I went to Tramlines for the first time and I don't know how it will ever be topped
I went to Tramlines for the first time, and while I knew the line-up was strong, I didn’t realise just how much I would fall in love with the whole experience.
With headliners like Pulp, The Reytons, and Kasabian, it felt as if the music gods were smiling down on Sheffield for the weekend.
The acts weren’t necessarily household names (yet), and I’ll admit I wasn’t familiar with a lot of them. But that made the discovery even better.
One of the most unforgettable performances came before Pulp had even taken to the stage – courtesy of Fat White Family.
I wasn’t quite sure how to dance to their sound, but I enjoyed every chaotic second. At one point, the band was literally playing frying pans.
Known for their on-stage antics, Fat White Family are no strangers to outrageous moments. Back in 2014, frontman Lias Saoudi infamously covered himself in his own faeces.
While thankfully nothing quite that extreme happened this time, the sheer unpredictability of their set had the crowd completely hooked.
But of course, the real buzz on Friday was for Pulp.
As I walked around the grounds, I clocked just how many people were wearing Pulp T-shirts –more people than not.
There was a sense of local pride that radiated from the crowd.
Jarvis Cocker dedicated the night to his experience growing up in Sheffield, performing tracks from his new album while the crowd buzzed with nostalgia and hometown pride.
Before they took to the stage, the words “Good evening. This is an evening you will remember for the rest of your life” flickered across the screen. And they weren’t wrong.
As I squeezed onto a jam-packed tram home, I could still hear the crowd around me drunkenly belting out Common People.
I woke up on Saturday unsure how anything could top the night before – but ready to find out all the same.
Natasha Bedingfield quickly proved why she was such a nostalgic name. I overheard one man in the crowd say, “She’s got some right pipes on her,” and I couldn’t have put it better myself.
When she belted out These Words and Unwritten, the crowd sang every lyric like it was 2004 all over again.
But the act that completely stole the show for me was Rizzle Kicks.
I did not expect the reaction they got - or the energy they brought.
Opening with When I Was a Youngster, the tent erupted, the lyrics ricocheting back at them like they’d never left.
After eight years away, they looked like they were having the time of their lives – dancing on stage, shaking their bums, and even bringing Harley’s daughter out to say hello, which earned a heartwarming cheer from the crowd.
They played old favourites as well as a new track that’s been going viral. It brought together a crowd of people who’d grown up on their music and now got to relive it. For me, they were definitely a top-three act of the weekend.
An honourable mention goes to Sheffield favourites The Everly Pregnant Brothers who once again proved that local talent has a firm grip on Tramlines soul.
But the real soul of Saturday came with The Reytons. The first ever unsigned headliner at Tramlines, they didn’t waste a moment. A sea of bucket hats and merchandise filled the park with families and groups clearly there for the lads from Rotherham.
I ran straight from the Rizzle Kicks set to catch the last 40 minutes of their performance (if only I could be in two places at once).
The production value was next-level. Fireworks burst above the stage as frontman Jonny Yerrell delivered the line of the weekend: “Many bands have played this stage, but it won’t mean as much to them as it does to us right now. This is not a fanbase – this is our community.”
You could feel the passion and the pride in the air. They even spoke about their grassroots foundation, which focuses on creating local opportunities in sport, music, and the arts. As their set ended, I knew I’d just witnessed something special. The Reytons are great on Spotify – but live, they’re something else.
Then came Sunday, and with it a final line-up stacked with big names.
Scouting For Girls made everyone smile with a rendition of She’s So Lovely –which somehow never gets old.
Then there was CMAT – Ciara Mary Alice Thompson (great name, by the way). Judging by the crowd spilling well beyond the tent, I clearly wasn’t the only one eager to catch her set.
At one point she joked, “All you lot stuck outside the tent should’ve come earlier, ha!” before casually manifesting next year’s slot on the main stage - and after that performance, it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Her vocals soared far beyond the tent walls, proving that even an overspill audience can feel like headliners at Tramlines.
The atmosphere on Sunday evening crackled with anticipation - not just for Kasabian’s closing set, but for the dramatic final of the Women’s Euros.
As the match went into extra time, the energy across the festival shifted. Crowds huddled around phone screens, and when it was finally broadcast on the big screens, thousands held their breath as the penalty shootout began.
The moment England clinched it, Hillsborough Park erupted with the unmistakable buzz of shared elation. One moment that stuck with me was the sight of a baby - no older than two - bouncing on their dad’s shoulders, wide-eyed and beaming, soaking up the atmosphere.
Moments later, Kasabian stormed the stage with frontman Sergio Pizzorno declaring, “This one’s for the Lionesses!” The joy was relentless, one wave of celebration crashing straight into another.
Kasabian closed the weekend with a showstopping performance. They made sure the crowd were part of every second, getting everyone to kneel down before bouncing up into choruses.
The black-and-white visuals, the fast-cut footage, and the boundless energy from the stage consolidated just why Kasabian deserved a headline slot. They ended, of course, with Fire – one word that summed up the performance, and the whole weekend.