BOARDMASTERS 2025: SUN SEA, AND GOOD TIMES

Boardmasters has long been renowned as one of the most sought-after festivals in the UK, largely due to its location next to Newquay’s stunning beaches and association with surfing. However, it’s not all sun and sea. The festival consistently boasts a broad bill of global stars, diverse artists and upcoming local talent.

For the first time in Northern Exposure history, we headed down to the shores of Cornwall to see what all the fuss is about. Can we now teach you how to surf? Still, probably not. But music? We’ve got all you need to know.

Across five days, Boardmasters created a memorable experience for the 50,000 festival goers, with unforgettable headline sets from Raye, Central Cee and The Prodigy. Alongside various stages of stellar music, the historic Boardmasters Open Surf competition took place at Fistral Beach with an epic double podium for Lukas Skinner, for the second consecutive year. While most of the audience were admittedly between the ages of 16 – 18, there was plenty of room for families and the in-between, with numerous side quests across the site.

Friday kicked off the music with main stage appearances from Kaiser Chiefs, The Wombats, Flo, KEO and many more. The latter was making their debut appearance, so washing up on the main stage isn’t too shabby. While Kaiser Chiefs celebrated the 20th anniversary of Employment, The Wombats kept the party going with indie hits. It isn’t all about the main stage, though. Other highlights included James Marriott, Alfie Templeman and Fat Dog on the Mordros tent, and Fletchr Fletchr and Sports Team on The View. And what a view it was, catching some of the best new music to a picture-perfect backdrop. Closing the day was Raye, who brought a career-defining performance backed by a full band, relying on her effortless genre-hopping rather than pyrotechnics.

The following day, things heated up (literally). Beneath clear skies, we saw Rizzle Kicks, Katy B, Arthur Hill and Central Cee storm the main stage. After catching Rizzle Kicks at their momentous Somerset House show recently, their appearance at Boardmasters felt equally special, proving they’re more relevant than ever. Playing all the hits (Down With The Trumpets, Mama Do The Hump) and joking about TikTok dances (Follow Excitement), the duo bounced around their flowery stage in style. Equally, Ocean Alley put on a spectacular show, travelling from Sydney for the occasion. Hard Life (formerly Easy Life) returned to the fields for the first time since 2021 and packed out the tent just as much as at Truck Festival. Maribou State was another electrifying performance of the entire weekend, not just Saturday.

Central Cee also put on a dazzling show, bursting with cannons, smoke and a surprise finale of fireworks. While Stormzy had been awarded this same slot previously, Central Cee proved he’s also headline-worthy. Not just by himself, but with a roaring crowd of thousands at his beck and call.

As things wrapped up on Sunday, you’d expect punters to be slowing down. Not at Boardmasters, if anything, the big finale was more energetic than ever, partly down to the headliner being The Prodigy. With the sun beating down, the day saw Bradley Simpson, Myles Smith, Bob Vylan, Natasha Bedingfield, Franz Ferdinand, Wet Leg, Sub Focus and others leave their mark.

Vylan, in particular, certainly made a splash before he’d even played. Over the last few months, local MPs have attempted to remove the artist following his controversial chants at Glastonbury. If you weren’t aware of his politically charged nature, you received a healthy dose here, as he continued to return to this campaign against him throughout the set, giving a middle finger to most of the UK establishment in the process.

Our highlights of Sunday included Myles Smith’s mesmerising afternoon slot, Franz Ferdinand bringing out friend Master Peace and Wet Leg causing chaos in the tent. And The Prodigy? We all knew what we were getting ourselves into. Final night, final headliner and what a way to send off the festival. Fans stripped shirtless, drawing lyrics over their chests, and started the mosh pits from the very beginning. The set followed in the footsteps of last year’s Reading and Leeds set, bursting with lasers, colourful set pieces and all the massive hits. They did a wonderful job at riling up the crowd. While the set ended somewhat abruptly, the music sent most of us into a stratosphere of euphoria to bid farewell to the beach for another year.

Boardmasters returned with another unforgettable year, providing it’s more than a music or surfing festival. It’s an experience designed to incentivise you to be in the moment, and with the right amenities, be a holiday for many.

Tempted to experience it for yourself next year? Tickets are on sale now.