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Jul 23, 2026 By Dom Gourlay Photography by Faye Stacey/View From The Pit Web Exclusive

It’s been a difficult few years for the live sector of the music industry, with numerous venues closing down and festivals calling it a day. The most recent of those being Splendour Festival, a two-day event that’s been held in Nottingham’s idyllic Wollaton Park since 2008. While a number of factors undoubtedly contributed to organisers DHP pulling the plug, a well documented lack of support from Nottingham City Council seemingly forced their hand. Which is a real shame because Splendour has played a huge part in the city’s arts and culture calendar for the best part of two decades while providing a platform for both established international acts and new artists to play in front of 25,000 people. Over the years, Splendour has played host to memorable performances from Blondie, Manic Street Preachers, The Specials (twice), James, Feeder and Pet Shop Boys while giving opportunities to the likes of Jake Bugg, Nadine Shah, Eyre Llew and Bloodworm at very early stages of their careers. It’s departure will leave a huge gap on the East Midlands music calendar so despite the warm sunshine and huge crowds who’ve come to bid farewell, the final Splendour was something of a bittersweet affair.

Saturday’s line-up featured performances from Under the Radar favourites Vona Vella, Nottingham newcomers Cherry Stone, rock and roll legends Primal Scream and first night headliners The Wombats among a host of big names and up-and-coming acts from around the UK.

The first act we see on Sunday are Nottingham-based three-piece Marvin’s Revenge, a band regular readers of Under the Radar should be quite familiar with by now. Having featured in a couple of Songs Of The Week playlist and represented the publication at Focus Wales in 2025. Playing the Bodega Stage in Wollaton Park’s quaint courtyard, their seven-songs set serves as a wake-up call for those who’ve ventured out early to witness one of the city’s finest new acts. “Scrape”, “Get Married” and “Coats” off last year’s Offer Of Love EP are well received by those out front, as is a reworked version of former single from 2024 “Hugs From Grandma”. As is often the case with Marvin’s Revenge, they also treat us to a brand new song making its live debut in the shape of “April In A Minute”, which provides a taster of what to expect from their forthcoming and as-yet-untitled debut album the band hopes to release next year.

Nottingham’s music scene is well represented here with the newly streamlined Divorce (although they play as a five-piece today) also giving a good account of themselves on the Lake (main) Stage. Splendour has always made a concerted effort to cater for every generation so it’s no surprise that nineties baggy outfit EMF pulled one of the biggest crowds of the day over on the Confetti Stage. Playing a set that’s interspersed with greatest hits (“I Believe”, “Children”, and of course “Unbelievable”) and covers (a rave anthems medley that incorporates everyone from Technotronic to The Prodigy followed by a lengthy shout out to DJs past and present plus an offbeat take on The Monkees’ “I’m A Believer”), their performance brings the party to Wollaton Park even if some of us would’ve liked to hear material off their massively underrated second album Stigma.

Leeds five-piece The Pigeon Detectives also drew a sizeable crowd to the same stage having something of an affinity with Nottingham that dates back right to the very start of their careers, having played the now defunct Cabaret venue back in February 2006. Playing a greatest hits set of sorts that has everyone bouncing both on and off stage while frontman Matt Bowman soaks the front rows in water, their boundless energy and enthusiasm carrying them through as songs like “I Found Out” and “Romantic Type” elicits call-and-response vocals between audience and band on more than one occasion.

Irish folk outfit Kingfishr provide a soothing antidote to rabble rousing indie rock on the Lake Stage. Despite being a band for nearly ten years, they’re still relatively new to parts of the UK so it was heartwarming to see them attract a large and very attentive crowd. Particularly when placed against more familiar names on other stages. Nottingham DJ and comedy legend Spike Mike also brought the crowds to his Funhouse Comedy Stage at the rear of the courtyard, with acts like musical funnyman Christian Reilly also providing a welcome diversion from the main stages.

Another band who’ve always enjoyed a warm welcome in Nottingham right from their early days are Editors, so it was no surprise to see people parked in front of the Lake Stage in anticipation of their arrival long before they eventually appeared. Playing a career spanning set that included their very first (“Bullets”) and most recent (“The Rush”) singles, they’re a revelation of sorts that appeals to all demographics whether old or young.

Having The Flaming Lips headline the Confetti Stage on the final night of the final Splendour represents something of a coup, and Wayne Coyne and his merry band of space travellers delivered in style. There’s bouncing balls, inflatable robots, confetti cannons and a set packed with their biggest songs and even a cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” thrown in for good measure.

Meanwhile, over on the Lake Stage, Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody thanks Nottingham and Splendour one last time before “Just Say Yes” concludes their set. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

So long Splendour, you will be missed.