Following a mammoth 25th anniversary celebration in 2022, Truck Festival have unveiled the first names confirmed to appear on the line-up for its 2023 edition. Across the penultimate weekend in July Truck Festival will welcome four headliners that span the breadth of the indie, rock and alternative spheres, from effervescent indie pop to primal rock ‘n’ roll with some folk-inflected alt rock thrown in for good measure too.
Alongside stalwarts of the aforementioned genres, the festival have also announced a slew of names that include some of the most celebrated and beloved faces in modern alternative music as well as the cream of the crop when it comes to the grassroots music scene and emerging acts – staying true to Truck’s ethos of supporting upcoming talent to help cultivate a sustainable and diverse festival landscape.
Making for one of the most anticipated returns of the year, Royal Blood will be marking the occasion with a headline performance at Truck Festival 2023 brimming with palpable and primal anthems such as ‘Figure It Out’, ‘Out Of The Black’ and ‘Little Monster, taken from the breakthrough self-titled debut album that catapulted them to fame almost ten years ago. The duo, who were scheduled to appear at the event in 2021, will also no doubt be ready to unearth some of the new music they’ve been working on to share with the Hill Farm audience.
Talking about what is sure to be a gargantuan Truck Festival headline set, Royal Blood say:
“After being booked to play in 2021, we can’t wait to finally head to Oxfordshire and headline Truck Festival this summer! Expect a party.”
Following on from their tenth anniversary tour of standout debut album ‘An Awesome Wave’, Alt-J will be making their way to Hill Farm this July to headline Truck Festival, armed with a decadent selection of their dazzlingly intricate and folk-leaning alt rock songs. Spanning across four full length albums, the Leeds trio have honed a quintessential sound, making their tracks instantly recognisable from the first chords of ‘Breezeblocks’ and ‘Left Hand Free’ to name but a few.
After releasing their debut album ‘Tourist History’ over thirteen years ago, indie trailblazers Two Door Cinema Club are also announced to headline Truck Festival 2023. Known as a ‘festival band’, the esteemed Northern Irish musicians will be sure to bring a set filled with indie bangers from those initial early years singles such as ‘Undercover Martyn’, ‘Something Good Can Work’ and ‘What You Know’ to more recent cuts like ‘Are We Ready (Wreck)’, ‘Bad Decisions’ and ‘Talk’. With few in their field who can bring a live show as energetic and engaging as Two Door Cinema Club, it’s sure to be a special set.
On their eagerly awaited 2023 headline set on Truck’s Main Stage, Two Door Cinema Club say:“We first played Truck back in 2009 where we got led astray by Ash and then one of us (who shall not be named) threw up in a graveyard. Our next appearance was a few years ago to headline and it was amazing to see how much the festival had grown. We have such fond memories of both times and we’re excited to see what our third appearance has in store.”
Kickstarting proceedings with an array of surefire indie hits, The Wombats will return to Truck Festival in 2023, headlining Thursday night’s festivities. Showcasing their latest record, last year’s ‘Fix Yourself, Not the World’, expect a slew of nostalgic, massive indie singles too including ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’, ‘Moving To New York’, ‘Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)’, ‘Jump Into The Fog’ and many, many more.
Ticking off Truck Festival 2023 on the list of cities, countries and festivals conquered, Self Esteem will be bringing her vastly critically acclaimed live show to Hill Farm this summer, with unapologetic pop hits such as ‘I Do This All The Time’ and ‘The 345’ in tow. From busking in Brighton to winning fans in Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Sam Smith, Maisie Peters also joins the Truck 2023 line-up. Following on from a successful US headline tour, the singer will swap America for the sunny climes of the Oxfordshire countryside this July. No strangers to Truck Festival, The Vaccines will descend upon Hill Farm once again, bringing their glittering back catalogue of festival anthems with them, and following the release of their fifth studio album ‘Never Going Under’ Circa Waves are also confirmed to appear this summer alongside Australian, festival favourites DMA’s. After releasing their sixth studio album ‘Raw Data Feel’ last summer, Everything Everything will also be on hand to bring the bangers to Truck – from ‘MY KZ, UR BF’, ‘Cough Cough’, ‘Regret’ and ‘Distant Past’. Initiating the 00s pop punk infused with 90s grunge rock vibes, following the release of their latest album ‘Unwanted’, Pale Waves will also be appearing at Truck Festival 2023 and they’re joined by fellow Dirty Hit label mate Beabadoobee, who’ll no doubt turn Hill Farm into her own ‘Beatopia’ when she takes to the stage.
Speaking about their return to Hill Farm Justin Young from The Vaccines says:
“Six long years since we last played one of our favourite festivals in the UK. We’re so so excited to come back and tell you all how much we’ve missed you. Hopefully I’ll find the shirt I lost, too.”
DMA’s say:
“TRUCK FESTIVAL! We loved playing to you guys during one of our first trips to the UK on the ‘This Feeling’ stage back in 2015 – can’t wait to see you all on the main stage in July!!”
Still riding the wave of an impressive debut album release with ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’, The Lathums are Wigan’s finest musical export from recent years. With their second album ‘From Nothing To A Little Bit More’ due for release in March, festival goers will be able to hear solidified fan favourites like ‘Fight On’ and ‘The Great Escape’, as well as a taste of the new record when they make the trip to Truck Festival 2023. Once again tipping the perfect balance between much-loved, established acts and the unparalleled in emerging talent Truck Festival have announced synth-pop singer Kate Nash and hotly tipped grunge rock four-piece Crawlers for this July. New Zealand band The Beths will be making the journey to Hill Farm for Truck 2023 too, alongside experimental post-punk outfit Squid, alternative indie singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri and Irish online sensation Cian Ducrot, as well as New York indie legends We Are Scientists following the release of their eighth studio album ‘Lobes’.
Speaking about their Truck Festival appearance We Are Scientists say:
“Truck is one of the finest live events in the UK — both friendly and frenzied, it is that choicest of festival oxymorons: a well-organized free-for-all. Naturally, we are looking forward to returning there this summer.”
Now a staple for any avid Truck Festival fan, the early entry Thursday night at Truck is the definitive pre-party for the biggest weekend in indie. Warming up the Hill Farm revellers this year alongside The Wombats will be original B-Town indie kings Swim Deep, whose debut album ‘Where The Heaven Are We?’ turns 10 this year – plus fuzzy rock outfit The Bug Club and Glasgow nu-rock quartet Dead Pony.
Speaking about their set on the Thursday night at Truck Festival 2023, Austin Williams from Swim Deep says: “We love playing Truck because it feels like the festival for the kids that we were. When we were going to festivals for the first time, starry eyed, watching bands that made us believe we could do something other than what we were supposed to do.”
Elsewhere on the line-up, there’s something for everyone as Truck Festival 2023 provides the best in essential new music. That penchant for future superstars rings true, with an array of the most talked-about and celebrated new voices returning to Truck for unmissable moments that’ll have thousands saying ‘I was there’ before anyone else, as Truck Festival continues its reputation as the epicentre of the sounds of the future. Want high octane Scouse sounds? Check out STONE, Courting and Red Rum Club. How about brooding post-punk? Turn your ears to Deadletter and Sprints. Traditional Irish folk? Let me point you in the direction of The Mary Wallopers. For fans of deft songwriting and lingering melodies try Wunderhorse, Prima Queen, Connie Constance and Lizzie Esau. And a band that have supported the Rolling Stones but are yet to release any music, building up feverish anticipation for their appearance? Well then look no further than The Last Dinner Party.
Speaking about their Truck 2023 appearance Courting say: “We can’t wait to play Truck again this year. Playing in 2022 was a real highlight of our summer- and this time we plan on successfully climbing the sign.”
STONE’s bassist Sarah Surrage says: “Super made up to be on this year’s Truck line-up – have seen so many of my favourite bands in recent years play this. Truck festival is a short drive from the town that I grew up in and was the first festival I went to with all my friends. I remember seeing De La Soul play and it was such a fat vibe! I’ve been waiting to play this one with STONE for a while”
Deadletter say: “Very excited for this one. Any festival that has its roots in vehicular history will certainly make one of our guitarists very happy.”
Continuing their support for emerging talent, Truck Festival 2023 will also be welcoming Panic Shack, Modernlove, Antony Szmierek, HighSchool, Somebody’s Child, She’s In Parties, Heavy Lungs, Lambrini Girls, Gaffa Tape Sandy, Other Half, Overpass, Cherym, Snake Eyes and Carsick across the weekend in July.
And if all of that musical goodness wasn’t enough, Truck Festival have also shared their side-splitting comedy line-up for the 2023 event including big name acts such as Seann Walsh, Emmanuel Sonubi and Jonathan Pie. Joining them at Hill Farm will also be Ivo Graham, John Hastings, Matt Richardson, Jarred Christmas, Jojo Sutherland, Rich Wilson, Dan Tiernan, Myq Kaplan, Tamer Kattan, Kyrah Gray, Kuan-Wen Huang, Harry Stachini, Kate Williams, Matt Bragg and Mike Newall.
All in all, Truck Festival boasts a frankly ridiculous line-up of every artist and every band you simply have to see right now – a capsule of everything shaking things up for a fresh new generation. It all comes together in one destination over one weekend, it makes Truck truly vital each and every year for a generation of music fans. Truck Festival shows once again why it’s THE only place to capture the sound of right now across one enthralling weekend.
With today’s names just a snapshot of the wider Truck 2023 picture, it marks a welcome return for one of the most beloved UK festivals around. With a leading reputation as the go-to destination for the best in new alternative music, Truck’s larger than life village vibe rings true. Perfect for all ages, it’s a moment once a year to gather within a like-minded community in love with the experience of being together for one special weekend. To open up a mosh-pit in awe of The Oxford Symphony Orchestra, clear away the cobwebs with a Sunday morning workout care of Mr Motivator or joining Shaun Williamson on stage for another epic round of Barrioke (after last year’s viral Sam Fender-duet set the internet alight). To catch your next favourite artist revel in their finest gig to date before jumping into a ridiculous time at the Paint Party. To witness a huge headline moment with your friends before partying into the night. It all comes to life at your favourite artists’ favourite festival. Only at Truck.
After phenomenal demand in 2022 and a record-breaking reaction to early bird tickets for 2023, a very limited Pre-Sale for Truck Festival 2023 will go on-sale at 6pm on Thursday 2nd February (with prices starting from £140 + booking fees for the full weekend). These are expected to sell-out quickly, with full General Sale Tickets on-sale from 10am on Friday 3rd February – with both pay in full and payment plan options (starting from £30 p/month + booking fees) available as fans are encouraged to snap up tickets ASAP to avoid disappointment.
Tickets are available here from 10am on Friday 3rd February.
