Tramlines 2026 kicked off in Hillsborough Park, Sheffield, for another weekend of pop, rock, indie, rap, hip-hop – you name it. The festival began life as an inner-city event before moving out to Hillsborough Park. It has a nice balance: easy enough to get to and still connected to the city, but far enough out that walking through the gates feels like an escape for the weekend.
Opening the Sarah Nulty Main Stage (and the whole festival) was Milly Pye. Starting the first performance of the weekend with an unreleased track was a really fun choice, and it was definitely drawing people in and I spotted dedicated fans wearing her merch at the front of the crowd. She told us how the song ‘FERRARI’ is about having a brain that simply does not stop, and asked if people in the audience could relate (I definitely could). Milly’s voice was full of expression and creative riffs, and it’ll be fun to see what she does next.
Later, Vanessa Carlton followed on the Main Stage. One young fan at the barrier had brought a handmade sign asking, “Can I have your drumsticks?”, which was incredibly wholesome. Of course, the biggest response came for ‘A Thousand Miles’. You could hear the crowd across the whole multi-stage festival, and it was so nice to start the weekend with everyone singing along and connecting with the nostalgia.
After enjoying my own sing-along, I ran over (a common theme of the weekend) to The Leadmill Stage, where Etta Marcus delivered what may have been the most musical vocal mic check I have ever heard. She is one of my all-time favourite artists, and creates incredible soundscapes that really bring you into the story she’s telling. Seeing her live just brought that to another dimension, and everyone loved it.
Over on T’Other Stage, Pattern + Push were showcasing the first of their Tramlines all-female line-ups with Lavelle, DJ Kyla C and Aziza Jaye. I got there as Kyla C brought out Lavelle and her dancers to finish the set, which created an amazing energy leading into Aziza Jaye. Standing in the photo pit looking out at the audience, it was obvious that Aziza Jaye’s fans were hyped and ready to sing and dance along, and the energy was contagious. Aziza somehow pushed it higher, and there was not a still person in that room. I later caught up with Lavelle for an interview. Watch this space…
Pacing it back to The Leadmill, Westside Cowboy were one of the best discoveries of the day for me. It was my first time seeing or hearing them, but plenty of people in the audience were already dedicated fans. The tent was absolutely packed – the fullest I had seen it all day – and it quickly became clear why. Their energy was incredible from the first moment. They ran, jumped and screamed their way through the set, creating something that felt chaotic and addictive. Rather than the performance revolving around one obvious frontperson, the vocals and focus moved around the band. It made the whole thing feel collective, as though every member was pushing the music forward at once.
After a much-needed break, I finished Friday back at The Leadmill with Black Honey. They’re one of those bands that invite you into their word, visually and sonically. It was so immersive, and everything worked so well to create a distinct and dramatic atmosphere. Izzy Baxter Phillips showed off an insane vocal range and let out the most cathartic screams I’ve ever heard. Absolutely a must-see live.
