TRNSMT 2025: The Report
Taking place on the hottest weekend of the year, top names at TRNSMT get deep fried by the Clyde
It’s a sizzling weekend in Glasgow, and Scotland’s premier music festival begins with a burning question. Where are Kneecap? The feted and hated Irish rap act were due to headline the King Tut's stage on Friday but instead found themselves cancelled. The band, who promptly sold out a replacement show at the O2 Academy, are keen to stress they blame the authorities rather than TRNSMT. But throughout the festival there are Palestine flags everywhere, and a sense of solidarity among artists. Rising Irish rockers Fontaines D.C. might be expected to take a stand, but it's when sunshine superstars Wet Leg stop to make a pre-prepared statement that you realise the depth of feeling among the artists.
The BBC Introducing stage is where many of the stars of tomorrow are to be found. Indoor Foxes, with an attitude that only youth can bring, look and sound the part. Frontwoman Martha Barr comes across as a speed-freak Mel C, Palestine armband to the fore and flinging condoms into the crowd from a designer handbag. rEDOLENT are recent Scottish Album of the Year Award winners, which hasn’t quite translated into mainstream success yet. They have an unashamedly Scottish delivery to their looping, laid-back, beat-driven pop, and as frontman Robin Herbert notes, the heat may be causing some to seek shelter rather than songs – “Spare a thought for us gingers today, this is lethal for us!”
Bemz headlines the BBC stage a mere three years after appearing as the opener. He feels like the kind of act Scotland could do with more of. Political, punchy, and passionate, his rhymes land perfectly with the baying crowd he undoubtedly deserves. Likewise, Welly, whose eponymous frontman makes a claim to be the first breakthrough star of the weekend; their Blur-meets-Bis DIY indie gathers them a few new fans on the way.
The King Tut’s Stage hosts an intriguing mix of rising stars and heritage acts. Even though this year’s lineup seems to focus less on an indie sound than previous years, there still seems to be one along every five minutes. Royston Club, Jake Bugg, and The K’s make appearances to varying degrees of success, but it's probably old stagers Shed Seven who steal the heritage indie crown. They have their act down to a fine tee, perfectly marrying singalong 90s anthems, carefully selected newer tracks, and choice covers of Suspicious Minds and There is a Light That Never Goes Out.
The two standout acts appearing on King Tut's occupy opposite ends of the pop spectrum. Friday headliners Confidence Man make no mention of Kneecap, probably because their high energy set is choreographed to within seconds of delivery, allowing no space for ad lib. It’s a breathtaking, uplifting sight, a cyberpunk St Etienne, and as the Friday sun begins to dip it feels like the first proper festival set of the weekend.
Image: Confidence Man @ TRNSMT by Kate Johnston
Meanwhile, Sunday sees country-pop chanteuse Rianne Downey return to TRNSMT, having appeared previously alongside Paul Heaton. Downey is quite simply a superstar in the making, her down-home charm coming across like a Bellshill Patsy Cline. Clever, thoughtful lyrics move her new songs beyond pastiche, and having dropped a couple of Beautiful South treats strategically in her set, she bravely finishes on a song from her upcoming album. By the closing bars, the crowd are singing along to Good in Goodbye like it was an old friend.
There is some discussion in the crowd about attendance at this year’s festival. It certainly doesn’t feel as wild or chaotic as previous years, and even for some headline acts there's straightforward access to the front pens. These are tested to their limit on Saturday with an epic double header, and a difficult scheduling decision to be made. On the main stage, Fontaines D.C. move past some initial sound issues to power through a set filled with singalong anthems. To be a teenager at your first festival, and have your heroes sing It’s Amazing to be Young at you, must be some feeling. Fontaines don’t waste the momentum, and the finale of Starburster has the packed field bouncing. Prominent pro-Palestinian messages on the screen are greeted just as rapturously as some of the songs. They will be back, they will headline – just how big could they get?
The question then is: Biffy Clyro or Underworld? The only main stage headline clash of the weekend sees Scotland’s finest take on the Cardiff-formed dance kings. In the end, it’s a score draw. Biffy have the crowd on their side; Underworld have the King Tut’s stage moving as one. In a festival duet for the ages, Karl Hyde introduces Born Slippy to perfectly time with the pyrotechnics at the climax of the main stage masterclass. It’s the kind of moment that TRNSMT is made for.
Image: Biffy Clyro @ TRNSMT by Kate Johnston
By the time Sunday rolls around there are a few sore heads and sunburned backs, but the party people are still up for it. There’s been a subtle shift over the weekend, with some of the Friday political fervour taking a back seat as the crowd settle into the festival vibe. Sartorially, Sunday moves in a new direction. Sell your shares in bucket hats, buy headscarves, because Gracie Abrams and her army of fans are here. In truth, while there is little to dislike about Abrams’ winsome delivery, her next-gen Swiftie tracks are probably an acquired taste. See also Nell Mescal on the BBC stage who similarly attracts a legion of headscarves.
And so, it falls to Snow Patrol to round off TRNSMT 2025. They feel Scottish by association, having spent so many formative years in Glasgow, and the packed crowd seem to know every word. Even if the temperature has dropped, Gary Lightbody and the gang are determined to keep the home fires burning. Their class headline act erases any lingering memories of 50 Cent’s dubious, unreconstructed noughties rap which closed the stage on Friday.
This year’s TRNSMT felt like a dayglo mix of politics, pop, and plenty of sunscreen. The festival falls in a curious middle ground, never big enough to grab Glasto-sized headliners, but with an expectation that it should attract the brightest and best. For now, it remains your best chance to see stadium stars alongside rising next-big-things across one red-hot weekend.
TRNSMT 2025 took place at Glasgow Green, 11-13 July