Entertainment Swindon

Forest Live, Forestry England’s summer concert series presented with Cuffe & Taylor, has announced renowned English rock band Elbow as the latest headliners for its 2025 instalment.

Following the release of their fourth UK Number One album ‘AUDIO VERTIGO’ and a rapturously received return to arenas earlier this year, Elbow will perform a headline show against the stunning backdrop of Forestry England Westonbirt Arboretum on 19 June 2025.

The release of ‘AUDIO VERTIGO’ in March 2024 saw Elbow reassert their status as one of the UK’s most important and beloved bands. Debuting at Number One in the UK album charts, the record gained widespread critical acclaim, with a 4-star review from NME dubbing the album as “[Elbow]’s best record in years”.

Speaking ahead of their Forest Live fixture, frontman Guy Garvey says:

“We are returning to venues we’ve really loved for summer ‘25 and also visiting some towns and cities that we haven’t been to for a while. There’s nothing like settling in for the evening with old friends.

Tickets will be available from 10am on Friday 18 October 2025.

The Westonbirt show will also see the band supported by Merseyside indie-rockers The Coral and minimalist acoustic folk artist Billie Marten.

Having emerged during the early 2000s, revered, Mercury Prize-winning band The Coral have forged a distinctive indie-rock style that fuses psychedelia, dub reggae and country. With twelve studio albums, eighteen singles and four EPs under their belts, the band released their latest offering ‘Sea of Mirrors’ in 2023. 

Inspired by the likes of Nick Drake, Damien Rice, Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush, singer-songwriter Billie Marten is best known for her well-cultivated and delicate indie-folk sound. Having attracted critical acclaim with each of her four full-length LPs, Marten has previously supported the likes of Ben Howard and performed at London’s iconic Barbican Centre.

England manage and care for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests. They use the money Forest Live raises to maintain these beautiful natural areas for everyone to enjoy, run important conservation projects and keep growing trees.

Last year they planted some 7.4 million trees and welcomed 285 million visits in 2023/24. Everyone in England lives within a one-hour drive of one of the nation’s forests. Over two million people have enjoyed the Forest Live gigs over the last 23 years. 

This year sees Forestry England present the concert series in partnership with Live Nation’s Cuffe & Taylor for the second year running. 

Merging stellar performances from world-class acts with beautiful outdoor locations to create an atmosphere like no other, Forest Live 2025 will take place at four forest venues: Forestry England Cannock Chase, Delamere Forest, High Lodge, Thetford and Westonbirt Arboretum.

Alongside newly confirmed headliners Elbow, Forestry England Westonbirt Arboretum will also host Sting on 18 June and The Script (with support from Tom Walker) on 22 June, with many more artists to be announced in the coming months. 

Elbow with support from The Coral and Billie Marten

Thursday 19 June 2025: Forestry England Westonbirt Arboretum

Tickets are available from 10am on Friday 18 October 2024. 

Fans can sign up for information, announcements, and exclusive pre-sale access at forestlive.com.