Photo Credit: BBC Pictures

Catch all the action from Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool across BBC TV, radio and online.

Over the course of the bank holiday weekend, multiple festivals took place across the UK, with BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend significantly contributing to the start of the 2025 festival season. Bringing three days of live music to Liverpool’s Sefton Park, the festival plays host to a series of big-named headliners, a packed main stage line-up that includes some throwback pop acts, and an introducing stage that features up-and-coming local acts looking to entertain every possible audience they can attract.

The main stage opened with a short but pleasing performance from Liverpool indie-rock trio THE WOMBATS, who recently finished a massive run of gigs in the US and the UK. ‘Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come‘ was the crowd-warmer as they opened their set with a song from their most recent album ‘Oh! The Ocean‘, before launching into a string of fan favourites. While the more guitar-driven ‘Lemon to a Knife Fight‘ saw the band become more relaxed as the set went on, it was ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division‘ that saw the energy in the field pick up. Joining them on stage were a bunch of people dressed in wombat suits and a surprise appearance from Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams being unveiled to the crowd as the song ended. ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)‘ maintained the positive vibes around the festival site at an all-time high. The positive energy both on and off stage continued into ‘Moving to New York‘ and then ‘Greek Tragedy‘ to round off THE WOMBATS‘ homecoming.

Scotland trio BIFFY CLYRO made their debut at the event back in 2007 on the New Music Stage, and they have since become a worldwide sensation. Since returning to the festival in 2010 for a major stage slot, BIFFY has become one of the most featured names since the event’s inception. They have since headlined the main stage in 2013, the New Music stage again in 2016, a main stage slot in 2017, and even a remote recording for the 2020 edition. Just before the Kilmarnock rockers made their entrance, the main stage crowd was at its busiest and once they appeared, the noise level reached an all-time high.

BIFFY kicked off their first Liverpool performance in almost four years with their new (and unreleased) track ‘A Little Love‘, having only performed it live for the first time the night previous. The track received a very strong reaction from the crowd and with nine songs to get through, it was clear that a bunch of fan favourites were about to be unveiled. The upbeat ‘Tiny Indoor Fireworks‘ served as a perfect follow-up to get people singing along, and the Big Weekend crowd didn’t disappoint. The poignant ‘Biblical‘ touched the hearts of their fanbase, while ‘Black Chandelier‘ has peoples voices heard once again before the final two explosive tracks. Both ‘Bubbles‘ and ‘Many of Horror‘, taken from their ‘Only Revolutions’ masterpiece continue to remain BIFFY‘s strongest tracks to date.

From the Future Sounds stage in 2022, Bedford-born TOM GRENNAN topped the bill to close out the Friday line-up. Having moved up to the main stage opening slot in 2023, GRENNAN has now gone on to secure a headline slot for the 2025 edition of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

The positive energy in Sefton Park persisted even as the rain started to sprinkle down on the Liverpool festival goers. Following a triumphant introduction by Greg James and The Tratiors’ Minah Shannon, GRENNAN stepped onto the stage to a thunderous cheer. The crowd joined in on the right from the off for his first charting single, ‘Found What I’ve Been Looking For‘. The reception after the first song was mesmerising, GRENNAN removed his sunglasses to take in the what was unfolding in front of him. A much more lively energy soon unfolded for ‘How Does It Feel?‘ to keep the party going and unleashing into the new era with ‘Higher‘ set up a flawless opening bunch of songs for his monumental set.

A surprise special guest in the form of ELLA HENDERSON joined TOM on stage for ‘Let’s Go Home Together‘, showcasing a beautiful moment between the two as they brought the song to life in front of the Liverpool audience. After voicing his appreciation to BBC Radio 1 for all the support they have given him over the years, GRENNAN performed his latest single ‘Full Attention’. The special guests didn’t stop there though, local superstar MELANIE C making her hometown appearance whilst donning a Liverpool FC jersey. TOM made a quick wardrobe change into an Everton FC shirt to unite the fanbases for a brief moment before covering ‘When You’re Gone‘ by Bryan Adams.

Adding to the special guest line-up, KSI made his way on stage to perform ‘Not Over Yet‘, which had the spectators singing along once more, the final special guest of the night THE ZUTONS bringing ‘Valerie‘ to the festival stage once again, receiving an almighty singalong form the Liverpool crowd as expected. Taking it back to the very start, GRENNAN ended his set with an acoustic rendition of his debut single ‘Something In the Water‘ to bring the evening to a calming close whilst a roaring Liverpool audience applauded his stand-out performance.

Catch all the action from Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool across BBC TV, radio and online.