WELCOME TO MUTATIONS So, it’s that time of year again! This weekend, Mutations Festival brings its usual storm of artists to Brighton for its eighth edition and we can’t wait for you to see what’s in store. We’re so proud of this year’s line-up; a whopping 94 acts gracing the stages of 10 of the city’s most treasured grassroots music venues. Expect to see sets from established heroes and international break-through artists alike. Our Friday headliners are the electrifying South-Londoners, Fat Dog, promising a world of sweaty chaos and glory. Fresh off the announcement of their biggest headline shows to date, we can’t wait to welcome them back to Mutations Festival for the third time, this time at the top of Friday’s bill! Then before we know it, Saturday comes knocking and who’s at the door? Seminal, genre-defining, KING of hip-hop Mike D of course! As one third of the Beastie Boys, Mike D will be showing us all how to fight for our right to party, with a rare performance for the ages - following the release of his phenomenal debut solo album ‘Thank You’. Alongside our mighty headliners this year, are some of the most highly anticipated and boundary-pushing artists, including Mercury Prize nominated Dove Ellis; art-rock staples and historic Mutations headliners Squid; fiery Welsh punks Panic Shack; ambient trip-hop luminaries Tara Clerkin Trio and fast-rising London alt-country quartet Little Grandad, who have been rapidly selling out their UK tour dates ahead of the arrival of their debut album in January 2027. For us, Mutations has always been about showcasing the best new music; a place of discovery and inclusion - and we truly hope that this year will be no exception. We can’t recommend taking a punt on a brand new artist enough; you might just stumble upon your next favourite act. Who was there to see CMAT at Patterns in 2021? Or the intimate early performances of The Last Dinner Party, Wunderhorse and Fat Dog in 2022? Maybe you were there to catch English Teacher in 2023 before they won the Mercury Prize and continued to sky-rocket? We’re spoiled rotten to have a bill of such incredible artists at our fingertips and all just moments away from each other. Finally, Mutations Festival would not exist without the support and work of the people behind the scenes! We sincerely thank all of the venues, artists, agents, managers, reps and volunteers who pull this special weekend together. A big shout out to our dear friends at Resident, Bella Union and Goo Records too… and, of course, every single one of YOU. Have a sublime weekend and off you go to create your very own “I caught them in the early days!” moment at Mutations Festival 2026!
FRIDAY MOUTH ULCERS
3:30PM, PATTERNS
London newcomers Mouth Ulcers represent a new generation of dark post-punk, re-shaping the genre into something urgent, youthful and intoxicating. Atmospheric guitars, tribal percussion and cavernous baritone vocals create a sound described as ‘music for vampires to dance to’. FFO: The Murder Capital / Lebanon Hanover / ACTORS
THEATRE
3:45PM, CHALK Moving between genres with an intentional yet elastic ease, THEATRE create an understated, timeless sound. Sewing together an intricate mix of gothic, ethereal rock, folk and shoegaze, there’s a palpable fluidity to THEATRE’s live performances- where crafted interludes weave their sets together with a sense of carefully considered curation. FFO: Just Mustard / Heartworms / Maruja
HUTCH 3:55PM, REVENGE Hutch are whimsical, psychedelic twang-pop enthusiasts with a penchant for poppy hooks, who emerged from Brighton’s vibrant music scene after lockdown. Recently, Hutch have bolstered their live show with the addition of harp, synth and flute, as well as two more voices on top of their already gleaming four-part harmonies. FFO: The Lemon Twigs / Babe Rainbow / Mac Demarco
UCHE YARA
4:25PM, PATTERNS Fusing influences from alt pop, R&B and club music, UCHE YARA creates a unique sonic universe. On stage, UCHE is a one woman force of sound and movement: using her voice, guitar, and body as instruments she builds something magnetic. FFO: FKA twigs / Ebbb / Mykki Blanco
FRIDAY SILVER GORE
4:55PM, CHALK
Silver Gore filter electronic, indie-pop and folk-rock through a battered kaleidoscope. Forming almost by accident, the duo try to bottle ‘feeling’ in its most potent form; mixing shoegaze guitars with undulating synths and raw lyricism. FFO: Water From Your Eyes / Jockstrap / Bar Italia
MODERN WOMAN
5:10PM, REVENGE
Modern Woman, the London art-rock outfit, combine intimate songwriting into a full-bodied project capable of folding postpunk, avant-garde, and folk traditions into a live force of dynamic originality. The group forge a style that values the contrasting edges of folk lyricism and noise that collides with melody. FFO: Mary in the Junkyard / caroline / English Teacher
WORLD NEWS 5:30PM, PATTERNS World News draw from ‘70s and ‘80s post-punk, indie rock and shoegaze to craft atmospheric guitar riffs with nonchalant, seductive melodies. Moody and punchy, they wear nostalgic influences on their sleeves while remaining strangely original. FFO: GHOSTWOMAN / Nightbus / The Chameleons
BASHT.
6:05PM, CHALK Basht. are rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting forces in indie rock today. A band whose backgrounds collide into something heavy and hungry, their jagged guitars, raw intensity and an unmistakable punk edge have quickly earned them a reputation as ones to watch. FFO: Fontaines D.C. / Wunderhorse / Keo
FRIDAY DIVEBAR YOUTH
6:10PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Divebar Youth is the genre-bending project of Australian artist and producer Vinnie Barbaro, delivering dark, high energy indie and alternative music. A self-producedsongwriter, Barbaro writes, records, mixes, and masters his own material- brought to life through a show built on fuzzed-out guitars, live drums, and garage-rock intensity. FFO: EKKSTACY / Bass Drum of Death / Wavves
PAPER HATS
6:20PM, DUST
London-based emotional noise-rock quartet Paper Hats bring harsh sounds influenced by the crunching dissonance of ‘90s emo and post-hardcore. Unpredictable and unwilling to follow the formulaic rules of songwriting, Paper Hats bring an auditory onslaught that keeps you guessing. FFO: Unwound, Gilla band, deathcrash
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
6:25PM, REVENGE
For the better part of a decade, LA’s scrappy rock n’ roll mystics Death Valley Girls have used their music as a means of tapping into a communal cosmic energy. The band challenge and celebrate the soul-crushing banality of modern society through a collage of proto-punk riffs, earworm melodies and far-out lyrics. FFO: L.A. Witch / The Black Angels / Frankie and the Witch Fingers
MORN
6:35PM, PATTERNS MORN craft a compelling blend of what they refer to as “doom over beautiful chords”, weaving spiky guitar passages and rumbling fuzz with breathless, runaway train chaoticism. A dextrous band wrestling bedlam into something cathartic. FFO: GANS / DITZ / VLURE
TANZANA
7:05PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Glasgow 5-piece Tanzana create trip-hop influenced alternative rock music, carving out a sound that is both deeply organic and subtly dystopian. Intricate textures and reverberating guitar lines shape the melodic atmosphere, while Talbot’s voice moves between eerie whispers and cathartic outbursts. FFO: Portishead / Massive Attack / Bowery Electric
THE TIMES
MAIL ON SUNDAY
THE TELEGRAPH
“more than spectacular” THE GUARDIAN
A
LIGHTROOM PRODUCTION
An immersive journey through iconic performances and rarely-seen interviews BRIGHTON DOME CORN EXCHANGE FRI 16 JUL – MON 30 AUG 2027 BRIGHTONDOME.ORG
Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival are supported by
FRIDAY MAX WINTER
7:15PM, DUST
Max Winter combines delicate, ambient piano, virtuosic guitar, fractured techno and eerie, experimental string compositions, leaping from genre to genre while maintaining a thread of melodic coherence throughout. FFO: Mount Kimbie / Vegyn / Kelly Moran
CYN CWSG
7:15PM, GREEN DOOR STORE With bilingual lyrics sung in Welsh and English, Cyn Cwsg’s intoxicating blend of jagged indie rock and sunburst psychedelia undoubtedly reveals an allegiance to their native country’s most famous 90s exports, but does so with the kind of songwriting bravery and infectious optimism that’s hard to resist. FFO: Super Furry Animals / Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci / The Coral
SQUID
7:20PM, CHALK Squid have come a long way since forming in 2016 as an instrumental jazz band for a monthly jam night in Brighton. Since then, they’ve embraced influences ranging from outsider punk to Fourth World, becoming known for their chaotic and incendiary live shows. The English art-rock quintet now explore textures of folk, kosmische, psychedelia, jazz and electronics. FFO: black midi / Shame / Black Country, New Road
LIP CRITIC
7:40PM, REVENGE Lip Critic have doubled down on the chaos: two drummers locked in psychic combat, a sampler that sounds like it was struck by lightning, and frontman Bret Kaser’s paranoid preacher energy. Their 2026 album ‘Theft World’ is one of the most-hyped experimental releases of the year. FFO: YHWH Nailgun / Model/Actriz / Machine Girl
BED
7:45PM, PATTERNS There are few bands in the world more exciting than bed, the Tokyo four-piece who have broken through the hegemony of 2020s guitar music to make their mark on the international post-punk scene. A deft-but-counterintuitive blend of techno, punk and classic rock earns them their reputation as one of the best live bands in Japan. FFO: MSPAINT / Sextile / Model/Actriz
FRIDAY THE MINK
7:45PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT The Mink play angular, guitar driven art-rock, peppered with dreamlike atmospherics and a love for the surreal. Whether its wigged out motorik onslaughts between choruses, or a nod to Britpop-esque humour in the lyrics, the band use experimental recording techniques to carve out a world which is entirely their own. FFO: Field Music, Super Furry Animals, Franz Ferdinand
MARSY
8:00PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Rich with vocal harmonies that feel as though they’ve been steeped in tradition for a century or more, Marsy’s songs are written with sunshine on the mind. Plaintive vocals tell timeless stories, shaped by a quiet sadness and a melodic instinct that cuts cleanly across eras. FFO: Big Thief / Fleet Foxes / Jessica Pratt
HOLYBONES
8:15PM, DUST
Holybones are the underground alt-electronic collective who, by donning anonymity-preserving facial bandages, truly let their output do the talking. Combining spoken word, second hand sounds and dance riffs, their music speaks to the hopes and disconnect of being a young adult in a big city. FFO: Sleaford Mods / Fat White Family / High Vis
MAXIMILIAN
8:15PM, GREEN DOOR STORE Simple melodies to ease a worried mind, Maximilian creates carefully crafted songs with immaculate arrangements and earnest lyricism, like the product of some benevolent, arcane ritual. Vocalising compassion, expressing the will to comfort, through love letters from afar. FFO: Adrianne Lenker / Alex G / Elliott Smith
M. WOODROE
8:30PM, DALTONS
M. Woodroe is a moody alternative band who has quickly shot out of the local DIY scene in Brighton. Led by intricate, political and provocative lyrics and followed by a bed of raw angular guitar noise, the 4-piece’s image, lyrics and sound are boundary-pushing contemplations of gender, sexuality and desire. FFO: Slow Pulp / Sword II / NewDad
FRIDAY THE STANFORD FAMILY BAND
8:40PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT
The Stanford Family Band craft bright, jangling pop that feels both out of time and completely at home. Drawing on the warmth and melodic charm of classic guitar pop, their sound pairs shimmering guitars and infectious melodies with an unmistakably playful edge. FFO: Belle and Sebastian / Teenage Fanclub / The Pastels
BDRMM
9:00PM, REVENGE bdrmm walk the line between dream-pop and shoegaze, switching between ethereal melancholy and driving delay with ease. As they’ve grown, they’ve steadily broadened their palette, with electronica adding an unabashed move towards the dancefloor. FFO: DIIV / Slowdive / Pale Blue Eyes
FAT DOG
9:00PM, CHALK Fat Dog’s chaotic live show has built them one of the most excitable word-of-mouth reputations of the decade. Dance, punk, klezmer and just about everything else: the electrifying South Londoners Fat Dog are proving impossible to pigeonhole. FFO: Adult DVD / Getdown Services / Warmduscher
GB
9:00PM, PATTERNS Copenhagen’s GB crafts texture-heavy, adventurous guitar music cut with a pop sensibility. Berntsen and his bandmates leverage every aspect of their record collections to construct these intricate collages, sounding at once like so many things—Japanese psych-rock, private-press folk recordings, somber Midwestern slowcore—yet wholly like themselves. FFO: ML Buch / Bar Italia / Arthur Russell
THE BESNARD LAKES
9:05PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Unique among their furrowed brow peers, The Besnard Lakes are unafraid to marry textured, questing headphone sonics to the honeyed pleasure of radio hits past. Imagine dreamy Beach House riding Led Zeppelin dynamics, with unabashedly androgynous vocal harmonies creating a melodic yet mountainous sound world FFO: Beach House / Spiritualized / Broken Social Scene
FRIDAY JEFFREY LEWIS & THE VOLTAGE
9:15PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
The mind-spinning indie-rock/ folk/ art of Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage developed when songwriter and comic book artist Jeffrey Lewis began recording homemade cassettes in New York City in 1998. His critically acclaimed, word-dense songs led to a Rough Trade signing in 2001 and evolved into a live touring cult sensation around the world. FFO: The Moldy Peaches / The Mountain Goats / Jeff Rosenstock
LAUREN AUDER
9:25PM, DUST
Lauren Auder is a British-French singer-songwriter, record producer and composer who stitches together elements of classical, experimental, emo, and rap music into her own strange and hypnotic form of orchestral pop. Auder has firmly cemented herself as an auteur across the worlds of music and fashion. FFO: King Krule / Eartheater / Tirzah
ORAL HABIT
9:35PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Oral Habit deal in what they call “the ear-rattling psychic dream of choked-up acid punks”, a sound that feels overpowering, explosive and intense. You could say it’s closely aligned to the disoriented racket of mid-60s freakbeat; equally you could suggest it’s a contemporary form of psychedelia, rebooted for the disturbing climate of 2026. FFO: Osees / Ty Segall / The Black Lips
DIVORCE ATTORNEY
9:45PM, DALTONS
Inspired by the 80’s to the 00’s goth and post-punk movements, Divorce Attorney’s live sound is a lesson in playful creativity. Rarely following traditional song structures, the band prefer to use a flow of energy to dictate how verses and choruses are connected. FFO: University / Alien Chicks / KEG
ZO LIEF
10:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Hypnotic. Heavenly. Heavy. Zo Lief craft a kaleidoscopic sound that alludes to a whimsical nostalgia. Collaging velvety, smoky vocals with fuzzy guitars and swirly synths, they bounce around the walls of psychedelia, dream pop, chamber pop, shoegaze and garage rock. FFO: The Marías / Melody’s Echo Chamber / Alexandra Savior
FRIDAY Continuing the Mutations tradition of heavy, sweaty, late night debauchery, 2026 sees us return to our happy place at The Hope and Ruin for yet more late night dancing. This year however we’re expanding the late night parties, keeping Chalk and Daltons rocking late too! The chaos is spreading!
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT WORKING MEN’S CLUB
10:55PM, CHALK
Here to bust out of the doldrums, clad in a T-shirt that screams SOCIALISM and armed with a drum machine, synth, pedal and icy stare, are Working Men’s Club. The West Yorkshire band take the stark electronics of the post-punk scene and warm them with Detroit techno and Italian house. FFO: PVA / Nation of Language / Adult DVD
SCALER
12:40AM, CHALK Powerful and immediate, Scaler tug at emotional threads and sonic touchpoints that feel tangled up in the musical heritage of their home town, Bristol. There are traces of trip-hop, drum‘n’bass and experimental electronic, plus flashes of techno and metal, all carried by immense low-end pressure and tempered by more subdued, spatial stretches that drift and sprawl. FFO: Mandy, Indiana / Benefits / HEALTH
SILVERWINGKILLER
1:50AM, CHALK
Emerging from Manchester’s underground, SILVERWINGKILLER are a high-energy electronic twopiece carving out their own uncompromising corner of the UK music scene. Their sound is a collision of cultures and technologies: world music influences twisted through analogue arpeggiators, aggressive basslines, frenetic live breakbeats, and vocals split between English and Chinese. FFO: Wednesday / They Are Gutting a Body of Water / Hotline TNT
FRIDAY LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT OPAL MAG
10:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Drawing from hazy dream-pop, indie rock and shoegaze, Opal Mag pairs evocative songwriting with atmospheric soundscapes and a nostalgic edge. Her music moves between the delicate and the distorted, exploring themes of love, identity, disappointment and the desire for freedom. FFO: Mazzy Star / The Sundays / The Breeders
THE ITCH
11:40PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN As architects of formidably nagging hooks, The Itch could scarcely be more aptly named. Their effervescent art pop pairs wryly self aware lyrics with sardonic floorfillers that burrow deep under your skin and linger in your consciousness long after the music stops. FFO: LCD Soundsystem / Confidence Man / Soul Wax
HUMANE
12:50AM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Humane is a collaborative force; blending jagged riffs, brooding lyricism and raw emotional energy. Anchored in East London, the band channel themes of fragility, defiance and existential weight taking a bold step into a wider sonic and emotional landscape. FFO: Radio Free Alice / The Smashing Pumpkins / The Smiths
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT O.
11:00PM, DALTONS Baritone saxophonist and drummer duo O. are capable of creating an astonishing amount of noise with just two instruments. Twisting jazz, punk and experimental electronics into music that’s guttural and visceral, thunderous drums collide with distorted saxophone to create a sound that’s heavy and unpredictable. FFO: Drahla / Enola Gay / CLT DRP
DIE TWICE
12:15AM, DALTONS Die Twice create immersive, slow burning alternative rock that moves from simmering tension to explosive full-band catharsis. Pulling from punk, jazz, hip-hop and psychedelia, their sound echoes of 60s French cinema and classic rock while remaining restless and exploratory. FFO: Radio Free Alice / Man/Woman/Chainsaw / Famous
SATURDAY JOSEPHINE ILLINGWORTH
1:10PM, A L P H A B E T
Josephine has spent years on the road collecting sounds and sleeping in Europe’s network of unmanned mountain huts and churches, creating her signature twist on folk music; lyrically surreal and structurally unexpected, her wayfaring story-songs have won her the BBC Tune Into Nature music prize. FFO: Aga Ujma / Clara Mann / Big Thief
KELLY NO BRAKES
1:10PM, THE FOLKLORE ROOMS Kelly No Brakes is the new pop-rock group of Swedish Grammynominated artist Klara Keller and Paris-based collaborator David Bekic. A seamless blend of orchestral instrumentation and inimitable vocals, they emerge as one of the most exciting new indie acts and show no signs of slowing down. FFO: Esther / Lola Hammerich / Paycheque
SUNDAY MOURNERS
1:10PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Sunday Mourners are Casey, Z, Quinn & Max; four college and childhood friends combining irony and sincerity in a punchy, angular blend of 1970s and ‘80s post-punk, art-rock, and protopunk. LA based, they are a razor sharp post-punk exercise in thrusting and carving. FFO: Twisted Teens / Victoryland / Vegas Water Taxi
BIG RED
1:30PM, DUST Big Red is an equal parts distinctive and elusive force on the UK’s live music circuit. Though their recorded catalogue remains under wraps, Big Red’s live shows continue to earn them a loyal following and critical acclaim within the live music community. FFO: Cowboyy / Spanish Horses / My New Band Believe
JO FROM SCHOOL
1:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT At 22-years-old, jo from school’s graceful, carefully crafted but devastatingly delivered songs hit with an air of maturity that lands far beyond her years. An embrace for spontaneity and imperfection gives her material its character; primarily as an artist focussed on doing things her own way. FFO: Tapir! / The New Eves / Naima Bock
SATURDAY KITCHEN LOVER
1:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Hailing from the ashes of a 1950s punk child, raised in a nonmonogamous relationship between The Chats and Dead Kennedys, Kitchen Lover began as a raw-edged two-piece. Two became three, then three became four. An ever-expanding pack that still holds a visceral core, now laced with a splash of sophistication and undeniable flair. FFO: The Family Battenberg / Shame / The Black Keys
FOOT FOOT
2:00PM, THE FOLKLORE ROOMS foot foot is a Bristol-based experimental art-rock and postrock band known for an ambitious blend of folk, noise, and lush orchestration. With a penchant for free flowing yet emotionally driven post-rock buildups, broken up by moments of chaos, combined with lush orchestrations, foot foot has a vibe all their own. FFO: Why Horses? / Speedial / Ladylike
PLANTOID
2:00PM, A L P H A B E T + 4:25PM, CHALK Plantoid became cemented as stewards of the UK’s prog-rock scene with their debut album, and have returned strong for their sophomore release: enigmatic, arresting, and at times downright catchy. The math-rock trio create music awash with heavy reverberated guitar licks, tempo changes, and mind-altering chord progressions. FFO: Squid / Black Midi / The Orielles
REALLY GOOD TIME
2:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Really Good Time are a post-punk power trio that sound like ‘Vertigo’ era U2 covering Viagra Boys, or early Pixies and LCD Soundsystem records in a blender. In the 5 years since their inception, their explosive live performances have established them as one of the sharpest new acts to come out of Ireland. FFO: Gurriers / Alien Chicks / Man/Woman/Chainsaw
AIN’T
2:30PM, DUST Formed over a shared love of the stranger end of ‘90s guitar music, Ain’t move between the tender and morose to the blistering and explosive. The band’s sound is underpinned by evocative lyrics exploring subjects from 18th century smut to 80’s horror films. FFO: Blood Wizard / The New Cut / Hank
SATURDAY MLEKO
2:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Seven-piece MLEKO will twist, howl, and hold you over the edge with ever-so-slightly clammy hands. Their reputation as art-punk, neo-folk noise wizards precedes them as an articulate goliath that keeps it weird, beautiful and joyous. FFO: Opus Kink / Black Country, New Road / Squid
WARHAUS
2:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Warhaus is the other side of Balthazar frontman Maarten Devoldere. A nocturnal trip into the deep, dangerous neon underbelly of the city- raw, yet possessed of a strange beauty. Dark, dramatic baritone crooning along with a keen melodic sensibility and wry, sometimes black humor with poetry and resonant emotion. FFO: Balthazar / J Bernardt / Sylvie Kreusch
BEN KIDSON
3:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE Ben Kidson might look like a pop star, but he’s not trying to be one. Making self proclaimed ‘accidental pop music’, the South Londoner is carving his own path- jagged guitars and biting, brutally honest writing about love, addiction and digital chaos. FFO: Good Health Good Wealth / GANS / Big Special
GEORGIA MOONEY
3:00PM, THE FOLKLORE ROOMS One of Australia’s foremost songwriters and vocalists, RIA-winner Georgia Mooney makes music fit for star-gazing. As one quarter of All Our Exes Live in Texas, Georgia now steps forward as a singular voice: multi-faceted, magnetic, and unmistakably her own. FFO: Baby Velvet / Martha Marlow / All Our Exes Live In Texas
SPEEDIAL
3:00PM, A L P H A B E T + 6:15PM, GREEN DOOR STORE Weaving together the threads of post-rock, shoegaze, math rock, jazz and noise-rock is no easy task, but emerging London fourpiece Speedial make it look easy. Curious, comforting yet chaotic, their sound is complex, atmospheric and undeniably inviting. FFO: Ugly / Black Country New Road / Tortoise
SATURDAY SNAYX
3:20PM, CHALK British alt-rock trio SNAYX are making waves with their ferocious live performances and hardhitting, bass-driven anthems. Building a reputation for delivering a visceral fuse of rock, electronic, and experimental elements into an explosive sound. FFO: Kid Kapichi / Hot Wax / Soft Play
BIG LONG SUN
3:30PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Giddy, raucous and gloriously human, big long sun is a genreblurring outpouring of feeling-over-meaning: dense with rhythm, scattered with colour, and fuelled by a self-contained creative vision. FFO: Nashpaints / Personal Trainer / Lime Garden
ESMERALDA ROAD
3:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Belfast band Esmeralda Road are a group built on sharp songwriting, restless rhythms and an instinct for turning small rooms into fullblown parties. The band first gained attention through a string of sold-out shows and early releases that spread quickly online. Having already shared stages with Liam Gallagher and Primal Scream, Esmeralda Road are on the rise. FFO: Basht. / Radio Free Alice / Fontaines DC
LITTLE GRANDAD
3:30PM, DUST
Formed in 2025, Little Grandad’s songs sound like a sort of venn diagram of rust-belt Americana, Brooklyn-informed slacker-rock, and warm yet ramshackle British indie guitar rock. It’s chaotic, teeters on the brink of collapse, but somehow hangs together in a live show that’s equal parts chaos and chemistry. FFO: Tooth / Man/Woman/Chainsaw / Saint Clair
CASUAL SMART
4:00PM, GREEN DOOR STORE A quintet of school friends still firmly in their teens, newcomers casual smart are a shining new light to emerge from Cardiff’s burgeoning indie playground. A delicate blend of an endearing DIY ethos and impassioned post-rock, each track is a heartfelt record of youthful friendship and the tumult of young adulthood. FFO: Man/Woman/Chainsaw / Westside Cowboy / Mary In The Junkyard
SATURDAY DEARY
4:00PM, A L P H A B E T Deary create beautiful, wistful dream pop that can be at once blissed-out and barb-wired, making music that would feel at home on a mix with both Cocteau Twins and Massive Attack. Described as “a sonic tidal wave of feeling”, the three-piece have quickly garnered support from the wider music community. FFO: Whitelands / she’s green / bdrmm
TASHA
4:00PM, THE FOLKLORE ROOMS Tasha is a Chicago-born singer songwriter, whose powerfully emotive music spirits us away from dull, gray winter into an edenic jewelbox. Whether dwelling in the sad thrum of an impending break up or the dizzying, heart thumping waltz of new infatuation, Tasha creates art with a singular, straightforward beauty. FFO: Jordan Patterson / Sister Ray / Ada Lea
POST COMMON
4:20PM, REVENGE
Post Common are a Brighton-based trio featuring current and former members of UK DIY stalwarts JOHN, TRAAMS and Sisterland. A project that shares these strands of musical DNAwhilst expanding outwards to take in elements of electronic, industrial and post-hardcore music- they tread a fine line between romance and dystopia, poetry and mundanity. FFO: Chalk / Gurriers / DITZ
BENCHWARMER
4:25PM, PATTERNS
Four-piece alternative rock band benchwarmer hail from London and craft emotionally driven songs that translate into an intimate and immersive live set. Having only launched in 2025, the band have already sold out three headline shows in London, with hype of their live set bringing audiences back every time. FFO: Big Sleep / Lazy Haze / Fontaines D.C.
HAMMOK
5:20PM, REVENGE Emerging from the Norwegian hardcore scene, Hammok have quickly become one of the most hotly anticipated bands from the North. The noisy power-trio are pushing genre boundaries, pairing aggressive energy with a scream-along catharsis to create an unforgettable live show. FFO: The Armed / METZ / Show Me The Body
SATURDAY IGUANA DEATH CULT
5:35PM, PATTERNS
The Rotterdam band mix early punk and garage roots, razorsharp riffs, relentless drumming, and raw, emotive vocals. Their live performance features honest self-reflection, ever-groovy percussion and hefty yet heartfelt vocals guiding us through feelings of despair, anger and solace, in that very order. FFO: Shame / Osees / BODEGA
TTSSFU
5:35PM, CHALK TTSSFU- the project of Manchester’s Tasmin Nicole Stephensconjures enormous atmospheric worlds using just GarageBand in their bedroom. With a DIY approach and shoegaze influences, Stephens masterfully blends the eeriness of The Cure with the fast BPM of the Strokes. FFO: The Cure / Just Mustard / Sorry
ANY YOUNG MECHANIC
6:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Having taken their name from a line in Hooray For Hollywood, there is an aptly cinematic quality to Any Young Mechanic’s music. With intricate scenes, enthralling narratives and unique characters cropping up across the lyrics, the Adelaide five-piece bring a fresh language to folk music. FFO: Big Thief / H. Hawkline / Alex G
ME REX
6:30PM, REVENGE ME REX defy genre boundaries and typical song structure, whilst touching on themes of friendship and forgiveness. With influences ranging from art to lore, the band are most comfortable sonically breaking the constraints written for them and have become experts at creating surging, gargantuan soundscapes, encompassing introspective lyricism. FFO: Black Country, New Road / Delta Sleep / Sorority Noise
MURKAGE DAVE
6:50PM, PATTERNS
Murkage Dave is a pop singer from East London, and one of the UK’s most singular voices. His music, informed by indie, outsider art, has an instinct for storytelling and is built on honesty, empathy and fearless social commentary. FFO: Yard Act / Young Fathers / Sampha
Gigs in Brighton... Brighton... Gigs in
EMPLOYED TO SERVE EMPLOYED TO SERVE 6th Nov 2026 at Patterns 6th Nov 2026 at Patterns
TEENAGE FANCLUB 5thTEENAGE Nov 2026 at FANCLUB Concorde 2
CHASING ABBEY CHASING 8th Nov 2026ABBEY at Patterns
5th Nov 2026 at Concorde 2
8th Nov 2026 at Patterns
GROMMET GROMMET
16th 16thNov Nov 2026 2026 at at Dust Dust
TIGERCUB TIGERCUB
MUSTBEJOHN MUSTBEJOHN
13th Nov 2026 Chalk 13th Nov 2026 atat Chalk
1st Door Store 1stDec Dec2026 2026atatGreen Green Door Store
GOOD HEALTH HEALTH GOOD GOOD WEALTH WEALTH GOOD
4thDec Dec2026 2026 at at Patterns Patterns 4th
FINNIAN JAMES FINNIAN JAMES 4th Dec 2026 at Dust
BARBARA BARBARA 12th Dec 2026 at Dust
4th Dec 2026 at Dust
12th Dec 2026 at Dust
BIG SPECIAL BIG SPECIAL 9th Dec 2026 at Chalk
9th Dec 2026 at Chalk
GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB 12th Dec 2026 at Chalk GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB 12th Dec 2026 at Chalk
THE SCRATCH 4th Feb 2027 at Chalk THE SCRATCH
4th Feb 2027 at Chalk
SPLIT DOGS 25th Feb 2027 at Patterns SPLIT DOGS
25th Feb 2027 at Patterns
Full listings & tickets from LoutPromotions.co.uk Full listings & tickets from LoutPromotions.co.uk
SATURDAY DOVE ELLIS
7:00PM, CHALK
Dove Ellis’ soaring voice and otherworldly, enchanting music blends poetic lyricism with drifting melodies, and has led his debut album ‘Blizzard’ to be nominated for a Mercury Prize. Fresh off tour with GEESE, the Irish artist has deservedly crept his way into the interest of critics and fans alike. FFO: Jacob Alon / Jeff Buckley / Thom Yorke
HANK
7:10PM, GREEN DOOR STORE London’s Hank create moody, abrasive music that moves between post-punk and noise rock, burying sharp melodies beneath layers of distortion. Helmed by Lola Stephen and backed by a changing line-up of musicians, their raw, unpredictable sound translates into live shows built on pure adrenaline and energy. FFO: Blood Wizard / Whitelands / Water From Your Eyes
WHY HORSES?
7:40PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Forming in Cardiff in 2022, Why Horses? hate when all songs sound the same. The five-piece make post-punk and art-rock inspired music, combined with cryptic lyricism which they call ‘Post Hypnagogic Punk Wave’. FFO: Iceage / Modest Mouse / Ideal Living
FLORENTENES
7:45PM, DUST
Florentenes began in bedroom jams but has since blossomed into an unstoppable powerhouse with a distinctive sound. They have forged a tight bond with an ever-growing audience hungry for their sonic force; a mix of jagged riffs, melodic basslines, and hooks that stay lodged in your head for days. FFO: The North / The Slates / Cherryholt
PULLED APART BY HORSES
7:45PM, REVENGE
Pulled Apart By Horses have earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most electrifying live bands, an adrenaline-fuelled cult built on trust, intensity and shared scars. Their shows teeter between precision and total mayhem. From sweat soaked clubs to festival stages, the band create something raw and communal. FFO: Reuben / Future of the Left / Cloud Nothings
SATURDAY ALICE COSTELLOE
7:50PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Alice Costelloe is an alt-pop songwriter whose solo work focuses on reflection, transition and finding a clearer creative direction. Moving beyond the cool precision of her indie-rock roots, she shapes a world of mellotron drones, fluttering flutes, warped synths and stumbling pianos - a sound that feels tactile, human, and defiantly alive. FFO: Eaves Wilder / Mary In The Junkyard / Divorce
NIGHT SWIMMING
7:50PM, DALTONS
Drawn to the darker nuances of human experience, Night Swimming craft vivid, cinematic soundscapes with a love of film driving their approach. They invite listeners to visualise and indulge their imaginations- pairing atmosphere and texture with an intimate emotional honesty. FFO: Whitelands / bdrmm / swim school
THE HEALING POWER OF HORSES
8:05PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Hailing from Cambridge, the duo’s brittle rhythms crack against blown-out textures, giving way to moments of weightless melody that hover just above themselves. Their debut album hails from first takes and a refusal to overwork anything. FFO: Mary in the Junkyard / Silver Gore / Little Grandad
ALEX CAMERON
8:30PM, PATTERNS
Australian singer-songwriter Alex Cameron thrives in theatrical, persona-driven storytelling that explores ambition, failure and modern masculinity. Having toured with the Strokes and co-written songs with The Killers, his music blends sleazy synth-pop with ironic lyrics. Cameron has truly mastered the art of blending satire with sincerity. FFO: Angel Oslen / Mac DeMarco / Brandon Flowers
MIKE D 5D
8:30PM, CHALK Mike Diamond, aka Mike D, needs very little introduction. As one third of the Beastie Boys, Mike D re-defined the genre of hip-hop and has now released his phenomenal debut solo album ‘Thank You’, continuing his reign of one of the most recognisable and innovative voices of the genre. FFO: Gorillaz / Beck / Run the Jewels
SATURDAY WALT DISCO
8:40PM, DUST
Walt Disco create a world of their own through fearless, unique pop songs and a message of self expression at the very core of everything they do. Crafting a sonic cocktail ranging from new wave and glam rock to queer modern art-pop, the Glasgow-based sextet’s youthful songs are as much dancefloor fillers as they are anthemic earworms. FFO: TV Priest / Working Men’s Club / The Itch
HANNAH FRANCES
8:50PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Hannah Frances is a vocalist, guitarist, composer, and poet whose mystical vibes, intricate arrangements and fingerpicking acumen produce an intoxicating blend of avant-folk and jazz-inflected pop. FFO: FFO: Maria BC / h.pruz / caroline
NINUSH 9:00PM, DALTONS Ninush is London-based violinist, recognised as a live presence within Black Country, New Road. What began as a side project, playing small shows at the Windmill Brixton, has grown into a collaborative space where indie pop, classical textures and experimental sounds come together, brought forth with her 5-piece orchestra. FFO: Ugly / 1000 Rabbits / Eveyln Grey
TARA CLERKIN TRIO
9:00PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
Tara Clerkin Trio may make underlying nods to jazz beneath janky samples and oddball percussive embellishments, but a calming consistency throughout the otherwise unpredictably dynamic harmonium invites listeners with hypnotising effect. Boldly intuitive, they are a hazy, unmappable skyline-mirage of upright bass, peculiarly accentuated wind instruments, acoustic guitar and hushed yet literally mighty keys. FFO: Still House Plants / Moin / Astrid Sonne
SATURDAY PANIC SHACK
9:15PM, REVENGE
If there’s one thing Panic Shack know, it’s how to have a good time. Fiery and full of punk ethos, the Cardiff band formed in 2018 as a middle-finger to the “members-only club” atmosphere of indie and punk scenes. They’ve since earned the reputation of one of the most carefree and chaotic live bands around. FFO: Lambrini Girls / Amyl and the Sniffers / DEADLETTER
THE WAVE PICTURES
9:20PM, GREEN DOOR STORE
Since forming over twenty years ago, The Wave Pictures have become one of the UK’s most prolific and beloved slacker rock outfits. Having bonded as school friends through a love of American indie rock, they now stand with 11 albums under their belt and a cult following built off the back of their prolific DIY ethos. FFO: The Velvet Underground / Pavement / Art Brut
THE NORTH 9:50PM, DUST Formed in February 2025, the north are the latest breakout from Leeds’ fervent indie scene, boasting a live show that outshines their on paper experience. With a heart-on-sleeve approach and fierce authenticity, the north cut through a landscape crowded with pretenders. FFO: Tooth / Esmerelda Road / Keo
LIZ LAWRENCE
10:00PM, THE PRINCE ALBERT Liz Lawrence is a British artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. Her work has earned praise across radio and press and continues to mark her out as one of the UK’s most quietly compelling indie storytellers. FFO: Katy J Pearson / Bess Atwell / Aldous Harding
SATURDAY Continuing the Mutations tradition of heavy, sweaty, late night debauchery, 2026 sees us return to our happy place at The Hope and Ruin for yet more late night dancing. This year however we’re expanding the late night parties, keeping Chalk and Daltons rocking late too! The chaos is spreading!
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT
BEASTIE BOYS CLUB NIGHT
WITH
BEAST DECOYS (EUROPE’S NUMBER ONE TRIBUTE TO BEASTIE BOYS) + ‘MISTER KRISTER’ ON THE ONES AND TWOS 10:15PM TO 2AM, DALTONS Keep the festival energy going with a full-throttle celebration of the Beastie Boys! Whether you’ve just caught Mike D or are gearing up for a night of legendary tunes, join us at Daltons for an afterparty jam packed with DJs spinning the classics, deep cuts and party starters, alongside the UK’s leading Beastie Boys tribute act, Beast Decoys. From Sabotage to Intergalactic, expect old-school hip-hop, punk-rock energy and wall-to-wall anthems. One more night, one more chance to fight for your right to party!
SATURDAY LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT DJ FOOD
10:30PM, CHALK DJ Food has been a mainstay of the Ninja Tune movement for the best part of the last three decades. His latest project is a groundbreaking Audio-Visual set called Kraftwerk: Klassics, Kovers & Kurios. The show takes various eras, looks and line ups and combines them into a collage of Teutonic Techno, European Electro and Kraut Crunk. FFO: DJ Shadow / Mr Scruff / Kruder & Dorfmeister
UNKLE SOUNDS
12:00AM, CHALK
For the past 30 years, James Lavelle has been at the forefront of global club culture. With ‘UNKLE Sounds’, Lavelle dives through deep cuts and club classics from right across the UNKLE-sphere, delivering a project that has seen him traversing the globe with one of the first audio-visual DJ setups. FFO: Massive Attack / The Chemical Brothers / Portishead
LATE NIGHT PARTIES AT PAINKILLER
10:30PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN Painkiller is the new project of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard frontman Tom Rees, along with a band who “play loud rock music and are the proud owners of a 2014 SEAT Albhambra”. Expect high-energy, fuzzed-out garage rock with a punk flair. FFO: The Lounge Society / The Bug Club / Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard
ALIEN CHICKS
11:40PM, THE HOPE AND RUIN London trio Alien Chicks are known for their electrifying blend of punk, rap and jazz. Their diverse influences and fearless approach to music has given them the tools to create rapid-fire rap verses, intricate jazz-inspired bass riffs and thunderous punk rhythms. FFO: Squid / Opus Kink / Shame
COWBOY HUNTERS
12:50AM, THE HOPE AND RUIN
The Glasgow-based duo are masters of deadpan satire. Both members of the exuberant rave-rock and punk band are trained drummers, dynamically switching between drums, guitar and bass mid-set, before the live show dissolves into chaos. FFO: Bob Vylan / Lambrini Girls / Sleaford Mods
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SATURDAY
MUTATIONS FESTIVAL RETURNS… FRIDAY 22ND + SATURDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2027
2027 FESTIVAL TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW
SCAN TO GET YOUR SUPER EARLY BIRD TICKETS AT 2026 PRICES