NEIGHBOURHOOD WEEKENDER ‘25 - WHO WE’RE WATCHING
THIS WEEKEND Neighbourhood Weekender will return to Warrington’s Victoria Park, marking the official start of festival season for many.
Since its inaugural ‘Weekender’ in 2018, Neighbourhood Weekender has been bringing some of the UK's most exciting emerging artists and household names to Warrington’s Victoria Park, with loyal fans of the festival returning year after year. After taking a break in 2024, the well loved festival is back and better than ever, with the likes of James, Stereophonics, The Wombats, Dizziee Rascal and CMAT all topping the bill.
For those heading down to the ‘Neighbourhood’ in search of some new sounds, you’re in luck, with PIXEY, Overpass, The Guest List, Keo and Wunderhorse all set to perform across the weekend.
To top it all off, it’s a bank holiday, so you can leave that out of office firmly scheduled and enjoy your weekend guilt free.
We know how headache inducing festival line ups and clashes can be, so we’ve put together our ‘must watch’ list so you don’t have to.
The Mary Wallopers
Originally formed by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy and their friend Sean McKenna, The Mary Wallopers began as a three-piece Irish ballad group, performing up and down the country honing their craft. However the band really rose to fame in lockdown, when they built a pub/studio in their house to connect with their fans again. On St. Patrick's Day 2020 they became one of the first bands in the world to host a livestream.
With live performances that have been described as “Dead Kennedys meets The Clancy Brothers”, the band have become known for their chaotic energy. With Roisin Barret on bass, Ken Mooney on drums, Seamas Hyland on accordion and Finian O’ Connor on tin whistle The Mary Wallopers now perform as a 7 piece, adding fuel to their already ferocious fire.
Catch their unique blend of folk and modern rock on Sunday at 3pm on the Main Stage at Neighbourhood Weekender.
The Guest List
After forming in early 2021, The Guest List, led by Cai Alty and comprising Angus Gilchrist, Sid Wallace, Leio Hunter, and Tom Quigley, quickly rose to prominence in their hometown of Manchester.
Their self-titled debut EP, released in December 2022, showcased their melodic guitar riffs and relatable lyrics, and their following grew.
In the space of just a few years, the band have grown a social media following of over 400,000 people and nearly 8 million TikTok likes, connecting people all over the world with their music.
Not just another ‘copy and paste’ indie band, The Guest List really offer something different in the ever competitive Manchester scene, even drawing the attention of the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins.
A band with talent that reaches way beyond their years, make sure to head over the Viola Beach Stage for 4.25pm on Saturday for their set.
Keo
Led by brothers Finn (vocals, guitar) and Conor Keogh (bass) and completed by drummer Oli Spackman and guitarist Jimmy Lanwern – Keo's origins trace back to Plymouth, Portugal, Ireland and the US - with the Keogh brothers spending their youth touring much of the UK, Ireland and the US in their father’s traditional Irish folk project.
Since settling in England, the band’s popularity has gone from strength to strength. Despite still being at an early point in their career, 2024 saw Keo grace the Rainbow stage at Hyde Park’s British Summer Time festival, warming up the crowds for no other than rock legengs Kings of Leon. Their distinctly modern grunge sound and aesthetic has drawn comparisons to the likes of Wunderhorse (also appearing at NBHD over the weekend) and Fontaines DC, making them a sure set ‘one to watch’ this weekend.
Get Down to the Viola Beach Stage at 2.10pm on Saturday to watch these emerging prospects – you won’t be disappointed.
Inhaler
Known for their soaring melodies, chiming guitars, synths and lead singer Elijah Hewson’s fully loaded emotive vocals, Inhaler are one of Dublin’s finest recent exports.
The band celebrated the release of their 3rd studio album Open Wide in February, which debuted at number two in the Official UK charts and entered the Official Irish Albums Chart at number one. After a string of sold out shows across the UK and Europe, Inhaler return to Neighbourhood Weekender this May, a festival that has saw the band draw larger and larger crowds each time they appear.
This year Inhaler will play the Main Stage at Neighbourhood Weekender on Sunday at 5.30pm.
Stereophonics
With a career spanning over two decades, Welsh rock royalty Stereophonics will grace the Main Stage at Neighbourhood Weekender this Sunday.
With eight UK number one albums and a number of top-ten singles under their belts, Stereophonics reached household name status in the early 2000s, and show no sign of stopping. The band will hit Neighbourhood Weekender fresh off the back of a string of electrifying European shows, in support of their new album ‘Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait’ which was released in April.
Catch these rock legends at 8.50 on the Main Stage on Sunday, and be ready to belt out number one hit ‘Dakota’ as the festival comes to a close.
Wunderhorse
Initially envisioned as a solo project for lead singer Jacob Slater in 2020, Wunderhorse transitioned into a full band in 2021, adding Harry Fowler (guitar), Peter Woodin (bass) and Jamie Staples (drums) to complete the line up.
After gaining critical acclaim with their debut album ‘Cub’ in 2022, Wunderhorse’s modern yet nostalgic grunge sound has captured the imagination of listeners round the world, with strings of sold out shows wherever they seem to land.
A very exciting band that are really impossible to ignore, if you haven’t had chance to watch one of Slater’s hauntingly emotional performances yet, here is your chance.
Wunderhorse play Neighbourhood Weekender’s Big Top at 6.10 on Sunday.
James
A band that really needs no introduction, 90’s Manchester icons James are set to draw one of the biggest crowds of the weekend as they headline the Main Stage this Saturday at Neighbourhood Weekender.
Formed in 1982 the band became one of the defining sounds of the 90s, having a seismic impact on the Manchester scene. With four top-10 hits on the UK Singles Chart and nine top-10 placings on the UK Albums Chart, their set is sure to be full of certified bangers. From ‘Sit Down’, to ‘She's a Star’ to ‘Laid’ James’ set is one you want to get down early for and will leave you singing and dancing to the end.
James will headline the Main Stage this Saturday at Neighbourhood Weekender at 8.40pm.
CMAT
CMAT is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and influential stars in music at the moment. Her brutally honest lyrics, wicked sense of humour and infectious sense of fun have gathered fans across the world, along with news headlines, five star reviews and appearances on Jools Holland.
With her 3rd album EURO-COUNTRY set for release this August, CMAT has given fans a teaser of what’s to come with right-hook laden belter ‘Take A Sexy Picture Of Me’, a hilarious yet heartfelt song about women’s body image in the public eye. Recent single Running/Planning has also received widespread critical acclaim and has been playlisted by BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music and BBC Radio 2.
Known for her energetic performances, incredible outfits and personable attitude, CMAT is an absolute must watch this weekend. CMAT will take to the Big Top stage at 7.30pm on Sunday.
