. I should mention here though, that it has been some of the worst lighting I’ve ever experienced in a small venue, there are no uplights on the band themselves and so much smoke that it’s hard to even see who’s on stage. Luckily the sound is banging to make up for it so we all shout back the refrain “I’m not invincible”.

“Is the the fatigue of Sunday setting in? You all good, you all where you wanna be? Sound, we’ll keep going then” they joke, before playing the gorgeously sentimental ‘I Couldn’t Miss You Much More’, as couples hug each other in the crowd. Ramping back up with ‘The Chaser’ and some intense strobe-lighting which further silhouettes the band into anonymity, and the heavier ‘No Sleep’ (my song of choice in the set) almost blows the roof off the O2. Again, I am left wondering why Twin Atlantic aren’t hitting more big festival bills.

‘Heart and Soul’ is another sing-along situation, but with minutes to spare Sam calls “Do we have time for one more?” and they sign off on the beautifully sombre ‘Crash Land’. “The last two weeks in England have been fuckin’ class” they lament, before (literally) bowing out. It might have been the smaller of tonight’s offerings at the O2 in Birmingham, but the actual Heart and Soul in tonight’s performance and the fact that this many people wanted to come out and pogo around on a Sunday night before work? Unquestionably awesome.

© Anna Hyams for SFG – Do not use without permission

Setlist

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody (intro track)
  2. Meltdown
  3. Yes, I Was Drunk
  4. Get Out
  5. Free
  6. Asleep
  7. World Class Entertainment
  8. Make a Beast of Myself
  9. Fall
  10. Hold On
  11. Barcelona
  12. Sorry
  13. Whispers
  14. Human After All
  15. I Couldn’t Miss You Much More
  16. Snow In Texas
  17. Haunt
  18. Brothers & Sisters
  19. The Chaser
  20. No Sleep
  21. Heart and Soul
  22. Crash Land

The Great Escape announces final FIRST FIFTY acts for 2025

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THE GREAT ESCAPE 2025
14-17 MAY 2025, BRIGHTON 
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW  
https://greatescapefestival.com/ 
 
Today, the UK’s leading new music festival, The Great Escape, reveals a further 26 artists to complete the FIRST FIFTY artists performing at the festival. Featuring a selection of the most promising new music from across the globe, the FIRST FIFTY is one of the year’s most exciting tip lists for emerging talent.

Many of the artists will be performing in the FIRST FIFTY live launch this evening, with gigs hosted across eight East London venues to kickstart the run-up to the 2025 festival. Highlights are set to include Brighton based rapper RUBII at Oslo, Luvcat taking to the stage at MOTH Club, Chloe Slater heading to Sebright Arms and The Orchestra (For Now) taking over Paper Dress Vintage.

Today’s new wave of acts includes raw and rising Welsh pop-rock singer-songwriter CATTY, Mercury Prize-nominated jazz group corto.alto, eclectic Worldbeat group Sirens Of Lesbos, anti-establishment, genre-defying rap singer-songwriter Miss Kaninna, Indigenous Australian alt singer-songwriter Tia Gostelow, Viennese indie band Laundromat Chicks and rock, reggae and hip-hop inspired South Summit.

From the world of jazz, the new names also include four-piece London group Oreglo and Mongolian singer-songwriter Enji, while emerging songwriter Daffo and rousing Faroese-Nordic artist Eivør are flying the flag for folk. Nods to indie-rock come from Canadian rockers Nap Eyes and indie-grime genre-blender JD Cliffe, while a selection of bedroom-pop artists including Australian singer-songwriter Nick Ward and dreamy electro-pop act Clara Kimera also join the line-up. 

The FIRST FIFTY is completed by buzzy Chicago rapper Kaicrewsade, indie-pop TikTok stars Zimmer90, grunge-soul singer Ashaine White, London-based harpist Marysia Osu, electrifying brother-sister duo PUNCHBAG, wistful soul-inspired singer-songwriter Nectar Woode, Japanese dance-pop act Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie, promising New Zealand group NO CIGAR, tender Irish singer Ellie O’Neill and Dutch five piece The Klittens. 

Synonymous with new music discovery and acting as a springboard for rising artists, The Great Escape is the festival for new music. Playing host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across 35+ walkable venues, alongside the music industry-led TGE conference, the festival will kick off the 2025 season from 14 – 17th May in Brighton, England. Tickets for The Great Escape festival start from £81.24 and are on sale here.

With several thousands of music fans from across the country and globe descending on the Brighton seaside for The Great Escape every May, fans are urged to book their accommodation early. Festival dates at recommended hotels are available for booking now via The Great Escape website here.

TICKETS FOR TGE 2025 
  
greatescapefestival.com  
@greatescapefest  
@thegreatescape  

Download 2025: Headliners and 90+ bands revealed

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Download Festival, the greatest rock and metal festival of all time, returns for its 22nd edition, reborn and recharged in 2025 as DLXXII. Announced today are three first-time headliners—Green Day, Sleep Token and Korn—alongside over 90 more colossal names spanning the full spectrum of rock, metal, punk, emo, hardcore, alternative and classic rock.

This year’s festival will take place on 13-15 June 2025 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire.

 General tickets are onsale at 9pm on Thursday 14 November at www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
 
For the first time in Download Festival’s history, next year’s edition will showcase a trio of headliners who are entirely new to topping the main stage. This exciting milestone underscores Download’s unwavering commitment to delivering a fresh, groundbreaking lineup year after year, giving fans even more reasons to be part of this unmissable experience.
 
Also announced today are UK and international heavyweights Weezer, Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Jimmy Eat World, Within Temptation, Eagles Of Death Metal, The Darkness, Poppy, Loathe, Spiritbox, Meshuggah, Steel Panther, Airbourne, Jerry Cantrell, Cradle Of Filth, Alien Ant Farm, CKY, McFly, Don Broco, Mallory Knox, The Ghost Inside, Turbonegro, Sylosis, Whitechapel, Fit For An Autopsy, Lorna Shore, Kittie, Jinjer and so many more.
 
Punk-rock royalty Green Day are set to make their long-awaited debut at Download Festival, headlining for the first time in their 37-year career. Known for their high-energy performances and a career that’s shaped the landscape of rock, Green Day has built a legacy of unforgettable live shows that will electrify the crowd on Friday night. The band are fresh off celebrating two major milestones—the 30th anniversary of their trailblazing album Dookie and the 20th anniversary of the culture-shaping American Idiot—Green Day continues to prove why they’re one of the most iconic and influential bands in the world.
 
The mysterious Sleep Token have skyrocketed since their inception in 2016, and the anonymous masked collective have gone from strength to strength, headlining arenas this month and now about to embark on their very first Download headline set. Clocking up millions of monthly listeners, the alternative rock outfit are set to play the performance of their life at the hallowed grounds of Donington on Saturday.
 
The festival’s grand finale will come at the hands of nu-metal legends Korn, who will also be headlining Download for the very first time. The Californian five-piece formed in 1993 but have never been more relevant, and their recent shows have caused a huge buzz in the rock community. Having inspired the likes of Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Machine Head and Sepultura during their 31 years of being a band, Korn are well and truly ready to finally headline Download.
 
Download Festival’s Andy Copping says: “Following on from last year’s sold out 21st edition, Download’s legacy not only includes the incredible artists who have performed at the hallowed grounds over the years, but also our unrivalled community, safe and warm atmosphere, and fantastic afterhours entertainment at District X, with something for truly everyone.”
 
The DLXXII line up was announced at a very special Metal Gala launch event at One Marylebone this evening, where the rock and metal elite gathered under one roof. The one and only Paddy Considine (House Of The Dragon, Peaky Blinders), who will be playing at this year’s Download with his band Riding The Low, stars in this year’s announcement video, alongside other Humans Of Download. Like he says in the short film titled ‘Est Momentum’, Download is “a place where legends are born. This is where you belong.”
 
This is only the beginning for DLXXII, with many more acts and surprises yet to be announced. Book your tickets now: www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
 

RAYE to headline All Points East 2025

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All Points East returns for summer 2025.

We are excited to unveil our next headliner… RAYE will make her big return to All Points East on Saturday 23 August and this time, she’s running the show.

General tickets go on sale at 10am GMT on Friday 15 November via www.allpointseast.com.

RAYE says, “London…we are headlining All Points East festival on Saturday 23 August 2025. We are going to be bringing you a beautiful show full of passion and incredible musicians to Victoria Park. I’m going to work hard to make it the most beautiful show we are capable of. Tickets available on Friday at 10am – I cannot wait to see you there!”

British singer-songwriter RAYE shines as one of the brightest stars in music today, boasting eight Top 20 UK singles, 5 Billion global Spotify streams, and a track record of writing for the industry’s biggest names. Since her debut in 2014, RAYE has undergone a remarkable journey to stardom. Her long-awaited independent debut album, My 21st Century Blues, made an immediate impact reaching No. 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart. As a welcome result of her self-fulfilling work, RAYE unknowingly created the song that became synonymous with 2023, ‘Escapism.’

This announcement follows the news last week that RAYE had been nominated in three Grammys categories – best new artist; songwriter, non-classical; engineered album, non-classical.

She recently made history by clinching an unprecedented six BRIT Awards this year – the record for the most wins of any artist in a single year – marking a groundbreaking achievement for the independent singer-songwriter at Britain’s biggest night in music. In addition to becoming the first female to ever win Songwriter of the Year, she also took home accolades, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best R&B Act. RAYE gave a career-defining performance at the ceremony, performing a medley of songs off her critically acclaimed debut album.

RAYE won the award for Best Female Act at the 2024 MOBO Awards, and picked up the prestigious Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards 2024 and three awards at this year’s The Global Awards, including Best Pop and Best British Act, while her collaboration with Cassö and D-Block Europe on ‘PRADA’ won Best Song.

This spring also saw RAYE make her lauded debut at Coachella, attend her first MET Gala wearing custom Fendi, be named on TIME Magazine’s “Next Generation Leaders” list, and earn a Best International Act nomination at the upcoming BET Awards 2024. Additionally, RAYE gave a breakthrough rendition of ‘Genesis’ on Saturday Night Live, which saw My 21st Century Blues skyrocket into the Top 10 of US iTunes.’Escapism.’ not only became the largest selling single by a female British artist in 2023, but it also earned RAYE her first UK No.1 and entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US where it’s since been certified Double Platinum.

Following support tours with Lewis Capaldi, Kali Uchis, and SZA, RAYE performed 130 headline shows including a rousing set at Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. Her career-defining turn at Royal Albert Hall – accompanied by a 50-person orchestra and gospel choir – received a televised BBC special for the ages with critics heralding RAYE as “the most talented artist since Adele and Amy Winehouse” (The Telegraph). This year, RAYE again performed her ‘My 21st Century Symphony’ to a sold-out crowd of 20,000 at The O2 Arena. After playing and owning the pop game, RAYE bet on herself and won.

In September, RAYE delivered a standout performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, a show that both the festival and RAYE herself found so inspiring that she decided to commemorate it with a special digital and 12″ vinyl album release.

Now she’s back at All Points East for the first time since she performed on the same billing as Erykah Badu and Jungle in 2023. We cannot wait to see what she’s got in store for her headline performance.

RAYE joins All Points East 2025 headliners Barry Can’t Swim, who tops the bill on Friday 22 August, and The Maccabees, who are headlining their first show in eight years on Sunday 24 August 2025. More All Points East headliners are to be announced!

For 2024, All Points East welcomed another round of huge headliners Kaytranada, Loyle Carner, Mitski, LCD Soundsystem, APE presents Field Day and The Postal Service & Death Cab For Cutie and carefully curated guest lineups for each day. Between the weekends, In The Neighbourhood returned for four days of activities and free entry in Victoria Park.  

Tickets on sale:Amex Presale Begins at 10am, Tuesday 12 NovemberGeneral On Sale at 10am, Friday 15 November

Day tickets, Multi day tickets, Group tickets available.

Available from www.allpointseastfestival.com

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram | @allpointseastuk#allpointseast | www.allpointseastfestival.com

BLOODSTOCK launches 2025 ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ grass roots scheme across the UK

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BLOODSTOCK wants to find the hottest new metal talent to appear across festival weekend next August! With weekend tickets for BLOODSTOCK 2025 now sold out, festival HQ is getting cracking on this year’s instalment of the phenomenally successful Metal 2 The Masses (M2TM) scheme, to fill out the bands who’ll be appearing on the New Blood Stage, in conjunction with sponsor Timothy Taylor.

No other festival does more to support grass roots metal and local venues in the UK. BLOODSTOCK was honoured to be recognised for this at the Heavy Music Awards earlier this summer, taking home top accolade The H Award, for exceptional positive contribution to the heavy music scene by way of the M2TM initiative.



Bloodstock’s Simon Hall at The Heavy Music Awards – photo by Dev Place
There are 31 regions already confirmed to take part this year, ensuring regional heats the length and breadth of the country (plus Cyprus and Poland for good measure), making this the biggest Metal 2 The Masses scheme yet! 

The list of participating regions this year include: LONDON | CYPRUS | BRISTOL | COVENTRY | BURNLEY | DEV & CORNWALL | MERSEYSIDE | BRIGHTON | OXFORD | NORTHANTS | NOTTINGHAM | STOKE | CHELTENHAM | KENT | NEWCASTLE | HITCHIN | SOUTH WALES | NORTH WALES | NORWAY | SOMERSET | BIRMINGHAM | EAST ANGLIA | ESSEX | MANCHESTER | SOUTHAMPTON | LEICESTER | SHEFFIELD | LEEDS | BELFAST | SCOTLAND | POLAND

If you’re in a self-released or unsigned band and want to try out for a slot on the BLOODSTOCK bill, get in touch with the region nearest you and get yourselves involved!  After a series of heats, one winner from each region will secure themselves a slot on the New Blood stage and some of the very best runners-up may also get lucky, space permitting.

Bands should get their applications into their nearest regional promoter ASAP, as the first heats kick off in the coming weeks.  Any local promoters in regions not yet represented can email Simon Hall ([email protected]) for information if they wish to host the scheme in their local area.

Full details of venues, and who to contact to enter in each region, can be found by clicking the locations above, here, or on Facebook.

BLOODSTOCK’s 2025 Ronnie James Dio stage headliners are TRIVIUM, MACHINE HEAD, and GOJIRA. Headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage will be ME AND THAT MAN, KATAKLYSM, STATIC-X, and OBITUARY.

You’ll also be able to see MASTODON, NAILBOMB, MINISTRY, EMPEROR, FEAR FACTORY, LACUNA COIL, HERIOT, ORANGE GOBLIN, CREEPER, KUBLAI KHAN TX, CAGE FIGHT, RIVERS OF NIHIL, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, FEUERSCHWANZ, LORD OF THE LOST, PALEFACE SWISS, AUGUST BURNS RED, WARBRINGER, UNDEATH, SPIRIT ADRIFT, THROWN, ALL FOR METAL, BREED 77, HIGH PARASITE, and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.

Joining them are the most recently announced SHRAPNEL, FAMYNE, KONVENT, THE SPIRIT, GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS, ONE MACHINE, MY DILIGENCE, SHADE EMPIRE, EIHWAR, WATERLINES, PHOENIX LAKE, NEONFLY, WALL, DOGMA, and SIGLOS.

Stay tuned for many more bands and on site activities to be announced over the coming months.

Get full festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com.  Watch a trailer here.

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 7th-10th August 2025.

Barry Can’t Swim to headline All Points East with special guests

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East London’s celebrated festival All Points East returns to Victoria Park across two weekends in 2025 and the newest headliner has arrived. All Points East welcomes Scottish DJ and producer Barry Can’t Swim for his first major festival headline show on Friday 22 August 2025.

Barry Can’t Swim, AKA Joshua Mainnie, is a force in electronic music, known for blending house, afrobeat, and jazz influences into his dynamic sound. From his breakout EP Amor Fati to the 2022 hit ‘Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore’, Mainnie has built a reputation for pushing genre boundaries while maintaining an infectious, melodic approach. His highly anticipated debut (and Mercury Prize nominated) album When Will We Land? arrived in September 2023, and slotted him front and centre in the electronic music scene and beyond. It received rave reviews for the producer’s combination of vibrant, club-driven energy with intricate, carefully crafted compositions.

Originally from Edinburgh, Mainnie’s musical journey began with childhood piano lessons, before his time at university ignited a passion for club culture. Immersed in the city’s underground scene, he taught himself music production, developing a sound that’s both eclectic and unassuming. Over the past few years, the Scotsman has built up a major live reputation too, and a global fan base to suit, performing at festivals all over the world. UK wise, just this month, he sold out three consecutive nights at London’s Brixton Academy and is set to curate his own lineup at the Manchester Warehouse Project. A major festival headline show feels like the natural next step for the “nascent dance icon” (The Guardian) – and All Points East is more than ready for it.

Announcing is headline show this week Barry Can’t Swim wrote on Instagram: “Been dying to share this one.. Next year I’m gonna be headlining @allpointseastuk for my only London show in 2025  Can’t wait x”.

Confidence Man have cemented their reputation as one of pop’s great party acts, mining the rich seams of disco and house music in the eight years since they started out in Brisbane. With electro pop made for festival stages, their set guarantees a huge east London party. Building on 2022’s Tilt, the band – Janet Planet, Sugar Bones, Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild – have just released the joyous ‘3AM (LA LA LA)’, taking the dancefloor in exciting new directions, using everything from Happy Mondays to the KLF to Kylie Mingogue as jump-off points. It’s a thrilling journey – in the words of The Guardian: “ConMan are inviting you to escape, pure and simple.”

Shygirl, a Mercury Prize nominee for her 2022 debut album Nymph, is a true clubland trailblazer. As a producer and vocalist she pushes the boundaries of dance music, building on the high-energy scenes of recent decades. This year saw the release of Club Shy EP, described by Pitchfork as a “satisfying little blast of club-pop bangers, channelling the big-room bliss of mid-’00s dance hits”. 2024 also brought a Fabric dj mix album and a Charli XCX tour support slot, as well as a collaboration, ‘365 featuring shygirl’, on the star’s Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat record. All Points East will be a huge homecoming show for one of London’s hottest stars.

Marlon Hoffstadt, AKA DJ Daddy Trance, is one of the “most popular and polarising artists in the scene today” (Resident Advisor). Hailing from Berlin, the German DJ and producer is renowned for his dynamic and versatile approach to electronic music genres. With his distinct sound and unwavering commitment to quality, he has captured the attention of audiences worldwide. Marlon’s stats speak for themselves too… The radio edit of ‘Shake That’ (2014) has amassed over 9.9 million streams, while his latest track ‘Need Me’ (2023) has already reached 44,000 streams and ‘Techno Installation’ (2022) has crossed the 100 thousand streams mark.

DJ HEARTSTRING this year released their hottest track yet with the euphoric trance of ‘Don’t Stop’. An instant trance classic, the song is guaranteed to have the Victoria Park crowd lost in the beat along with massive bangers including ‘…It Ain’t Over’ and ‘While U Sleep’. The Berlin duo burst onto the club scene in 2021 and soon became a festival favourite. Recent single ‘Fuerteventura Forever’ brings big beats to the party.

Interplanetary Criminal really set out a statement of intent with 2022’s ‘B.O.T.A (Baddest Of Them All)’, a collaboration that has amassed more than 400 million streams, as well as a BRIT Award nomination. Bolton native Zach Bruce has his roots in the northern underground garage scene, and takes on its darker bass sounds. Among his recent tracks are an urban soundscape with notes of drum and bass painted over a massive beat on the track ‘Manchester’ and a bouncing collaboration with Riko Dan in ‘Gunman’.

salute Presents True Vision will see Manchester-based Austrian producer Felix Nyajo bring something very special to All Points East next summer. Their audiovisual show promises an immersive adaptation of this summer’s hit album, True Magic. Having gained acclaim for remixes of Aaliyah and Sam Smith, Salute showed they are a true original with an album built using all the tools in the dance music arsenal – “colourful, buoyant, and electrifying” (Clash).

Chloe Caillet shot to fame with collaborations with the likes of Dua Lipa (‘Training Season’) and SG Lewis (‘B Somebody’) but creative and LGBTQ+ communities are at the centre of her ethos, from the New York dance scene to Ibiza and Smiile club nights around the world. She told Clash: “Finding inspiration everywhere you go is fundamental to enhancing creativity.”

Leon Vynehall is “an artist of distinct talent”, according to Mixmag – and few could argue with that. An Ivor Novello-nominated artist, albums such Nothing Is Still (“a stunning concept record about his grandparents” – Pitchfork) and Rare, Forever (“warped, intense, cerebral” – The Guardian) see him push the limits of electronic music. As a DJ he is equally celebrated, touring the world and receiving acclaim for Radio 1 Essential, DJ-Kicks and Fabric Presents mixes. Last month he released the new single ‘SHELLAC’, a club banger which feels like “the work of an artist wiping the slate clean”, according to Clash.      

Pretty Girl, the fast-rising Emilia Predebon, makes warm dance tracks packing an emotional punch. The Melbourne dj, singer and producer’s sound was described as “a fusion of gauzy progressive elements and traces of bedroom R&B, often featuring her own airy, purring vocals” by Resident Advisor. With latest single Rewind, Pretty Girl “may just have delivered a definitive ear-worm moment” (Clash).

ATRIP is a German/Polish dj and producer deeply immersed in London’s varied dance scene. “I love the city and music that’s so present here,” he says. “Whether it’s garage or jungle or bassline. Dubstep. It all comes from here.” His latest release is the eclectic and energetic Tanzpartei II (Mixtape), showcasing those influences and much, much more.

Barry Can’t Swim joins the first All Points East 2025 headliners The Maccabees who are headlining their first show in eight years on Sunday 24 August 2025. More All Points East headliners are to be announced. For more information and to sign up for presale, visit www.allpointseastfestival.com.

For 2024, All Points East welcomed another round of huge headliners Kaytranada, Loyle Carner, Mitski, LCD Soundsystem, APE presents Field Day and The Postal Service & Death Cab For Cutie and carefully curated guest line ups for each day. Between the weekends, In The Neighbourhood returned for four days of activities and free entry in Victoria Park.  

Tickets on sale:Presale Tickets On Sale – 10am Gmt Monday 11 November 2024General Sale – 10am Gmt Tuesday 12 November 2024Day tickets, Multi day tickets, Group tickets available.

Available from www.allpointseastfestival.com

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram | @allpointseastuk#allpointseast | www.allpointseastfestival.com