Tramlines Festival in Sheffield is all primed to go ahead on the 23rd-25th July.

It’s one of the events chosen for the Events Research Programme. We’ve been double jabbed, LFD tested twice weekly and are all set to get to a gig for the first time in 15 or more months.

It’s tinged with slight disappointment that Richard Ashcroft has withdrawn due to his philosophy on performing at events with restrictions, plenty remains to get excited about and with Supergrass coming off the bench, there’s bound to be a fun headline performance on Sunday evening. Every cloud and all that…

Before that, we’re also looking forward to one or two bands in particular. You could even say the Mancs are coming

One of our faves, who we’ve followed since their early-ish days (the ‘live at Central Library’ release always tickled me) are The Slow Readers Club who are on T’Other stage on Friday.

One of Manchester’s bright young hopes, they’ve build slowly and steadily and they’ve been busy over lockdown with streamed shows and the 91 Days In Isolation album release (our review) and their famously partisan and hardcore followers will be desperate to be yelling “Reeeaaaddeeeerrrrsss” once more. Listen out.

Taking Manchester as their adopted home, The Blinders play the Main Stage on Friday. From a trio to losing their drummer and set to release the Loung Lizard Live Sessions album as an expanded outfit, their live shows have been incendiary. We speak from experience. Let’s see if the blitzkrieg on small indoor stages transfers to opening the festival mainstage on a sunny Friday teatime. If nothing else frontman Thomas Hayward will be a spellbinding spectacle.

Also crossing the Pennines are Stockport’s Blossoms who are on the Main Stage on Saturday. Another Indie pop outfit who’ve been knocking at the door. A decent bet for being one of the enxt big things and a festival must-see along with not-quite-Manc but from Wigan, the frighteningly you chart botherers, The Lathums.

Anyone wanting something a bit heftier – nothing wrong with some powerful bass and drums and with the patronage of Jimmy Page – can look forward to a Saturday night with Royal Blood who are kept company with fellow Brightonians Porridge Radio. They’re soon off to play the arenas of the nation but have a bombardment job to do in Sheffield on a Saturday night first.

Naturally, there’s plenty of local Yorkshire talent – The Sherlocks (new line up, new record, new sound…) and Lauren Housley in particular (she’s tucked away on The Leadmill stage on Friday). And side from timetabling things tand highlighting the schedule to make sure we catch our picks, there’s more than enough on various stages to make the return to live music a treat.

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