Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker

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It’s Saturday at Truck Festival 2026 and, somehow, the sunshine is still holding out. The weekend’s biggest day is packed with indie heavyweights as The Vaccines, Kaiser Chiefs and Two Door Cinema Club deliver the soundtrack to a generation. In between the nostalgia, Adult DVD provide the perfect excuse to swap singalongs for dancing, keeping the energy high before another huge evening on the farm.

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Adult DVD – The Market Stage ★★★★☆

Fresh from the release of their latest single, ‘Cowboy On Aisle Three’, Leeds’ Adult DVD transform The Market Stage into one of the weekend’s biggest dancefloors. The tent quickly fills with festival-goers eager to trade indie singalongs for 30 minutes of pulsing synths and relentless grooves.

There is barely a second to catch your breath. The band tear through their set with tracks flowing seamlessly into one another, while frontman Harry Hanson keeps instructions to a minimum. “Move” he demands, although, judging by the sea of bouncing bodies in front of him, nobody needs telling twice.

Every song provides another excuse to dance, but ‘Real Tree Lee’ sends the tent into overdrive. A sweat-soaked mosh pit erupts in the centre of the crowd, drinks fly through the air, and the floor shakes beneath hundreds of people moving in unison. It’s the kind of set where standing still simply isn’t an option.

Adult DVD’s blend of dance-punk and synth-pop feels tailor-made for the festival circuit, attracting curious newcomers searching for their next obsession. If there was any doubt about the band’s growing reputation, the packed-out Market Stage quickly puts it to rest.

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The Vaccines – Truck Stage ★★★★★

As the late afternoon sun floods the Truck Stage, The Vaccines swagger on with the effortless cool that has defined them for over a decade. Frontman Justin Young cuts a striking figure in wide-leg trousers, a neatly tucked black button-up shirt and dark sunglasses – every inch the indie rock star.

The band waste no time launching into the explosive ‘Blow It Up’ before diving into a full performance of What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? to celebrate its 15th anniversary. Pausing to reflect on the record’s legacy, Young tells the crowd, “What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? is an album that changed our lives, so hopefully it’s soundtracked some of yours too,” a heartfelt sentiment that resonates across the packed field.

Although the band no longer features its original line-up, The Vaccines have stood the test of time. With Young still at the helm, they retain the sharp guitars, instantly memorable choruses and effortless confidence that first made them one of Britain’s defining indie bands. Fifteen years on, these songs feel every bit as vital as they did on release.

When the opening of ‘If You Wanna’ rings out, the crowd erupts. Thousands bounce in unison, singing every lyric back to the stage as if no time has passed. It’s the kind of song that unlocks a flood of memories – teenage house parties, festival weekends, first loves and late-night drives – reminding the crowd just how deeply these songs have embedded themselves in people’s lives.

More than simply an anniversary performance, the set is a celebration of an album that has soundtracked a generation. Before leaving the stage, Young reflects on just how far the band have come: “Never in our wildest dreams when we were writing those songs 15 years ago did we think we’d be playing to thousands of people in a field in Oxfordshire, so thank you for making our dreams come true.” Judging by the thousands singing every word back to the band, the gratitude is mutual. 15 years later, What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? still feels as exhilarating and timeless as ever.

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Kaiser Chiefs – Truck Stage ★★★★★

Saturday at Truck Festival is packed with anniversary celebrations, and Kaiser Chiefs mark 20 years of Employment with a triumphant return to the Truck Stage. Walking out to a deafening roar, frontman Ricky Wilson cuts a familiar figure in his trademark rolled-up skinny jeans, brown boots and suit jacket, this time paired with a swipe of black eyeliner that only adds to his unmistakable stage presence.

From the moment the band take to the stage, it is clear this is one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend. Despite not closing the festival, the Truck Stage is packed with fans ready to relive two decades of indie classics, and Wilson’s boundless charisma ensures every corner of the crowd feels involved.

20 years on from Employment, the chemistry between the five members is as effortless as ever, while the setlist balances beloved 2000s anthems, such as ‘I Predict A Riot’ and ‘Ruby,’ with newer material that earns just as warm a reception. The huge singalongs aren’t reserved solely for the classics, proving Kaiser Chiefs have continued to evolve without losing the songwriting and energy that first made them one of Britain’s defining indie bands.

Saving the best until last, Kaiser Chiefs tease the piano intro to ‘Oh My God’, stretching the anticipation to almost unbearable levels. The crowd hangs on every note, itching to erupt before the full force of the guitars finally crash in, unleashing a huge singalong. As the song draws to a close, the band strip everything back apart from a drumbeat, inviting the audience to carry the chorus alone. Thousands of voices continue to ring out across Hill Farm, refusing to let the moment end and bringing one of Truck Festival’s defining performances to a euphoric end.

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Two Door Cinema Club – Truck Stage ★★★★★

For the third time, Two Door Cinema Club take to the Truck Stage as headliners, and despite last topping the bill in 2023, the excitement is undiminished. This time, though, the set carries even greater significance, as the Northern Irish trio celebrate 15 years of their landmark debut album, Tourist History.

Before launching into ‘Something Good Can Work’, frontman Alex Trimble reflects on the band’s own journey with the festival. “We’re here celebrating the 15th anniversary of Tourist History, but almost more importantly, we first played Truck Festival 17 years ago. We were basically nobodies… We came over in our little van from Ireland and put out a song that people liked.” The story perfectly captures the spirit of Truck itself – a festival built on giving emerging artists a platform before welcoming them back as headliners. For many in the audience, hearing Tourist History performed front to back feels like stepping back into 2010s, reliving nights out, first festivals and teenage summers, only now with thousands of voices singing every word in unison.

From the shimmering ‘Sun’ to ‘Undercover Martyn’, every song is met with deafening singalongs. Even newer material, including ‘Lucky’, is warmly received, proving Two Door Cinema Club are far more than a band trading on nostalgia. 15 years on, they continue to evolve while retaining the bright, irresistible melodies that made them festival favourites in the first place.

By the time the opening riff of ‘What You Know’ rings out, the atmosphere reaches another level entirely. The crowd moves as one, clapping in perfect unison before erupting into one final mass singalong. As the band extends the closing chorus, reluctant to let the moment end, thousands of voices continue long after the instruments have dropped away. It is a fitting finale to a set that celebrates not only one of indie’s defining debut albums, but a band whose relationship with Truck Festival has come full circle.

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