Tramlines Festival Day Two - Hillsborough Park, Sheffield - Saturday 25th July 2026

Eclectic humour, Britpop nostalgia and breakthrough indie anthems collided before Courteeners turned Hillsborough Park into one enormous choir.

Words and Photography - John Hayhurst

Friday had opened Tramlines with a sprint between stages: from Milly Pye’s country-pop and the hometown charge of CRUZ to Vanessa Carlton’s piano-led nostalgia, the volatile new sounds of Westside Cowboy and the dependable indie rush of The Vaccines. Black Honey brought the swagger before Fatboy Slim transformed Hillsborough Park into a vast open-air dancefloor, closing the first night beneath a barrage of beats, lights and raised hands.

Saturday morning arrived with tired legs, fading voices and absolutely no intention of slowing down.

The task of restarting the party fell to Sheffield’s own Everly Pregnant Brothers on the Sarah Nulty Stage. Led by artist Pete McKee, the ukulele-wielding collective applied their unmistakably Yorkshire sense of humour to familiar hits, with crowd favourites such as “Hendo’s,” “No Oven, No Pie” and “Chip Pan” turning the opening set into a communal Sheffield singalong.

The first dash to T’Other Stage brought a change of pace courtesy of Ross Noble. With his famously freewheeling delivery, the comedian moved between surreal observations about Gabrielle's "Dreams" coming true which involved Squirrels and Bruce Forsyth, improvised detours involving the hooded man on the ghost train next door and exchanges with the audience, somehow finding punchlines in places where few other performers would think to look.

Back on the Sarah Nulty Stage, Sleeper supplied the first major wave of Saturday nostalgia. Frontwoman Louise Wener remains one of Britpop’s sharpest and most charismatic voices, leading the band through “Inbetweener,” “Nice Guy Eddie” and “The Sale of the Century” with wit, bite and enough gleaming guitar hooks to transport Hillsborough Park straight back to 1996.

From classic Britpop to vintage-styled rock ’n’ roll, Creeping Jean brought an entirely different kind of swagger to T’Other Stage. Led by singer-guitarist Olly Tooze, the Brighton outfit tore into “Sassy Got Shakes,” “Always at My Door,” “Spice Rack” and “Supercharger,” wrapping muscular riffs and anthemic choruses in flamboyant, gloriously retro style.

Over on the Leadmill Stage, Girl In The Year Above offered one of Saturday’s most intriguing emerging bands. Led by Jennifer Ball, the Irish-Cornish band fused Celtic storytelling with fierce, emotionally charged alternative rock, with “Mama My Heart Is Achin’, and “Teardrop” moving between vulnerability and sudden, cathartic release. This band were my personal highlight of the day, are going to set alight festivals everywhere, and if they are not on bigger stages next year I will eat my hat.

Then came a man who requires remarkably little introduction. Rick Astley walked onto the Sarah Nulty Stage armed with charm, self-awareness and a catalogue capable of winning over even the most reluctant spectator. “Whenever You Need Somebody,” “Together Forever” and “Cry for Help” warmed up the field before “Never Gonna Give You Up” inevitably became one of the weekend’s biggest mass singalongs.

With Hillsborough Park fully awake, Blossoms continued the run of immaculate festival pop. Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst, Joe Donovan and Myles Kellock brought effortless polish to “Your Girlfriend,” “I Can’t Stand It” and “Gary,” while the instantly recognisable synth line of “Charlemagne” rippled through the crowd like bottled sunshine.

T’Other Stage then provided a portal back to the heart of Madchester as Inspiral Carpets unleashed their collision of psychedelic guitars and swirling Farfisa organ. Singer Stephen Holt, and keyboard player Clint Boon drove “Dragging Me Down,” “She Comes in the Fall” and “Saturn 5,” but the poignant “This Is How It Feels” produced the set’s defining chorus.

That left Courteeners to close Saturday on the Sarah Nulty Stage – and from the moment Liam Fray appeared, the sense of anticipation became deafening. “Cavorting,” “Are You in Love with a Notion?” and “What Took You So Long?” were greeted like sacred texts, each opening chord triggering another surge through the crowd.

Then came the inevitable. As “Not Nineteen Forever” rang out across Hillsborough Park, arms wrapped around shoulders and thousands of voices rose above the stage. It was less a performance than a ritual: euphoric, emotional and tailor-made for the final moments of a festival Saturday.

For those wanting a smoother end to their day Gabrielle brought her greatest hits game to T'Other Stage with a full band show, which will be on tour everywhere in 2027. No Squirrels or Bruce Forsyth required.

After Friday’s genre-hopping introduction, Saturday leaned wholeheartedly into northern identity. Sheffield humour met Brighton swagger, Celtic storytelling and Stockport pop before Madchester nostalgia passed the baton to one of Manchester’s most fiercely supported modern bands. Courteeners may have occupied the headline slot, but the day’s real star was the crowd – committed, vocal and seemingly incapable of running out of energy.

The final day begins tomorrow with the chance to discover Bleech 9:3, before Sheffield favourites Reverend and the Makers bring Jon McClure’s outspoken energy and a formidable collection of hometown anthems to the festival.

Wet Leg should deliver an irresistible combination of deadpan humour, wiry guitars and songs including “Chaise Longue” and “Wet Dream.” 

Finally, Wolf Alice will bring Tramlines 2026 to a close, with Ellie Rowsell and the band capable of moving from dreamlike restraint to towering distortion within the space of a single song. Two days down, one final charge across Hillsborough Park to go, bring it on!!