Liverpool Summer of Music 2026 Offers Alternative to Glastonbury

As the famed festival lies fallow, Liverpool promises a summer of live music

Culture Liverpool, a department of Liverpool City Council, and event organizer Sound City have announced the launch of Liverpool Summer of Music 2026, a city-wide series of live performances, cultural events and community activity running from June to August.

Timing:

Claiming that one-third of Glastonbury Festival-goers are from Merseyside, Liverpool Summer of Music 2026 is designed to give those music fans an alternative this year, as Glastonbury takes the season off.
Its events focus on independent venues and major events, such as the Foo Fighters and My Chemical Romance shows at Anfield Stadium, Lewis Capaldi taking over Sefton Park, and Nile Rodgers & Chic performing outdoors at Lock and Quay in Bootle.

Music Month:

Liverpool Summer of Music will be preceded by Liverpool Music Month from May 1 to May 31, a new initiative celebrating music across the Liverpool City region through a coordinated series of events.
It will include festivals such as Sound City (May 2-May 3), Dark Reign Metal Fest on May 2, and Baltic Weekender, which is spread across multiple venues on May 30-31.
Performances by artists such as Emmylou Harris, The Longest Johns, Kingfishr, Biird, Sunny Afternoon and James Morrison will also be spotlighted in the four-week celebration.
Venues, promoters, artists and music organizations will shortly be able to apply for funding to deliver their own events, training opportunities and creative activations as part of the program.
Liverpool Music Month is twinned with New York Music Month.

What they said:

Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture: “Our city is alive with music on any given day of the week, but this summer promises to be an even bigger showcase of everything that makes Liverpool one of the greatest music cities in the world. We can’t wait to bring artists, venues, communities, and visitors together – in May and beyond – to celebrate our incredible music scene in true Liverpool style.”