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Sam Fender’s headline slot is no surprise. With two Number 1 albums already under his belt, he’s set to release his highly anticipated third album, ‘People Watching’, in February. Fender’s summer tour doesn’t kick off until June, meaning fans at the Big Weekend will be among the first to hear the album’s new material.  

Blossoms are still riding high after their Number 1 album ‘Gary’, released last year, and Wet Leg, who headlined at 2023’s Big Weekend, make a return to the festival after three years of extensive touring.  

Lola Young knocked Gracie Abrams off the top of the UK Charts last week with her hit ‘Messy’, and featured on Tyler, The Creator’s October album, ‘CHROMAKOPIA’. Myles Smith played the  Music Introducing stage at last year’s Big Weekend, and called it a “dream come true” to return to the festival. Smith was also shortlisted for the BBC Introducing Sound of 2025 Award, eventually coming 4th.

This year’s Big Weekend marks the event’s first return to the North West since 2007, when it was held in Preston. Liverpool’s iconic Sefton Park will play host this year, as part of a busy first half of the year which will also see the park hosting a candlelight concert and a DJ set from Danny Rampling.  

The format has changed over its two-decade-long history, with stages coming and going, but if the previous years are to be repeated, then fans will be treated to four different stages. With the Main Stage, Future Sounds, Dance Stage, and BBC Introducing, there will be plenty of acts to see for fans of all genres.

Quality lineup so far guys

— John Hamilton (@stigcocard) January 28, 2025

BBC Radio 1’s Head of Station, Aled Haydn Jones, said: “We’re thrilled to bring Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 to Liverpool. Liverpool’s vibrant music scene and rich history make it the perfect setting for this iconic event. It’s set to be an unmissable weekend.” 

Taking place over 23-25 May, the festival lines up with the final day of the Premier League season. With Liverpool Football Club on track to lift the trophy, the city could become euphoric, making the weekend even more special for those lucky enough to attend. 

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Tickets for the Big Weekend used to be free, but this changed in recent years, with 2024’s tickets costing £34 all in. They are released in batches and will prioritise local residents first. This approach has led to the BBC saying the event brings superstars to your doorstep, and it’s hard to argue with them when they have Sabrina Carpenter performing in Luton, and The Jonas Brothers in Dundee. 

The Big Weekend kicks off the UK’s festival season and is followed by the likes of Download Festival and Glastonbury in the following month. The first phase of tickets can be expected to be released toward the end of March and anybody wanting to snag a ticket should keep an eye out for any announcements.

It is the UK’s largest festival that celebrates African and Caribbean music and culture. In the spirit of celebrating Oye’s philosophy, which is considered to be: ‘free and open to all’, the event will be free of charge. Their funding partners are officially listed and they include the Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council.

The festival originally began in 1992 in the form of small performances in the heart of Liverpool’s city centre, and over the decades it has risen in popularity. To account for the growing audience, the festival moved to Sefton Park in 2002.

Headlining Acts

It was announced 3 days ago (27th February) that the two headlining acts will be Les Amazones d’Afrique and Julian Marley. Les Amazones d’Afrique are an all female, contemporary world-music group who embrace international voices to blur cultural boundaries, and will close the show on the 22nd. Julian Marley, the ninth son of the beloved and late Bob Marley (1945-1981) who helped introduce Reggae music to the world, will perform the following day. He will be glistening in his post-Grammy glow for Best Reggae Album which was awarded to him on February 5th, 2024. More of the main stage artists are yet to revealed, but will be very soon. 

According to BBC, the art director of the festival, Paul Duhaney, said: 

“Les Amazones d’Afrique are the definition of a supergroup – so much talent coming together to create something really special … And with Julian Marley you’ve got a reggae superstar who has truly emerged from his father’s shadow … You don’t win Grammys without being an incredible talent in your own right and it’ll be a Sunday night for the history books when he closes the festival this year”.

Transcending Cultural Boundaries

This festival is more than a tribute to African culture. It will challenge misrepresentations of African culture, which in the narrow Eurocentric view is attached to images of war, poverty, famine and diseases. (It can also be understood as a way to challenge Bob Geldof’s representation of famine in Band Aid’s 1984 Christmas classic ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’) Therefore, the festival aims to challenge these images and assumptions of reality through their beautiful and eclectic abundance of foods, intricate cultures, artists and music. There will be a total of 90 stalls which will sell the most popular African food and drinks, as well as fashion and arts and crafts.

According to The Sunday Times: “This isn’t just the largest festival of African and Caribbean music in Britain, it’s the best.” 

Overall, Liverpool is the place to be this summer season. This festival is more than a performance of international voices, but sets an intention to transcend assumptions and celebrate multi-culturalism without geographical boundaries.

#Festival | What a feeling to be able to bring our live events back to Liverpool again! Thank you @FRfestivals + to everyone who came along, hugged, danced and took your tests!

Together we will be able to bring you more live events again sooner #HereForCulture @DCMS pic.twitter.com/Suo0Q2jTRi

— Culture Liverpool (@CultureLPool) May 3, 2021

Liverpool’s Sefton Park usually holds 7,500 people. The only condition of entry this time was a negative lateral flow test and the participants all had to agree to take part in the Government Research Programme studying safety of mass events. As per BBC: “Scientists are also studying other factors like audience movement and interaction, ventilation, duration, catering and alcohol consumption. Mysterious people with clipboards wandered around making notes”. It has to be done before the summer festivals go ahead after 21st June when the UK will enter stage four on the road map.

Headlining last night’s festival was indie band Blossoms performed at a giant tent looking like a circus. The band’s last gig was on 15th March 2020, just before lockdown. Liverpool reporter Jess Flaherty said about their show: “When Blossoms took to the stage, the crowd was united in its joy and excitement”. She added: “After a few songs, lead singer Tom Ogden spoke to the crowd and said: “Good evening, you beautiful, beautiful people. These things are meant to be spontaneous… you’re going to have the best night you’ve had for a very, very long time.” 

The moment it all came back. @blossomsband performing at the Sefton Park Pilot, the UK’s first gig without any Covid restrictions. What a beautiful thing pic.twitter.com/bnu5JlzVan

— Radio X (@RadioX) May 2, 2021

The concert also featured The Lathums and Zuzu. Melvin Benn, boss of  Festival Republic, a company which organised and promoted this gig said: “The punters will just be able to behave as though COVID had never happened. The whole world will be looking at it. You know how many gigs I’ve been involved in, but this is the most historic. I’m just so excited by it.” 

We’ll cherish this moment forever. Thank you Liverpool x pic.twitter.com/SPjV0fcuHo — THE LATHUMS (@TheLathums) May 2, 2021

Footages shared online shows music lovers dancing and singing along. Last Sunday event gave a taste of what life was pre Covid-19 and also what might come this summer.