Goldenvoice announces Coachella 2025 sideshows
Goldenvoice has announced its annual lineup of sideshows for this year’s Coachella Valley Arts & Music Festival.
Goldenvoice Presents April comprises more than 30 intimate concerts by artists due to perform at the 125,000-capacity festival in California.
Jimmy Eat World, Djo, Lola Young, Basement Jaxx, beabadoobee and Beth Gibbons are among the artists lined up for the concert series, slated for the fortnight before Coachella in venues across Southern California.
Participating venues include The Roxy Theatre, El Rey Theatre, Fonda Theatre, The Novo, Fox Theater Pomona, The Glass House Pomona, The Orpheum, Sound Nightclub, Belly Up, Music Box, and The Sound.
Coachella will return for a 24th instalment between 11–13 and 18–20 April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, headlined by Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone and Travis Scott.
Goldenvoice Presents April comprises more than 30 intimate concerts by artists due to perform at Coachella 2025
Malone has been confirmed to close out both Sundays, following his headline performance at Coachella’s sister event Stagecoach this year.
It is Gaga’s second time as a Coachella headliner, following her appearance in 2017 when she filled in for a pregnant Beyoncé.
Green Day will play Coachella as a band for the first time, although frontman Billie Joe Armstrong performed as part of the Replacements in 2014.
Scott is billed as the fourth headliner, occupying the same spot on the poster that No Doubt did in 2024 with the tagline “Travis Scott designs the desert”.
Other major acts lined up for Coachella 2025 include Missy Elliott, Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion, solo performances from BLACKPINK‘s Lisa and Jennie, Benson Boone, the original Misfits, Zedd, The Prodigy, FKA Twigs, Clairo, Enhypen and more.
Goldenvoice Presents April dates are as follows:
Wednesday, April 9 – Blonde Redhead – Belly Up (San Diego)
Wednesday, April 9 – The Dare with Kumo 99 – The Glass House
Wednesday, April 9 – The Go-Go’s – The Roxy Theatre
Wednesday, April 9 – Thee Sacred Souls with Los Yesterdays – Fox Theater Pomona
Thursday, April 10 – Eyedress – El Rey Theatre
Thursday, April 10 – Jimmy Eat World with Glixen – Fox Theater Pomona
Friday, April 11 – Alok presents Something Else – Sound Nightclub
Saturday, April 12 – Sparrow & Barbossa – Sound Nightclub
Monday, April 14 – Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 + Los Mirlos – The Roxy Theatre
Monday, April 14 – Still Woozy – The Glass House
Monday, April 14 – Together Pangea with Prison Affair – El Rey Theatre
Tuesday, April 15 – Afrojack presents Kapuchon – Sound Nightclub
Tuesday, April 15 – Djo with Post Animal – Fox Theater Pomona
Tuesday, April 15 – GloRilla with Real Boston Richy – The Novo
Tuesday, April 15 – Lola Young with Bob Vylan – Fonda Theatre
Tuesday, April 15 – Miike Snow – The Glass House
Tuesday, April 15 – Speed with HiTech – The Roxy Theatre
Wednesday, April 16 – Djo – The Sound (San Diego)
Wednesday, April 16 – DIXON + Jimi Jules + Yulia Niko – Sound Nightclub
Wednesday, April 16 – Hope Tala – Music Box (San Diego)
Wednesday, April 16 – julie + Fcukers – The Glass House
Wednesday, April 16 – Maribou State with Shermanology – The Roxy Theatre
Wednesday, April 16 – Parcels with Ginger Root – Fox Theater Pomona
Wednesday, April 16 – SAINt JHN – The Novo
Thursday, April 17 – Basement Jaxx (LIVE) – Fonda Theatre
Thursday, April 17 – beabadoobee with Pretty Sick + Keni Titus – Fox Theater Pomona
Thursday, April 17 – Beth Gibbons with Bill Ryder Jones – The Orpheum Theater
Thursday, April 17 – Dennis Cruz + Beltran – Sound Nightclub
Thursday, April 17 – El Malilla + Judeline – The Roxy Theatre
Thursday, April 17 – Kneecap with Soft Play – The Glass House
Thursday, April 17 – Medium Build – El Rey Theatre
Thursday, April 17 – Underscores – Music Box (San Diego)
Friday, April 18 – Eli Brown – Sound Nightclub
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Attitude is Everything relaunches live charter
Disabled-led charity Attitude is Everything has overhauled its Live Events Access Charter in an effort to further improve accessibility to live events.
The charter was relaunched at a celebratory event held on Wednesday (12 February) at London’s Sinfonia Smith Square, attended by more than 200 guests, supporters and partners. The evening was sponsored by LIVE, PRS for Music, PPL, Halo and MPA.
The revamped charter, which reflects the expansion of Attitude is Everything’s activities, will now operate as a “comprehensive and dynamic online learning platform”, offering charter members “access to user-friendly and accessible resources, templates and guidance”.
“I’m really excited that we’re presenting a new charter that integrates our learning around improving access for artists and professionals, our learnings around environmental responsibility, and that attempts to embed an inclusive culture through everything we do,” says Attitude is Everything interim MD Paul Hawkins. “We’re confident our relaunched charter will give greater transparency to venues and audiences, and give them greater opportunities to learn new practices and demonstrate tangible change.”
It will also now “actively ensure” that access intersects with sustainability, community building and the experiences of artists and professionals, and will use the new online platform to track trends across membership to help spot where the industry needs more support.
“Our new charter isn’t just about compliance – it’s about embedding accessibility as a core value in the live events sector,” adds Alex Covell, Attitude is Everything’s interim head of live events access. “Celebrating this achievement with funders, partners, sector friends, and colleagues in person at Sinfonia Smith Square felt important and special – not just for Attitude is Everything, but for the live events sector as a whole.”
“Live music is a joyous communal experience enriched by taking place in inclusive and accessible spaces”
Attitude is Everything, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, has awarded charter status to more than 210 venues and festivals to date.
“Every year we build brilliant festivals that bring joy, music and wonder to millions,” says Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO John Rostron. “Our gift is that we then have 12 months to reimagine what the festival will look like, and we can constantly create, innovate and improve. This is one wonderful reason why festivals lead on accessibility – they’re more nimble and free to listen, adapt and change – and the new charter is a great framework and measure by which we can all be better for the good of us all.”
The launch evening culminated in four brand-new Live Events Access Charter Awards, recognising innovation, creativity, and commitment to making live events more inclusive. Honourees were: Nottingham venue Metronome (Impact Award), Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival (Operations Award), Lytham Festival (Production Award) and Mark Schofield (Outward Voice Award) for his enthusiasm and contributions as a Mystery Shopper.
“One of LIVE’s core values is that UK live music should be accessible to all – on and off stage and in the audience,” adds LIVE CEO Jon Collins. “In seeking to live those values, LIVE could not ask for a better partner than Attitude is Everything. We are therefore delighted to offer our support for the revised Live Events Access Charter.
“Live music is a joyous communal experience enriched by taking place in inclusive and accessible spaces. It is great, therefore, that the Charter serves as a clear way for our venues and festivals to evidence their commitment to inclusion – a commitment made in the knowledge it improves the experience for us all.”
More information and sign-up details about the Live Events Access Charter is available here.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Victoria announces $50k grants for music festivals
The Australian state of Victoria is offering grants of up to AU$ 50,000 to local festival organisers.
Operators of festivals with more than 1,000 attendees will be eligible to apply for a grant from 25 February as part of a new round of the Labor Government’s Live Music Festivals Fund delivered by Music Victoria.
The first round of the Fund in 2024 awarded grants to 22 festivals, with almost two-thirds from regional Victoria.
“Victoria’s music festivals are the lifeblood of communities across our state,” says minister for creative industries Colin Brooks.
“They provide jobs for event workers, they’re a rite of passage for young music lovers, and they provide real opportunity for artists to build their careers. Music festivals across the country have faced a challenging time, and we are proud to back our much-loved local festivals and the communities that host them.”
The news arrives after the cancellation of at least three Victoria festivals: Hello Sunshine, Chapel Street and Souled Out.
The cancellation of the R&B-focused touring festival Souled Out was announced today, just weeks before it was due to kick off.
Organisers noted that the festival “did not reach the level of support needed to remain financially viable”.
Souled Out was due to visit Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with a range of American headliners including Jhené Aiko, Don Toliver, Vince Staples and 6lack.
“Music festivals across the country have faced a challenging time”
Family-friendly event Hello Sunshine was set to return to Melbourne for its third year and debut on the Gold Coast this March.
Organisers cited low ticket sales and rising production costs as reasons for the cancellation.
Stone Temple Pilots, Smash Mouth, Wolfmother, Kasey Chambers, Rogue Traders, and Drapht were on tap to headline the event.
The long-awaited revival of Melbourne’s Chapel Street Festival was axed just weeks before it was due to take place, though a reason wasn’t given.
“This decision reflects our determination to create a festival that not only meets but exceeds expectations for our vibrant community,” said organisers in a statement.
Last held in 2000, the Chapel Street Festival was initially planned to return in 2023 but was ultimately not held as planned. Its latest revival was announced in November, with organisers expecting roughly 100,000 visitors to the precinct.
The Australian festival business has experienced a turbulent couple of years with rafts of cancellations across the board.
Hopes that the crisis-hit sector could reverse course were squashed at the beginning of this year when two major festivals, Splendour in the Grass and Groovin The Moo, announced they would forego another festival season.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
North Sea Jazz mourns ‘driving force’ Jos Acket
North Sea Jazz Festival (NSJF) has remembered Jos Acket as a “driving force behind the scenes” in the wake of her passing aged 91.
Born in The Hague, Acket was the widow of the Mojo Concerts-promoted Dutch festival’s founder Paul Acket and handled the business side of the operation.
“The festival owes a lot to her determination, gut feeling and business sense,” says the festival team. “Jos worked intensively for the festival in the 70s, 80s and early 90s and was involved in all important decision-making.”
After Paul Acket died in 1992, she handed over the management of the festival to Mojo, which had also been involved in the inaugural edition in 1976.
In 2005 she received NSJF’s Bird Award (since renamed the Paul Acket Award) in recognition of her contribution to the event.
“We remember Jos as an extraordinary and strong woman with a great passion for arts and culture”
“Although Jos Acket had not been actively involved in the organisation for many years, her love for the festival remained strong,” adds the tribute. “She continued to attend the festival with her family until a very old age.
“We remember Jos as an extraordinary and strong woman with a great passion for arts and culture. She personally contracted and trained many interns and employees for a job in the cultural sector. A number of them still work with a lot of love and passion for the festival among which the current talent buyers/programme-managers of the event.”
North Sea Jazz Festival, which relocated from The Hague to Rotterdam in 2006, returns from 11-13 July with acts such as Mary J. Blige, Norah Jones, Jacob Collier, Joe Bonamassa, Ezra Collective, Maxwell, Kamasi Washington and Omah Lay.
Director Jan Willem Luyken stepped down last November after almost 20 years in the position to become chief commercial officer (CCO) of Mojo. He was succeeded by Irene Peters, formerly business director at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome.
Luyken spoke to IQ last year about the secret behind the 30,000-cap festival’s decades-long legacy.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Festivals 2025: NOS Alive, Creamfields, Splendour
Portugal’s NOS Alive has reinforced its link-up with Primary Talent, which has curated the lineup for the WTF Clubbing stage for this year’s festival.
In the third year of the partnership, the booking agency has confirmed The Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set), A-Trak, NTO (Live), Erol Alkan, Chloé Robinson, Riordan and Papa Nugs for 12 July.
The full bill for the 17th edition of NOS Alive, which runs from 10-12 July at Passeio Marítimo de Algés, includes Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Fender, Kings Of Leon, Nine Inch Nails, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone, Glass Animals, Justice, Girl in Red, The Teskey Brothers, St. Vincent, FINNEAS, CMAT and Foster The People.
In a UK festival exclusive, dance music institution Creamfields has unveiled Anyma, aka Matteo Milleri, as its first headliner. Organisers of the gathering, which takes place from 21-24 August in Daresbury, Cheshire, describe the US DJ, who delivered the first electronic music residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, as “undoubtedly the biggest name in electronic music today”. Additional names set to play the festival are expected to be revealed at the end of the month.
Nottingham’s Splendour returns for the first time in two years from 19-20 July, headlined by Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis and Jake Bugg. Other names include Clean Bandit, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natasha Bedingfield, Echo & The Bunnymen, Seasick Steve, The Levellers and The Fratellis.
“We’re very pleased to finally be back with another brilliant line-up”
It will also debut daytime disco stage Day Fever, featuring party tunes curated by Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers and actor Vicky McClure.
“Splendour has become a standout weekend for families and seasoned gig-goers alike and an important event for the cultural and economic value it brings to the region,” says George Akins of promoter DHP Family. “We’re very pleased to finally be back with another brilliant lineup, now spread across two days and six distinct stages, offering great value to everyone coming to enjoy the weekend with us.”
Meanwhile, the lineup for Finland’s Provinssi, held in Törnävä, Seinäjoki, from 26-28 June, has been extended with the addition of The Hives, Ella Marie, Sailor Honeymoon, Ahti x Hugo and supercollective Eevil Stöö x Dj Kridlokk x Ex Tuuttiz. They will join the previously announced likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Electric Callboy, In Flames and Knocked Loose.
Scotland’s TRNSMT, which will be topped by 50 Cent, Biffy Clyro and Snow Patrol on Glasgow Green from 11-13 July, had added Good Neighbours, Arthur Hill, NOFUN!, Lucia & The Best Boys, Brògeal, Tom Walker, Nathans Evans & The Saint Phnx Band, Brooke Combe and The View’s Kyle Falconer.
Belgium’s Rock Werchter (3-6 July) has added De La Soul, GLINTSAL, Nia Archives, Ezra Collective, Alessi Rose, Mother Mother, Weezer, Caribou, Warhaus, Arsenal, The Backseat Lovers, Dikke and Sylvie Kreusch, Pommelien Thijs, David Kushner, Shaboozey, Dasha, Wunderhorse, Bolis Pupul and Jokke. Linkin Park, Green Day, Sam Fender and Olivia Rodrigo will headline.
“We’ve always dreamed of bringing a rock lineup of this calibre to the prairies”
The Netherlands’ Spoorpark Live, which is expanding from a festival weekend into a week-long event, has unveiled Bryan Adams (24 June), The Prodigy (27 June) and Nile Rodgers + Chic (28 June) as its first 2025 headliners at Spoorpark, Tilburg.
Elsewhere, in the US, The Lumineers, Hozier, The Killers, Megan Thee Stallion, Lainey Wilson, Benson Boone, Def Leppard and James Taylor are set for Milwaukee’s three-weekend independent festival Summerfest (19-21 & 26-28 June/3-5 July).
And Edmonton, Canada, is getting a new two-day rock festival in the form of Rockin’ Thunder, which launches at Exhibition Lands Racetrack on 11-12 July. Performers will include Def Leppard, Weezer, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Brett Michaels, Stone Temple Pilots, Queensrÿche, Toque, the Trews, and Default.
“We’ve always dreamed of bringing a rock lineup of this calibre to the prairies, and with the incredible energy and love for music that defines Canada’s festival city, it felt like the perfect time,” says festival CEO Troy Vollhoffer.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Little Simz to curate Meltdown’s 30th edition
Little Simz has been named as the curator of this year’s 30th edition of Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival.
The rapper, who will perform herself during the London event, will put together a “boundary-breaking” lineup for the 11-day festival, which runs from Thursday 12 June to Sunday 22 June. The first names for 2025 will be announced in the spring.
Previous curators have included Christine and the Queens, Grace Jones, Nile Rodgers, Robert Smith, David Byrne, Yoko Ono, Anohni, Massive Attack, Jarvis Cocker, Patti Smith and David Bowie.
“I’m super-excited to be the 2025 Meltdown festival curator,” says Simz. “My team and I are preparing 11 days of art, music, workshops and more. So many incredible artists have curated this festival so it’s a true honour to be a part of it.”
Little Simz’ Meltdown will feature two weekends of free participatory programming, featuring grassroots collectives and local organisations, as well as “one-of-a-kind” performances. Southbank Centre will also be transformed into a festival open for all.
“We’re incredibly excited to witness the lineup she’ll curate”
“Little Simz’ ability to forge new genre-defying ideas and her ambition to inspire the next generation of creators aligns with what the Southbank Centre’s artistic programme and vision stands for,” Jane Beese, head of contemporary music, Southbank Centre. “We’re incredibly excited to witness the lineup she’ll curate and for the power of her great art, leadership and culture to bring people together on-site for our 30th year.”
The venue’s artistic director Mark Ball adds: “Meltdown has become one of the most enduring and anticipated highlights of the annual music calendar, shaped each year by the spirit, imagination and artistry of its curator.
“Little Simz is becoming such a powerful influence in London and beyond and we’re delighted that for 11 days in June the Southbank Centre will become her cultural playground where she can fully explore her musicianship, her icons and her cultural passions.”
Meltdown 2024 was curated by Chaka Khan and included acts including Emeli Sandé, Lady Blackbird, Bruce Hornsby and Incognito.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Can festivals still break artists in 2025?
Festivals have long been considered fertile ground for breaking artists – an invaluable platform for the latest rising stars to preach to the unconverted and expand their fanbase. But as the post-pandemic live business continues to evolve, there is a growing school of thought that the circuit now serves a different purpose.
UTA agents Tom Jones and Max Lee are well placed to comment, having secured chart-topping electronic/alt pop artist Kenya Grace slots on a record 11 of the 50 top European festivals analysed by IQ and music biz directory and data platform ROSTR last year. For the duo, the festival circuit remains an indispensable part of their booking strategy for new talent.
“When you go to new markets, it’s important to play in front of as many people as you can to earn yourself some new fans,” says Lee. “Then there are other benefits, like livestreaming – [Grace] was streamed at EXIT Festival, and Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds on the BBC, and that gave us professional footage to show to promoters and bookers. Also, those streams go far and wide and live online forever.
“Obviously, we would love to go and play our own shows everywhere. But the costs of touring are so high that if you’re trying to grow through headlines only, it becomes near impossible.”
Jones nods in agreement.
“Festivals are crucial, particularly early in an artist’s career,” he stresses. “If you deliver an incredible festival performance – whether it’s professionally filmed by a member of the artist’s team or by a fan in the crowd and then posted on social media – it has the chance to get in front of so many more eyes than just playing at a festival to 10-15,000 people. That is incredibly beneficial to an artist’s perception and building new fans.”
“Festival audiences are engaged music fans who are discovering new music whilst at the events”
Melbourne-based independent promoter Untitled Group enjoyed a sensational 10th anniversary season, hosting 35,000 attendees at its flagship camping festival Beyond the Valley and 85,000 fans across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide for its one-day Wildlands event. It also sold out all three days of its AO LIVE festival, which took place during the 2025 Australian Open.
Unsurprisingly, Untitled co-founder Nicholas Greco maintains that festivals still offer the ideal lift-off point for rising stars.
“Festival audiences are engaged music fans who are discovering new music whilst at the events,” he says. “These moments are also shared online which contributes to the post event momentum for artists we often see. For example, at Stum’s closing set at Beyond the Valley in 2023, he performed to 35,000 people, which not only cemented his place in the scene but also drove massive momentum. He went on to sell out 5,000 tickets in Melbourne instantly for his next headline tour.”
Speaking to IQ last year, One Fiinix Live agent Jon Ollier offered a counterpoint – expressing scepticism over festivals’ role in breaking acts, while acknowledging other positives.
“I’ve never been of the belief that a whole lot of music discovery goes on at festivals,” he said. “As soon as festivals got beyond two or three stages, the idea that you have a captive audience isn’t really true.
“What they have always done is help you to establish that cultural identity that comes with having played festivals we consider to be a sort of rite of passage, or that some of the tastemakers and gatekeepers involved in the business would expect you to play in order to demonstrate your cultural relevance.”
“It’s hard to make the argument that festivals are intrinsic to breaking artists”
Runway Artists founder Matt Hanner offers an equally nuanced take.
“We’ve seen a lot of artists rise up that are playing to huge numbers of people now – thousands of people a night – but are not festival staples,” he argues. “So many of those artists can say they’ve developed a great audience without the help of festivals, so it’s hard to make the argument that festivals are intrinsic to breaking artists.
“What artists still like about them is that, in an age when it’s very easy to put music out, festival bookings are another feather in the cap. They’re another badge of honour, a recommendation that says, ‘I must be doing something right, because I’m playing these festivals over the summer.’ It’s a point of difference to separate them from the masses and that’s what we’re all looking for with artists now – and I think that is a big thing.”
Hanner, whose agency roster includes acts such as Highasakite, Cosmo Pyke, Future Teens and Bibi Club, says that a good festival slot can still help sell tickets.
“You still hear of artists amassing a great crowd for a mid-afternoon slot and it helps propel them on to the next stage,” he says. “So it’s not to say that festivals are without their merits and sit outside of everything we’re doing; there are just so many examples of artists that have got to a great point in their career without necessarily being what you would consider a ‘classic’ festival act. There are a lot of pathways to finding your audience now.”
“I try and say to my artists that you shouldn’t build through festivals”
Moreover, Mother Artists co-founder Natasha Gregory senses the current lay of the land has resulted in fewer festival opportunities for nascent artists.
“I think that agents need to have empathy for what festivals and bookers are going through at the moment, because it’s not necessarily an easy sellout, aside from your Glastonburys of the world,” says Gregory. “So I try and say to my artists that you shouldn’t build through festivals and that I understand why festivals are booking a certain artist – and why they’re not – because they have to survive through the years.
“Production costs have quadrupled since Covid and I don’t think everybody necessarily has an understanding of the sheer cost of putting on a festival, nor should they, unless you’re in the business. So I think it’s a really, really hard time for new bands that don’t have teams, that don’t have those viral moments and that don’t have radio. I do think the opportunities are less across festivals.
“However, I also think that if you build the artist as a headline artist in their own right, then when the festivals come, the slots will be better, the budgets will be better, and there will be more people watching.”
Gregory cites the fortunes of one of her most famous acts as evidence.
“When IDLES started, we couldn’t get festivals,” she recalls. “But we didn’t sit there and go, ‘Oh God, what are we going to do? Let’s wait.’ We were like, ‘Fuck, we have Brutalism, this amazing [debut] album. Let’s go out and talk. Let’s play to people.’ And it just built off that.
“They headlined the Other Stage at Glastonbury [last year] and smashed it. Again, those slots need to come at the right time in an artist’s career to really help their next steps.”
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
R&L announces ‘historic overhaul’ to camping sites
Reading & Leeds Festival have announced details of a ‘historic overhaul’ to its camping offering – marking the biggest site change in the festival’s 55-year history.
The UK event’s promoter Festival Republic says it has invested “substantially” in five new campsites featuring a range of improvements, experiences and complimentary add-ons.
The Fields is described as “the place for those looking for a lively atmosphere” with daytime activities including a football pitch and pop-up performances. No booking is required for this campsite.
The Garden expands on what used to be the Quiet Camp and is suited to those looking for a “more relaxed camping experience with limited noise after 1 am”. Daytime activities at The Garden include yoga, meditation and the first-ever Reading & Leeds Run Club to kickstart the festival day. Spots can be booked for free via Ticketmaster.
The Meadow builds on what was Eco Camp – a space for those looking to reduce their impact on the environment. To stay at this campsite, campers must sign up to the following principles: Respect Your Fellow Campers, Respect The Environment (avoiding littering, separating recyclable materials and don’t cause excess waste) and Leave The Campsite Exactly As You Found It.
Daytime activities at The Meadow include yoga, sustainability-focused talks, upcycling workshops, and clothes swaps. Spots can be booked for free via Ticketmaster.
The Grove is touted as a “warm and welcoming space for festival-goers who want to camp with a supportive, like-minded community”. In partnership with Safer Spaces Now CIC, the camp is supported by gender-inclusive teams. Daytime activities at The Grove include open mic sessions, film screenings, karaoke and more. Spots can be booked for free via Ticketmaster.
“This is the most comprehensive overhaul in the camping experience at a UK festival in festival history”
The Valley is billed as a dedicated campsite for those coming to the festival on their own or as a pair. Daytime activities at The Valley include ‘FYP (Find Your Pal)’, ‘Meet Me Here’ daily meetups and a ‘Link Up Lounge’. Spots can be booked for free via Ticketmaster.
All campsites will benefit from more showers, the introduction of ‘Get Ready With Me’ stations and increased decor and production. This year’s edition will also introduce significantly improved toilets that will use 75% less water and slash the festival’s carbon footprint by 66%. As previously announced, a ‘groundbreaking’ new stage called The Chevron will also be debuted.
“It brings me great excitement and pride to unveil not just the biggest change in the Reading & Leeds festival sites since 1989 but the most comprehensive overhaul in the camping experience at a UK festival in festival history,” says Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic.
“That experience at Reading & Leeds is a formative part of the weekend and something that means a lot to not just festival-goers but us as organisers too. With the support of some incredible partners, we’re transforming everything to high new standards not seen at a major UK festival before – with everything from the facilities to adding exciting new entertainment, all the while catering to a variety of preferences across five distinct camping spaces. This will fundamentally change what the Reading & Leeds weekend experience means to so many, and serves as a positive marker for what festivals can and should be offering in 2025 and beyond.”
Reading & Leeds 2025 is headlined by Chappell Roan, Travis Scott, Bring Me The Horizon and Hozier. Additional acts include AJ Tracey, Becky Hill, Sammy Viriji, Trippie Redd, Amyl and The Sniffers, Conan Gray, The Kooks, The Dare, Bloc Party and Enter Shikari. The festival returns to Richfield Avenue in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds between 21–24 August.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Lowlands director toasts 23-minute sellout
The 2025 edition of Lowlands sold out in less than half an hour on Saturday (8 January), becoming the latest speedy sellout of this year’s festival season.
The Dutch event shifted 65,000 three-day passes in 23 minutes, with promoter Mojo remarking that the tickets “flew off the shelf like hotcakes”.
Lowlands has a track record for speedy sellouts, having sold out in two minutes in 2022, 14 minutes in 2023 and 15 minutes in 2024.
Tickets for this year’s edition were priced at €349, up from €325 in 2024, €300 in 2023 and €255 in 2022.
Chappell Roan, A$AP Rocky, Queens of the Stone Age, Fontaines D.C. and Jamie xx are among the acts on the bill for the 15–17 event in Biddinghuizen.
This year’s instalment of Lowlands will be director Eric van Eerdenburg’s last before handing over the reins to Mojo’s festival project manager Camiel le Rutte.
“Lowlands proves to be a steady festival brand with a very high fan loyalty”
Speaking to IQ about the sellout, Van Eerdenburg said: “Lowlands proves to be a steady festival brand with a very high fan loyalty. We see the festival market struggling to sell their tickets. It makes us even more proud to have sold out all 65,000 three-day tickets in 23 minutes.
“I think the fans see the LL brand itself as an artist, an artist with its own character, values and vibe. An artist that invites other artists to its platform and has a great weekend together with the 65,000 visitors. Of course, given it’s my final edition, I want to go out with a bang – and that’s what it’s going to be in August; a BANG!”
Van Eerdenburg spoke to IQ last year about ticket prices, sponsorship, sustainability initiatives and the secret to Lowlands’ success.
“It’s not just a lineup,” he explained at the time. “It’s a culture we’ve established over the last 25 years and have managed to stay in touch with. It’s a three-day Fata Morgana [mirage] that everybody wants to be part of. You’re there for three days getting dazzled by it all and then you wake up and real life starts again.”
Other festivals that have reported lightning-quick sellouts for 2025 include Belgium’s Tomorrowland, Germany’s Wacken Open Air, Spain’s Primavera Sound, Switzerland’s Greenfield Fest and Ireland’s Electric Picnic.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Música no Coração boss on future of the company
Música no Coração MD Luis Montez has announced the cancellation of Sudoeste festival, which has been held in Zambujeira do Mar in Portugal since 1997. Montez said that the event – which this year hosted international artists including Martin Garrix, Tems, Don Toliver, Charlotte De Witte and Anitta – will take a break in “preparation for a new chapter”.
The decision was made due to not being able to find a sponsor for the event, Montez tells IQ, adding that it was “difficult to compete” with free concerts from city councils in a year of local elections.
The cancellation comes months after it was announced that Música no Coração would no longer organise Super Bock Super Rock after launching the major international festival 30 years ago.
“My company turned 33 last Friday – 29 of those years were made in a partnership with the Super Bock brand,” Montez tells IQ. “We are still partners in other events, but I realised, as a businessman and in tune with the brand, that this was the right moment for Música no Coração to end its involvement with Super Bock Super Rock, leaving behind a unique brand and legacy that has, year after year, built a national and international reputation.
“As happens in all companies, we are restructuring the business”
“My decision is part of the strategy that we have been preparing for over a year for the near future,” he continues. “The world has changed, festivals are changing, and we want to stay at the forefront, always among the best.”
Montez refuted claims made in local media that the ownership of the Sudoeste brand had been transferred to state tax authorities. “Sudoeste Festival brand is ours,” he tells IQ. “Because of Covid, we made an agreement plan with the tax authorities and have regularised declarations. For this plan to happen, we provided the Sudoeste brand as a guarantee.”
Super Bock Super Rock was organised in various formats and locations in Portugal, Spain and Angola. The festivals have hosted international stars such as Prince, The Cure, David Bowie, Van Morrison, Coldplay, Pixies, Metallica, Arcade Fire, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Måneskin.
Dates for Super Bock Super Rock 2025 have been outlined but no acts have been announced. Last year, Lisbon counterpart Super Bock em Stock, organised by Música no Coração, did not take place.
Addressing speculation about the company’s financial position, Montez says: “As happens in all companies, we are restructuring the business. Covid caused us difficulties, like all entrepreneurs in this area, but we are recovering, and we are solid. I am making capital injections into Música do Coração as needed.
“We started 2025 with liquidity and ambition. It’s the year to solidify and grow our festivals but we also aim to align with the market trends and also focus on headline shows.”
Música no Coração’s festival portfolio also includes Sumol Summer Fest, Jardins do Marquês and Caixa Alfama, all of which have been announced for 2025.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.