There’s a lot more going on musically this year than just a couple of brothers reuniting for a grand tour. Get yourself “out out” and see for yourself. Here are some of the acts we expect to be making a big noise on the live circuit in 2025.
Kneecap
If there’s one name that’s been rattling eardrums and turning heads in the music industry recently, it’s Kneecap—the raucous, irreverent, and unapologetically Irish hip-hop trio. These boys don’t just play music; they weaponize it.
Hailing from the streets of west Belfast, Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and their trusty DJ, Provaí, are like the Gallagher brothers of Gaeilge—loud, proud, and always up for a scrap (musically, of course). They mix traditional Irish rebellion with modern streetwise cheek, spitting their lyrics in both Irish and English with a ferocity that’s as infectious as it is impossible to ignore. Don’t understand Irish? Don’t worry—you’ll still feel like they’re shouting directly at you.
But it’s not all political rantings. "There's a lot of playfulness and a lot fun and craic, if you're offended by it then you're just not getting the joke," says Móglaí Bap.
And if you’re not sure about them. Check out their tongue-in-cheek movie on Amazon Prime.
Their debut album, “Fine Art”, is out now. Expect them to be upstaging the Gallagher brothers in the news headlines in 2025.
Sports Team
Photo: Patrick Gunning
Sports Team are due to release their third album “Boys These Days” in February 2025 and you can expect it to be making plenty of noise.
For those new to the band, they’re for anyone who reckons rock ‘n’ roll should be a bit messy. Since exploding onto the UK music scene in 2016 they’ve been a breath of fresh lager-scented air, playing the kind of music that wouldn’t have got daytime radio play anywhere a few decades ago.
Fronted by the always-somewhere-between-brilliant-and-bonkers Alex Rice, the band brings proper knees-up energy to everything they do. Their sound has been described as Blur at a house party with Pavement and Mark E. Smith crashing through the window—both catchy and chaotic. Their lyrics are both sharp and comical. Suburban life, football chants, weird nights out—they’ve got it all covered.
They’ve built a proper cult following, and tickets for their 2025 tour will be hotter than Oasis. Get involved.
Antony Szmierek
Hailing from the storied streets of Manchester, Antony Szmierek is a part rapper, part spoken-word artist, and his music gives us an intoxicating mix of Northern grit and wit, mixing genres and leaving us entertained and sometimes bewildered.
His tracks are snapshots of real life: the chaos, the comedy, and the beauty of just trying to keep it all together. Whether he’s waxing lyrical about the absurdity of modern dating or celebrating the small triumphs that keep us sane, his words sound comforting.
His comparisons to Mike Skinner and John Cooper Clarke will always be there, but he’s carving out his own lane in the music world.
Expect big things from Antony Szmierek, but don’t expect him to sell out. He’s here for the long haul, armed with stories, a sharp tongue, and a Northern soul.
Fat Dog
Mixing the sweat-drenched chaos of punk with dancefloor grooves, Fat Dog will be humping your leg before you know it.
Frontman Joe Love commands the stage with the swagger of a bloke who’s just nicked the mic at karaoke, but backed by a band that knows how to blow the roof off. They’re a kind of LCD Soundsystem mixed with Happy Mondays and The Prodigy. It's punk, rave, and anarchy all rolled into one gloriously unhinged package.
They’re already earning a reputation as the band you need to see live, with gigs that feel like the last hour of a festival when the drinks are flowing, and everyone’s losing it. Fat Dog’s motto? “If you’re not dancing, you’re dead.” And with tunes this banging, it’s impossible to stay still.
So, if you’re after something raw, loud, and more fun than a Friday night lock-in, you’d better chase this Fat Dog before it’s off the leash. Check out their album “Woof”. You’d be barking not to.
Big Special
Big Special is a no-nonsense duo that’s “bubbling under” but set to take the post-punk scene by storm, channeling the grit and grind of working-class Britain into music. Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney reconnected during lockdown after a decade apart, ditching the 9-to-5 grind to craft songs that drip with frustration, humour, and Midlands swagger. Their debut album, “PostIndustrial Hometown Blues”, is the soundtrack for anyone who’s ever felt life’s a bit of a shithouse. In fact, “Shithouse” is one of the tracks on their album, and like all of their musical creations, it says it how it is.
If you want to dip your toe in, check out “This Here Ain’t Water”. You’ll get the idea.
Big Special isn’t just another band; they’re the loud, unapologetic voice of a generation fed up with being polite. Get on board, or get out of the way.
The Lathums
With two album releases to date and both reaching No.1, it’s safe to say The Lathums have made a pretty decent start to their musical careers. Album no.3 “Matter Does Not Define” is set for release on 7th March 2025.
These guitar-slinging romantics are straight outta Wigan, and their comparisons to The Smiths are commonplace, but that doesn’t give an accurate description of the band. The four-piece has been making waves with a heady mix of jangly guitars, poetic lyrics, and the kind of working-class charm that gets indie kids and their dads nodding along. It’s music for all generations.
Whether it’s on stage at Glasto or headlining in some far-flung town, The Lathums are proof that guitar music isn’t dead—it’s just growing up.
Doves
Here’s the story: three lads from Manchester- Jimi Goodwin and twins Jez and Andy Williams—went from ruling the ‘90s club scene as Sub Sub ("Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)") to becoming one of the most epic indie rock bands of the 2000s.
Enter Doves: a band that mixed heart-wrenching lyrics, cinematic soundscapes, and a huge dose of Northern grit.
Their debut album, Lost Souls (2000), was a masterpiece, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and marking them as serious chart contenders. Then came the euphoric album “The Last Broadcast” (2002), which hit No. 1, the mesmerising “Some Cities: (2005), and the utterly brilliant “Kingdom Of Rust” (2009).
After a 10-year hiatus, Doves announced their reunion with a comeback album, “The Universal Want” (2020), that showed they’d lost none of their edge.
Doves go back on tour in 2025 without their frontman Jimi Goodwin, who is currently battling some mental health issues. Brothers Jez and Andy will be sharing vocal duties.
They said Goodwin was "stepping back to focus on his wellbeing" and added: "Mental health has always been central to Doves and we fully support him in his decision." We wish Jimi all the best in his recovery.
If their comeback track “Renegade” is anything to go by, they’ll smash 2025.
Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
If you’ve never been drawn in by Sharon Van Etten’s music, you’re missing out on one of life’s most bittersweet pleasures. Born in New Jersey and destined for greatness, Van Etten is the kind of artist who can break your heart, stitch it back together, and leave you begging for more.
Van Etten blends folk, rock, and synth and her 2019 album Remind Me Tomorrow showed us she’s not afraid to take risks.
Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory was made in collaboration with producer Marta Salogni, and it’s expected to propel Van Etten higher into the music hierarchy. Her European tour kicks off in February.
Catch her while you can.
Amyl and the Sniffers
Amyl and The Sniffers are punk’s wild ride from down under. Hailing from Melbourne, these misfit renegades—Amy Taylor (vocals), Bryce Wilson (drums), Declan Martens (guitar), and Fergus Romer (bass)—are a gritty throwback to punk’s rawest days, but with a modern twist.
Formed in 2016 in a Melbourne share house, the band took their name from amyl nitrate (that’s poppers to you, mate), and their first EP, “Giddy Up”, was written, recorded, and released in just 12 hours—yes, 12 bloody hours.
The music’s loud, the energy’s infectious, and Taylor’s snarling, no-holds-barred stage presence has become the stuff of legends.
Amyl and The Sniffers are more than a band; they’re a lifestyle—rough around the edges, and absolutely electric. Catch them live in 2025, and you’ll see why they’re hailed as the saviours of sweaty, no-nonsense rock 'n' roll. Just don’t stand too close if you value your pint.
Kim Deal
Kim Deal, the Godmother of indie and grunge, is best known as the bassist for Pixies and later the driving force behind The Breeders. She has finally gone solo and takes her new album “Nobody Loves You More” on tour in 2025.
If rock 'n' roll had a patron saint of cool, it would be Kim Deal. The Dayton, Ohio native exploded onto the scene in the late '80s, armed with her signature basslines, honey-sweet harmonies, and a knack for turning chaos into melody.
Kim's career is a masterclass in staying true to your creative instincts. While others polished their sound for the mainstream, she stayed gloriously lo-fi, recording in basements and giving zero fucks about chasing trends.
Kim Deal doesn’t just make music; she makes you believe in music.
