Who to see at Truck Festival 2025: Silence & Sound’s ultimate guide to the UK’s most warped village fete

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again! The sun is shining and festival season is well and truly upon us. 

Easily one of my favourite places to be is in the fields of Truck Festival. Hosted annually at Hill Farm, Oxfordshire on the last weekend in July, Truck prides itself on being ‘the UK’s most warped village fete’, and there is no exaggeration there. 

The festival is small enough to be able to run from one side to another to avoid those pesky clashes, yet big enough that it boasts nine areas hosting a range of the best current names on the indie scene, rising local bands, DJ sets, quizzes, and even all three Shrek films showing across the weekend. It really is the only place where you could wake up and mosh to a classical orchestra, spend the afternoon discovering your new favourite band, and watch Kasabian headline the Truck Stage, before finishing the day by watching Shrek 2 (the best of the franchise, fyi). 

Whether it’s your first year experiencing this beautifully chaotic weekend, or you’re a seasoned pro at pitching your tent and getting up early enough to catch Mr Motivator, I’ve put together a handy list of the acts you do not want to miss at this year’s Truck Festival. 

And if there’s anyone you think I should be prioritising this weekend, make sure to let me know on the Silence & Sound socials! 

FRIDAY 25TH JULY 2025

Ellur 

14:45-15:15, Market Stage

If you’re on TikTok or on the indie-side of social media platforms, chances are you’ve already heard of northern indie-pop artist, Ellur. Writing self-detrimental love letters to herself and with self-deprecating lyricism paired with anthemic, danceable guitar numbers, Ellur’s music stands out with its heady, youthful energy sure to resonate with many. For a fun set of indie-pop goodness, make sure you catch Ellur’s Market Stage set on Friday!

Listen to… God Help Me Now, Missing Kid

Polly Money 

15:15-15:45, Truck Stage 

If you went to The 1975’s iconic 2024 tour, At Their Very Best, and head to the Truck Stage on Friday afternoon, you might find a familiar face onstage… Polly Money is an incredibly talented and hard-working musician, who has emerged as a breakout sensation with her own music. Incorporating bittersweet melodies and upbeat indie-pop instrumentals into her work, her solo project is candid, vulnerable and intimate. She’ll be hitting the Truck Stage on Friday afternoon, so as soon as you’ve got the tent up and ready to go, let the dreamy, luscious soundscapes of Polly Money start your Truck weekend off right. 

Listen to… Anything, Milk & Honey

The Guest List

15:45-16:15, Market Stage

If there’s one thing the Truck line-up always delivers, it’s the billing of infectious, indie rock bands in the afternoon sunshine. And Manchester’s The Guest List, is a band that fits that brief perfectly. With melodic guitar riffs and relatable lyrics, this is a band you want to catch for an energetic, mid-afternoon performance on the Market Stage. 

Listen to… Plasticine Heart, Canada

Danny Mellin 

21:00-21:30, The V&V

Playing out the end of the first full day is emerging indie star Danny Mellin on The V&V stage. Hailing from Oxford, Danny is a fantastic local musician, bringing his band of best mates and indie-rock anthems to the stage for an infectious, high energy set on Friday. Bending timeless melodies with driving guitar riffs, he creates a sound which feels fresh and authentic within the indie scene. And having just released a new single, Don’t Leave Me Lonely, the future is bright for the rising star, and you’ll only regret it if you miss his set this weekend. 

Listen to… Don’t Leave Me Lonely, You and Your Friends

SATURDAY 26TH JULY 2025 

Vincent’s Last Summer 

12:00-12:30, The Market Stage

A band quite literally stuck in the moment… Manchester duo, Vincent’s Last Summer excuse their post-punk, indie-sleaze sonics as the result of being stuck in 2008 - their only communication with those in the present day being through their music. Within their live shows, they take their audiences on a trip back to when Alexandra Burke won X Factor, Manchester United had just won the league and Pete Doherty had been released from prison, and pair it with 90s teenage post-punk sonics full of playful swagger. If you’re a fan of the beats and aesthetics of New York’s The Dare, or the chaotic world of Liverpool’s Courting, Vincent’s Last Summer is a band to get down early to The Market Stage to see on Saturday.

Listen to… Hotline, Doing It For The Country

TTSSFU

13:15-13:45, The Market Stage

Once you’ve seen VLS, you may as well keep your spot at The Market Stage ready for another Manchester-based rising star. TTSSFU is Tasmin Stephens's dream-pop, shoegaze solo project. Drawing inspiration from bands such as My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, Stephens is a multi-instrumentalist heavily inspired by 90s shoegaze and experimental rock. On her most recent EP, Me, Jed and Andy, TTSSFU incorporates the eeriness of The Cure, blending it with the BPM of The Strokes. Entirely crafted in her bedroom on GarageBand, TTSSFU’s music is a moody, atmospheric soundscape exploring themes of love and the complexities of coming of age through distinctive vocal delivery reminiscent of Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell. Since signing with Parisian Records and following support slots with the likes of English Teacher and Soccer Mommy, TTSSFU is on track for a breakthrough year. 

Listen to… Baggage, Call U Later

Basht.

15:15-15:45, The Nest

Hopefully you’ve explored some of the food vans by now (the fish and chips by Market Stage is a firm favourite every year among my group of Truckers), and it’s time to break away from the big blue stretches of Market Stage  (don’t worry, we’ll be back soon!) to catch Basht. at The Nest. Having supported the likes of Wunderhorse, bdrmm and The Goo Goo Dolls, the Irish quartet blend punk rawness with melodic sensibility, and their appearance at this year’s Truck Festival will be sure to be a vibrant, emotionally charged show, pushing the boundaries of indie rock with vivid storytelling and a strong sense of identity.

Listen to… Vain, Gone Girl

Cardinals 

16:30-17:00, The Market Stage

Keeping it on the Market Stage, it’s well worth catching Cardinals later in the day. Incorporating gritty rock and roll nostalgia with traditional Irish music, the Cork five-piece will be bringing their Pogues inspired, shanty-esque sonics to the tent, a set sure to be a swooning half an hour of gentle, first-person, conversational narratives. On their eponymous debut EP, the band present an eclectic mix of shoegaze, pop, Irish trad folk, and rock incorporating 60s Wall of Sound, as well as poetry inflected punk. Make sure you’re wearing your best monochromatic outfit (leather jackets wholly encouraged) and do not miss Cardinals on Saturday!

Listen to… Twist and Turn, Big Empty Heart

Gurriers

17:30-18:00, The Market Stage

The Market Stage on Saturday really is the place to be for the day (also, judging by the weather, it’s probably the best place to find yourself some shade - and the next cool thing whilst you’re at it). If you caught Truck Stage alumni, Inhaler, on tour in February, or you’re a regular on the indie side of TikTok, you may have already crossed paths with Dublin punk band, Gurriers. With fierce, yet considered lyricism exploring contemporary issues such as social-disenfranchisement and political unrest, Gurriers is a band launching a searing counterattack on the malaise of the modern age. Reminiscent of the likes of Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital, Gurriers’ set will be an urgent, high energy performance not to be missed.

Listen to… Top Of The Bill, Des Goblin

SUNDAY 27TH JULY 2025

Chloe Slater 

16:00-16:30, Market Stage 

There’s a lot to be pissed off about right now as young adults navigating the world, and through her music, Chloe Slater encapsulates the frustration her generation face; from dodgy landlords to influencer culture, her music and subsequent live shows offer a space to release rightful anger at the hands of the modern world. Playing Market Stage, she’ll be bringing her introspective lyricism, blending satire and raw emotion, and grungy, indie sonics to Truck’s crowd, offering up a cathartic Sunday afternoon sing along. With relatable music observing modern life whilst coming of age, her set is sure to resonate with both audiences old and new.

Listen to… 24 Hours, Fig Tree 

Florence Road 

16:00-16:30, The Nest 

Annoyingly fellow Truckers, we’ve got a devastating clash on Sunday afternoon (but we can work around it - I suggest you watch half and half. The beauty of Truck is that it’s easy enough to flit between stages all weekend and catch a bit of anything). Gracing the stage at the same time as the aforementioned Chloe Slater is on the Market Stage, is Irish girl group, Florence Road playing at The Nest. If you’re a fan of The Academic, you may already be well acquainted with the quartet, but if not, it’s time to get familiar. Blending elements of rock, indie, and pop with a fresh, modern twist, and candid, intimate songwriting, the band draw inspiration from the likes of The Cranberries, Wolf Alice, Fleetwood Mac, and Phoebe Bridgers, making them the perfect Sunday afternoon listening.

Listen to… Heavy, Goodnight

Moonchild Sanelly

17:15-17:45, Market Stage 

Bringing electrifying energy, an infectious voice, killer hooks and unique self-designed style to the Market Stage on Sunday afternoon is Moonchild Sanelly, possibly the most unique performer you will see all weekend. With her original brand of electro-pop, ghetto-funk, she brings an uplifting vibe to the stage, outspokenly singing about female empowerment, pleasure and sexual-health. This will be a wholly entertaining yet poignant set!

Listen to… Big Man, Scrambled Eggs

Sports Team 

20:30-21:30, Market Stage

Sports Team bring a certain type of chaos to their live sets; frontman Alex Rice as unpredictable as they come, leaving the audience in a state of exhilaration. They’re a band thriving on silliness, never taking themselves too seriously, and this is evident in their music. The last time they played Truck Festival, Rice climbed (and performed from) the stage rigging and crowd surfed… all in the space of a half an hour set. Returning with their third album, Boys These Days, and headlining the Market Stage on Sunday night, Sports Team are unmissable if you love chaotic, entertaining bands with witty lyricism incorporated into back to back indie bangers.

Listen to… Here’s The Thing, Boys These Days

If you have read this far, I hope this list helps you plan for the best weekend of the year! See you in the fields for a guaranteed Truckin’ good time. 

KATIE HILLIER