By Kyle Horne
The sun’s out. Public transport’s heaving. Everyone’s heading towards Glasgow Green. That could only mean one thing… TRNSMT is here!
We were back at TRNSMT for the second day – louder, brighter, maybe a little cooler and perhaps even better than yesterday.
Lucia & The Best Boys
First up was Lucia & The Best Boys, who opened the Main Stage.
While absent from last year’s festival, the Glasgow crowd was in for a treat this time around, as the band had moved from the King Tut’s slot they occupied just a couple of years ago over to the Main Stage.
The indie rock quintet from Glasgow brought their loud anthems to the festival – the types of songs you’d shout along to at a gig from a place deep within your soul – more emotive, dark pop songs that linger.
A prime example would be their track So Sweet I Could Die. It’s packed full of emotion, layered with deep, thick bass, and just enough drums to support Lucia’s powerful yet vulnerable voice. It makes you want to scream the track across the room yet also dance elegantly.
All this just twenty minutes after the festival gates had opened… starting off our Saturday right, that’s for sure!
Having previously supported The Last Dinner Party on tour, Lucia & The Best Boys have had tons of practice to get their Main Stage debut right – and get it right they did.
Full of confidence, Lucia caressed the cameras at the height of the chorus, stepping out onto the catwalk attached to the stage – a new addition that appeared since the day before.
The band, placed very close together, really solidified their presence as a fully-fledged unit – a team who work closely together, relying on each other, to create their unique sound.
Alessi Rose
Following shortly after Lucia & The Best Boys was pop newcomer Alessi Rose. Sporting a short white dress that danced in the wind, Alessi was glowing – quite literally, with the sun shining down on her, though you could tell that she was glowing, in her element as a musician.
Despite this being Alessi’s first big appearance in Scotland, she didn’t seem nervous one bit. Perhaps for a few reasons: she knew she had her dedicated fans in the front row, and she’s preparing to perform at huge gigs in the States, with notable dates at Madison Square Garden, supporting Tate McRae on tour, so she’s got no time for nerves.
Alessi’s set was a fully pink chapel scene. Fans screamed every word from the front row, worshipping her at the altar.
The pop star took the time to interact with each of her fans, pointing at them and waving, commanding her crowd with confidence.
With similar musicality to Holly Humberstone and Olivia Rodrigo, Alessi is full of natural talent, and it’s only right that it finally gets celebrated.
Having just released her third EP, Voyeur, there are even bigger things coming for Alessi Rose this year.
Sigrid
Then, it was time for Sigrid.
The staple of any music festival, Sigrid packs a whole lot of punch – Sucker Punch – to be precise.
Getting the Main Stage really hyped, Sigrid started her set with cryptic, 1984-Big Brother style visuals; closeups of human eyes and CCTV feeds, maybe hinting at the theme of her third studio album in the works.
Sigrid confidently walked out to a packed crowd who welcomed her with open arms. Donning a TRNSMT-branded football top, one of the offers of merchandise this year, Sigrid kicked off her set with the unreleased Always Be Your Girl, a stunning dance hit, with a little rap here or there, showcasing her sassy side:
“You think that I’m pretentious then I’ll say that you’re rude.”
She also performed other unreleased tracks, one being a catchy pop tune titled Do It Again. While simple in lyrics, “I can do it again, do it again. Something about you makes me want to pretend”, the track has exciting production and Sigrid does a very powerful vocal belt at the end. It’s a song I wish was already on my playlist, but I guess I’ll just have to wait patiently for the album.
It wasn’t long before Sigrid delved into older pop hits she knows her crowd will love, including Sucker Punch, Don’t Feel Like Crying, and Strangers.
She’s a seasoned pro at this now, after playing the Main Stage at TRNSMT three times, matching Liam Gallagher and The Courteeners.
Midway through her set, Sigrid spotted the security sprinkling water at the crowd, and asked to get hosed down herself, as a Norwegian who isn’t used to the hot weather!
“It’s incredibly hot here for a Norwegian!”
Despite the heat, Sigrid cooled us all down with her catchy pop hooks, proving time and time again why she’s a festival regular.
Inhaler
Inhaler took the stage after Sigrid and transformed the crowd into indie rock fanatics. The band members walked on one-by-one, the lights on either side of the stage becoming orange and green – an ode to their home country, Ireland.
Fans were absolutely stunned when the band came on – the day they had visualised in their head for so long was finally here.
Fans waved their Irish flags in the air as the four-piece started their set with Dublin in Ecstasy. Starting with this belter meant that even bigger tunes were to come.
“Alright Glasgow Green, how we doin’? We see you!” Elijah Hewson welcomed the crowd.
The only criticism I have is – Elijah, were you not boiling in that jacket?!
By the time Inhaler came on, it was super packed and difficult to move among the crowd. Everyone was there. All eyes were on Inhaler.
The subtle “‘Ow are you?” from Elijah sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Drummer Ryan McMahon delivered a cymbal-crashing performance, ideal for the festival, while Robert Keating’s (Bobby Skeetz) and Josh Jenkinson’s accompaniment was top-notch.
While security tried to get the crowd off each other’s shoulders, they didn’t succeed, as Inhaler got the crowd so hyped that they let loose.
A standout track of their set was Billy (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah) which brought the Scottish crowd jumping together.
Amy Macdonald
Over at the other end of the festival, after lots of speculation, with festivalgoers spiralling trying to figure out who was this year’s secret act, Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald hit the stage with her acoustic guitar over at The Hangout.
With a set celebrating the release of her brand new album, Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For?, released just the day before, Amy performed a mix of songs old and new, giving her crowd the perfect mix.
That is, for those who could get close enough to The Hangout to see her, as the tiny stage became packed really quickly, causing lots to miss out.
From Mr Rock & Roll to This Is The Life, Amy’s set gave her crowd pure nostalgia, as if it was 2007 all over again.
If you didn’t manage to catch Amy at The Hangout, or you missed the memo entirely, she is touring this autumn in the UK and Europe, you can get your fix of Amy Macdonald then.
Jake Bugg
After back-to-back crowd pleasers on the Main Stage, and a little trip to The Hangout, it was time to see what the King Tut’s stage had to offer.
With a wide mix on the stage today, from alt-rock trio HotWax to YouTuber-turned-musician James Marriott, there truly was something for everyone. But the biggest act of the night at Tuts was Jake Bugg.
The Nottingham lad with a distinctive indie twang gripped the crowd with just enough indie spirit before the night’s headliner, Biffy Clyro.
Very straight up and direct, he’s just as you’d expect him – black t-shirt, black jeans – all eyes on his epic guitar skills, as Jake played the exceptional riffs he’s mastered over the years.
Given his popularity in Scotland, especially amongst young TRNSMT attendees, I would have expected him on the Main Stage, rather than the smaller King Tut’s stage he performed on.
Perhaps this is because Jake – believe it or not – has never performed at TRNSMT before now… but he has played at T in the Park, TRNSMT’s predecessor, and he was on the Main Stage then back in 2013, so they really could’ve switched stages – especially as entry to the Tut’s stage had to be closed quickly, after everyone rushed from the Main Stage to catch his set.
However, it was a really cool moment to watch Jake on the Tut’s stage, and perhaps the intimacy of a smaller stage made the performance even better.
Despite his feel-good indie tunes, the perfect match for Saturday’s summer heat, I must say, his backing singer Joy Farrukh stole the show, with her exceptional vocals, dance moves, and sassy attitude, who joined Jake on the stage during All I Need.
She looked familiar, and I later realised she was on The Voice UK in 2024. Her audition was pitch-perfect, and she even surprised the crowd with a fabulous impromptu duet with Leann Rimes showcasing her soulful voice and sassy charm.
It really is Joy’s world and we’re all living in it! I want to see her on the Main Stage one day!
Biffy Clyro
Revellers from the Tut’s stage made their way to the Main Stage after Jake, for the main act of the night – Biffy Clyro.
The early-2000s rockers, known for their mix of hardcore and grunge, electrified Glasgow Green, in a set that could only be described as truly epic.
The band, originally from Ayrshire, formed 30 years ago in 1995, and having only played TRNSMT once, back on its first outing in 2017, this performance feels like both a full circle moment for the band and the festival as a whole.
Beginning their set with The Captain, everyone was singing the words at the top of their lungs – and if they weren’t, they were instead chanting ‘Biffy, Biffy, Biffy f*cking Clyro!’ or ‘Mon the Biff!’.
Their energy was fully channelled by frontman Simon Neil, who was pumped and ready from the word ‘go’. Simon donned a black kilt and a white vest-top, while bassist James Johnston wore a white blazer with a black lapel, and drummer Ben Johnston wore a white sleeveless t-shirt. But by the end of the night, all three had removed their tops as it was far too hot.
The crowd were lapping it up, cheering constantly as the trio played hit after hit.
The band were accompanied by a fantastic light show that matched the music perfectly and synced to every cymbal crash. It allowed the performance to truly come to life.
Having never seen Biffy Clyro live before, I didn’t expect them, as a rock group, to play with a stringed accompaniment, with violins and other instruments being added to the performance, providing more depth and dimension to the music.
After an initial crowd warmup with the first few songs, Who’s Got A Match really got the party started, with rapid lighting and pyrotechnics.
Simon Neil stepped out onto the catwalk for this track, swinging a lantern above his head – an eye-catching moment fans had to catch on camera.
The performance struck a feeling of euphoria and nostalgia amongst the crowd, for some who had listened to the band in their early teens, or for the young’uns who had grown up with Biffy Clyro’s music on in the background – everyone was taking in the moment.
Each song an anthem – truly celebrating 30 years of ‘the Biff’.
It was a sweaty, star-studded end to the night.
Ending with fireworks and the song, Many of Horror, a classic Biffy Clyro song – it was the perfect end to a fully-packed set, making TRNSMT tickets worth their every penny.
This was a once in a lifetime experience for the crowd – one they’ll for sure be reeling in for a long time to come.
And as the final fireworks went up in the sky, another day of TRNSMT 2025 was officially over.
With one more day left, the hype was sky-high.
You can read our day three recap when it releases this Friday.
For more TRNSMT updates, reviews, and interviews, check the #TRNSMT tag on our site.
Lauren Meaney