BIGGER THAN BIG: BBC RADIO 1 BIG WEEKEND 2025 | SUNDAY REVIEW

In an effort to escape Liverpool’s looming grey skies, Radio 1’s Big Weekend concocted a day of guaranteed crowd favourites. Across the three-day takeover at Sefton Park, each bank holiday party served up a genre platter, pop taking centre stage on Friday, anthemic indie defining Saturday, and an easy hybrid rounding off Sunday’s curtain call.

Mass crowds shuffled around the park, skirting in queues, making the mere wait to get in somewhat frustrating. The overall organisation felt lacking, with the disjointed New Music and Dance Stage awkwardly set apart from the main area, directed by staff who didn’t seem to know much themselves. Despite this, the various Radio 1 DJs hyping up the acts, both at the stages and within the waves of queues, reminded everyone why they were really there, the music.

Brit Award Rising Star nominee, Lola Young, stormed the stage early doors. A rapid media sensation, her candid personality oozes individuality, injecting fresh energy into the pop scene. Her set danced across tracks from her debut, This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway, blending R&B, jazz, and pop with a gripping delivery. She buttered conversation with raw, soaring vocals, and when the opening notes of her number-one hit, Messy, tingled through the air, the anticipation was palpable. Young teased, “This is our last song, you might know this one,” and the crowd erupted, turning into a unified cacophony. The 24-year-old singer beamed throughout her performance, an ecstasy shared between artist and audience, a display of sincere theatrics reminiscent of your favourite teacher drawing you in.

On the Main Stage, British singer-songwriter, Jorja Smith, captivated the crowd with her soulful R&B blend. She delivered a string of fan favourites, opening with her 2023 comeback single, Try Me, before moving into her breakout hit, Blue Lights, leaving the audience in awe. Smith closed her set with Little Things, infamous for its Gypsy Woman remix, sending a domino effect of shimmying and shaking across the field. Under her spell, the crowd belted the lyrics back to her, some caressing the melody, others partying in full force.

While the ground was still wet, Isle of Wight quartet, Wet Leg, faced a temporary delay before their set. When they finally took the stage, they did so with a beefier sound and engrossing presence. Lead singer, Rhian Teasdale, commanded the spotlight, strutting with fire in her heart, channelling that intensity into the band’s latest single, Catch These Fists. Their infectious energy spilled into the crowd, leading to absolute chaos during Wet Dream, a three-minute injection of zest and flair.

Over on the New Music Stage, Rotherham’s very own, Self Esteem, reigned supreme. Kicking off with I Do and I Don’t Care from her latest album, A Complicated Woman, the tent was immediately immersed in gospel elements, poignant lyricism, and her powerful presence. Her open honesty and grit shone through, but it was her cheek and normality that grounded the set with warmth. At one point, during Cheers to Me, an eclectic dance routine unfolded, punctuated by a graphic reading, Please do this dance on TikTok, I want to buy Janet and Andy a caravan. It added a sense of realism and self-awareness to her performance, a rarity for a pop weekend. Every song was rejuvenating, powerful, and freeing, embracing a “hats-off” mentality. Her graceful, stentorian vocals, paired with pounding drums, made Self Esteem’s set the highlight of the day.

Finally, as the rain held momentarily and the sun retreated behind its grey curtain, folk-rock trio, Mumford & Sons, took the stage. While the group has often been mocked as peak “millennial burger joint” music, their set was intimately epic. Opening with fan favourite, I Will Wait, the crowd erupted into foot-stomping catharsis, releasing pent-up energy after a day of being muddled and huddled in the rain. Their sonically rich performance was a golden invitation to sceptics, seamlessly binding each track into the next. Classic hit, Little Lion Man, wove effortlessly into Rushmere, the title track of their latest album.

The rolling strings of The Cave signalled the band’s reluctant exit, but the crowd wasn’t ready to let go. People clambered onto shoulders, arms stretched wide, as pounding drums erupted into the night. Confetti filled the sky, and the striving guitars carried on.

If there’s one thing Radio 1’s Big Weekend accomplished, it was being everyone’s cup of tea, providing a guaranteed good time, which it delivered with a gold star. A festival that offers something for everyone, at a price point that’s hard to argue with, at under £40 a day.