Who To Catch at Green Man Festival 2026…
Returning to Bannau Brycheiniog for Green Man Festival in 2026, we are once again treated to a festival programme and music line-up that seems almost impossible to comprehend, but here we are. Green Man has gained wide-spread respect and regard to such a level that the tickets sell out almost instantaneously and before any acts are released. With the line-up out, the festival mere days away, So Young has a few acts you may want to check out. But remember, festivals are places of contingency, no plan has ever gone perfectly or even near perfectly. All those acts you wanted to see, you didn’t, but in their place, you discovered something, an act or an experience, that you will now cherish for life. So, for all these suggestions remember, chance and fate are your friends – follow your feet and the pulse of the ground, let your ears lead you down through Walled Gardens and into darkened tents. If there were to be a Utopia, it may be found in these hills with these sounds and community, trust the person in the queue for a drink, eavesdrop whilst waiting for food, for they may have a gem of a suggestion that you’d be foolish not to follow. We trust your judgement, get to a headliner – they don’t need to be suggested – you know they’ll be amazing. But here are some acts, that we think you’ll leave and instantly want to see again.
Thursday
Madra Salach are having a hell of a year, the Irish folk sextet are quickly becoming a fans favourite and its easy to understand why. Their blend of contemporary life and traditional musical methods leaves you keening, wandering through the personal and collective histories that occupy your consciousness. I cannot think of a better way to begin your festival – not one to be missed.
Lime Garden have recently released their second album, Maybe Not Tonight, and with it they have refined their singular sound of ‘wonk-pop’. A confessional record of a night out and all its highs and lows, ecstasy and heartbreak. Dance, be prepared to dance, this group have a groove which bewitches even the more stationery spectators into motion.
Friday:
By now, there’s a high chance you’ve heard of Smerz, after their song, ‘You got time and I got money’, catapulted them into the limelight. Hailing from the prestigious Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Smerz have a discography filled with electro-pop sensibilities and will leave you swooning, swaying into another realm of bliss.
Adult DVD were phenomenal last year. The whole crowd was absolutely bouncing. I cannot recommend seeing them enough and clearly the programmers shared these feelings and they brought them back for another year. Expect club music with instruments, rave and rock blended together to create a wholly affective resonance.
Other suggestions: Aldous Harding, Westside Cowboy, Getdown Services, Ear, The New Eves, Greg Freeman, My New Band Believe, Dorothy, Compost Compost Compost.
Saturday:
A personal one, The Beta Band. An experimental rock group from the 90s who are enjoying a resurgence, though for my ears they never went away, hence why I’m excited by the prospect of finally seeing them live. In preparation, listen to their album, ‘The Three E.P’’s, then I’ll see you at the Mountain Stage on Saturday evening.
The Walled Garden Saturday Evening. That may sound like cheating, but if you’re looking for somewhere to settle, perhaps away from the mainstage, with assurance of a variety of good music and an even better time. Joanne Robertson, Haley Hendrickx, Sorry.
Other suggestions: Horsegirl, Boss Morris, Celeste, Prewn, Ora Cogan, Big Long Sun, Iona Zajac, Opus Kink
Sunday
All the way from Melbourne, Australia Way Dynamic has understandably garnered widespread support with their mix of minimalist folk-pop and art rock. On a Sunday, heavy legs and wearing eyes, a foggy brain and questioning whether your sane, find peace and be re-grounded with these beautiful, touching sounds which will provide suitable companionship for your journey towards rejuvenation.
Lael Neale’s ethos aligns with that of Green Man Festival, they are kindred spirits. Sharing in a rebellious spirit, peace in the rural environment and a sense of care with all that they do. A loosely indie rock musician, with a voice that has a generational quality, both antenna and speaker for our times.
Other suggestions: Dove Ellis, Everything is Recorded, Fcukers, Wednesday, Tara Clerkin Trio, Dermot Henry, Glasshouse Red Spider Mite
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