TRNSMT FESTIVAL 2025 – THE ROUND UP

That’s right, folks, it’s that time of year again. Scotland’s biggest music festival, “TRNSMT”, has returned to Glasgow Green, but did this year’s lineup turn out to be the best yet? Or were there a few mistakes? This year marked my fourth year attending. So let’s discuss!

FRIDAY:

Friday set the tone with hip-hop icon 50 Cent, who commanded the main stage with undeniable swagger. His old singles, such as “In Da Club” and “Candy Shop,” elicited nostalgic sing-alongs from the audience, and his easy stage presence reminded everyone why he is still a phenomenon. Earlier that evening, The Script filled the air with nostalgia through their feel-good anthems, such as “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved,” “Breakeven,” and “Hall of Fame,” resulting in a shared moment of euphoria as the sun set over the Glasgow cityscape.

Several remarkable performances took place on various stages during the afternoon, including a vibrant concert by Good Neighbours, whose breezy indie-pop style instantly boosted the crowd. Arthur Hill, with his genuine story and sincere vocal delivery, also impressed, demonstrating why he’s one to watch in the coming years.

As the night drew in, Glasgow Green was lively as Nashville-based country star Tanner Adell took to the stage, performing her catchy, feel-good country-pop tunes that kept the crowd’s energy high. Then came the infectious party atmosphere brought by the incredible Aussie duo Confidence Man, whose dance-punk anthems had the crowd dancing and fully engaged despite the heat. This was easily one of the best sets of the weekend, but you can’t expect much less from Confidence Man, one of the best live acts in the industry.

Earlier that day, Twin Atlantic brought their rock-driven energy, energising the crowd with passionate performances of fan favourites. Meanwhile, The Royston Club kept the indie spirit alive with their melodic and engaging tunes. The mix of high-energy bangers, heartfelt rock, and fresh indie sounds made Friday a lively start to the TRNSMT weekend.

SATURDAY:

Saturday featured the big names, with Scottish legends Biffy Clyro ending the festival with perhaps the most incredible set of the weekend. Their concert was an explosive blend of old and new, with soaring choruses, dazzling pyrotechnics, rockets, and scorching guitars that pumped excitement through the audience.

Saturday marked the return of my favourite band, “Inhaler”, to the Green, and this was one of their best performances. I may be biased. These boys know how to work a festival audience, and this was one of their best performances. I believe this was my 24th time seeing them, and I didn’t get tickets to their most recent Glasgow gig, so today was my chance to hear the brand-new album “Open Wide” in person, and it was just as fantastic live as it is on record! The frontman, Elijah Hewson, the son of Irish artist Bono, is honing his father’s style and building a name for himself in the independent rock scene.

Just before Biffy took to the stage, Irish rockers Fontaines D.C. drew one of the most enormous crowds with their gritty post-punk sound, captivating viewers with forceful delivery and raw passion, demonstrating why they are festival favourites with a devoted fan base. It’s only a matter of time before Fontaines returns to lead TRNSMT. You can’t take your eyes off frontman Grian Chatten; his stage presence is incredible.

Earlier that day, upcoming pop sensation Alessi Rose made her TRNSMT debut on the main stage, and wow… what a set! I have been a fan of Alessi for several years, so I knew what to expect; however, I was still blown away. Her stage presence has improved immensely; it’s genuinely no wonder she was chosen to support Dua Lipa in stadiums!

But don’t worry, the pop girlies were well fed, as just a few hours later we were treated to an electric performance from the Norwegian superstar “Sigrid”, who delivered a high-energy set which had the whole crowd screaming and dancing along in the 32-degree weather, something Sigrid mentioned in an interview she found extremely difficult to perform in. She didn’t feel like it was her best set, as she felt a bit under the weather, but you honestly couldn’t tell whatsoever.

Throughout the hustle and bustle on the main stage, I hopped over to catch some of the incredible upcoming artists at King Tuts, which saw the likes of Hot Wax, YouTube star James Marriott, indie legend Jake Bugg, and the electronic powerhouses Underworld.

We also caught an incredible performance from the new Glasgow-based rock ‘n’ roll rising stars, “The Rooks”, over on the BBC Introducing stage. These boys are the only independent band on the entire lineup, and that alone is incredible. I have been supporting them for a while now, and it’s safe to say they are the true embodiment of the saying, “If you work hard, results will follow.” I’ve never met a band so dedicated to their craft, and all of their hard work over the past few years has finally paid off!

SUNDAY

Have you ever heard of people camping outside at a music festival? I’m not sure, but wow… Gracie Abrams fans are truly dedicated! Fans began queuing outside Glasgow Green at 3 a.m., hoping to secure a spot on the barricade to see their favourite artist up close. While I believe this is ridiculous and extremely pointless, it demonstrates how much people care about seeing her.

Sunday’s headliners, Snow Patrol, delivered a heartfelt, atmospheric set that felt like a soundtrack to the fading summer light. From the melancholy of “Chasing Cars” to the uplifting “Run”, their performance was packed with emotion and connection. I wasn’t sure what to expect from their set and thought it was an odd choice headline-wise, and unfortunately, my expectations weren’t met. I honestly found this set to be disappointing. Sure, they had their hits, which got the crowd going, but in between, it was radio silence. Compared to the previous sets from pop stars Jade and Gracie Abrams, who I felt should’ve headlined.

American sensation Gracie Abrams took to the stage just before them with an intimate, heartfelt set — her delicate vocals and sincere songwriting cutting through the heat and earning her a wave of new fans. While I expected a much larger crowd for her, given that she was one of the opening acts for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” last year, she certainly energised the audience, with fans of all ages singing every lyric back to her. One of my favourite elements of her set was her profound storytelling and outstanding songwriting. I adore Gracie’s music and was super excited to see her perform live, but with her mentioning this as her last show in Europe for a while, I knew I had to be there. And wow… I’m so glad I was! This was easily one of my favourite sets.

But just before Gracie stepped onto the Green, “JADE”, who rose to fame as part of the world-famous girl group Little Mix, took to the stage with high-energy choreography, stunning visuals, incredible high notes, and a valid pop star package. Her set was packed with hits like “Angel Of My Dreams”, “FUFN (Fuck You For Now)”, “Plastic Box”, and “Midnight Cowboy”, showcasing her vocal talent and cementing her status as an “It Girl”. This was easily my favourite set of the entire festival, and having seen her a few weeks earlier at Mighty Hoopla, I knew we were in for a good time. JADE certainly didn’t disappoint; the crowd, however, was incredibly disappointing. TRNSMT is usually known for having some of the best crowds in the UK, but I think the heat screwed everybody over this year because the energy just didn’t seem the same as usual. Sure, they were singing along to her Little Mix hits, “Sweet Melody”, “Shout Out to My Ex”, and “Touch”, but the rest of the set was tranquil, sadly. However, this proved to be a common occurrence all weekend, even during the headline acts.

On the BBC Introducing stage, rising sensation Ben Ellis delivered a stunning performance. I’ve seen Ben perform a few times before, but this time he’s with a full band, and a fantastic one at that! Throughout his show, his guitarists interacted with the audience, jumping upon speakers and conversing with them, among other things. This was hands down one of the best sets I’ve seen all weekend, and it’s got me even more excited for his headline tour in a few months!

Now, while I absolutely loved attending and shooting this year’s festival, we need to address the elephant in the room. TRNSMT has a history of failing to book female headliners. While the gender balance on this year’s list has improved noticeably, the fact that the top three headliners are all male is somewhat disheartening. Gracie Abrams and Jade delivered the best sets of the day, and they are the acts that everyone is talking about, so they should have been the perfect one-two punch to round up the weekend in style.