BBC Radio 6 Music Festival has announced the line-up for its 2026 edition. Check it out in full below, and find details on how to get tickets.
This year’s event is due to take place at multiple independent venues across Greater Manchester between March 25 and 28. These include Band On The Wall, Yes, and the Eccles Town Hall Ballroom.
The 2026 festival aims to “shine a well-deserved light on independent grassroots venues, extending its reach across Greater Manchester and celebrating its independent spirit”. There’ll also be some new partnership events with local promoters FaT OuT and Homobloc.
Leading the stacked main line-up are Bloc Party, The Horrors, Yard Act, Courtney Barnett, Kelly Lee Owens and Jacon Alon – the latter of whom recently won the 2026 BRITs Critics’ Choice award.
Further down the bill are the likes of Lynks, Manchester/Berlin-based rock band Mandy, Indiana, and London-born, Cortes Island-raised singer-songwriter Tiberius b (aka Frank Belcourt).
The opening day will see local rising artists TTSSFU, Pyncher and Ellen Beth Adbi play a show together at Band On The Wall for BBC Introducing. Elsewhere, 6 Music DJs including Beth Ditto, Steve Lamacq and Nick Grimshaw are set to host an ‘Indie Forever’ club night at Yes on the Friday.
Tickets for each event at the 6 Music Festival 2026 will be sold separately from 10am GMT this Thursday (February 12) – you’ll be able to buy yours here.
Alternatively, fans can catch highlights of selected performances from Band On The Wall and Yes across the weekend and on-demand for 30 days after broadcast via BBC iPlayer and BBC Music’s YouTube channel.
BBC Radio Manchester will bring listeners highlights from BBC Introducing at Band On The Wall as part of a special Introducing in Manchester programme on Thursday March 26 at 8pm.
Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke commented: “We can’t wait to return to 6 Music Festival in March. We so rarely get to play these intimate shows anymore and we’ll be dropping a few surprises on the night too…”
The Horrors shared: “The Horrors are super excited to play the 6 Music Festival in March. 6 Music is one of the last big radio stations championing underground music, and we appreciate their ongoing support. Get ready, Manchester!”
Bartnett, meanwhile, teased that she was “really excited to play some new music” when she takes to the stage in Manchester next month. Alon said they were “so gassed” to be on the line-up: “It means so much after all of the support 6 has given my music. I really believe in this station and all it does for alternative music. Can’t wait to give back some love through concert with yous.”
Owens said: “Playing the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival in Manchester feels like a full-circle moment. Both 6 Music and the city have been fundamental to my journey, so celebrating that connection there will be beautiful.”
The full line-up for BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2026 is:
Wednesday March 25
BBC Introducing
TTSSFU + Pyncher + Ellen Beth Adbi at Band on the Wall from 7pm
Thursday March 26
Kelly Lee Owens (DJ set) + Wesley Joseph at Band on the Wall from 7pm
Mandy, Indiana + SILVERWINGKILLER at YES from 7pm
Friday March 27
Bloc Party + The Horrors at Band on the Wall from 7pm
Yard Act + Sorry at YES from 7pm
Indie Forever club night with Steve Lamacq, Beth Ditto + Nick Grimshaw, Emily Pilbeam + Nathan Shepherd, and Lambrini Girls at YES from midnight
Saturday March 28
Courtney Barnett + Jacob Alon at Band on the Wall from 7pm
Lynks + Tiberius b at YES from 7pm
6 Music Festival and FaT OuT present Lauren Auder, Naima Bock and R.AGGS at Eccles Town Hall Ballroom from 3pm
Homobloc presents 6 Music’s Festival’s Closing Party with Olof Dreijer at YES from 11.30pm
Grimshaw said: “So excited to be back at the 6 Music Festival in Manchester. Bringing a whole host of excellent artists and showcasing them at grassroots venues – these independent spaces are increasingly under threat but are vital for culture and a space where artists are given the freedom to take risks, grow, and truly flourish. I can’t wait!”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, added: “Greater Manchester’s music scene has always been driven by its grassroots venues and independent spirit. They’re vital to nurturing new talent and keeping our cultural life vibrant.
“It’s fantastic to see the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival celebrating those spaces and shining a spotlight on the creativity that continues to flourish right across our city region.”
You can find more information and see the full broadcast schedule here.
In other news, Bloc Party are due to embark on a UK and European co-headline tour with Interpol later this year. Last May, frontman Okereke revealed to NME that the band were working with the legendary Trevor Horn on a new album of “disco heartbreak”.
“Hopefully it will be out next year, but we’ll see,” he said at the time. The interview took place as the group accepted the Outstanding Song Collection Award at the Ivors 2025. Watch the video in full above.
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