The first wave of artists set to take the stage at next year’s Shambala festival have been announced and among them is Bob Vylan, returning after their performance in 2024.
For supporters of independent, confrontational music and politically engaged art, the prospect of Bob Vylan headlining Shambala is a bold and welcome statement. The two piece punk-rap outfit are known for fusing grime, punk and rap-rock, with lyrics confronting systemic racism, inequality, and political incompetence.
Shambala bills itself as “the most fiercely independent, seriously silly, wildly creative and radically sustainable” festival – a space for music, art, activism, community, and freedom of expression. It is no question that Bob Vylan’s refusal to play by mainstream music industry rules will align with the ethos of independence and counter culture at Shambala.
However Bob Vylan have faced a considerable amount of controversy this year. Their performance at Glastonbury included chants referencing the Israeli military – resulting in condemnation from right-wing media outlets, a police review, and revoked visas in the US. Their readiness to push boundaries makes them a “risky” headliner in the eyes of the British press, however reactions on social media have been overwhelmingly positive so far. For many festival-goers, especially the more socially conscious attendees, it would be a rare chance to experience a headline act that doesn’t just entertain, but demands attention.
Shambala’s choice to book Bob Vylan, potentially as a headline, signals ambition: to evolve beyond comfort-zone programming and to underline the festival’s identity as rebellious, independent, socially-engaged. It suggests that Shambala wants to challenge narrative spread by the mainstream British press, and show to other festival organisers the importance of showing integrity and solidarity to the industry, even when it is under attack.
In the meantimne, as part of their “We Won’t Go Quietly Tour”, Bob Vylan currently have several dates scheduled across the UK and Ireland. For late 2025, they will play:
- O2 Institute Birmingham on Thursday December 4 2025.
Due to recent controversy and pressure, two previously scheduled northern-England shows have been postponed and rescheduled for early 2026:
- Manchester Academy – now set for Thursday February 5 2026.
- O2 Academy Leeds – rescheduled for Saturday February 7 2026.
At the moment, the band say all other dates on the tour remain on track – and that tickets originally purchased for the postponed shows remain valid.
