Every May, Liverpool — one of the UK’s most historic music cities — becomes a launchpad for the next generation of artists as Liverpool Sound City returns with another stacked lineup of rising talent.
Now firmly established as one of the UK’s most important new-music festivals, Sound City transforms venues across Liverpool into a buzzing showcase of emerging talent. It’s a festival built around discovery — the sort where you wander between intimate rooms and come away with half a dozen new favourite bands.
If ever there was a reason to head up north, this is it. Sound City arrives just as the UK festival season begins to warm up, making it a perfect stop on a broader tour of the country as spring rolls into early summer.
Previous lineups have included The Vaccines, Ed Sheeran, The Flaming Lips, Maisie Peters, The Reytons, Loyle Carner and many more. It’s your chance to see emerging artists before they break out.
This year’s lineup once again blends buzzworthy newcomers with must-see live acts. Among the names turning heads are Keo, whose genre-bending pop continues to gain momentum, and the soulful Jalen Ngonda, whose retro-inspired sound channels classic Motown while feeling unmistakably modern. Also on the bill is rapidly rising Scottish singer Brooke Combe, whose confident blend of soul, pop and indie has made her one of the UK’s most exciting young performers.
Flying the Australian flag are our very own Teenage Joans, the Adelaide duo who’ve been steadily building a global following with their punchy alt-rock anthems and high-energy live shows. Elsewhere, keep an eye out for the blistering The Molotovs, whose explosive performances have been generating serious buzz on the UK’s live circuit. We caught them at The Great Escape last year in Brighton – and have become massive fans subsequently.
And while you’re in Liverpool for the music, there are a few iconic stops worth adding to the itinerary. Music fans will want to visit The Beatles Story at Royal Albert Dock, while football fans can take a stadium tour at Anfield, home of Liverpool F.C.. And of course, no trip to the city would be complete without stopping by the legendary The Cavern Club on Mathew Street, where The Beatles famously performed 292 times between 1961 and 1963.
With dozens of artists performing across Liverpool’s beloved independent venues, Sound City offers something many bigger festivals can’t: the thrill of seeing tomorrow’s headline acts in small rooms before the rest of the world catches on. For music fans chasing discovery — and an excuse to explore one of the UK’s great music cities — Sound City is an irresistible stop on the festival calendar.
Weekend tickets are currently available for £57.75 — an absolute bargain for a festival of this calibre. Grab yours HERE.
Next in our European festival series: Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, one of Europe’s most influential discovery festivals. Stay tuned for our guide coming soon.
Header image credit: Teenage Joans by Bruce Baker
