Festival Preview: TRAMLINES – SHEFFIELD’S BIGGEST PARTY JUL 21-23 2023

The 15th edition of Tramlines Festival, has just got bigger with the addition of even more music and quirky entertainment for the 2023 event.

Taking place over three-days at Hillsborough Park, Sheffield from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd July, this latest announcement also reveals the lineup of Tramlines’ very own pub, The Open Arms. Famed for its weird and wonderful acts and games, its‘Speakers Corner’ bill of lyricists and spoken word artists curated by former Sheffield Poet Laureate Otis Mensah, and crowd-pulling DJ sets programmed by the Leadmill, there’s a lot more now in store for the celebratory event.

A whopping number of artists have already been announced for Tramlines 2023, which includes Richard Ashcroft, Courteeners, Paul Heaton (plus special guest singer), Sugababes, the DMA’s and so much more. Along with the UK’s 2023 Eurovision entrant, Mae Muller. Sam Ryder road blocked the second stage in his appearance last year,so Mae Muller is expected to follow suit!

The Leadmill stage is of major interest to Soundsphere as it hosts some of the finest up and coming bands over the weekend – such as Dead Pony, Wunderhorse, Deadletter, The Beths and Delilah Bon to name just a handful of emerging talent being showcased.

Unfortunately,the previously announced Beebadoobe can no longer play at Tramlines, fear not however, as organisers have added more chart-topping names including the outstanding voice of Ella Henderson, and Professor Green who’s back with a new EP later this year. The hotly tipped shoegaze-Britpop outfit Chappaqua Wrestling have also been added alongside even more scorching talent including indie rap punk three-piece, Bilk, The K’s, Bonnie Kemplay and Pattern & Push 2022 winner, Sarinity Jones.

The Open Arms stage has been an absolute hit with festival goers ever since its arrival in 2021 for its buzzing atmosphere and cabaret-style billing. Tramlines is thrilled to reveal the return of Shaun Williams’ Barrioke for 2023 which pulls in one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. There will be sing-a-longs galore with Hip Hop Karaoke and Tragedy – Heavy Metal Bee Gees from NYC, games from Musical Bingo and Shell Suit Cher Bingo, world music from The Mariachis and German oompah band Brasswurst, and many more not-to-missed performances including, The Daniel Wakeford Experience, and the band born out of Sheffield’s disability arts charity, Under The Stars.

The Open Arms is also host to ‘Speakers Corner’, the only place on site to discover cutting edge lyricists, insightful poets and spoken word artists. Poet and hip-hop artist himself, Otis Mensah, is back to programme an exciting mix of talent that includes, San Diego rapper RoQy TyRaiD, a takeover from Sheffield’s urban lyricist competition Slambarz featuring The 1 Devotion and Young Eman, the caressing tones of Aka Kelzz, the emerging talents of poet Tai Ògún, Sheffield’s newest Poet Laureate, Danaë Wellington, and so much more.

Dominic Heslop, Co-founder of Slambarz said, “We are so grateful for the opportunity to showcase the incredible talent, charisma and artistry that our young musicians possess. At Slambarz we strongly advocate live performance to enhance the connection between artists, audience and the community. Tramlines is one of biggest music festivals in the UK, renowned for its colossal headline acts, diverse culture and exponent of grassroots musicians and we’re very happy to be involved.”

And if that wasn’t enough, The Open Arms will also stage party-starting DJ sets when some of Sheffield’s favourite club brands takeover. Expect to flex the vocal cords and do some serious shape-throwing when The Sound -A Celebration of the 1975, ABBA Party, and the Club Tropicana DJs take control of the sound desk.

There ain’t no party like a Tramlines party more details on www.tramlines.org.uk. Soundsphere will be there for the whole weekend so check back daily to see whats going on.