PRESS PLAY: 10 MUST-SEE ACTS AT GREEN MAN FESTIVAL 2025

Maisie Daniels
May 30
4 min read

Updated: Jun 2

music: from legends to rising stars - the artists set to define green man 2025

F Word is back with a carefully curated selection of unmissable acts at Green Man 2025 - the beloved, independent celebration of music, art, comedy, and science, set against the cinematic beauty of the Bannau Brycheiniog. This year’s top 10 reflects the glorious chaos of the Green Man spirit - a lineup as rich in genre as it is in heart.

We’ve picked out just a handful of acts from the sprawling lineup who we think will help make this year's sold-out edition one for the books. So, dive in, press play, and get familiar with the artists guaranteed to leave their mark on the mountain.

UNDERWORLD

Let’s be honest, the second that synthline from Born Slippy hits, we’re all going to lose our minds. A defining sound of the ‘90s and a euphoric cornerstone of Trainspotting, Underworld’s music is stitched into our cultural fabric. But Karl Hyde and Rick Smith haven’t just been trading on nostalgia - their latest album Strawberry Hotel shows they're still evolving, blending blissed-out psychedelia with pounding techno. They got their start in Cardiff in the ‘80s, so their return to Welsh soil for this headline set feels like a full-circle, rave-ready homecoming.

WET LEG

It’s been wild watching Wet Leg’s rise. Back in 2021, they opened the Far Out Stage and already had us hooked with their sharp, sarky lyrics and addictive riffs. Fast forward to now... they’re Brit and Grammy winners, they've supported Harry Styles, and they’re stepping up to the Mountain Stage. Expect chaos, charm, and the kind of crowd energy that’s impossible not to get swept up in. Their second album is still under wraps, but we’re not worried - this is going to be one of the weekend’s highlights. Get down early.

GREENTEA PENG

Greentea Peng doesn’t just make music - she crafts immersive, frequency-shifting soundscapes that wash over you like a lucid dream. Her debut album Man Made was literally tuned a semitone down to shake you on a deeper level, and her upcoming record Tell Dem It’s Sunny is set to build on that signature mix of dub, R&B, soul and psychedelia. Ethereal, grounded, and always vibing on her own frequency - her set will be one to float away with.

FAUX REAL

Faux Real made their first Green Man appearance on the Rising Stage in 2021, and it was impossible to look away. Brothers Elliott and Virgile Arndt brought full theatre to their performance - matching outfits, choreo straight out of a fever dream, and a set that felt more like a pop-art performance piece than a gig. This year they’re stepping things up with a bigger slot and, if past shows are anything to go by, it’s going to be a dazzling, surreal ride. Think electroclash meets Eurotrash, and prepare to dance your face off.

OREGLO

London quartet Oreglo approach jazz with no boundaries - raised in the same grassroots scene that birthed Ezra Collective, they fuse their sound with elements of psych rock, French electronica, UK rap, and even the occasional Bowie flourish. The result? Something entirely their own. Improvised, impulsive, and full of feeling, their live sets are sprawling, experimental affairs. You never quite know what’s coming next - which is exactly why you won’t want to miss them.

FAT DOG

Fat Dog don’t do subtle - and thank god for that. Formed in South London during lockdown, they’ve since built a reputation for unhinged, high-octane gigs that spiral into glorious chaos. Their debut album Woof throws everything in the blender: synths, punk, klezmer, metal - and somehow it all works. Expect a set that’s sweaty, wild, and slightly feral in the best possible way. Moshers and misfits, this one’s for you.

WING!

wing! - the brainchild of London-based producer Adam Swan - has swiftly transitioned from underground buzz to festival spotlight, weaving together weighty samples and dreamy, atmospheric textures to create a sound that feels like hip hop beamed in from another dimension. After rising to the top of a record-breaking 4,000 applicants, the London-based producer has been crowned winner of this year’s Green Man Rising competition - and will open the 2025 festival on the legendary Mountain Stage. It’s a huge moment for an artist on the cusp, and a shining example of Green Man’s commitment to spotlighting the next generation of future headliners - we'll see you there!

CMAT

CMAT is camp, clever, and devastatingly funny, all wrapped in rhinestones and country twang. With a Mercury nomination under her belt and a devoted fanbase who know every word, her set promises singalongs, sequins, and stories that’ll have you laughing one minute and crying the next. One of the most charismatic performers around - don’t miss her.

ENGLISH TEACHER

English Teacher have quietly become one of the UK’s most essential new bands. Their Mercury-winning debut This Could Be Texas is a masterclass in nuance - full of strange poetry, sideways observations, and jagged beauty. Frontwoman Lily Fontaine delivers lines that feel like they’ve been overheard on a bus and etched in your brain. The band sways between genres - part post-punk, part folk, part experimental - but they’re unified in their emotional punch. Live, they’re going to be mesmerising.

MJ LENDERMAN & THE WIND

Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, MJ Lenderman has the dry wit of Kurt Vile, the worn-in melancholy of Neil Young, and a sound that’s equal parts slacker rock and Southern charm. With his band The Wind behind him, his solo tracks gain a loose, livewire energy that feels tailor-made for a festival field. Heartfelt, fuzzy, and deceptively profound - this one’s for the indie purists.