For one weekend this summer, the UK’s grassroots venues are about to pull off something Glastonbury‑sized — without a single tent peg, traffic jam or muddy wellie in sight.
From June 26–28, more than 400 independent venues will unite under the banner Everywhere At Once, a nationwide celebration powered by Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery. It’s being billed as the UK’s biggest festival, and for once that’s not hyperbole. With 2,000+ artists performing from Falmouth to Aberdeen, this is a festival that doesn’t ask you to travel. It comes to you.
Grassroots venues are the beating heart of British music — the rooms where artists learn to fail, to fly, and to find their people. Everywhere At Once is a love letter to those spaces, and the first wave of artists reads like a who’s‑who of homegrown talent returning to their roots.
Becky Hill heads back to The Marrs Bar in Worcester, the venue she first played at 16. Tinie Tempah hits Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton. The Lathums return to The Boulevard in Wigan and finally make their long‑awaited debut at Ku in Stockton. Rizzle Kicks bring it home to Brighton.
They’re joined by a wildly eclectic mix: The Divine Comedy, Master Peace, Jodie Harsh, Toddla T, Brooke Combe, VLURE, Royston Club, Miki Berenyi Trio, Tom A. Smith, Vigilantes and hundreds more.
Becky Hill’s return to The Marrs Bar is more than a gig, it’s a full‑circle moment.
She talks about writing songs at 13, gigging at 15, and finding her confidence on the Marrs Bar stage at 16. With no specialist arts schools and no money for private training, grassroots venues were her only route in.
“It saddens me greatly that grassroots venues are at risk as I believe that homegrown music is key to our country’s culture.”
Sixteen years later, she’s back — older, louder, and with a career built on the foundations those early shows gave her.
Alex Moore from The Lathums echoes that sentiment. He talks about the quirks, the characters, the chaos — and the importance of venues willing to take a chance on a young band still figuring it out.
“Without places like The Boulevard taking a chance on us early doors, we wouldn’t be anywhere near the festivals or the bigger shows we’re doing now.”
Their return to Wigan — and their first ever show at Ku — is set to be one of the weekend’s standout moments.
The National Lottery has already invested over £1 billion into music projects across the UK, and their support here helps venues and independent promoters programme bold, ambitious line‑ups at a time when many are fighting to survive.
The weekend also raises money for vital music charities including War Child, Nordoff and Robbins, Help Musicians UK, and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Everywhere At Once flips the festival model on its head. No camping. No 5am dashes for a shower queue. No overpriced noodles.
Just the venues that built our scene, the artists who grew up in them, and the communities that keep them alive.
For three days, the UK becomes one giant festival — stitched together by sticky floors, local crowds, and the thrill of being close enough to feel the kick drum in your chest.
Full listings, daily updates and ticket info are at: www.everywherefest.com
Follow the movement: @musicvenuetrust / #everywhereatonce
