Simple Things Reveals Final 2026 Lineup, With Guest Curations From Squid, Shabaka, Cobrah And Jeremy Deller
Simple Things has completed its 2026 lineup, unveiling four guest-curated stages alongside a final wave of artist additions ahead of its multi-venue Bristol takeover on 7th November.
Marking the first time in the festival's 12-year history that outside artists have curated their own stages, the four takeovers each carve out a distinct world within the wider bill. Electronic pioneer Cobrah channels club, hyperpop and ballroom energy into her lineup, bringing together Charlie Le Mindu's MUCHAS PROBLEMAS, DJ Latex's bass-heavy mutations, the erotic pop-techno of Only Fire, and French producer COUCOU CHLOE. Over at The Island, West Country experimentalists Squid lean into post-punk and math-rock chaos with a rare solo set from bandmate Anton Pearson, alongside Minor Conflict, 13 Year Cicada and Comfort.
Shabaka's curation pulls in the opposite direction, drawing on spiritual, rhythmically dense avant-garde jazz and global percussion; Ugandan collective Arsenal Mikebe and a rare solo performance from Sarathy Korwar join previously announced bassoonist Joy Guidry. Meanwhile, Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller merges heritage folk with rave culture, bringing back his Acid Brass project via The Listening Project, alongside Circle Dance, Mermaid Chunky and Grubby Mitts.
Rounding out the additions are Bristol's own MONOSUM, Belfast's Esmeralda Road and club act PIXY, while Bristol promoters Temple Cloud take over the Cellars for a high-energy showcase headlined by Hannah Diamond, joined by a run of underground names including Princess Elf Bar, e-kitty and Leeds Ambient Trance Community.
These additions join an already stacked bill featuring The Avalanches, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Moor Mother, Olof Dreijer, Cloud Nothings and Alewya, spread across Bristol Beacon, Strange Brew, Rough Trade, The Island and new skatepark venue Shredenhams.
The festival now extends into a full weekend, kicking off Friday 6th November with an opening party at Shredenhams headlined by Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, followed by a late-night afterparty across Strange Brew and The Island co-hosted by Crack Magazine, Noods Radio and PTS.
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