Darker Waves has unveiled the lineup for its 2026 return to Huntington Beach, California. The single-day festival takes place Saturday, November 14, with Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins topping a bill that also includes Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan, Silversun Pickups, and more.
Also on the lineup are Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone, Mariachi El Bronx, Cold Cave, TR/ST, Gene, Modern English, The Motels, The Sounds, Choir Boy, Missing Persons, Christian Death, Deceits, Past Self, Riki, Warfield, Purest Form, and Casket Cassette, among others from across the post-punk, new wave, goth, punk, and darkwave spectrum.
The festival’s official website is now promoting a presale beginning Thursday, April 2 at 10 a.m. PT, alongside links for general admission and premium ticket options. The site currently directs fans to sign up for a presale passcode and festival updates.
The 2026 edition marks the return of Darker Waves for the first time since its inaugural 2023 outing, which brought New Order, Tears for Fears, Echo & The Bunnymen, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, OMD, The Human League, and Violent Femmes to the beach in Huntington Beach. That first festival paired legacy new wave and post-punk names with newer acts working in related styles, and the 2026 bill appears to follow the same general blueprint.
Check out the lineup poster below, and head to the official site for presale registration and ticket information. darkerwavesfest.com.
Darker Waves 2026
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Huntington Beach, California
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The post Darker Waves Festival Returns with 2026 Lineup Featuring Morrissey, The Smashing Pumpkins, Adam Ant, Simple Minds, Gary Numan, The Psychedelic Furs, The Damned, and More! appeared first on Post-Punk.com.
