WELCOME TO MUTATIONS
Firstly, thank you for being here - this weekend, Mutations Festival returns for its seventh edition, and we couldn’t do it without you! We’ve poured so much into this year’s line-up, and we’re so excited to bring you a stacked weekend showcasing 87 of the most explosive artists around, from established voices to brand-new international artists, all performing across 9 of the city’s most treasured grassroots music venues. This year, we’re especially proud to bring you Brighton’s very own homegrown headliner Lambrini Girls!
So, let’s get stuck in... on Friday night, we have the seminal South London post-punk quartet Dry Cleaning making their long-anticipated live return to Brighton. Fresh from recording their highly anticipated 3rd studio album, it’s poised to be a festival highlight and we’re so excited to have them (they’ve been on our festival wish list for years)!
On Saturday, local legends Lambrini Girls continue their meteoric rise, returning to Mutations, this time to HEADLINE! Their unique brand of chaotic, unapologetic punk rock has seen them dominate festival stages around the world, and we’re thrilled to be next.
Joining Dry Cleaning and Lambrini Girls this year are some of the most vital, urgent and boundary-pushing artists, including: gritty, poetic postpunks Big Special, who’ve been making waves across the UK in 2025 with their critically acclaimed new album National Average; hotly tipped indie art-rock trio Mary in the Junkyard, fresh from supporting Wet Leg across North America; seminal British psychedelic noise-rock powerhouse Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs; acclaimed, alt-country breakout act Divorce, who describe their sound as “Wilco meets ABBA”; and fast-rising London alt-rock quartet Keo, whose headline shows have been selling out across the UK in minutes!
For us, Mutations is all about showcasing the best new music, and we truly hope that this year will be no exception! We encourage you all to go and take a punt on a new artist, as you might just stumble upon your next favourite act. Who was there to see CMAT at Patterns in 2021? Was anyone lucky enough to see The Last Dinner Party, Wunderhorse and Fat Dog in cosy intimate rooms in 2022? Who caught English Teacher at Mutations in 2023 before they won the Mercury Prize? Or squeezed into Kneecap’s explosive show at Chalk last year? Every single artist on this year’s bill is brilliant and we’re going to be spoilt rotten.
Finally, we’d like to thank all of the venues, artists, agents, managers, reps and volunteers, without whom, none of this would be possible. A big shout out to our dear friends at Resident and Bella Union…and, of course, every single one of YOU.
Have a brilliant weekend and go and create your own “you had to be there moment’’ at Mutations Festival 2025!
FRIDAY
ADWAITH
10:00PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT
Post-punk trio Adwaith’s music is rooted in their Welsh identity, with the language blending into their spiky alternative sound. Soaring vocals mix with heavily distorted guitars, creating their unique blend of dreamy yet punchy melodies.
FFO: Melin Melyn, Gwenno, Divorce
DITZ
9:10PM, REVENGE
Guitars that panic like an unscheduled alarm, bass that feels like unseen eyes stalking you, vocals teetering on sociopathy and drums as relentless as landmines. Since forming in 2016, believe it or not at Mutations Festival, DITZ have honed their craft of ominous tension…
FFO: Idles, Gilla Band, Heavy Lungs
IST IST
9:10PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
IST IST use driving drums, chugging bass and huge washes of synth to create big chasms of sound, with industrial vocals and a bold approach to songwriting. The post-punk group bring an emotional depth to their music, and are praised for their hypnotic live show.
FFO: The Murder Capital, Editors, The Twilight Sad
FICKLE FRIENDS
9:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Since bursting onto the scene with their debut album in 2018, Fickle Friends have been a mainstay in the UK indie music scene, captivating audiences with their unique blend of upbeat pop melodies and introspective lyrics.
FFO: The Aces, Pale Waves, Muna
FRIDAY
UNIVERSITY
8:55PM, PATTERNS
UNIVERSITY’S sardonic humour melds into their music. After signing to Transgressive Records and becoming serious about the ‘business side of their operation’, they decided to offset this grown-up attitude by pushing their music to more extreme and absurdist places. With a sound that can be brutally heavy at times, UNIVERSITY’S humour shines through in their live shows.
FFO: Hella, Fugazi, At the Drive-In
TEKE::TEKE
8:45PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT
Psychedelic rock group TEKE::TEKE are intimately familiar with duality: they split reality between past and present, creating complex melodies and hushed interludes, mixed with intense action and lingering response. They have built their sound through a careful assembly of countless splinters of Japanese folk, psychedelia, and Brazilian surf rock.
FFO: Ty Segall, Frankie and the Witch Fingers
DRY CLEANING
8:40PM, CHALK
With clear musical influences from the Feelies, the Necessaries, the B52s and Pylon, Dry Cleaning became known for their thrilling sound, its dizzying and restless instrumentals with Shaw’s sardonic vocals delivering a satirical collage of witty observations and social commentary.
FFO: Sorry, Shame, English Teacher, Wire
DERMOT HENRY
8:20PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
Dermot Henry is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter whose music blends storytelling with insightful emotion and wit. He spent a year living in Paris, where he performed regularly at a local bar and busked at spots across the city. After supporting Irish folk-pop band Kingfishr across Europe, Dermot is emerging as a distinctive new voice in UK alternative folk.
FFO: Bright Eyes, Elliott Smith, M.Ward
FRIDAY
ADULT DVD
8:10PM, DUST
Adult DVD are known for their relentless output of infectious hooks and grooves with a euphoric live show that could be mistaken for a club night. Their core appeal remains consistent: undeniable humour, bold, danceable instrumentals, and instantly memorable songwriting.
FFO: Warmduscher, PVA, Keg
STELLA BRIDIE
8:10PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Stella Bridie’s music leaves a lasting mark. A potent musician and creative across forms, she writes for the long walk home from the party where mind games dance. She balances the catharsis of indie rock with etchings of pop-impulses - think the lyricism of boygenius, the emotional grip of Ethel Cain, and the edge of Olivia Rodrigo.
FFO: boygenius, Ethal Cain, Stella Donnelly
VRAELL
8:05PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Vraell is a folk-inspired composer who mixes intricate shimmering guitar structures with dreamlike compositions. Using his classically-trained background, he creates captivating, acoustic-led gems, sprinkling gentle vocals throughout to bring together the ethereal sound.
FFO: Ry X, Fink, Nick Mulvey UPCHUCK
7:55PM, REVENGE
Creating music that resonates with fury, fire, and an unflinching rallying cry against injustice, Upchuck’s fuzzy guitars, brutal vocals and fast-paced drums cut through the noise of today’s musical landscape; earning them rightful support tours with Faye Webster, Amyl & The Sniffers, OSEES, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.
FFO: Snõõper, Die Spitz, Militarie Gun
FRIDAY
THE BUG CLUB
7:40PM, PATTERNS
The Bug Club’s name does a good job of introducing the band and their music: a tight-knit, collaborative effort focused on telling tales of the everyday that we often take for granted, shot through with humour and riffs-a-plenty.
FFO: Personal Trainer, The Lovely Eggs, Getdown Services
MAMALARKY
7:35PM, THE PRINCE
ALBERT
The sum of friendships and collaborations dating back to their teenage years, the band meld flashy instrumental moves with head-sticking hooks and lovesick lyrics. While Mamalarky are ostensibly an indie-pop group, they stand out from the laid-back melancholy moods of contemporaries with complex instrumental interplay that inspires lean-forward listening.
FFO: Wishy, Momma, Blondshell
NADIA KADEK
7:20PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Nadia Kadek is a 22-year-old British-Indonesian artist who blends raw acoustic tones with her warm, rich voice to create an emotional intimacy. Her vulnerable honesty writing explores sensitive truths in the hope that people feel seen by her lyrics. Drawing inspiration from her own nostalgia by taking influence from Florence and the Machine and Glen Hansard.
FFO: Joni Mitchell, Stella Donnelly, Lana Del Rey
POLLYFROMTHEDIRT
7:15PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
Pollyfromthedirt engineers, mixes, and masters everything himself, crafting a tactile, nocturnal sound that’s jagged, lo-fi, and alive with movement. Northern pragmatism and dry humour thread through his work: songs that take aim at British culture while reflecting suburban life with affection, irony, and bite.
FFO: Sean Solomon, Bright Eyes, Daniel Johnston
FRIDAY
MARY IN THE JUNKYARD
7:15PM, CHALK
Mary in the junkyard is one of the brightest new creative forces in the UK, a young group who blur the lines between leftfield experimentation and moments of melodic storytelling that evoke a vivid sense of place.
FFO: Honeyglaze, Lime Garden, English Teacher
RENNY CONTI
7:10PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Renny Conti is a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, multiinstrumentalist. With influences including Will Oldham and Harvest- era Neil Young, a sense of play colours Renny’s music, bridging the gap between the experimental and the organic.
FFO: Bonnie Prince Billy, Bright Eyes, Bill Callahan
WINTER
7:05PM, DUST
The singer-songwriter and guitarist has been a mainstay in Los Angeles’ music scene for over a decade, carving out her own niche of gloriously detailed and eclectic dream pop. In L.A. she found a sense of belonging in its DIY rock community and its cosmic, inspiring aura.
FFO: Wishy, Hotline TNT, Sword II
RATBOYS
6:45PM, REVENGE
Ratboys aim to ‘write songs that tell stories and honour the intimacy of memory’. The songs shift and breathe as worlds all their own, tied together by the group’s self-proclaimed ‘postcountry’ sound, which combines moments of distortion and a DIY aesthetic with a devotion to simple songwriting.
FFO: Bully, Palehound, Wild Pink
HOTLINE TNT
6:30PM, PATTERNS
Their sound is one of skywriting guitars that bathe in fluorescent hazes of distortion, blown-out drums that pound as though they’re trying to escape a concrete box, and honeyed vocals that try to rise above the chaotic mess in true-to-life mimesis.
FFO: Wednesday, TAGABOW, Wishy
FRIDAY
DOMINA
6:20PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
Domina are a three piece London based band falling somewhere under the umbrellas of electro-pop, new-wave and brit-pop. Drawing influence from Stereolab, Beat Happening and Broadcast, they carve out an innovative yet stripped back sound that bears a charming familiarity.
FFO: Stereolab, Broadcast
NO WINDOWS
6:15PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Since 2020, Edinburgh duo No Windows have followed a steep upward trajectory. Their evocative blend of classic pop & folk has earned them widespread support from radio and press, as well as the coveted Sound of Young Scotland Award at the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Awards in 2023.
FFO: Swim School, Mary in the Junkyard, Divorce
DIVORCE
6:05PM, CHALK
Country-indie quartet Divorce are masters of the harmony - their mesmeric vocals, woozy guitars and distant fiddle melodies sway between country, rock and pop. The Nottingham four-piece use humour to tap into difficult topics, leaving audiences smiling, unafraid to laugh or cry.
FFO: English Teacher, Do Nothing, Hamish Hawk
MANDRAKE HANDSHAKE
5:35PM, REVENGE
Oxford/London collective Mandrake Handshake showcase a music they call ‘Flowerkraut’: a hedonistic, brain-frying feast of Krautrock, art-pop and psychedelia, spiced with enigmatic grooves and fearless improvisations.
FFO: Snapped Ankles, W.H. Lung, Can
TEETHE
5:25PM, PATTERNS
Teethe are a Texas-based Southern slowcore band formed in the Denton DIY scene. Languid vocals and complexly layered textures give way to a spectral, drowsy quality that seems like a response to our collective realities.
FFO: Horse Jumper of Love, Knifeplay, Spirit of the Beehive
20-24 MAY 2026
CATTON PARK, DERBYSHIRE
PIXIES • SKUNK ANANSIE
FRIDAY
THE ORIELLES
5:00PM, CHALK
Since forming in Halifax, over a decade ago whilst still in their early teens, The Orielles have journeyed from lo-fi DIY indie origins (Silver Dollar Moment, 2018) to Stereolab and A Certain Ratio inspired avant-pop (Disco Volador, 2020), even directing and scoring their own experimental film (La Vita Olistica, 2021).
FFO: Dream Wife, Honeyblood, Sorry
MY FIRST TIME
4:30PM, REVENGE
My First Time are a band with plenty to say. A crushing mix of new-school punk, thrash-y pop and twisted riffs, delivers both arresting social commentary and new-school satire, with the band’s character-based approach to songwriting granting them an immediate point of difference.
FFO: Adult DVD, Gans, Sports Team
PARTY DOZEN
4:25PM, PATTERNS
Party Dozen are an experimental noise-rock duo from Sydney. Known for fusing elements of punk, jazz, and industrial noise; their raw, high-energy soundscapes blend saxophone loops, heavy drumming, and electronic manipulation to create an explosive and unpredictable sonic experience.
FFO: O., Mclusky, Amyl and the Sniffers
MAKESHIFT ART BAR
3:55PM, CHALK
Makeshift Art Bar are a rising sonic powerhouse hailing from Belfast. Known for their raw intensity and unapologetic experimentalism, the jagged guitar riffs, pulsating rhythms, and lyrics that oscillate between the poetic and the provocative make Makeshift Art Bar a must-see act on stages across Europe.
FFO: Gilla Band, Gurriers, Fat Dog
SILVER GORE
3:30PM, PATTERNS
Silver Gore filters electronic, indie-pop, and folk-rock. ‘Dogs In Heaven’, the duo’s debut EP, is dark and dazzlingly beautiful, wringing moments of triumph and euphoria from dark thoughts and sepia filtered genre experiments.
FFO: The New Eves, Chvrches, Westside Cowboy
FRIDAY
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT
Continuing the Mutations tradition of hot, sweaty and extremely fun official afterparties, 2025 sees us return to The Hope and Ruin and Dust on Friday and Saturday nights, as we present some of the most exciting and debauched late night party bands! Expect chaos!
TEST PLAN
12:50AM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Test Plan are looking for the sweet spot between dancing and moshing. Winds of overloaded guitar feedback and distortion are punctuated by crunching drums and throbbing bass, all bound together by howls of angst and chaotic energy. Their dynamic live performances beckon a meeting point where volume and energy collideintense, visceral, and unfiltered.
FFO: Maruja, Model/Actriz, Fat Dog
THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE
11:40PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
The Sick Man of Europe is distinctly monochrome in its outlook. Each note counts in this climate, economical but played with absolute precision and conviction. Propelled forward by machines and seeking solace in repetition. There are echoes of the post-punk and European art rock pioneers at the cusp of the 80s, but re-tooled for the present.
FFO: Bodega, Working Men’s Club, Joy Division
GOLOMB
10:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Three piece Golomb channel Midwest friction with low-fi fuzzy riffs, sweetly harmonised vocals, and a garagerock foundation. Not afraid to experiment with off-kilter guitar sounds and textures, Golomb manage to strike the perfect balance between weird yet accessible.
FFO: Built to Spill, Divorce, Greg Freeman
FRIDAY
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT
Continuing the Mutations tradition of hot, sweaty and extremely fun official afterparties, 2025 sees us return to The Hope and Ruin and Dust on Friday and Saturday nights, as we present some of the most exciting and debauched late night party bands! Expect chaos!
Y
12:45AM, DUST
Indie supergroup Y burst onto the scene earlier this year as one of the most exciting bands coming up through the South London. Made up of members from, or involved with, Fat White Family, Meatraffle, Pregoblin, and Scud FM, Y creates a sound that they playfully describe as “wonk rock,” “Gameboy thrash,” and even “Egyptian wedding music.”
FFO: Warmduscher, Fat White Family, The Moonlandingz
MADMADMAD
11:30PM, DUST
MADMADMAD have built a steady reputation as one of the UK’s most thrilling electronic acts through constant touring and an unbeatable live show that’s cemented their status as true left-of-centre innovators in their class. The trio have showcased a beguiling and constantly shapeshifting sound inspired by Parliament-Funkadelic’s otherworldly looseness.
FFO: Acid Klaus, Snapped Ankles, Holy Fuck
VLURE
10:05PM, DUST
Vlure defy the rules, they rip up trends and create new ones. With a certain honesty and a vulnerability, they confront you and get under your skin. The Glasgow five piece blur the lines between live electronics, jarring guitars and the performance sensibilities of their postpunk contemporaries.
FFO: Chalk, Scaler, The Prodigy
SATURDAY
COURTING
9:15PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Releasing three albums and one EP in just three years, Courting have shown they can do unashamed indie bangers with as much flair as they do jittery hyperpop or innovative electronic rock. Courting combine razor-sharp lyricism with insanely catchy melodies to create instantly infectious tracks.
FFO: Do Nothing, Squid, Feet
STEALING SHEEP
9:10PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Hailing from Liverpool, Stealing Sheep have carved out their own unique brand of pop. Drawing inspiration from everything ranging from online Therian and cosplay communities to multi disciplinary art of Jeremy Deller, KLF and Tracey Emin, Stealing Sheep presents a kaleidoscopic manifesto that is addictive with its oddball pop and explosive aesthetics.
FFO: Teleman, Glass Animals, Cosmo Sheldrake
‘SPECIAL GUEST’
9:10PM, REVENGE
An ‘ABOMINATION’ of a ‘special guest’, this one’s a secret…
FFO: Cobrah, Grove, and generally having the best night of their lives!
BIG SPECIAL
9:00PM, PATTERNS
For BIG SPECIAL their sound is one that comes from vital, frustrated young working-class voices that don’t always get heard on the scale they should do. Joe’s brimstone-fired voice marches from guttural punk barks and serrated spoken word to soaring soul and back again, in a form of alchemy that only he knows how to conjure.
FFO: Sleaford Mods, Gans, Getdown Services
LAMBRINI GIRLS
8:50PM, CHALK
The modern successors to X-Ray Spex, Lambrini Girls are on a mission to exorcise society’s demons, one mosh pit at a time. They set about addressing all these issues and more via the medium of fiery, three-minute punk scorchers - music that is virtually unignorable, intensely powerful, and utterly memorable.
FFO: Bikini Kill, Amyl and the Sniffers, Sprints
BENEFITS
8:40PM, DUST
Forming in 2019, Mutations favourites Benefits quickly evolved into a highly politicized group that merges hip hop, industrial rock, electronica, garage and an angry social media feed to get their point across. The duo’s truly brilliant, second album ‘Constant Noise’ was recently released to critical acclaim.
FFO: Sleaford Mods, Meryl Streek, Ditz
WRKHOUSE
8:15PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Blending uber-confident bilingual songwriting, infectious hooks, expansive arrangements, and rich textures, north-Wales’ groove-heavy alt-poppers WRKHOUSE are quickly emerging as the face of the next generation of exciting emerging acts.
FFO: LCD Soundsystem, Foals
DEKKER
8:05PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Dekker is a versatile singer-songwriter that grew up in the American Midwest. Fans who have followed Dekker’s development so far know he’s an artist who deals deftly in juxtapositions – weeping and dancing, fear and hope, pale ghosts and vibrant life.
FFO: Nick Mulvey, Phosphorescent, Searows SATURDAY
SATURDAY
THE NONE
7:45PM, REVENGE
Abrasive, fiery and turbulent, THE NONE are a band of lifelong musicians who’s live shows have heralded them as an “explosive and melodic behemoth to behold”. They make an uncompromising vision of noise rock with melody at its heart.
FFO: Maruja, GNOD, Upchuck
FUZZ LIGHTYEAR
7:40PM, DUST
Leeds four-piece Fuzz Lightyear are consistently trying to be the loudest and fastest band around. Channelling the DIY ethos that birthed them, their focus remains on sustained experimentation, community, and uninhibited rock and roll.
FFO: Jools, Adult DVD, Alien Chicks
GOOD HEALTH GOOD WEALTH
7:35PM, PATTERNS
One local, one immigrant, GHGW invites you into their world and “the sound of their London”. Inspired by visionaries such as N.E.R.D, and Daft Punk and the personal storytelling of The Streets and Mac Miller, they cherry pick elements from a broad range of genres whilst remaining unmistakably British in the process.
FFO: Antony Szmierek, The Streets, Big Special
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS
7:25PM, CHALK
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs are a heavy rock, doom and psych band hailing from Newcastle. They’ve got the groove of Black Sabbath, the noise of Unsane and some 80s post-punk thrown in there for good measure. Their spacey riffs and thrashy guitars have hailed them an acclaim that far outweighs the initial interest of their unique name.
FFO: Idles, Black Sabbath, High on Fire
SATURDAY
AIN’T
7:15PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Bringing together the stranger side of ’90s guitar music from both sides of the Atlantic, Ain’t expertly toe the line between nostalgia and ingenuity. Their first two singles, “Oar” and “Teething,” arrived last summer and marked them with a feverish word- of mouth reputation.
FFO: The Horrors, Toy, English Teacher
SEAN TRELFORD
7:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Sean Trelford is a punk polymath who writes, produces, performs, and illustrates fascinatingly distorted worlds for audiences to get lost in. Blending alternative DIY instrumentals with haunting vocal harmonies, Trelford’s work confronts audiences with its own vulnerability and emotional turmoil.
FFO: Alex G, Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala
THE OOZES
6:30PM, REVENGE
The Oozes are an outrageously loud, energetic and unapologetic Queer Punk band. Their live shows are everything but self-serious: an explosion of organised chaos, nostalgic punk and vibrant performance, where a raucous rhythm section meets driving guitars, fronted by a shouting red creature.
FFO: Panic Shack, Dream Nails, Le Tigre
WALDO’S GIFT
6:20PM, PATTERNS
Waldo’s Gift’s sound is a coherent cacophony of a vast variety of influences, hurtling from the harmonic and rhythmic sophistication of jazz through to the most cutting edge experimental electronic music - all with the unhinged energy of the most powerful left-leaning rock and metal and packed with the emotion and dynamic range of a full orchestra.
FFO: 65daysofstatic, The Comet is Coming, Melt Yourself Down
SATURDAY
KEO
6:00PM, CHALK
Bridging the gap between 90’s grunge, shoegaze and alternative rock, the band note the influence of Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and The Smashing Pumpkins. An urgent, at times enraged blast of alternative rock, vocalist Finn’s rasping delivery and his astute reflections on trust and toxic relationships all patiently build toward a cathartic release of emotion.
FFO: Wunderhorse, Wolf Alice
TRUCK VIOLENCE
5:30PM, REVENGE
Informed by punk, shoegaze and sludge, Truck Violence’ unique sound is a medley that wails its way through the bitters of modern Western Canadian hardcore and folk, an honesty and shamelessness in disappointment that is both a comfort and a stern regard.
FFO: Chat Pile, YHWH Nailgun, Pigs Pigs Pig Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs
EBBB
5:20PM, PATTERNS
Ebbb carefully weave the electronic worlds of gabber and techno with ambient pop and folk to produce a shapeshifting blend which defies convention. Fusing immersive electronic production, sparkling melodies, layered vocal harmonies and beats that veer from ambient to industrial.
FFO: Squid, Black Midi, Everything Everything
BROWN HORSE
4:50PM, CHALK
Brown Horse make twangy and thoughtful indie rock, delicately arranged, but unafraid of building a yowling wall of guitars, accordion, banjo and pedal steel. Distorted, teary eyed and country tinged, this is music for long lonely drives and late, late nights in strange places.
FFO: Friendship, MJ Lenderman, Big Thief
SATURDAY
COILGUNS
4:30PM, REVENGE
Initially coming from the DIY hardcore scene, Coilguns have since crafted their very own blend of punk and ecstatic noise-rock, and are known for their raw, uncompromising and euphoric live performances.
FFO: Idles, Battles, Melvins
YAANG
4:20PM, PATTERNS
Manchester punk trio YAANG have steadily built their reputation for furious, high-energy, live shows, powered by the rocketfuel combo of pulsating drum loops, clangorous guitars and a wicked sense of humour.
FFO: Fat Dog, Fat White Family, Keg
NIGHTBUS
4:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Nightbus are a Manchester-based trio blending post-punk melancholy with electronic precision, crafting music often described as “nostalgic but contemporary.” Formed in 2022, the band quickly gained attention for their atmospheric debut single Way Past Three.
FFO: The xx, Men I Trust, Pale Blue Eyes
NIGHT FLIGHT
4:00PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
Night Flight is the brainchild of singer-songwriters Sam Holmes and Harry Phillips. Formed in 2017, they make melodic, experimental indie-folk that blends contemplative lyrics, joyful melodies, and sometimes jagged, often glassy guitar-led textures.
FFO: Elliot Smith, Leif Erikson, Chartreuse
SATURDAY
CONGRATULATIONS
4:00PM, ALPHABET
Channelling masterfully hooky riffs with a grunge twist, Congratulations’ live show is overflowing with energy. Their choppy guitars and pop harmonies come together to create ear-worms that will stay with you, and their indie-electro synth sound shines throughout.
FFO: Home Counties, HotWax, Welly
LADYLIKE
3:45PM, CHALK
Delicately treading the tightrope between folk, and post rock, ladylike offer an innovative blend for the “introverts of the world in search of a place to rekindle their Optimism”.
FFO: Big Thief, Faye Webster, Ugly
JOYERIA
3:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Joyeria has spent his adult life patiently crafting his own path. Darkly and refreshingly funny in an era where self-depreciating comedy - from the mouth of a songwriter who can strut and swagger - too often comes across like a bet hedged against the confidence it takes to write songs with guts and brain cells.
FFO: Abertine Sarges, Hailaker, Honeyglaze
PAN AMSTERDAM
3:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT
Pan Amsterdam is a musical enigma wrapped in an enduring riddle. His creator is a jazz musician who’s found fame working with Detroit punk rock God, Iggy Pop, and British indie royalty, Metronomy, and now makes shapeshifting, adventurous jazzinfused hip-hop out of the music’s spiritual home, New York.
FFO: Damu the Fudgemunk, Metronomy, MF DOOM
SAINT CLAIR
3:30PM, DUST
London’s newest alternative outfit, Saint Clair, blur the lines between shoegaze and alt rock. Written for the stage, each song is made to captivate. Moody guitars, introspective lyrics, and a no frills approach define a band unafraid to leave it all on stage.
FFO: Wunderhorse, Radiohead, Fontaines D.C.
SATURDAY
SKYDADDY
3:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Skydaddy’s sound is a melting-pot of colourful, vibrant instrumentation, brimming with warmth and optimism. His capability to turn interpretations of a terrifying world into something beautiful has earnt him support slots for the likes of Cameron Winter, Black Country New Road and Katy J Peason.
FFO: Blue Bendy, Tapir!, The Orchestra (for Now)
BELLS LARSEN
3:00PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
Oscillating between lo-fi ‘90s indie and searing folk ballads, Larsen’s sound features voices frozen in time. Aligning with his transition timelines, he recorded his “high” voice and instrumentation in 2022, then after starting testosterone, arranged harmonies for his new “low” voice in 2023.
FFO: Adrienne Lenker, Jay Som, Sufjan Stevens
MY PRECIOUS BUNNY
3:00PM, ALPHABET
My Precious Bunny is the solo project of Lily Wolter, one half of brother-sister duo Penelope Isles. Stepping out on her own (with 6 besties by her side), Wolter crafts music that feels like deep nostalgia. Bursts of saxophone, warm analogue synths and restless guitars collide with raw, communal choral power.
FFO: Penelope Isles, Broken Social Scene, Our Girl
MÊN AN TOL
2:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Mên An Tol channel the raw grit of folk greats like The Pogues and The Waterboys alongside the mainstage urgency and confidence of Britpop giants. Perhaps most vitally, the songs proudly reclaim lost folk traditions with the use of the mandolin coupled with vibrant storytelling.
FFO: Cardinals, Cliffords, Westside Cowboy
TOOTH
2:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT
Tooth are a 4 -piece from London, pulling inspiration from midwest emo bands of the 90s/00s such as American Football and Title Fight, and combining it with the fragile sound and melodies of The Smiths and Big Thief.
FFO: Modern Baseball, Cap N Jazz, Algernon Cadwallader
SATURDAY
LEMONSUCKR
2:30PM, DUST
Lemonsuckr are an electronic alt-punk band from Brighton. Chaotic and energetic, raw and demanding, they’re a real shakedown onstage that gets the crowd moving from the absolute get go.
FFO: Welly, Deadletter, Vlure
BLOOD WIZARD
2:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Ethereal backing vocals, moody shoegaze guitars, and lyrics that clock the absurdity and humdrum of modern life are all tossed into the sonic cauldron of Blood Wizard. Founded by Kagoule’s Cai Burns, the project made its debut in 2021 and has become a fascinatingly offbeat festival staple ever since.
FFO: Keg, Personal Trainer, Kurt Vile
THE MAN THE MYTH THE MEATSLAB
2:00PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
The Man The Myth The Meatslab is a new project from Jamie Clarke. Taking inspiration from Bon Iver, Japanese Breakfast, Alex G and a chance encounter with a physics professor called Gerald Womack, TMTMTM’s music is a soundtrack to life’s small but important moments.
FFO: Medium Build, Alex G, Bon Iver
FAMILY STEREO
2:00PM, ALPHABET
With several self-released EPs to his name, Family Stereo combines rich lyrics and an intricate, finger picked style with distorted folk rock, alt- country and dreamlike soundscapes.
FFO: Sufjan Stevens, The Microphones, Fionn Regan
GREEN STAR
1:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Green star brings a fresh, exciting take on the visceral, gritty soundscapes of the experimental rock that brought them together. The band formed in London through the city’s creative, collaborative warehouse scene, bonding over their love of the likes of Sonic Youth and Swirlies.
FFO: Sonic Youth, Bar Italia, Swirlies
SATURDAY
ASHNYMPH
1:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT
Hotly tipped London newcomers Ashnymph are merely 6 months into their existence. Fusing erratic electro rumblings with indie pop memories, the trio’s twin passions for intricate dance music production, and loud furious rock corruption are both on show.
FFO: Animal Collective, Working Men’s Club, Yaang
THISTLE.
1:30PM, DUST
A blend of heavy shoegaze and indie-punk, Thistle. have quickly drawn the attention of BBC 6 Music and Radio X with their impeccable recordings and high-energy, powerhouse live shows.
FFO: Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Basht., Hotline TNT
MIDDING
1:10PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Hailing from Cardiff, Midding are part of the vibrant and ever so urgent Welsh lo-fi rock scene. Having released their debut EP ‘Nowhere Near Today’ in February this year, Midding displayed their love for the 60’s and 90’s with their critically acclaimed signature, noisy and primitive yet melodic wash of sound.
FFO: The Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3
ANNIE-DOG
1:10PM, FOLKLORE ROOMS
Annie-Dog’s material sees her delve into the shapeshifting pop landscape, incorporating the influences of Grimes and Pinkpantheress within her own sublime self-production, attracting several early plaudits in the process.
FFO: Far Caspian, Grimes, Alex G
CEANN CAPAILL
1:10PM, ALPHABET
Musically rooted in the rural landscape of the Mourne Mountains, CC’s sound moves fluidly between rough phonerecorded field sounds to expansive sessions with a revolving cast of musicians. It’s the drone of a mountain road, the haze of peat smoke, the echo of something half-remembered.
FFO: Lankum, Ye Vagabons, Mount Eerie
SATURDAY
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT GANS
Continuing the Mutations tradition of hot, sweaty and extremely fun official afterparties, 2025 sees us return to The Hope and Ruin and Dust on Friday and Saturday nights, as we present some of the most exciting and debauched late night party bands! Expect chaos!
12:50AM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
GANS is the result of looking to push sonic boundaries, creating a sound that is heavy, raucous and, at times, bone-crunching, but with lyrics discussing some of the deepest challenges affecting our generation with a tenderness not often seen in this genre.
FFO: Big Special, Soft Play, Deadletter
JOOLS
11:40PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
At any moment the Jools experience, on stage and on record, can turn on a sixpence from that unbridled rage at the world to a celebration of the beauty that can still be found in those murky corners. The punk rock of Jools is at once visceral and violent, cathartic and confrontational and at the next exultant and exhilarating.
FFO: Snayx, Nova Twins, Shame
JEANIE AND THE WHITE BOYS
10:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Jeanie and The White Boys crawled out of the shadows of London’s underground scene with a primal scream, christened and named by Hackney’s infamous drag superstar Miss Sharon Le Grand. Garnering the attention of legendary post-punk figures across the country, the band are poised to send their liberatory messaging through the timeless megaphone of classic rock ‘n’ roll.
FFO: X-Ray Spex, The Black Lips, The Moonlandingz
SATURDAY
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT
Continuing the Mutations tradition of hot, sweaty and extremely fun official afterparties, 2025 sees us return to The Hope and Ruin and Dust on Friday and Saturday nights, as we present some of the most exciting and debauched late night party bands! Expect chaos!
OPUS KINK
1:10AM, DUST
With their ever-mutating brand of jazz and country laced punk, Opus Kink cut a singular figure in a saturated landscape. Making their name with incendiary, cult-like live shows, the Brighton band have developed a sound as elusive as it is recognisable, careening from tarantella, to pounding death disco, to music hall, to menacing, sluggish dirge.
FFO: Viagra Boys, Black Midi, Deadletter
TEETHIN
11:55PM, DUST
Emerging from the heart of Wales, Teethin is a bold and eclectic new force reviving dance-punk with purpose. Their lived experiences of inequality and disenfranchisement are threaded through hard-hitting punk with insistent electronic inflections, creating a rich sonic tapestry that offers solace for the underdogs.
FFO: Vlure, Wargasm, Jehnny Beth SCALER
10:20PM, DUST
Mutations ‘house-band’ SCALER (fka Scalping) approach their concerts like nightclub overlords, designing their sets like extended trance pieces. Self-described as “a live band playing industrial techno”, SCALER combines the traditional tools of rock music with electronic processing, in an attempt to erase the boundaries between hard rock and techno.
FFO: HEALTH, Model/Actriz, Working Men’s Club
137 x JEFF KEEN
PART OF CINECITY 14 NOVEMBER 2025
MORGAN QUAINTANCE: ‘AVAILABLE LIGHT’ 20 NOVEMBER 2025
TUNE-YARDS SUPPORT: LUXJURY 21 NOVEMBER 2025
CABARET VOLTAIRE
SOLD OUT
SUPPORT: MICROCORPS 22 NOVEMBER 2025
JENNY MOORE: ‘WILD MIX’ 29 JANUARY 2026
ERASERHEAD XIU XIU 31 JANUARY 2026
COLIN STETSON SUPPORT: KAYLA PAINTER 17 APRIL 2026
