Festival announcements are a bit like the first sip of a long-awaited drink: filled with anticipation, possibility, and the lingering fear that your dream band might just be a mirage. But fear not — Victorious 2025 is here, and it’s packing an all-star line-up that will make your heart race and your feet ache from dancing too hard. This year, the iconic seaside festival brings more — more bands, more chaos, and more unforgettable moments. The anticipation? It’s real.
Let’s kick things off with the big guns. This year’s headliners include the almighty Queens Of The Stone Age, who, after their stupidly good set at Download earlier in the year, are bringing their heavy, riff-laden glory to the stage for a performance that’s guaranteed to be as electrifying as ever. Joining them on the Saturday is indie-rock royalty Vampire Weekend, who’ll bring their effortlessly cool sound and infectious melodies to Portsmouth; and, finally, Kings Of Leon will be closing off the Sunday; who doesn’t love one final, screamed sing along to some of this century’s finest classics?
These three headliners alone are enough to make Victorious 2025 one for the history books — but of course, that’s just the start.
Friday sees an incredible line-up to kick off the weekend. Michael Kiwanuka will serenade you with his soulful brilliance, while Suggs and his crew in Madness will have you dancing the day away with their timeless ska hits. Add in the gritty indie stylings of Wunderhorse, the experimental alt-pop surrealism of Everything Everything, and a special guest performance from The Charlatans, and it’s clear that Friday is set to be a party of epic proportions.
Saturday takes it up another notch. First, the return of Canadian pop icon Nelly Furtado, who’s sure to deliver a show full of crowd-pleasing classics. The rise of The Last Dinner Party is something you won’t want to miss, especially after the main stage debut at Reading and Leeds back in August — it’s hard to remember a band whose rise has been quite so meteoric. And if that’s not enough, Travis are set to deliver a set filled with all their timeless hits, Public Service Broadcasting will bring their unique mix of history and electronica to the stage, and special guest Rizzle Kicks are guaranteed to get the entire coastline moving.
And then, on Sunday, things will come to a head with one final, unforgettable day. First, you’ve got Bloc Party performing their seminal album Silent Alarm(along with some other Greatest Hits). Then there’s the soulful, sway-inducing serenades of Gabrielle. The Reytons will be ready and waiting to make their mark on the weekend with their gritty guitar-driven sound, and Palace will deliver the indie-rock elegance you’ve been waiting for. The Zutons will be reviving their 2000s-era hits, as well as doubtlessly showcasing this year’s The Big Decider, while Reverend & The Makers will be bringing their best, irreverent, anthemic indie-dance tunes to the stage. To top it all off, the weekend’s final afternoon special guest of Craig David presents TS5 will help eke out every last speck of energy as you sink into his set.
Plus, this is Victorious we’re talking about, so expect even more surprises as the weekend unfolds. With everything from legendary acts to up-and-coming talent, the 2025 edition promises to be nothing short of epic.
It looks like we’ll be in Southsea for August’s Bank Holiday weekend – fancy joining us?
