Tramlines Festival set to transform Sheffield again

Tramlines, the UK’s biggest inner-city music festival, is back for its eighth year this weekend with a ‘bigger and better’ music programme than ever before.

However, there’s more good news. Organisers have implemented a host of changes this year to ensure attendees spend less time queuing – and more time enjoying the music.

Last year, Tramlines organisers relocated the main stage to Ponderosa Park in Upperthorpe to up capacity to 100,000.

Owing to some ‘teething problems’ at the site – most notably queueing – organisers have now doubled the number of toilets, doubled the amount of entry lanes and security searching staff, as well as upping bar sizes and recruiting more staff to man them.

Sarah Nulty, festival organiser, said: “There were some issues with queueing last year, especially when people turned up at once for big acts, but we are confident these new measures will eliminate this.”

All the elements of ticketing and entry have been improved too.

In addition to buying a ticket for a specific day, people can also buy day or night only tickets.

Tramlines, which kicks off tomorrow and ends Sunday night, have also added the option to buy a VIP access ticket that includes queue jump, private bar access and ‘posh toilets’.

Sarah said: “Once the day is drawing to a close, the main stage opening hours have been extended so that you can finish your drink and grab a bite to eat after the last act finishes without rushing to the exits.”

The Devonshire Green stage has also moved to the O2 Academy, city centre, to free up the green space and make sure there are plenty of ‘bad weather options’.

Some of the headliners this year include: Dizzee Rascal, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Jurassic 5, Kelis, George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic, The Dandy Warhols, The Mystery Jets, Gaz Coombes, Dawn Penn, Crazy P Soundsystem, Goldie, Craig Charles, Field Music, Hinds, Little Simz, The Enemy, Norman Jay, Toddla T, Young Fathers, My Nu Leng, David Rodigan.

For more information, visit: www.tramlines.org.uk or follow Tramlines on Twitter @tramlines