Madness are set to turn Lincoln Castle into the House of Fun next summer with a hit-filled headline show.
The British pop icons will headline TK Maxx presents Live at Lincoln Castle on Friday 19 June - taking over the historic venue for a night of singalong anthems, nutty nostalgia, and ska-fuelled spirit. Reggae vocalist Hollie Cook and ska-pop outfit The Beat featuring Ranking Jnr will join them.
The show marks a welcome return for the celebrated Nutty Boys who performed a sold-out show at the venue in 2024, and due to an overwhelming demand from fans they are now coming back in 2026.
The Live at Lincoln Castle announcement comes as Madness prepare to celebrate an extraordinary milestone - 50 years since they first burst onto the UK music scene in 1976. With a genre-defying blend of ska, pop and punk, and a catalogue packed with timeless hits, they’ve become one of the nation’s most enduring and adored bands.
From 'Our House' and 'It Must Be Love' to 'Baggy Trousers', 'House of Fun' and 'One Step Beyond', Madness have delivered some of the most recognisable songs in pop history. Their upcoming compilation album, 'Hit Parade' will feature 45 career-spanning tracks - including early fan favourites and highlights from their 2023 UK number one album 'Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie'.
As they prepare to mark five decades of glorious mayhem in 2026, their live shows remain the gold standard: joyful, unpredictable, and packed with wall-to-wall hits. Their headline set at Lincoln Castle promises nothing less than a full-blown celebration from one of Britain’s most iconic acts.
Hollie Cook first hit the music scene when she joined post-punk icons The Slits at the age of 19 – initially for a few live dates but it turned into four years of worldwide touring. But a solo career beckoned and five studio albums later, plus collaborations with the likes of The Stone Roses’ Ian Brown and Jamie T, Cook is currently riding high on the release of latest album Shy Girl.
Returning to her roots – tight grooves, beautiful vocals and catchy melodies – Shy Girl and Cook’s back extensive back catalogue will provide the perfect showstopper ahead of Madness taking to the stage.
Opening the night will be 80s Ska Band The Beat featuring Ranking Jnr. One of the most successful farther-son duos in pop history, The Beat performed live shows globally with frontman Ranking Roger and son Ranking Jnr. Since his father’s death in 2019 Ranking Jnr has followed in his footsteps as the lead singer of the ground-breaking ska-pop outfit.