Editors’ note
Welcome to the first Sheffield Magazine, Magazine!
Sheffield Magazine started life back in June 2022, born from a dream of creating a platform for any Sheffielder to write about the things they love in the city To be free for all - to write, photograph, gain coverage from and read.
After just a few weeks of being a magazine, the team at Tramlines kindly invited us to attend and cover the 2022 festival They saw our mission and decided to support us, of which we’re endlessly thankful. With that, it feels really special for our first magazine to be a Tramlines special!
Inside is everything you could wish to know about this year’s festival We’ve included artist breakdowns, highlights, food and drink, stallholders. If you think of something to do with Tramlines, you’ll probably find it inside.
Grab a cuppa, sit back and we hope you enjoy the mag!
Soph and Matt Editor-in-Chief and Music Editor
Editors’ pick
Bombay Bicycle Club
We’re really excited to see these guys...
Who else could it be? Since their announcement we have been insufferable to anyone we discuss the line up with. A formative band for us, Bombay Bicycle Club are one of the most influential and innovative bands in the UK in the last 15 years Breaking through into the mainstream in a time of incredible success for guitar-fuelled bands in the late 2010s, Bombay Bicycle Club have endured, shrugging of their “landfill indie” label with constant innovation and imagination
Now boasting 6 studio albums to their name, including a Mercury Prize nomination for their 2014 LP So Long, See You Tomorrow, the band have reinvented themselves countless times and yet still they maintain a presence and influence that holds them in high regard Next generation musicians such as Holly Humberstone, CMAT and Matilda Mann all cite Bombay Bicycle Club as influences on their sound and art, a testament to the everlasting brilliance of this band that so many hold so close to their hearts.
Bombay Bicycle Club shows are always special, intimate affairs but here the band will play sub-headliner on the Main Stage, so strap yourselves in for an hour or so of their biggest hits and feel-good discography
Tramlines timeline
Not clued up on your Tramlines history? Don’t worry as our own Steel City Snapper has compiled this timeline for you!
2009
The first Tramlines Festival is held! 35,000 attend Europe’s largest free festival and it is a huge success Curated by Matt Helders, Jon McClure and Toddla T, the first Tramlines is headlined on the Devonshire Green Stage by Reverend and the Makers and The La’s and features the likes of Pixie Lott, The XX, and Example
2013
For the first time Tramlines charges an entry fee of £6 per day, though free fringe events are still available. Lianne La Haves, The Selector, and Toddla T headline The fee increases to £12 per day in 2014 and weekend tickets are introduced
2015
The Main Stage moves from Devonshire Green to Ponderosa Park to increase capacity Weekend tickets cost £30 Headliners include The Charlatans, Basement Jaxx and Buzzcocks The Devonshire Green Stage would return in 2017 in addition to Ponderosa Park
2010
After a successful debut, Tramlines returns for a second year 65,000 people attend the festival which is headlined by Echo and the Bunneymen Local favourite Richard Hawley joins them, his only Tramlines appearance to date
2011
Over 175,000 people attend Tramlines which takes place in more than 70 venues across Sheffield The Folk Forest is a new addition to the festival, the following year Weston Park hosts a stage for the first time. Ash, Olly Murs, and Pixie Lott are among the headliners.
2018
On the 30th June Tramlines’ Festival Director and co-founder Sarah Nulty tragically passes away following a brief illness The Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation is set up in her name and #BeMoreNulty becomes a mission statement for Tramlines The Main Stage is renamed in her honour in 2019, “I just wanted to have a big party for all my friends” (Sarah Nulty)
2018
Tramlines is held in Hillsborough Park for the first time with all the official stages on one site and a capacity of 40,000. It is headlined by Stereophonics, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, and Craig David. Noel Gallagher proclaims that “the only good thing to come out of Yorkshire is the f***ing tea!” Ironically, the Sheffield Supertram network is on strike for the duration of the festival over pay and working conditions
2021
Tramlines returns! It is part of the Government’s “Events Research Programme” so all ticket holders have to show proof of a negative Covid test or two vaccination doses. Sunday headliner Richard Ashcroft pulls out saying he refuses to play anything that is part of a government testing programme. Replaced at short notice by indie-favourites Supergrass, Ashcroft would return to headline in 2023 Dizzee Rascal attracts one of the largest crowds in Tramlines history on the Sunday
2020
The 2020 festival is cancelled in May due to the Covid-19 pandemic The headliners were due to be Ian Brown, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Madness, the latter of whom would eventually headline in 2022. Other acts would have included The Kooks, DMA’s, The Hives, Dizzee Rascal, The Fratellis and Sister Sledge.
2023
The most recent festival, it will always be remembered for two things: a “secret” set by McFly (who were billed as “The Scottish Flys”); and the mudbath that Hillsborough Park became on the Sunday after a weekend of heavy rain. A large crowd remains for Sunday headliner Paul Heaton despite the rain and mud. Tramlines pilots Little Hillsborough, a shopping area featuring local businesses!
2024
Tramlines will return for its fifteenth festival over the weekend of 26-28th July and will be headlined by Paolo Nutini, Jamie T, and Snow Patrol. The 2024 edition sees the return of last year’s successful Little Hillsborough!
Looking back to last year
Before we explore this year’s festival, we thought we’d have a look back to last July and by far the wettest and most chaotic edition that Tramlines has seen Headlined by Richard Ashcroft, Courteeners and Paul Heaton, the festival married nostalgia with the new perfectly, with a lineup that had something for everyone, and everything for us
By far our favourite set came on the Friday evening over on T’Other Stage in the form of Bloc Party. Hot off their stint supporting global megastars Paramore, who count Bloc Party as a huge influence on their sound, Kele and the band made sure to treat us to the perfect blend of old and new with a showcase of every inch of Bloc Party’s brilliance T’Other tent was raucous, if there was a kinetic dancefloor in there for that set it could have powered the whole rest of the festival
There were plenty of other standout sets across the weekend though, loads to take your mind off the fact you were soaked. There was effervescent and electric indie pop from modernlove., the worst kept secret of the year that the mysterious and nonexistent The Scottish Flys were in fact pop rock legends McFly, an artist that soundtracked our teenage years in Professor Green and girlband royalty from Sugababes
Away from the music, 2023 saw the introduction of Little Hillsborough, Tramlines’ very own shopping district featuring some of the best independent traders that can be found on the doorstep of Hillsborough Park all year round. Last year’s vendors
included Luke Horton, Hendersons Relish and Annie Jude’s It was a great addition to the festival for both visitors and some of the vendors themselves and will be returning this year!
The food & drink offering was as impressive as ever with a huge variety on offer included a mix of established local independent traders and specialist festival food trucks. Personal standouts for us came in the form of a mezze from The Middle Feast, super vegan nachos from Teabag Chihuahua, vegan doner potatoes from V or V’s grill and the Tramlines AyePA
Of course, the thing that everyone remembers from last year’s festival was the rain A constant feature from Friday evening until Monday, it really did not let up and caused chaos for many Some artists unfortunately had their sets cancelled due to organisers needing to push back opening times in order to prepare for the day By the end Hillsborough Park was a mudbath We’ve all seen the hilarious videos of those sliding down the hill by the Main Stage but there were genuine fears for the park after the festival left, such was the state it had turned into
Extensive efforts were made to get the park back to its original condition and they began immediately after the gates closed last year Thankfully, the park reopened to the public in August in parts and over the next few months it fully reopened with the lush greens we expect Now Tramlines is ready to return to its home and put on a show to repay the faith the city has shown, hopefully this year’s edition is on more of the sunny side though.
SugababesandProfessorGreenatTramlines
Music
Tramlines has been Sheffield’s premier music festival for 16 years. In that time, we have seen countless iconic artists booked across the its many stages. Here at Sheffield Magazine we think that this year’s lineup is the most consistently brilliant collection to grace the festival to date. From the Main Stage headliners to The Open Arms, we can’t wait to get to experience it all.
Paolo Nutini
Main Stage on Friday at 8:15pm
The headliner kicking things off this year will be legendary Scottish singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini One of the most consistently unique vocalists in the UK of the century will bring a hit-filled and emotionally powerful set to Hillsborough as only he can
Nutini’s talent was immediately identifiable way back in 2005 when he was signed to Atlantic Records aged just 18 He released his debut album These Streets in 2007, which peaked at number 3 in the UK album charts The album includes the brilliant and enduring ‘Last Request’, a tender heartbreak ballad, and ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’ an angry, rough and ready song about deception and innocence, in a record that showed his breadth in his already distinctly worldweary and gravelly voice.
His follow up would cement his status at the top of the UK pop rock scene The second album, Sunny Side Up, was a departure from the foundations laid on his debut, but it was no less impressive Wide in scope, incorporating elements of eccentric swing with ‘Pencil Full of Lead’ and soulful folk on ‘No Other Way’, the Glaswegian shows an old soul betraying his youthful years ‘Candy’ is of course the standout though, in keeping with its title the song is colourful, sweet and ever so moreish The LP entered the UK
Following the release of Sunny Side Up fans had to wait a bit longer for new music from their favourite songsmith, but it was well worth it Paolo Nutini’s third album Caustic Love was his biggest critical success to date and represented another progression in Nutini’s skill as a songwriter and composer, incorporating elements of R&B and marrying them beautifully with the funky, soulful folk that he had made his own.
The drama is ramped up on tracks like ‘Iron Sky’, a stirring and emphatic piece filled to the brim with passion, aided by the inclusion of an excerpt of Charlie Chaplin’s cornerstone speech from The Great Dictator which Nutini utilises to perfection The album became the fastest selling of the year at the time of its release In a 5 star review upon its release for The Independent, Andy Gill affirmed “It’s an unqualified success: Caustic Love may be the best UK R&B album since the 1970s” before it went on to be selected as the Best Album in iTunes’ Best of 2014
2016 It would be a long 6 year wait before we were treated to new music from the Scotsman Nutini’s fourth studio album, Last Night In The Bittersweet, finally came after a whole 8 years from his previous. Speaking to Rolling Stone UK after his return, the singer reflected “there was a long period of life for me that could have been defined as bittersweet The juxtaposition between the ups and the downs was really quick It wasn’t in terms of my career, just emotionally ”
Arguably his best work, Last Night In The Bittersweet is comfortable wallowing in the “bittersweet”, arriving on the back of a global pandemic, which shaped so much of the early parts of this decade The album is haunting, epic and yet deeply introspective and personal. It’s also by far his longest work with a length of an hour and 10 minutes. It was his third consecutive album to debut at number 1 in the UK album charts and was met with universal acclaim
A review in The Daily Telegraph affirms that “Nutini has a voice that could transform any song, riding melodies with lazy restraint until suddenly unleashing notes that would have any throat specialist reaching for their speculum in alarm On Last Night In The Bittersweet, he sounds like he’s having the time of his life.”
This album is where Nutini’s long-standing potential is most fully realised There are still the trademark heart aching ballads to croon like ‘Acid Eyes’ and the emotionally raw ‘Julianne’ However, these feel much sparser here than on his other works Instead, we see the full breadth of his songwriting and song making talent There are pure pop moments on tracks like ‘Radio’ and ‘Shine A Light’, married with experimental rock on opener ‘Afterneath’ and ‘Lose It’
Away from the studio, Paolo Nutini is an exceptional live performer, and thankfully for us, he gives no less to his festival slots than he does at his own shows. In 2011 he was awarded Best Headline Performance of The Year for his set at that year’s Latitude Festival
In fact, as part of his return, Paolo played his first live show at an intimate gig right here in Sheffield at The Leadmill It was an instant classic, up there with some of the very best performances that those hallowed halls have seen over the years We’ll be hoping for something similar on his return to the city this July
Jamie T
Main Stage on Saturday at 8:45pm
Following on the Saturday, indie icon Jamie T will play one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend A longstanding staple of every indie disco ever since his breakout in 2006, Jamie T is distinct, innovative and relatable in a way that many who reach this stage aren’t 2024 sees a long-awaited jump for the multi-faceted artist as he headlines the main stage of 3 major festivals in the UK for the first time in his career
Truth be told, Jamie T has always been destined for top of the bill He garnered numerous Record Of The Week, Hottest Single In The World and Single Of The Week titles from various BBC Radio hosts in the runup to the release of his debut album Panic Prevention It was an instant classic Singles like the winding stories in ‘Sheila’ and the anthemic ‘If You Got The Money’ have stood the test of time in a way that sets Jamie apart from most of his contemporaries - raw and honest, joyous and euphoric – all while focusing on Jamie’s reoccurring panic attacks as a teen. NME heralded Jamie as “the sort of untrained, maverick personality that doesn’t come along too often”. The debut was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and regularly features in Best Albums Of The Decade lists for the 2000s
The hype would continue to grow when in 2009, Jamie T dropped his sophomore record Kings & Queens This record gave birth to his biggest single still to this day in ‘Sticks ‘N’ Stones’ which sees the soloist at the top of his game with immaculate flow; brash, eclectic and infectious It’s a tailor-made festival banger, one of many in his arsenal. But for all his lairy lad persona, smashing pints and scrapping, Jamie T is never afraid to bear his soul on tracks
like the tender ballad ‘Emily’s Heart’, continuing to tap into the gold mine that he had discovered on his debut In a 5-star review from The Observer, Gary Mulholland writes “Jamie T's great gift, as a songwriter, is his ability to filter the detritus of his own overloaded mind, in order to help us pick through our own ”
After 4 years out of the spotlight, Jamie returned with third album Carry On The Grudge The album shows the development and even pinnacle of Jamie’s style; raucous, brooding, tender and sharp as they come, with a healthy dose of charisma and charm to boot. The album brought a ton of standout moments, alongside another staple of indie club nights in ‘Zombie’, a song that would go on to be named Best Track at the 2015 NME Awards and has drawn comparisons to Billy Joel’s classic ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’
The album is clearly not short of thrilling moments ‘Rabbit Hole’ tells an Alice In Wonderland tale for modern times whereas ‘Turn On The Light’ is equally dark but approaches the subject matter tenderly, with a sombre tone and melancholic melody, it hits similar emotions, but in a totally different way. Line Of Best
Fit proclaimed that Carry On The Grudge was “worth the wait Jamie T still displays a talent for immense melody, poignant lyricism and an intuitive eye on the human condition ”
After the more traditional 2 year wait, we were blessed with an equally acclaimed fourth album in Trick Jamie T’s genre-bending mastery is on full display as he flits from one to another more seamlessly than he ever had before. The pop moments shine bright on ‘Joan Of Arc’ but he jumps from hardcore to reggae to punk to disco to rap continuously over the rest of the 12 tracks
However, with another self-enforced hiatus following back-to-back successful records, fans would have to wait until 2022 for his latest album, The Theory Of Whatever Here, we see Jamie T focus less on the rapid-fire bangers that he has become synonymous with That’s not to say the album is bereft of bangers in any way, lead single ‘The Old Style Raiders’ proves this It’s a stirring effort that builds and builds to a chorus of affirmation and pride in oneself. Throughout this whole album we find Jamie more assured than ever, he’s always had a somewhat
carefree attitude but often it would come hand in hand with anxiety and insecurity as discussed at length on his debut, not here though
This confidence was well placed as The Theory Of Whatever landed Jamie T a long-awaited and deserved UK Number 1 album, the first of his distinguished career In a 5-star review from DIY Magazine, Jenessa Williams wrote “The Theory Of Whatever is proof that you can grow up gracefully with every inch of your vibrancy still intact.”
Jamie T is one of the most electrifying and enigmatic performers of the century, who has nigh on perfected the art of live music We caught his most recent show in Sheffield in 2022 at the O2 Academy To us, the gig showed “Jamie T at his best, orchestrating his most self-assured show in years without being afraid of allowing old sparks to fly And not that there were any doubters left among the crowd, but if there were any sceptics of Jamie T’s indie revival tour left in the room, he proved time and time again why he’s every inch worthy of being… back in the game!”. July’s headline show will surely only be bigger and better.
Snow Patrol
Main Stage on Sunday at 7:45pm
On Sunday, another icon of the 00’s UK music scene will take to the stage in Snow Patrol This band really require no introduction to anyone who has listened to the UK charts in the last 20 years They are one of the most successful bands of the 21st Century and will bring a spellbinding setlist full of nostalgia to close Tramlines 2024
The band began life as Snow Patrol officially in 1997 after operating under the name Polarbear since forming in 1994. As Snow Patrol, they released their first two albums Songs for Polarbears and When It’s All Over We Still Have to Clear Up on an independent record label Both albums produced numerous fan favourites like ‘Starfighter Pilot’, ‘Fifteen Minutes Old’, ‘On/Off’ and the hauntingly pretty ‘An Olive Grove Facing the Sea’ Both albums are lengthy collections demonstrating how creatively rich the band has been from the get-go
The real stardom came though when the band signed a record deal with Polydor Records in 2002 A year later their first major label album release of Final Straw showed a band on the up. The standout track from the album, which has gone on to be 5x certified platinum in the UK, was ‘Run’, a power ballad of epic proportions which has drawn comparisons to the likes
of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ It’s spine-tingling, glowing and grand yet so very raw and tender
‘Run’ represented a true breakthrough moment for the band, peaking at number 5 in the UK singles charts The album also features another staple of their setlists in ‘Chocolate’, a sharp contrast to ‘Run’ in its warmth and more positive overall feeling Final Straw peaked at number 3 in the UK album charts with Q Magazine calling it ‘a great leap forward’ in their review
Keen to capitalise on recent successes, Snow Patrol’s next album would catapult them to international recognition. 2006 saw the release of the band’s fourth album, Eyes Open, and with it, the release of the blockbuster single ‘Chasing Cars’ which took the Snow Patrol formula to new heights It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Song and a Brit Award
for Best British Single In 2010, the song was named the most widely played song of the decade by music licensing body PPL and, as of today, it has amassed over 1 2 billion streams on Spotify
Eyes Open is by no means a one trick pony though, with other gems like ‘You’re All I Have’, ‘Open Your Eyes’ and ‘Set The Fire To The Third Bar’ making this album their most successful work by far It peaked at number 1 in multiple album charts across the world and was the year’s best-selling album in the UK In a review from The Guardian, it was claimed that “on this form, Snow Patrol are poised to eclipse Coldplay as pop's greatest anthem-makers ”
It's always difficult to follow up a success on the scale of Eyes Open and the follow up, A Hundred Million Suns, was not the unbridled success that its predecessor was. There were still high moments though, like the glowing and emotive ‘Crack The Shutters’. Around the same time a compilation album, aptly titled Up To Now, was released It featured 3 original songs including ‘Just Say Yes’, a pop powerhouse of a tune, originally written for Gwen Stefani before it was reclaimed for the band It signaled a shifting direction for the band which was continued in next album Fallen Empires
Fallen Empires gifted fans tracks like ‘Called Out In The Dark’, an electronica-infused joyride with a typically catchy chorus as well as some pleasant power pop moments on ‘This Isn’t Everything You Are’
and ‘In The End ’ The album earned the band’s highest debut on the Billboard chart across the pond
This sonic progression continued through their latest release, Wildness, in 2018, which came after a gap of 7 years In an interview with NME, frontman Gary Lightbody stated that he had to overcome a bout of writers block initially, before scrapping the majority of the songs already written for the album and penning whole new material.
The result is a record that is equal parts hopeful and turbulent, born out of a period of turmoil, loss and deep depression in his life To come out the other side with a record that champions acceptance and healing is as empowering as anything the band have produced On it’s release Wildness was locked in a chart battle with the cultural juggernaut of The Greatest Showman, eventually debuting at number 2 in the UK We now look to be entering a new era for Snow Patrol with the announcement of their next album, The Forest Is The Path, releasing in September and lead single ‘The Beginning’ offering a delectable first taste of this next chapter
With an extensive catalogue of songs able to pull on every emotion present in the crowd, being the act to close out the festival is nothing the Northern IrishScottish rockers won’t have seen before To us, this only means they are the perfect band to do it for Tramlines 2024!
The Charlatans will headline T’Other Stage on Friday evening. Having already graced fans across the country with their presence for over 30 years, with a string of top 40 albums and singles under their belt, they’ll be bringing their mighty back catalogue of a non-stop indie jukebox with them
After initially forming in the West Midlands in 1988, the band have come a long way during their influential music career, leaving their stamp on the British music scene All 13 of The Charlatan’s studio albums have charted in the top 40 of the UK Album Charts, not to mention three of these have made it to the number one spot!
As well as their album success, The Charlatans have also had 22 top 40 singles and four top 10 entries in the UK Singles Charts, including the well-known hits ‘The Only One I Know’ and ‘One to Another’, that we will undoubtedly be hearing blast through Hillsborough Park this year
Although associated with the Britpop and Madchester scene that had many in a chokehold during the 90s, they span a range of influences in their music Their sound displays a fusion of 1960s soul, R&B and garage. This placed them firmly in the West Midlands tradition of this hard-edged soul and R&B sound that was around at the time, alongside the likes of The Spencer Davis Group and Dexys Midnight Runners, with Jim Paterson of the latter later providing the
brass which features on The Charlatans’ 12th studio album Modern Nature.
Their appearance at Hillsborough Park compliments their ongoing tour including various dates across the UK It’s not the first time that The Charlatans have played at “Sheffield’s Biggest Party”, though this will be their first time back at Tramlines since headlining the festival alongside Wu-Tang Clan and Basement Jaxx back in 2015
Casting our minds back to Tramlines at that time, when the Main Stage was at Ponderosa Park, The Charlatans were very well received by their adoring crowd, frontman Tim Burgess taking centre stage and flaunting his youthful demeanour despite being in his 50s at the time – we can only hope the band manage to emulate this energy as they take to the Tramlines stage again nearly 10 years later
More recently, Victoria Holdsworth wrote about their Leeds O2 Academy gig in May 2022 for On Yorkshire Magazine that “when people start jumping at a Charlatans gig, you had better have had your Weetabix or at least an energy drink or two, because there is no way on earth that you’re not going to move with them.” We’re sure Tim and the rest of The Charlatans will wield the same kind of energy this summer as they revisit Sheffield for another big party and what promises to be an unforgettable weekend!
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Holly Humberstone will be taking to T’Other Stage as Saturday night’s headliner, bringing her signature ethereal sound to Hillsborough Park for a second time, after the she graced the T’Other Stage in 2021 This time though, she’ll be a well-deserved headline act, playing to her adoring crowds free from any COVID restrictions!
Humberstone has made quite the name for herself in her recent rocket to fame, and there appears to be no stopping her. Having already been nominated for two Ivor Novellos, winning the BRIT Rising Star in 2022 and coming runner up in BBC Sound Of 2021, the 24year-old has already achieved many a milestone in her musical career
Holly first caught people’s eye on the BBC Music Introducing Stage at Glastonbury in 2019, and before you know it, she was releasing her debut single ‘Deep End’ in January 2020 and supporting Lewis Capaldi on his Final Capaldi Tour, just before the Pandemic A very busy year for Holly also brought the release of her hit debut EP Falling Asleep At The Wheel.
Holly signed a deal with Interscope and Polydor Records in 2021 before the release of her second EP The Walls Are Way Too Thin, described by NME as a “soul-baring triumph” The EP features a collaboration with The 1975’s Matty Healy on ‘Please Don’t Leave Just Yet’ Another Healy collaboration came on later single, ‘Sleep Tight’, in April 2022
Many of Holly’s lyrics and songwriting are inspired by themes of relationships and growing up and influenced by the events of COVID These ideas are best displayed in singles such as ‘London Is Lonely’, detailing of how she felt disconnected after moving there from her hometown in Lincolnshire It was during this time she found her breakout success When the world was in lockdown, her mind was looking for an outlet to be creative and break free.
More recently, Holly toured with American popsensation Olivia Rodrigo on her US Sour Tour in 2022, and has since been described by Vogue as “Gen Z’s very own alt-pop princess”, characterised by lyrics surrounding heartbreak layered across a dark, romantic, poppy sound
Holly’s highly anticipated debut album Paint My Bedroom Black, released in October 2023, embodies her coming of age, described by Pitchfork as “a charmingly melodramatic set full of earnest writing and kinetic, multi-dimensional production”. Holly is seemingly unstoppable at this point, guaranteed to capture any crowds heart and imagination with her heartfelt and emotional live performances Holly’s music transports you to a different place through her raw and honest storytelling that takes centre stage atop a backdrop of irresistible dark pop, and we cannot wait for her to bring her growing backcatalogue to Hillsborough Park this July
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Wrapping things up on T’Other Stage and bringing all their post-punk vibes to conclude the festivities on Sunday night will be Leeds four-piece, Yard Act Their fast rise to fame saw them grace Tramlines back in 2021, and with the Yorkshire lads showing no signs of slowing down, with a new album in tow, they’ll be hopping across to South Yorkshire once again to join in the Tramlines party this July!
Following their formation in 2019, Yard Act have had a short but no less impactful presence in the music scene Their observational, witty lyricism strikes a chord with many fans and has ultimately propelled their fast rise to success The band released their debut single, ‘The Trapper’s Pelts’ in 2021, which was described by The Line Of Best Fit as “having sounds reminiscent of 2009 Arctic Monkeys, blended with ‘90s Hacienda-inspired tunes” making it a track that “Nick Cave and John Cooper-Clarke would’ve been proud to have written” – fine praise indeed for their debut, in addition to being named Paste’s Best New Artists of 2021
Yard Act released their debut album The Overload in January 2022, with the band named as One to Watch in the BBC's Sound of 2022 shortlist July 2022 saw the band release a re-recorded version of their single ‘100% Endurance’ featuring a collaboration with Elton John after he announced himself as a fan of the band. Speaking to Pitchfork, Yard Act’s James Smith stated that “Elton John saw our stuff and he started telling the press he thought we were good and then we chatted on the phone”, going on to say he was an honour to work
with – “he’s brilliant Switched on, hilarious and an amazing musician ” A collaboration like this for a fairly new band from Leeds is definitely one of those iconic moments.
Their second album Where’s My Utopia?, was released in March earlier this year In our own review of the album we described them as “funny, dry, sincere and brilliant”
This album deviates away from their previous sound, its tracks sounding sonically fresh and new, proving that “the band are so much more than their original ‘poster boys of post-punk’ label, now they make hits with biting humour and groove in equal measure”
With a new release that is “unapologetically confident and not worried about the new direction that the band seem to be taking”, it only sparks more excitement with fans eager to witness how this band from Leeds are continually developing in their sound
Despite NME still describing our beloved Yard Act as “Post-punk’s latest poster boys”, they gave an insight into their show in London earlier in March this year, stating it was “a boisterous tour finale”, complete with “a homemade ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ to let someone select a song from their debut EP”
With their unpredictable gigs and whacky stage presence, Yard Act are sure to bring all the energy, and their trademark sarky wit sure to be a big hit, with Tramliners in for a treat on the Sunday night!
We couldn’t make a Tramlines magazine without talking about The Human League. A full version of this article can be found at sheffieldmagazine co uk
In 1979, David Bowie attended a gig at the Nashville Rooms in London He told NME that he had “seen the future of pop music” The band he had seen was a group of scrappy young Sheffielders who called themselves The Human League Decades later, The Human League are widely loved both as part of Sheffield’s experimental electronic post-punk scene, through to their reinvention as global pop stars.
Their name intended to bring a more emotionally engaging and ‘human’ element to electronic music, which in the 1970s was still stereotyped as cold and robotic Their sound was birthed out of glam rock and post-punk, but took hints from diverse influences, including the disco, funk and Krautrock, melding them as an entrancing avant-garde pop fusion
After the release of their debut single, the trio were signed by Virgin Records Their first full-length album, Reproduction, remains a gem of early synthpop, quite unlike anything else from that period, with the eerie ‘Circus Of Death’ and the punchy earworm ‘Empire State Human’ proving particular standouts
The next LP, Travelogue, would be released in May 1980, and featured a heavier, more raw and industrial sound, closer to their live act The band were being noticed now
In 1980 the band was torn in half. Founder Martyn Ware maintains he was kicked out of his own band after creative clashes and frustration Bandmate Ian Craig Marsh took his side and left too, the duo formed Heaven 17 and achieved success in their own right
The band were a shell, leaving Philip Oakey and two teenagers with no musical background in Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall They somehow made one of the most important pop albums of all time in Dare This defined the synthpop genre for a generation, and put Sheffield on the global map. In the UK, it hit number one, and was certified triple platinum, with single ‘Don’t You Want Me’ securing the UK Christmas Number One in 1981
The success of Dare proved hard to follow, but subsequent work still held some magic, birthing tracks like ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ and ‘Human’, both staples of any Human League show
Since the ‘90s, the outfit have truly excelled in their stage shows thanks to their incredible stage presence and refusal to use playback – every single The Human League show is rehearsed and played live. For a legacy electronic act, this is impressive, and shows the band still maintain their pride
The Human League are an absolute must-see at Tramlines this year Their career has had its ups and downs, but there is no denying that they are simply some of the most iconic offspring of the Steel City
Tramlines is a huge supporter of new and upcoming local bands In 2023, the festival was recognised as Best Festival for Emerging Talent at the UK Festival Awards and the Apply to Play Scheme feeds into this ethos.
Through Apply To Play, Tramlines received over a hundred of applications this year from the hottest new acts in the country, with a focus on local talent
The scheme offers the winner £500 worth of studio credits at Pirate Studios, a paid festival slot at Tramlines and the opportunity to perform at Truck Festival and Victorious Festival, interview features with 3 amazing outlets, a performance opportunity at the This Feeling industry showcase event at The Social in front of music industry professionals and professional press shots.
Even if an artist doesn't win, if they make it as a
finalist they will also receive a paid slot at Tramlines 2024 alongside £100 of Pirate Studio credit each
The overall winner this year is the incredibly talented Barnsley-based singer-songwriter Hannah Rowe and her group of incredibly talented musicians. Hannah was hand-picked as winner by Radio X presenter John Kennedy and will headline The Library Stage on Friday Her music is soulful, rich and gripping thanks to her talent In fact, the whole band’s chemistry is palpable in their music and their presence on stage
Joining them on the Library Stage will be other Apply To Play finalists including alt-electro pop artist Darla Jade, UK rapper Tinxshe and Sheffield alt rock indie artist Sam Scherdel
There will also be performances from the winners of Victorious Festival and Truck Festival’s Apply To Play winners in Jay Dodgson and Sheffield’s Minds Idle
Thanks for taking the time to speak to us! Can you tell us what your experience was like at last year’s Tramlines?
H: Tramlines 2023 was a crazy experience To headline the Library Stage was an amazing thing for any unsigned band The show was really good and the following day we were asked to come back and do a live acoustic session and interview in the BBC Radio Sheffield tent. We filmed a lookback video of the whole weekend as it was Tramlines on the Friday and Truck Festival on the Sunday You can find the lookback video and live session on our YouTube
What have you been up to since performing at the last edition of Tramlines?
H: We have officially become a 5-piece band and we are currently recording a new EP Earlier this year our single ‘Oxygen’ was released and earned itself some plays on BBC Radio 6 and Radio X, that was our last track as the original trio. We have been playing lots in London growing a fan base there and taking our time planning our next moves as a band
Tell us how winning the Apply To Play Scheme has helped you as a band?
H: Winning that competition put us on the map and made people pay attention to us in a sea of amazing unsigned bands Part of the prize was a showcase with This Feeling, we have been working with those guys ever since and gained a lot from that relationship. They offered us a slot at Isle of Wight Festival this year after we sold out our hometown headline with them in under a week They also made us one of their Big In 2024 picks and our song ‘Get the Girl away’ was subsequently added to their 2024 compilation vinyl All of these things have directly and indirectly come from winning the competition
Finally, who would be your artist to look out for at this year’s festival?
H: Sam Scherdel has been one of my best mates since we covered ‘Fairytale of New York’ together a few years ago. He came on stage at Tramlines with us last year for our track ‘Bonfire Toffee’ and this year he has won the apply to play alongside some other amazing artists Check him out!
HarriLarkin Tramlines2023+CFaruolo
Local Acts To Watch
For a full breakdown head to
Sam Scherdel
Dubbed the "South Yorkshire Springsteen" with his distinctive and powerful gravelly voice reminiscent of the megastar, Sam delivers anthemic rock that appeals to a wide audience. Playing at 2pm on Friday, The Library Stage is set to be shaking under the weight of his talent
Minds Idle
A piece of Sheffield rap royalty, K Dot, will close out Pattern & Push's Library Stage takeover at 7:55pm on Saturday K Dot has shown a willingness to Kdot
innovate, gaining him recognition on a national scale, even performing a bespoke feature for the BBC's coverage of the World Snooker Championship Final. An inspiration for any local up and coming rapper.
Static Lives
Static Lives will open the curtain for The Leadmill's Sunday lineup at 12pm Having formed in January 2024, the band only have two official releases via the S&M record label, which was created by grassroots venue Sidney & Matilda As a result, you're guaranteed some delightful never-before-heard gems from the self-proclaimed 'Dance Rock Alt Band'. Debut single release 'Rush' is infectious, raucous and drives the breath right out of you.
Beachcomber
A band to truly get excited about in Sheffield’s favourite genre Beachcomber are producing fantastic indie dream-pop with dreamy guitars, crashing drums and melancholic vocals, with an incredibly apt name for the music they play. It’s hopeful, persistent and well worth a watch. Catch them on The Library Stage on Sunday at 2:55pm
Sam Scherdel
Minds Idle
Writers picks
Find out who we’re most excited to see in Hillsborough Park this year!
English Teacher
The Leadmill Stage, Saturday at 6pm
Rising stars from up t’road in Leeds, English Teacher are one of the most exciting Northern bands around The band ooze an indie-rock coolness bringing delicious bass riffs and jarring guitars layered with poetic lyricism from lead vocalist Lily Fontaine Their music is peppered with gritty anecdotes, nods to Northern life, stories from childhood, and everyday prejudices; all captured within a sound that feels homely, welcoming, and familiar
Song recommendation: R&B
Mitch Santiago
T’Other Stage, Friday at 4:00pm
One act that I’m excited for is the ludicrously talented (and enviously young) Mitch Santiago, who will be playing on T’Other Stage on Friday Hailing from Perth, Australia (and at 17, quite literally the new kid on the block), self-taught musician Santiago is the go-to for your Sam-Fender-meets-The-War-on-Drugs fix, bursting with so much reverb and synth that you’ll want to gaze at your shoes and simultaneously hit an open road at dusk. Not one to be missed!
Song recommendation: Seeing Straight
Georgina
Peace
The Leadmill Stage, Saturday at 7:45pm
I first saw Peace at The Leadmill in 2018, and was blown away - they mix the indie sound with a bit of funk and psychedelia, which makes everything better
Veterans of the indie and UK festival scene at this point, Peace have been around since 2012, including a bit of a recent unofficial hiatus However, they have just released their first new album in years on a password protected site to fans, so now really is a great time to check them out
Song recommendation: Lost On Me
Jack
The Mysterines
The Leadmill Stage, Friday at 7:15pm
Making their return to Hillsborough Park since playing as the warm-up act for Arctic Monkeys in June 2023, The Mysterines are back with two albums under their belt As Fridays headliners on The Leadmill Stage, this grungy alternative rock four piece offer fiery indie tunes with dark undertones reminiscent of 90’s alternative artists like PJ Harvey and Mazzy Star You won’t want to ‘Stray’ from the stage when these guys are on.
Song recommendation: The Last Dance
had a resurgence in popularity after ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ featured in the movie Saltburn and started dominating the charts again, 20 years after its original release
Ellis-Bextor is known for her nu-disco style pop and I hope she plays more classics from her debut album Read My Lips, like ‘Get Over You’ and ‘Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)’ I can’t wait to get in the disco spirit and dance around a field wearing a lot of sequins and glitter
Song recommendation: Get Over You Meisha
The Sarah Nulty Main Stage, Sunday at 4pm
Example is one of the UK’s most well known singersongwriters and rappers, and has been around since his debut album, What We Made, came out in 2007!
One of my favourite things at Tramlines, especially after Professor Greens Sunday set last year, is seeing a set that has a different vibe to the othersof which Example is guaranteed to produce With banger after banger including ‘Kickstarts’, ‘Midnight Run’ and ‘Stay Awake’ make sure you catch Example’s set for a last day of Tramlines boost!
Song recommendation: Won’t Go Quietly!!
The Sarah Nulty Main Stage, Friday at 4:45pm
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
The Tramlines Clash
The Clash. It’s every festival-goers nightmare. No, not the prospect of Mick Jones and Paul Simonen reuniting for a rendition of ‘Rock The Casbah’, but rather that moment where you have to choose between artists who are playing at the same time Compiling the running order and stage times for a festival must be a hard job, you get no praise when people enjoy it and you’re on the receiving end of everyone’s fury when they have to miss someone they really want to see
Headliners usually see the worst clashes as, by definition, they’re the biggest and most popular artists. Last year, Tramlines attendees on Friday had to choose between Richard Ashcroft headlining on the Main Stage or Bloc Party on T’Other Stage
So what are the main clashes this year? Let’s have a look
On Friday Scottish singer Paolo Nutini headlines the Main Stage Nutini has released 4 studio albums since 2006 alongside a string of hit singles such as ‘New Shoes’, ‘Last Request’ and ‘Candy’ He’ll undoubtedly be a brilliant headliner, and a lot of fun as the sun goes down. However, headlining T’Other stage at the same time are indie legends The Charlatans who have had 13 Top 40 albums and 22 Top 40 singles, and are renowned as a great live band!
On Saturday, the decision is no easier as two more brilliant artists go head-to-head: Jamie T headlines the Main Stage while Holly Humberstone headlines T’Other Stage Jamie T is a multi-talented artist who has released five hit albums
Meanwhile, Holly won the BRIT Award for Rising Star in 2022 and released her debut album Paint My Bedroom Black last October. Influenced by the likes of Lorde, Bon Iver, and Damien Rice, she’s definitely one to watch
Sunday night will see Snow Patrol bring Tramlines to a rousing conclusion A brilliant live band with an enviable back catalogue of hits such as ‘Chasing Cars’, ‘Run’, and ‘Chocolate’, Snow Patrol are famous for their anthemic singalongs On paper, it should be the perfect end to Tramlines 2024 on the Main Stage
However! Yard Act are headlining at the same time on T’Other Stage. The Leeds band recently released their second album to widespread critical acclaim and their 2022 debut was Mercury Prize nominated If you fancy music with a bit more of an edge, and you still have some energy left, Yard Act could provide a great alternative end to the festival
It’s not just the headliners Other clashes causing a headache include local singer Sam Scherdel playing the Library Stage at the same time as Lucy Beaumont headlines T’Other Stage’s comedy tent on Friday afternoon. And comic Adam Hills and Maximo Park perform at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Sheffield electro-pop legends The Human League play the Main Stage on Sunday evening at the same time Leeds rockers The Pigeon Detectives play T’Other Stage
To help you plan your schedule, download the Tramlines app where you can find set times and select who you want to see
Comedy
It’s not all about music! Since Tramlines moved to Hillsborough in 2018, the afternoon comedy offering has hosted the great and the good of the funny world The likes of Ed Byrne, Zoe Lyons, Russell Kane, Jason Manford and Shappi Khorsandi have had us roaring with laughter, and this year’s lineup is no different But who are the essential acts to see?
Edinburgh Fringe, We Can Twerk It Out, was nominated for that year's Best Newcomer Award Her standup is legendary.
These days Lucy is a regular on TV having made a number of popular appearances on shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, The Weakest Link, Taskmaster, Have I Got News For You, and Would I Lie To You?, amongst others
Lucy Beaumont
Lucy co-wrote the mockumentary series Meet The Richardsons with Tim Reid Starring Lucy and Jon Richardson playing exaggerated versions of themselves, it ran for five series on Dave between 2020 and 2024 It featured a huge number of wellknown guest stars such as Craig Charles, Alan Carr, Jack Dee, Jason Donovan and David Tennant playing fictionalised versions of themselves The first series is available on BBC iPlayer if you haven’t seen it
In addition to her stand-up and TV appearances, Lucy wrote the book Drinking Custard: Diary of a Confused Mum, and is a co-host of the popular podcast Perfect Brains with Australian comedian Sam Campbell
Lucy’s stand-up comedy is largely based on observational stories about Hull and life in Northern England - something we can strongly identify with in Sheffield. She portrays herself as being quite ditzy, but anyone who saw her on Would I Lie To You? earlier this year will know that’s all an act! She’s absolutely hilarious, so make sure you catch her set on Friday afternoon
Lucy Beaumont headlines Friday’s comedy on T’Other Stage at 2pm Lucy is famously from Hull (her mother is the playwright Gill Adams, who won the Fringe First Award for Best New Play at the 1997 Edinburgh Festival), but has close-ties to Sheffield and is a patron of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity
Lucy graduated from the University of Hull with a degree in drama studies After a brief acting career, in 2009 she took part in the BBC's Northern Laughs programme, where she was mentored by The League of Gentlemen’s Jeremy Dyson.
She was a finalist on So You Think You’re Funny in 2011 (finishing third), and won the BBC Radio New Comedy Award in 2012 Her 2014 debut show at the ImageprovidedbyTramlines
Angelos Epithemiou
Angelos Epithemiou headlines Saturday’s comedy on T’Other Stage at 2:10pm If you don’t already know, Angelos is a character created by comedian Dan Renton Skinner who himself has appeared in numerous TV comedies, including The Office, Mike Bassett: Manager, The Armstrong & Miller Show, My Family, Coupling, Not Going Out, This Time With Alan Partridge, and Yonderland
Angelos will be familiar though to fans of Vic & Bob as he was a character created for Series 6 of Shooting Stars in 2009 Initially a semi-permanent member of Team B, replacing Johnny Vegas, from Series 7 he replaced Matt Lucas’ George Dawes as the show’s scorekeeper And memorably he was obsessed with team captain Ulrika Jonsson!
The character of Angelos Epithemiou is apparently of Greek origin, but now lives in Neasden. He was originally introduced by Shooting Stars co-host Bob Mortimer as a competition winner and burger van owner, but he is now unemployed after his burger van was destroyed by his brother Agathius
In 2010 Dan Renton Skinner went on his first UK standup tour as Angelos, Angelos Epithemiou & Friends Christmas Show, and in December 2011 Skinner won the Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist at The British Comedy Awards for his Angelos Epithemiou character.
Dan’s TV work has continued away from Angelos, earlier this year for example he appeared in three episodes of EastEnders, as well as the Death In Paradise spinoff Beyond Paradise, so he’s a familiar face on TV
In 2019 Angelos appeared on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch programme - but only for the start of the show as during the first cooking item Angelos walked into shot to announce that he was leaving Hopefully he won’t walk out of his Tramlines slot early, if he sticks it out it’s bound to be a very memorable part of the day!
ImageprovidedbyTramlines
Between 2001 and 2003, Hills earned three consecutive Edinburgh Award (Perrier) nominations for his shows at the iconic Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Hills famously has an artificial right leg, which is often a source of humour in his work However, when he first started out, it took him over a decade to begin incorporating it into his shows, stating that he “didn’t want to be known as the one-legged commedian”, wanting to prove himself as a comic first
Since starting out in 1989, Hills has toured with 16 live stand-up shows, with particular standouts being Go You Big Red Fire Engine and Cut Loose
The Aussie has always been a huge supporter of increased accessibility and inclusivity in stand-up comedy Hills regularly performs with a sign language interpreter to champion this
Aside from his stand-up work, Hills has shone in television work in Australia and the UK He is a 5 time Gold Logie nominee for Most Popular Personality On Australian Television for his work on Spicks and Specks and Adam Hills in Gordon Street Tonight, winning the award in 2012 after 5 nominations
Fans on this side of the world will know Adam Hills from his various appearances on our favourite panel shows like Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Mock The Week and QI.
He was able to hone his skill as a presenter further in 2008 as he co-hosted the ABC coverage of the Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, earning a place as one of the go-to figures for Paralympic sport
It would be in 2012 where Hills really cemented himself in British culture as he was part of the Channel 4 commentary team for that year’s Summer Paralympics He also hosted a brand new show titled The Last Leg with Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe.
The Last Leg is now a staple of the British TV landscape, graduating from an alternative sport review show to a topical, satirical powerhouse with the likes of Have I Got News For You This is almost entirely due to the core cast with Hills as host The show has now ran for 30 series and over 300 episodes, highlighting its enduring popularity
Since 2022, he has hosted coverage of the Rugby Super League in the UK and it has been recently announced that he will succeed Sir Lindsay Hoyle as the president of the Rugby Football League in 2025.
Hills is a standout stand-up and an incredibly important figure in the UK comedy scene Chances to catch him live in person are less and less common, so make sure to catch him this time
Ones to Watch
Friday Justin Moorhouse
Justin Moorhouse performs on T’Other Stage at 1:35pm on Friday Justin is from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester and has appeared in Phoenix Nights with Peter Kay, and the Ken Loach film Looking For Eric A regular on radio and TV, he’s wellworth catching before Lucy Beaumont
Saturday Olivia Lee
Olivia Lee performs on T’Other Stage at 1:45pm on Saturday. Born in London, she made her name alongside Simon Amstell on Channel 4’s T4. She later appeared on comedy show Balls of Steel, and was given her own show on Channel 4, Naughty Bits Olivia is married to Dan Renton Skinner aka Angelos Epithemiou, and both will be great fun I’m sure!
Sunday Andrew Maxwell
Andrew Maxwell performs on T’Other Stage at 1:25pm on Sunday He is an Irish comedian best known for narrating the MTV reality series Ex on the Beach since 2014 He has made regular appearances on British TV shows Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Mock The Week, and took part in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! In 2019.
The Open Arms
Tramlines’ very own pub is back Grab a pint with your pals and boogie on the dirty dancefloor One of the 5 unique stages at Tramlines, this pub, which debuted in 2021, is packed full with a wonderfully diverse cast
The Open Arms is the home of themed club nights, fun novelty acts and Speakers' Corner
Themed Club Nights
No Tramlines pub would be complete without themed club nights, and this year’s lineup has something for everyone!
Abba Party – Featuring all your fave pop hits and cheesy bangers. We’re expecting Abba (duh), Bowie, Cher and many other sparkly icons
Club Tropicana – The Open Arms’ unofficial 80’s beach party – this night you’ll be hearing classics from the likes of Madness, Rick Astley and Queen
2014 – THE golden year for pop! We’re talking ‘Bang Bang’, ‘Blank Space’, ‘Dark Horse’ Maybe we can bring back those random moustaches on every item we own
Fun Novelty Acts
The Open Arms is known for its wonderful and zany acts, here’s a couple to wet your appetite
Double Dollys
Swap out your wellies for cowboy boots
The Double Dollys are an iconic dolled-up duo dedicated to spreading the joy and musical genius of Dolly Parton Offering line-dancing, sing-alongs and a cowboy themed dress-up contest – it's shaping up to be a root’n toot’n night at The Open Arms.
Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer
Mr B is a chap-hop/hip-hop parody performer, known for rapping about sophistication, being wellmannered and dressing with dignity If you’re a fan of musical parodies I’d definitely check him out
There’s also showcases from Sheffield's up and coming dance talent with Dynamic Dance CIC, an inclusive group of street, jazz, dancehall and contemporary dancers, aimed at creating confidence and opportunities for young people. Flash Bang Brass will also be gracing us with what promises to be electrifying choreography to your favourite pop hits, with LED light show technology
Speakers’ Corner
Speakers’ Corner will make a triumphant return to The Open Arms, curated by Slambarz CIC Slambarz is keen to promote inclusiveness, culture, good vibes and healthy competition with music, spoken word and poetry from Sheffield’s most promising up and coming artists
You can read more at sheffieldmagazine co uk, but here we’ve picked 5 artists to keep an eye out for
HARRIS
A prodigiously talented 17 year old, ready to make the jump from Tramlines Fringe to the main event with his brand of eclectic genre-mixing inspired by artists such as Little Simz If you miss his performance on Friday then don't worry as he'll be back to perform twice on Saturday, so keep an eye out!
AJE
A Slambarz Winter Warmer 18-25 Hall of Famer, AJE brings her brand of atmospheric rap with a personal message. Her music is akin to poetry and will leave a lasting impact on those who catch the set Be sure to catch her performance with The Leadmill Studio Orchestra also on Saturday too, a must see
ZEDI
A fierce artist taking huge inspiration from our city's diversity, fusing elements of R&B, Trapwave and Dancehall to create a unique sonic playground to flourish in Creativity pervades his lyricism where he has the ability to relate to his audience while conveying important messages
Geeraii
An artist who has had to overcome more than your average future superstar, Geeraii was born with a cleft palate and Pierre Robin Syndrome which causes hearing loss Geeraii has worn hearing aids since a young age and has undergone many surgeries, a true inspiration to anyone who is lucky enough to see her perform A true embodiment of the Sheffield Steel we all know, with an equally impressive talent for music, her vocals will wow all who get down to see her
Kid Blu3
Kid Blu3 performed at last year's festival as the inaugural recipient of the Pattern and Push x Waterbear College musical scholarship She has gone from strength to strength, developing her own brand of hip-hop with a message to deliver Infectious and down to Earth, catch Kid Blu3 on the Sunday.
Family / Into The Trees
Families are integrated into Tramlines’ plans, with a designated family area returning to Hillsborough Park this year, bigger than ever Set apart from the rowdier parts of the main festival, Into The Trees is an ideal spot for little ones and families that might be seeking a little quiet
Craft Den
The Craft Den is one of the first new play zones added to Into the Trees and it’s sure to be a haven for creativity, with a plethora of hands-on crafty activities led by Leeds based family focused events company Pop Up and Play Children can add to their festival looks by making masks and badges, colouring their own tote bags and even making friendship bracelets They’ll also have the opportunity to create their own puppet pals to bring along.
Storm in a Teacup Circus
The Spinning Top has spectacular workshops led by circus entertainment specialists, Storm in a Teacup Children will get to develop their circus skills with activities like juggling, plate spinning, hula hooping, and more. There will also be giant bubble displays
and stilt walking by first-class entertainers
Treehouse Stage
The final new play zone joining Into the Trees will be The Treehouse Stage, home to Tramline’s famous kids rave Expect party classics, Sheffield anthems and party poppers aplenty The Treehouse Stage will provide all-round entertainment with special performances from Cirque Du Funk, street dance group SDK (So Damn Creative), the Super Science Show, storytelling with Hillsborough Bookshop, and cartoon drawing workshops.
Lidl Mudder
Tramlines veterans will be happy to see the return of Lidl Mudder, a Lidl and Tough Mudder partnership Lidl Mudder is a zone for kids aged 5-12 where they can participate in a number of physical challenges and get a taste of the world’s best obstacle course and mud run Children can throw themselves into the Mini Everest obstacle course, Secret Agent Squeeze and Lidl’s famous Smoothie Bike where they can make the best mocktails. This is a sure fire way for children to tire themselves out while parents relax.
LittleHillsborough Tramlines2023+LMelbourne
Little Hillsborough was introduced at 2023’s Tramlines, offering festival shopping from Hillsborough businesses inside the park itself.
Annie Judes
Returning this year, Annie Judes is an independent trader and mainstay of the area Annie Judes showcases the best of local small businesses, from bags to accessories, clothing to art. She even has her own Hendo’s bottle in support of S6 Foodbank, one for the collectors among you.
Independent bookstores are one of the more romanticised settings in both fiction and reality, and Hillsborough Bookshop more than meets that billing A stone’s throw away from the park, Hillsborough Bookshop specialises in a curated selection of colourful and inclusive books for all Hillsborough Bookshop
Luke Horton
Another returning trader, Luke Horton is an acclaimed artist based in Hillsborough You will have no doubt seen his work throughout the city, whether that’s on Supertrams, Litter Bins or round the corner outside Hillsborough Stadium. Be sure to call in and see what unique items and prints are in stock
The Framery
A new addition to the Hillsborough High Street, The Framery is one of Sheffield’s longest standing framing, art and flower preservation businesses Their stall will have an extensive selection of art, t-shirts and mugs as well as an art installation from local artist Sara Prinsloo
We caught up with Faith, owner of Annie Judes, to find out about their experience of Tramlines last year...
What is Hillsborough like during Tramlines?
F: During Tramlines there are loads of people about Some people in the local community can be quite negative about it, and I do understand that because its their home For me though it is a lovely atmosphere and is just full of people who are really up for having a good time, so its nice seeing the pubs, restaurants and cafes absolutely rammed full of people You’ll even get people who didn’t get or want tickets sat in the play area watching and things like that For a lot of people it’s a lovely weekend
I remember the first time that Tramlines was in Hillsborough I’d just had my daughter and we live very locally so we sat out in the garden, she was a tiny baby so she was laid on the floor in her bassinette, and we just listened to the music from the garden and
it honestly was just absolutely beautiful So you know, as much as there are the negative things, you can’t pay for that sort of experience, so it was beautiful
How was selling at Tramlines and what did it do for your business?
F: When Tramlines is on, some businesses find it great because you’ve got 40,000 people walking past your door who are all wanting a drink or something to eat, so if you’re that sort of business it is absolutely fantastic
For me, it’s great that they get to see the business, but the truth is that most of the people who are coming past aren’t looking to shop outside of the festival The year that we weren’t in the festival when
I was open, we basically took nothing all weekend So I’d lost a whole weekend of sales which as a small business does have a big effect
So when we were offered the opportunity last year to be inside Little Hillsborough I was like absolutely take that, because the only thing that I want is for us to be given an opportunity to get something out of all of those people being in our park
As a local resident as well, I love having the festival here I’ve always supported it being here but it should still support the local community, so the fact that we were offered that opportunity was absolutely fantastic and I was really happy about it
We had the most fun weekend and despite the fact it absolutely pissed it down the whole time, we still made a big chunk of money. The money I made from the festival was enough for me to buy all of my Christmas stock, which is a huge huge difference, and was offered free from the festival last year so that was just money for my pocket that wouldn’t have been made otherwise
What was your highlight last year?
F: It’s impossible to choose a highlight really, I genuinely just had such a good time It was just fun the whole time, we had a real laugh with it and I had friends helping me. My children went away for the weekend and stayed with their grandparents so my husband came to help which was nice as we don’t often get to do those sorts of things together We just had a real real good time Everybody who comes is there to have fun and a good time so the atmosphere was great, everyone was laughing even with the rain
The only downside was the smell of the hay, which I still dream about *laughs*, the smell of wet hay the next day was not the funnest smell, other than that it was so wonderful. On the Sunday right at the end, me and my husband watched Paul Heaton and *insert name* perform in absolute piss rain, and we were soaking wet, up to our ankles in it and it was just wonderful, it was such a good time We also went to see Sugababes with some of my friends, because you know I had to, and caught a bit of McFly as well, all very nostalgic
Would you do it again and would you encourage others to do it?
F: Well, a week ago I would have said yes I would do it again but now I can say that I AM doing it again because I did find out that I have a stall this year which I am genuinely so thrilled about I think especially now that I have done it before I know exactly what I want to do, what to do differently, what to take. I’m just absolutely chuffed for all of my makers who’ll be bringing stuff along, and for myself because as I say it is genuinely such a good opportunity and I am the sort of person that takes opportunity with two hands I did really try to encourage people in the local area to apply because I thought well what have you got to lose? It’s basically free again and they’ve been very open that if we make a certain amount, they’ll take a small percentage which I’m happy with You’re literally losing nothing so you know I said “give it a go why not?”
I am just so happy that we’ve been given the opportunity to do it again, I can’t wait to start buying everything in I’m *definitely* going to take some rain macs this year as I have never regretted something so much *laughs* as not taking rain macs last year I must have been asked a thousand times if I had any rain macs So, I will be buying rain macs this year even if it doesn’t rain, I don’t want that regret again I am thrilled to be doing it, it’s going to be such a good weekend again and yeah I know exactly what I’m going to bring People can expect loads of gorgeous jewellery, lovely kimonos, flower crowns and I’m really hoping the summery stuff sells this year!
Food and Drink
As well as a fantastic music and entertainment line-up, Tramlines is also host to a diverse range of food and drink headliners to suit even the fussiest of festivalgoers Here’s a snapshot of some of the offerings available, including old favourites and new additions, with options including Gluten Free, Vegetarian and Vegan Find the full list of vendors on the Tramlines website.
V or V Grill House
The popular Kelham veggie/vegan joint that sadly had to close last year due to the cost of living crisis, will be making an appearance at Tramlines. They will be serving delicious grill house kebabs and loaded potatoes bursting with flavour to delight fans old and new
‘AS THA GOT BEEF?
A local family mobile food stall offering Sheffield themed burgers and fries, featuring Hendos caramelised onions (of course!) A regular feature at local food markets and events, AS THA GOT BEEF? is a well-known and welcome addition to the Tramlines line-up
The Duck Shed
All the way from London, The Duck Shed offers duck in an exciting variety of ways, from burgers and wraps to salads, that can be customised to suit all requirements and preferences for those who fancy something different to the standard festival offerings.
Meat Head
Mexican street food stall from London specialising in the ever popular and viral Birria Tacos. Dipped in their homemade rich Consommé, the perfect hearty pickme-up to see you through the day
Food and Drink Partners
Tramlines’ official food and drink partners return this year including Lidl, Thatchers and Brewdog, and you can find them all at their various stands across the Park.
The Batter Man’s Yorkshire Pudding Wraps
A northern festival staple, serving the people of Sheffield their famous Yorkshire pudding wraps, packed with juicy homemade meats and all the trimmings What better place to eat a Yorkshire pudding than in Yorkshire itself?
Gaucho
Gaucho brings a taste of Argentina to Sheffield in the form of steak, serving their legendary burgers and hearty steak sandwiches to those hungry folk wanting a taste of the exotic
New York’Shire Pizza Co.
A Sheffield brand no stranger to Tramlines and local street markets. They provide a unique pizza menu with nods to Italy, Yorkshire and Jamaica. Find them churning out 14-inch fresh pizzas packed with fresh toppings to fuel you throughout the day
Poptata
Famous for dishing out an impressive 1 5 tons of potatoes daily, Poptata’s street fries has become a staple among festival-goers, celebrated for its mastery in potato wizardry
Bars and Pint Corner
There will be six bars serving a variety of drinks for thirsty partygoers to enjoy across the weekend And a new Pint Corner next to the Leadmill Stage will include local favourites from Bradfield, Abbeydale and Thornbridge Breweries
Sheffield Magazine
Tramlines in the Community
Other than encouraging you to don your favourite pair of wellies, what else does Tramlines offer the community? With £58,000 worth of funding raised for local communities since 2022, it’s safe to say Tramlines has a special place at the heart of many aspects of Sheffield culture Tramlines aims to boost the local economy in various ways, including creating opportunities for young people, partnering with great charities and raising funds for local businesses Read on for just a snippet of what the festival does to support its people
Hillsborough Local Fundraising
Hillsborough has hosted Tramlines since 2018 and the festival goes a long way to celebrate this One of the ways in which Tramlines supports its local area is through its “Tea Towel Merch Line” a collaboration with Hillsborough Primary School Each year the pupils choose artists from the line-up and engaging creatively, drawing and painting, to create merch for Tramlines in the form of tea towels All proceeds directly contribute to school projects as well as supporting the enhancement of learning areas such as reading corners and green spaces.
Partnerships
Tramlines is partnered with some brilliant charities; Sheffield Young Carers and Mind to name a few. Sheffield Young Carers supports a network of local young people, some coming from the most deprived areas of Sheffield; offering tickets for these charities provides a much-deserved treat and time away from caring responsibilities for younger people in these positions Mind plays a big part at the festival too, creating a sensory area for festivalgoers should they need space
Looking after the Park
Tramlines is dedicated to repaying the faith shown in it by locals and the city They continue to work with Sheffield City Council to find new ways of improving and regenerating it’s home of Hillsborough Park, agreeing to pay an annual £10,000 fee towards improvements There were increased calls for the festival to move in 2023 with state the park was in afterwards, but Tramlines dedicated themselves to regenerating the area through months of repair work to return the park to it’s original condition.
Employment and Education Promoting Sheffield’s Artists and Culture
Tramlines is dedicated to working with Sheffield based teams, students, graduates and suppliers across the festival.
Since 2019, Tramlines has offered 48 graduate paid work placements working closely with Events Management Courses at both Sheffield Hallam University and University of Sheffield to offer a platform for their students to learn and grow in a practical way for one of the biggest events in the country The media team has also hosted tours attended by first and second year students in Journalism and PR from the University of Sheffield to see the festival in action, including visiting broadcasters like the BBC and speaking with other outlets. In the past the festival has also worked on University and College lectures, as well as engagement with younger audiences at GCSE level
Like most festivals, Tramlines also runs volunteering schemes alongside local volunteer managers to engage the local community and provide invaluable large-scale events experience and insight, with over 100 roles offered every year In exchange for completed shifts the volunteers of course get to gain entry to the festival
As discussed earlier, sourcing, nurturing and platforming local made talent and promoting its own people is a huge deal to Tramlines Alongside the previously highlighted Apply To Play scheme, Tramlines has valuable partnerships with local grassroots communities in Slambarz and Pattern + Push. 2024 will see Slambarz curate the much adored Speakers Corner and Pattern + Push takeover The Library Stage programme on Saturday
We of course cannot discuss Sheffield arts and culture without The Leadmill, the beating heart of the Sheffield music scene for over three decades Tramlines continues to tap into The Leadmill’s wealth of experience in platforming the best local talent to ensure they book the most exciting up and coming talent from the local area and across the UK
Tramlines has also developed a new partnership with the Waterbear College, which is “run by musicians for musicians” and has just completed its first full academic year in Sheffield The festival and college now offer a new scholarship award to cover all tuition fees for one lucky student throughout their BA (Hons) degree
One of the many incredible community projects supported by Tramlines is The Studio Orchestra Project, which launched at The Leadmill towards the end of 2021 The project focuses on developing and orchestrating the original music of a selection of Yorkshire based musical talent with Sheffield Music Hub’s 50-Piece Senior Orchestra.
For its inaugural project, the artists given the chance to collaborate were August Charles, Nathaniel Short, Rumbi Tauro, April Ess, JxK, Curtis Charles and members of the Sheffield Children in Care Council & Care Leavers Union
Those of you who attended last year’s Tramlines Festival will hopefully recognise a few of those names, and excitingly, two of them will be returning this year in JxK and Rumbi Tauro Nathaniel Short was another artist shining at Tramlines in 2023, starring at Speaker’s Corner at The Open Arms with Slambarz.
Last year’s success meant that it just had to return for 2024 The project is backed by funding from Tramlines, The Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation, Sheffield Town Trust and Church Burgesses Trust
The orchestra is going bigger and bolder this year with a set at Tramlines on The Sarah Nulty Main Stage on Saturday at 12 15pm This year’s cast consists of even more exciting young artists from the region in Alice Ede, AJE, HARRIS and Sunburst
Emphasis on the word young as well, all of these artists are just starting their respective journeys in music, and all have a huge future. They each possess a maturity that both belies and blends with their youth to harness and highlight their individual talents In June we were lucky enough to catch a preview of what to expect when they take to the Tramlines Main Stage and, well, you are in for a real treat if you get down early to see it
The main conclusion we took away from the showcase was Everything is better with a 50-piece orchestra behind it, name a genre, when you put this talented a group of musicians in a room together to back it up, magic is going to happen. From the minute we walked into The Leadmill we knew this was going to be unlike anything we had seen in the historic venue, and we have seen lots For a start, the stage was twice it’s normal size and filled with tiers, seats, instruments and music stands
As soon as the musicians took to the stage it was clear that the Sheffield Music Hub Senior Orchestra were by no means there just to support the four artists either, they would play a starring role in their own right They wowed the crowd with renditions of Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite: Infernal Dance and Finale”
Each of the artists performed multiple times, once by themselves, once with a piece composed with the orchestra, and a couple of ensemble performances. This gave the crowd the chance to appreciate the talent and ability of each of them not only as an artist but also as a collective The camaraderie and joy with which they performed together was a pleasure to behold, each bringing something different to the ensemble performances
Sunburst are undoubtedly the next big thing in Sheffield’s most successful genre Gearing up for their first ever release in the coming months, we got a taste of what this band can do Their brand of youthful, joyful, hopeful indie rock is sure to take them far as they can be an antidote for anyone looking for a burst of sun in their life.
HARRIS is charismatic, charming and still only 17 years old Another artist that is yet have any official releases for streaming, the tracks that he did bring to perform were brimming with slick grooves for him to weave his lyricism over A particular standout was ‘Irrefutable Style’ and that is exactly what he portrayed on the stage
AJE is one of our performers to watch at this year’s Speakers Corner on The Open Arms Stage on Friday and this performance has only further cemented the extremely high regard in which we hold her. The Slambarz alum was mesmerising, emotive and powerful in each of her performances, with music that strikes you at your core with emphatic messaging
Last up, Alice Ede had the honour of closing the evening on a high Ede is no stranger to the magic that can come with a performance at Hillsborough Park Her performance of her single ‘Minor Hypnosis’ with the orchestra was a fantastically groovy composition that had the whole audience clapping and vibing, it was the perfect feel-good end to a feelgood evening.
Charities and Welfare
When you think of festivals, you’d be forgiven if your mind doesn’t immediately leap to charity work But Tramlines remains committed to supporting Sheffield’s communities, particularly Hillsboroughhome to the festival - through The Tramlines Trust, giving space to local charities at the event, and making the weekend accessible for all to enjoy. What better way to reflect Sheffield’s reputation for being a friendly and inclusive city?
The Tramlines Trust
Tramlines Festival organisers have a long-standing history of charitable giving, ever since their inception in 2009 Beloved local organisations such as Weston Park Cancer Charity, The Archer Project, Sheffield Young Carers, and Sheffield S6 Foodbank have all benefited from Tramlines’ fundraising activities, thanks to innovative fundraising techniques including optional charitable donations at tramlines bars, donations via ticket purchases, and the tramlines Big Fat Charity Raffle
Close to their roots in music, Tramlines’ official charity partner is the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation, which enables, encourages and guides socially and economically disadvantaged folk in Sheffield The charity was set up in memory of its namesake, Sarah, who was a Tramlines Festival
Director and sadly passed in 2018 One example of the life-changing grants is at a specialist school in Norton, where funding from the foundation has enabled weekly music lessons to help pupils focus on sensory processing activities, and bring their curriculum to life.
As an evolution of their charitable giving, Tramlines organisers launched The Tramlines Trust in 2022, a grant-giving venture which supports grassroots organisations in Sheffield To date, an impressive £58,000 has been donated in grants, with over a third of beneficiaries based in Hillsborough, supporting themes including ‘People and the Planet’, and ‘South Yorkshire’s Art and Culture’
Recipients of The Tramlines Trust in 2023 included:
S12 Pantry: A group of volunteers who have come together to help alleviate local food poverty through surplus food donations and social cafes
Hillsborough Hornets Disability FC: A local nonfor-profit making football accessible to play regardless of disabilities or additional needs
Peaks of Colour: A Peak District-based naturehealing organisation by and for people of colour
The Tramlines Trust 2024 is currently open for applications until 5th August Full details can be found on their website
Charity and Welfare areas to look out for
Part of Tramlines’ offering to supporting charities is giving them the space at the festival so that they can share their important work with attendees
This not only benefits the charities themselves in getting the word out about the great work they do, but it also benefits festivalgoers themselves - you never know what you might learn (even the charities you’ve heard of), and helpful tips and tricks you’ll come away with.
The crowds and loud noises at festivals can get a little much sometimes, so if you need to take a break from it all, why not stop by and chat to some of the brilliant charities that will be pitching a stall?
We’ve featured some of the local charities and friendly faces you can expect to see around!
Likewise
A drug and alcohol support service with a community hub based in Shalesmoor Their ethos is “no judgement, no pressure and no expectations”, and they are willing to offer help however it is needed They offer advice and a range of treatments should they be required and will be on hand to answer any questions in what can often be a stigmatised area
Sheffield Mind
We know how overwhelming events of this size can be, the music, the people, the sights and smells If it does get too much for you then Sheffield Mind are on hand to help Their sensory area is there for anyone who needs somewhere to relax and regulate and will be a haven those who identify as autistic, neurodivergent or sensitive to over-stimulation.
Samaritans
Samaritans is a free, national helpline that provides a listening ear to anyone in need of emotional support, day or night Their helplines are run entirely by dedicated, trained volunteers, and open 24/7
Volunteers from the Sheffield branch will be at the festival, ready to tell you more about the service they provide, and why it’s so important to talk
UN Women
This governmental body champions women’s human rights through programmes and policy development to ensure that every girl and woman has the opportunity to reach her full potential. From education and health to ending violence towards women and girls, this stall’s organisers are sure to have important information for us all to come away with
Stand Up Against Street Harassment by L’Oreal Paris
An on-site training course to help people safely intervene if they witness or experience harassment in public spaces The course takes around 5 minutes to complete and, in exchange for completing the course, L’Oreal Paris will gift a free festival beauty to goodie in return
Accessibility
Tramlines has held a ‘Gold Status’ from Attitude is Everything, a disability-led charity that improves deaf and disabled people’s access to live music since 2021, making the festival accessible to all Tramlines also works with Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind to create an audio guide for attendees that require one and is committed to an accessibility ‘Charter of Best Practice’.
Imagesprovidedby1625Outreach
1625 Outreach
1625 Outreach offer non-judgmental, fact-based information and support surrounding drugs and alcohol
They’ll be at Tramlines all weekend to offer support and resources, giving you the knowledge, skills and confidence that you need to make informed choices to keep yourself and others aware, safe and well
This includes:
Advice and information about specific drugs and alcohol
Tips and advice on staying safe whilst having a good time
Information and resources to protect yourself from spiking
Stay Low, Go Slow
Pace yourself when using drugs or alcohol By taking it slowly, you reduce the risks and are more likely to enjoy the weekend.
If you’re planning to use drugs or alcohol during the Tramlines weekend, remember ‘stay low, go slow’
For advice, queries or concerns speak to the 1625 Outreach team at their stall near T’Other Stage next to the Ghost Train, or send them a DM on Instagram @1625 Outreach
