More than 50 thousand people descended upon Newport’s Seaclose Park as the Isle of Wight Festival returned for 2025.
Opening up the smaller-scale entertainment on Thursday evening was The Symths – the UK’s most popular Smiths tribute act – followed by a throwback of 30 years with Rhythm of the 90s. The Pigeon Detectives then took to the stage, playing songs from their more than 20 year careers. Topping the bill that night was rapper Example who, along with his on-stage DJ, brought the hits to the Big Top tent.
The whole festival site opened the next day as Lottery Winners, Amy MacDonald and The Corrs performed on the Main Stage. Headliner Sting was up next, bookending his main set with Police classics Message in a Bottle and Every Breath You Take. Of course the show wasn’t over until the timeless Roxanne made it to the 73-year-old’s encore. As Faithless followed Sting, fans of Dean Lewis had packed out the Big Top to see the Aussie superstar perform his hits including Waves and Be Alright.
Kicking off the next day with a bit of rock ‘n’ roll before lunchtime was Five Degrees North, the Isle of Wight based trio who won an annual competition back in April to perform. Next up was County Galway’s The Saw Doctors, followed by a jump back to the early 2000s with Razorlight and Busted. As Paul Heaton, The Script and Stereophonics rounded off the night on the Main Stage, rock music fans found themselves back in the Big Top catching a trio of Northern groups making their Isle of Wight debuts. Manchester four-piece Pale Waves took to the stage, not long before BRIT nominees English Teacher brought songs from their Mercury Prize winning album along. Leeds post-punk rockers Yard Act then performed an hour’s set to a crowd of die-hard fans, for most of the festival goers had gone to catch Stereophonics. As it turned midnight, the singalongs didn’t stop as Supergrass made their way onto stage. Gaz Coombes and co pulled out big hits Caught By the Fuzz and Alright at only songs number two and four into the set!
As the Isle of Wight Festival reached its final day, Eurovision 2025 stars Remember Monday demonstrated their perfect harmonies to the lucky crowd. Later in the day, Olly Murs Danced With Us Tonight ahead of rising pop-superstar in the making, Alessi Rose. Seasoned Isle of Wight Festival goers know the Kashmir Cafe stage is one of the best places to catch local bands and one legend performing there was Dick Taylor, founding member of The Rolling Stones and The Pretty Things, who even played at the first ever IOW Festival in 1968. The evening was coming to a close as Jess Glynne – the sound of Jet2 holidays – returned to the Island. The prince of pop himself, Justin Timberlake, then took to the stage with hit after hit from Can’t Stop the Feeling to Mirrors.
The Isle of Wight Festival will return next year from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 21.
