New national festival celebrating where British music begins

A new nationwide music festival backed by The 1975 frontman Matty Healy will spotlight the UK’s grassroots music venues and their vital role in launching the careers of British artists. The Seed Sounds Weekender, taking place from September 26 to 28, 2025, will feature over 2,000 live performances across more than 1,000 pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels in 20 towns and cities nationwide.

Presented by live music marketplace GigPig, the festival aims to formally unite and celebrate the UK’s fragmented “seed venue” sector—licensed hospitality spaces that host over 3 million gigs annually and contribute an estimated £2.4 billion to the UK economy. These venues are often the first stage for emerging artists, with past performers including Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Oasis, and The 1975.

Matty Healy, who serves as the festival’s ambassador, described seed venues as the “foundation of any real culture,” warning that without them, “you get silence.” Healy criticised the erosion of funding for grassroots spaces as part of a broader trend of cultural neglect, arguing that the Seed Sounds Weekender is a vital reminder that music begins in intimate, community-driven spaces—not corporate boardrooms or stadiums.

Festival partners include Uber, Skiddle, UseYourLocal, and the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), with major hospitality groups such as Stonegate Group, Laine Pub Co., BrewDog, and Tokyo Industries among the confirmed venue hosts. Attendees will be able to access most gigs for free and benefit from discounted Uber rides to and from participating venues.

Kit Muir-Rogers, co-founder of GigPig, said the festival is more than a celebration—it’s a rallying point for a sector that has long been overlooked. “The UK’s seed venues are where music careers are born,” he said. “Collectively, this space promotes more music than any other in the live music business, yet it has gone under-appreciated for too long”.