Tiny UK Festivals Draw the Crowds During Glastonbury's Fallow Year
With the festival giant on a break, grassroots events offering intimacy and eccentric line-ups are winning over fans seeking a less corporate experience.
Sophie Bennett 3 min read
Live music
The latest live music news, headlines and analysis from The NE Times.
Becky Hill answers fans after surprise TRNSMT set draws mixed reaction
Singer responds to reports that sections of the crowd booed when she used a surprise appearance at Scotland's festival to debut new music rather than the familiar hits.
Sophie Bennett 3 min read
Nottingham's Splendour Festival prepares for its final weekend
Organisers say rising costs and a tougher festival market have made the long-running Wollaton Park event unsustainable.
Sophie Bennett 3 min read
Hayley Williams turns her Roundhouse show into a restless solo statement
At a charged London gig, the Paramore frontwoman framed her solo catalogue as a defiantly genre-fluid body of work, moving between rock, pop, R&B and punk energy in a set praised for its intimacy and intent.
Sophie Bennett 5 min read
UK Grassroots Music Venues Campaign Returns For Summer
The Independent and Music Venue Trust relaunch the Main Stage campaign, spotlighting the independent venues fighting to stay open.
Sophie Bennett 3 min read
Bad Bunny's sold-out London shows become a UK Latino cultural moment
With around 100,000 fans expected across two nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Bad Bunny's only UK dates are being read as a landmark for Spanish-language pop in Britain.
Sophie Bennett 5 min read
Harry Styles filmed jogging to his own Wembley show in viral fan moment
A clip of Harry Styles running through London towards one of his Wembley Stadium dates has spread quickly, blending the scale of stadium pop with the low-key image of a city runner.
Sophie Bennett 4 min read
The Cure crown a nostalgia-soaked Isle of Wight Festival
Reviews from the 2026 Isle of Wight Festival placed The Cure's headline set at the centre of a weekend built on heritage, scale and communal release, underlining the enduring pull of legacy artists.
Sophie Bennett 5 min read
Ariana Grande launches her first tour in seven years with the residency-style 'Eternal Sunshine Tour'
The pop star opened her long-awaited return to the road in Oakland, adopting a multi-night residency format across each city and pointing towards a new album later in the summer.
Sophie Bennett 7 min read
Beyoncé shifts the 'Cowboy Carter' era into tour mode as 2026 live plans take shape
Following a record-breaking album and tour cycle, industry attention turns to how the Houston star will translate her genre-bending country project into a fresh run of live dates.
Sophie Bennett 7 min read
Phoebe Bridgers announces 'The Lost Tour 2026' and teases her first album since 'Punisher'
After a run of surprise pop-up shows and a sold-out acoustic set at Madison Square Garden, the songwriter is heading out on a full autumn tour with new music on the way and a charitable twist on ticket sales.
Sophie Bennett 7 min read