Courteeners headline a second spectacular day as thousands embrace the festival’s first-ever fancy dress theme and artists celebrate Tramlines’ role in nurturing new talent.
Tens of thousands of music fans returned to Hillsborough Park on Saturday as Tramlines Festival continued under sunny skies, with another packed programme of world-class music, Sheffield celebration and unforgettable festival moments.
As Courteeners prepared to close the Sarah Nulty Main Stage, audiences enjoyed standout performances from Rick Astley, Blossoms, Gabrielle, The Everly Pregnant Brothers and many more across the festival site.
Saturday also marked Tramlines’ first-ever Fancy Dress Day, with festivalgoers embracing the letter ‘T’ in spectacular fashion. Hillsborough Park was filled with everything from Tiger Kings complete with tigers in tow, to Teletubbies, TY Beanie Babies and enough tomatoes to make pasta sauce for the whole of Sheffield, all competing for tickets to next year’s festival.
Across the weekend, artists reflected on what makes Tramlines unique.
Fresh from performing on the T’Other Stage, Sheffield artist Lavelle described herself as a grassroots artist who has grown alongside the festival. Having first appeared on one of Tramlines’ smaller stages, she spoke proudly about progressing to one of the festival’s main stages, crediting Pattern + Push with supporting her career while celebrating her sixth number one on the iTunes R&B chart. She also praised the organisation’s commitment to championing female artists and creating more opportunities for women across the music industry.
For Sheffield comedian Tom Wrigglesworth, performing at Tramlines remains a personal highlight.
“It’s the best day of the year in Sheffield,” he said. “I come to this festival most years. If I’m not on, I’ll come here and bring my kids.”
Meanwhile, Sheffield-based band Khamra, making their Tramlines debut after meeting at university in the city, described performing at the festival as “a wonderful moment” and praised Tramlines for retaining “such a strong Northern identity.”
Festivalgoers echoed those sentiments, describing Tramlines as “such a good atmosphere… such a mix of people… so inclusive.”
One of Saturday’s most moving moments came during The Everly Pregnant Brothers’ set, when they were joined by The Leadmill Studio Orchestra and paid tribute to the late Sheffield photographer Glenn Ashley, whose work documented the city’s music scene for decades.
Elsewhere, Rick Astley delighted crowds not only with his own set, including a surprise drum cover of RAYE’s Where Is My Husband?, but also by joining Blossoms on stage for a performance from their latest album. Blossoms opened with Gary, which also made a surprise appearance on stage with them, a song that has taken on special significance in South Yorkshire following the Sheffield Music Hub performance by hundreds of local primary school children earlier this year.
On the T’Other Stage, Gabrielle treated fans to classics including Dreams, Sunshine and Out of Reach, while sharing the spotlight with her backing singers during a light-hearted menopause break and later bringing her grandchildren on stage to a warm reception.
Beyond Hillsborough Park, Tramlines on Track continued to surprise passengers with live performances across Sheffield’s tram network, paying tribute to the festival’s much-loved Buskers Bus heritage and bringing live music into the heart of the city.
Tramlines concludes on Sunday with Wolf Alice set to close the Sarah Nulty Main Stage, as Hillsborough Park and venues across Sheffield prepare for one final day of live music celebrating the city’s vibrant music culture.
