After a groundbreaking debut in 2025, Outer Waves Festival is set to return to Liverpool for its second edition on 23–24 May 2026, bringing a weekend of boundary-pushing sound, performance, and art to Invisible Wind Factory and Make North Docks.
Described as a gathering for the curious and sonically adventurous, the festival’s 2026 programme will once again unite an international lineup of artists exploring ritual, rhythm, and raw emotion through experimental sound and performance.
This year’s acts include OXN (featuring Radie Peat of Lankum), weaving Irish folk mysticism with droning electronics; Dame Area, the Catalan duo celebrated for their percussive industrial minimalism; and Jarboe & Thor Harris (Swans), two legendary figures of transcendent experimental rock.
Other highlights include Waq Waq Kingdom from Japan, known for their fusion of psychedelic dance and tribal bass; Syrian musician Mohammad Syfkhan, whose euphoric reinterpretations of Dabke music are renowned for igniting dance floors; Liverpool’s own a.P.A.t.T., masters of genre-defying chaos; the anarchic Unstoppable Sweeties Show; and Domestic Partners, who bring surreal, queer performance pop to the stage.
Beyond live performances, the festival will also feature workshops, panel discussions, art installations, and special commissions, with further details to be revealed soon. The celebration will continue into the night with after-parties at Quarry, featuring guest DJs, collaborations, and immersive late-night experiences.
Speaking about the upcoming event, organisers said: “Outer Waves celebrates the wild, the wonderful, and the weird. It’s a meeting point for those who see art as a form of resistance and transformation — a space where sound and performance collide.”
Founded in 2024, Outer Waves is an independent Liverpool-based festival dedicated to experimental sound, art, and performance. Presented in collaboration with LIPA, the Musicians’ Union, Outlands Network, and DaDaFest, and supported by Arts Council England, the 2026 edition continues the festival’s mission to foster inclusivity, artistic innovation, and creative collaboration across the North West and beyond.
Early bird tickets go on sale Monday 3 November at 12pm via Resident Advisor and outer-waves.co.uk.
Outer Waves Festival
23 – 24 May 2026
Invisible Wind Factory and Make North Docks
Tickets
