Rock N Roll Circus 2026: The Kooks Announced as Thursday Headliner for Extended Festival

You thought Rock N Roll Circus were finished with the good news for this year? Well, think again. Hot on the heels of packing their original three day lineup with as much talent as possible, the festival has decided it needed more room and has extended out to Thursday so The Kooks could take a headliner spot - a pretty great decision if you ask us.

Those familiar with the festival will be less surprised by the announcement that the event will be extending to take place over 4 days. After all, the 2025 edition had a 5 day run to accommodate two spectacular headline performances from rock royalty Queens Of The Stone Age.

Now in 2026, the festival will again bring one of the best bands of the 2000s to Sheffield, only this time they're from this side of the Atlantic. The Kooks, of course, need no introduction to British music fans and this announcement comes with news that they will be performing their breakthrough debut album Inside In / Inside Out in full to mark its 20th anniversary. Featuring era-defining hits including 'Naïve', 'She Moves In Her Own Way' and 'Ooh La', the album remains one of the most celebrated British indie releases of the 2000s and a record that soundtracked a generation.

Also joining the bill are Sheffield favourites Milburn, returning home to celebrate 20 years of their debut album Well, Well, Well. The band’s resurgence in recent years has been met with huge demand, and their appearance adds a powerful hometown moment to the opening night, having previously headlined Rock N Roll Circus in 2024. In our review of that magical evening we thought this may be their last performance, we're extremely happy to see this isn't the case and are sure we will see another "gig to remember".

Completing the top of the bill is Miles Kane, whose solo work and role in The Last Shadow Puppets have made him one of the most recognisable figures in modern British guitar music, renowned for sharp songwriting and electric live performances. Miles is no stranger to the Steel City either, with Sheffield becoming something of a second home to him, and in turn him becoming an adopted son of the city having been given the honour of playing the final show at The Leadmill before its closure in June 2025. We got a taste of the brilliance he will bring when he played at Crookes Social Club on his most recent tour in January.

The Kooks join fellow headliners The Streets (playing A Grand Don't Come For Free in full), Wunderhorse and Richard Ashcroft in what is a lineup that not many festivals will be able to rival. Further artists for Thursday 27th August - and across the entire four-day weekend - will be announced in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on ours and Rock N Roll Circus' socials for more news as it comes.