TRAMLINES FESTIVAL 2021: VOCAL GIRLS ROUNDUP

Festivals are finally back and these few days in Hillsborough Park (and the city beyond) felt like a glorious window into a past life.

In the week that saw UK social distancing rules lifted for the first time in almost 18 months, our first port of call was Tramlines Festival in Sheffield; and let us tell you, we had a blast from start to finish! 40,000 revellers attended the sold-out event as Tramlines became the largest festival to return in Western Europe, running as part of the Government’s Events Research Programme.

From the second we walked in, we were overwhelmed by the novelty of being surrounded by thousands of people for the first time in such a long time and were delighted to witness their joy. Friends and loved ones hugged and laughed, sang and danced, shoulder rode and crowd surfed. Festivals are finally back and these few days in Hillsborough Park (and the city beyond) felt like a glorious glimpse into a past life. 

Dizzy excitement was thick in the air and this was reflected in the artists themselves who were finally able to do what they love, in front of throngs of fans after almost two years. Whilst we relished the opportunity to let loose with friends and strangers alike to old favourites like The Streets’ ‘Heaven for the Weather’, The Kooks’ ‘Naive’, and Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Holiday’, the highlights for us lay elsewhere.

Georgia, playing T’Other Stage on Saturday afternoon, did not fail to strike awe into all those in her presence with her immense talent. Calling the crowd into the tent with the distinctive synths of ‘Started Out’, the artist stood bathed in strobe light amongst a towering web of drums as she commanded the crowd with her pulsating pop. The set reached its peak with an anthemic cover of Kate Bush’s iconic ‘Running Up That Hill’ that ripped through the crowd, as well as Georgia’s own “About Work the Dancefloor”. 

Marvelling at the experience of performing again, the artist could hardly keep herself away from the edge of the stage and seemed to have to reign herself in before she joined the crowd herself. Throughout the set Georgia repeatedly told us “I love you”, and by the end of it all, the feeling was mutual.

Next up on the same stage was the formidable Little Simz, who really proved her worth as a should-be headliner. This set was a highlight of the weekend for many, and the artist herself at points seemed full of wonder, asking her band to “pinch me, just want to make sure this is real”. From the moment the crowd stood to attention to the marching drums of “Introvert”, the 24-year-old had us hooked. We sang and grooved to “Selfish” and “Woman”, just as we jumped and shouted to the jangling “101 FM” - a worthy fan-favourite. At one point a pair ran into the crowd and asked desperately if they’d missed the track; I almost couldn’t break the news! This artist has the ability to touch on emotional and political subject matters in their music without compromising on the elation they project from the stage to the very corners of the tent. 

A good run for the girls on T’Other Stage on Saturday was topped off by powerhouse Mahalia. The 23-year-old from Leicester took the time to delve into the meaning of many of her beloved ‘Love & Compromise’ tracks. She touched on many important subjects, from body confidence and acceptance, to the pressures of the female experience, and finally encouraged the men in the audience to look out for one another, to cry and talk if they needed to. Flawless vocals carried the performance across the finish line for Saturday, with the crowd leaving healed and buzzing after a rendition of “I Wish I Missed My Ex”. 

On the final day, the sun put his hat on ready for our very own featured Manchester artist Phoebe Green, who opened the festival at Sarah Nulty’s Main Stage for the weary Sunday crowd. With a smashing vocal and an introduction to exciting new music, Phoebe left the crowd feeling brighter and buoyed ready for the final day ahead. 

For us, the weekend ended all too quickly as we rounded the Sunday off with Everything Everything at what had become our usual haunt, T’Other Stage. The four piece ran through their eclectic repertoire including “Don’t Try”, “No Reptiles”, and “Distant Past”, to name but a few. It was a burst of energy and light amongst friends, and we left basking in the glory of a weekend of revelry. 

Tramlines 2021 boasted a more diverse lineup than many across its 5 stages and, with an efficient COVID Pass system in place, offered a chance for people young and old to escape to normality after the isolation we’ve all faced over the past two years. 

What stands out across this weekend, other than the freedom and fun times had with loved ones, are the moments of connection with artists outside of the songs themselves that make the live music experience so cathartic and meaningful. I’d almost forgotten this aspect of gigs and festivals, and given that we’ve missed out on them for so long, hopefully we now come to appreciate such moments more than ever.