Review: Tramlines Festival, Sheffield 2024
Tramlines Festival made a vibrant return to Sheffield this summer, showcasing an impressive lineup of both emerging artists and well-known artists. Located in Hillsborough Park over the last weekend of July, the festival was jam-packed with excellent performances that concluded with the Northern Irish-Scottish rock band, Snow Patrol.
Tramlines Festival 2024. ©️ Alicia W. Photos
After a rainy 2023, the glorious weather this summer allowed Tramlines Festival to truly shine. Thousands of attendees flocked to the event, where Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Bombay Bicycle Club set the stage for an unforgettable weekend. The excitement peaked on Friday night as the incredible Paolo Nutini took the stage as the headliner. Highly anticipating the big hits like ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’ and ‘Pencil Full of Lead’ it was disappointing when the recognisable spark of those songs seemed to be missing.
On Saturday, Tom Grennan delivered a phenomenal set, showcasing his powerful, soulful voice and pop-rock anthems, fully engaging the audience. While Jamie T headlined the night, his style didn’t quite resonate with us, so we opted to explore the festival’s other offerings, ending up at an '80s-style disco in one of the smaller tents for a different kind of fun! Although we definitely should have checked out Annie Mac and Holly Humberstone at T’Other Stage but when the 80s calls..you don’t ignore it!
If there’s one thing that Tramlines Festival did deliver on, it was the vast food options available across the park. From Greek to Yorkshire Pudding Wraps to a good old burger - there was so much choice on offer across the weekend and all of it was so tasty!
Book your tickets for Tramlines Festival 2025.
If you're planning to attend the festival in 2025, one of the standout features is the excellent transport links. We relied on the tram throughout the event, which was incredibly convenient, picking us up right outside our city centre hotel and taking us directly to Hillsborough Park. The events team also does a great job ensuring everyone gets home safely after the festival ends. It was a luxury for us not to be camping in a tent for the duration of the weekend and we probably got the best sleep we’ve ever had during a festival weekend! Bliss!
Tom Grennan at Tramlines Festival 2024. Photo by Carolina Faruolo.
The Human League at Tramlines Festival 2024. Photo by Carolina Faruolo.
The highlight of the festival for us came on Sunday when one of Sheffield’s biggest bands, The Human League, took to the stage—arguably delivering the best performance of the entire weekend! There’s nothing quite as euphoric as singing along to "Don’t You Want Me," "Mirror Man," and "Together in Electric Dreams" with thousands of fellow fans. Festivals are also great for obtaining an interest in new bands and this was no different with The Snuts and Static Lives just an example of some new additions to my weekly playlist.
Tramlines Festival wrapped up with a phenomenal performance from Snow Patrol, who are set to tour in 2025. Led by Gary Lightbody, the band delivered a joyous experience, with massive hits like "Chasing Cars," "Run," and "Open Your Eyes" reminding us why they remain one of the most underrated bands of our time.
This was our first experience at a metropolitan festival, and it certainly won't be our last. The blend of emerging and well-established bands provided the perfect mix of nostalgia and excitement, making for a thoroughly fulfilling weekend where we enjoyed both familiar favourites and fresh new sounds. Also, this isn’t a festival “just for adults” and we saw the younger audience members having the time of their life whilst soaking up some fantastic music and activities organised by the team during the course of the weekend.
Tramlines Festival will be back in 2025 from 25 - 27 July 2025.
