LIVERPOOL LIGHTS UP FOR BBC RADIO 1’S BIG WEEKEND 2025
Radio 1’s Big Weekend made its mark on Liverpool – and the city gave it everything in return. The city has always thrived on community, and last weekend solidified Liverpool as a growing cultural hub for music. The weekend’s location sparked an enthusiastic buzz among locals and artists, as we witnessed the re-emergence of the Liverpool music scene, backed by a massive corporation like the BBC. Scousers have always been loud and proud, and Liverpool, in its authenticity, bubbled fervently with a passion and vibrancy that is yet to be matched by other cities across the nation.
An air of anticipation settled across the park on Friday. The Wombats set the standard for the day, producing a dazzling set complete with contagious fun and raising spirits. Seeing such an iconic Liverpool band perform on stage in their city was nothing short of reminiscent. Their set was soaked in nostalgia; jingly guitar riffs and bouncy drum grooves set the energy for the rest of the day, and the infamous ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ had fans chanting lyrics wildly at the stage. Scatterings of Wombats t-shirts filled the crowd, and die-hard fans flailed limbs aimlessly to classic, catchy bangers. Even decades on, The Wombats still radiate the carefree spirit of the college kids who first broke through – proof that their sound has never really grown up, and never needed to.
The Wombats weren’t the only local band to perform on Friday. Over on the BBC Introducing stage, a new generation of Merseyside talent stepped into the spotlight. The BBC was always going to be in safe hands hosting the Big Weekend in Liverpool, a city renowned for its bustling energy and raw talent. While earlier generations may have paved the way, this new wave of artists is reshaping the city’s soundscape on their own terms. Through expressions of raw vulnerability and style, creativity runs rampant through these musicians. From Crawlers’ gritty, distortion-heavy riffs to Tonia’s dreamy, acoustic harmonies that shimmered with an alt-pop edge, the engagement with the crowd on this stage was incredible, and the same vitality was maintained across the day by all acts. It seems we are witnessing a new era of emerging artists who are firmly establishing themselves in the evolving musical soundscape.
Although Liverpool has birthed and bred some of the world’s most prominent bands, today’s younger generation of Scousers is attracted to the sound of dance music. It is as if the dance gene exists inherently in every Liverpool native. The New Music stage felt like it had a gravitational pull of its own, drawing fans in by the dozen. The dry humidity of May had left a dystopian, dusty haze over the park, as stampedes of dancing Scousers in bucket hats and cowboy boots kicked dry soil into the air. Thousands stood shoulder to shoulder around the stage, cramped and stiff and sticky, but still managing to secure sufficient room for partying.
The heavy thumping of textured basslines filled the tent on Friday evening; back-to-back acts from Katy B, Nia Archives and Confidence Man surpassed the standard, and injected the crowd with a contagious raving bug that spread with a parasitic vigour. Despite Katy B’s dancey, power anthems and Confidence Man’s campy, electropop visuals, it was Nia Archives who swept the crowd off their feet. Her set was a storm of jungle breaks and bass-heavy grooves, firing on all cylinders from the first beat. ‘Get Loose’ and ‘Forbidden Feelingz’ in particular erupted the crowd into a dizzying frenzy. Her energy on stage was palpable, and the crowd mimicked her enthusiasm with an animated zeal. The room seemed transfixed entirely by her set, as she bounced across the stage to ‘Baianá’, beaming behind glistening silver grillz. For her first time performing in Liverpool, she certainly left an impression on the city – leaving the tent drenched in sweat and stamped with jungle DNA.
Scousers know exactly how to go all out, and last Friday was no exception. Big Weekend wasn’t just a blowout. It was a celebration of the city’s musical legacy and evolving sound, steeped in history and pulsating with pride. From gritty indie rock to booming EDM, the city’s heartbeat was felt by all the festival’s attendees. From past icons to new voices, a collective rhythm bound the city together. Liverpool’s legacy isn’t just intact – it’s evolving, and the next chorus is already loading.
Words by Anayo Onuora
