2026 line-up speculation

[dondo]

7 minutes ago, domjon said:

Beta Band? Allowing Green Man announce first? 

I was wondering that. 

[SweepingTheNation]

2 minutes ago, 5co77ie said:

That was a secret act - have we ever had a secret headliner? 
 

handy to know it’s the Thursday headliner act though

 

Not a TBA headliner before, but apparently Wet Leg were going to headline before Festival Republic popped up.

[zahidf]

Finally his time has come

[gfa]

Maybe the special guest is Patchwork.

 

Thats an excellent set of headliners for EOTR.

[ElGanzo]

3 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

 

GM and EOTR don't share acts that high up the bill, not even in secret.

 

The last time there was a big name secret act was Wet Leg and the assumption was that it was because they'd agreed to play but then went under contract to Reading & Leeds. Someone we've heard are playing there this year and have the Thursday free - and Uncut's report confirms it's the Thursday headliner and won't be announced until the last minute - is Simon favourites and EOTR alumni Geese...

 

Geese was the first act that came to mind for me when I read it. No logic to why I thought that but this makes sense.

[airwaves]

Find it fun the way that, on research, this is billed as their "only UK 2026 festival gig" and yet also

they are doing Wythenshaw Park, Manchester on Aug 28 as the "only UK headlining gig"

 

Don't you just love english grammar/semantics

 

[zahidf]

6 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

 

Brighton is his only UK date this year.

 

If its just announced on the day, the brighton date will have been and gone...

[zahidf]

Maybe Geese, but they feel like a Garden Headliner...

[Dark Star]

2 minutes ago, zahidf said:

 

If its just announced on the day, the brighton date will have been and gone...

The whole European tour will be over.

[PDAD]

1 minute ago, zahidf said:

Maybe Geese, but they feel like a Garden Headliner...

Geese are definitely big enough for Thursday headliner - Getting Killed has gained some serious traction … I mean, Cobra is on the R1 playlist at the moment.

[SweepingTheNation]

1 minute ago, zahidf said:

Maybe Geese, but they feel like a Garden Headliner...

 

They've sold out the Apollo and two nights at the Troxy. The album made the top 30. They've just done a From The Basement session that got a huge amount of attention. And, as mentioned, they're likely to be pretty high up the Reading & Leeds bill. This is the moment to get them as a headliner.

[zahidf]

Just now, SweepingTheNation said:

 

They've sold out the Apollo and two nights at the Troxy. The album made the top 30. They've just done a From The Basement session that got a huge amount of attention. And, as mentioned, they're likely to be pretty high up the Reading & Leeds bill. This is the moment to get them as a headliner.

oh, i dont disagree they are big enough on paper, but mystery Thursday headliner has high expectations, especially with the other headliner announcements.

 

They had viagra boys headline this year, so they do have those size of garden stage headliners. 

[carrierbagman]

17 minutes ago, zahidf said:

oh, i dont disagree they are big enough on paper, but mystery Thursday headliner has high expectations, especially with the other headliner announcements.

 

They had viagra boys headline this year, so they do have those size of garden stage headliners. 

 

agree that for the EOTR demographic I'm not sure Geese are big enough to be the 'secret headliner' even though they are probs big enough to headline if that makes sense?

 

Expecting some big names on Garden too given size of these headliners, wouldn't surprise me to see Geese and Amyl...

 

As for secret headliner, would absolutely love it to be the Waterboys based on what others posted - anyone know if Mike Scott has any previous ties to EOTR? 

[zahidf]

1 minute ago, carrierbagman said:

 

agree that for the EOTR demographic I'm not sure Geese are big enough to be the 'secret headliner' even though they are probs big enough to headline if that makes sense?

 

Expecting some big names on Garden too given size of these headliners, wouldn't surprise me to see Geese and Amyl...

 

As for secret headliner, would absolutely love it to be the Waterboys based on what others posted - anyone know if Mike Scott has any previous ties to EOTR? 

Waterboys are also playing the o2 on 12th September

[carrierbagman]

1 minute ago, zahidf said:

Waterboys are also playing the o2 on 12th September

 

yeah, would make sense for them to hang back on announcing them given that tour was announced at the same time

[SweepingTheNation]

6 minutes ago, carrierbagman said:

 

As for secret headliner, would absolutely love it to be the Waterboys based on what others posted - anyone know if Mike Scott has any previous ties to EOTR? 

 

No, and also Simon is on record as saying he doesn't like booking artists who aren't offering new music so there's no way he's booking a band with no festival link playing an old album as a secret headliner.

[OCarter]

Geese for Thurs night?

 

First UK festival headline. Two sold-out nights at Troxy the week after. No reason to drop their name yet with all the sold-out UK shows to come.

 

Seems a shoe-in

[mario man]

52 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

 

GM and EOTR don't share acts that high up the bill, not even in secret.

 

The last time there was a big name secret act was Wet Leg and the assumption was that it was because they'd agreed to play but then went under contract to Reading & Leeds. Someone we've heard are playing there this year and have the Thursday free - and Uncut's report confirms it's the Thursday headliner and won't be announced until the last minute - is Simon favourites and EOTR alumni Geese...

I’m going all in on this… would be quite something

However if CW is announced solo would that increase/decrease chances?

[SweepingTheNation]

2 minutes ago, mario man said:

However if CW is announced solo would that increase/decrease chances?

 

I don't think they'd give it away like that if it were the case.

 

CMAT has self-confirmed for Friday, and as Mac is in Belgium on Monday I assume he's Saturday and Pulp Sunday.

[carrierbagman]

25 minutes ago, OCarter said:

Geese for Thurs night?

 

First UK festival headline. Two sold-out nights at Troxy the week after. No reason to drop their name yet with all the sold-out UK shows to come.

 

Seems a shoe-in

 

sold out shows are tues and weds of EOTR week but yes, think they're nailed on to play but im feeling greedy and would q like them on garden and another big name on Woods thurs (belle and sebastian/big thief/waterboys)

 

any other names flying about?

Edited November 20, 2025 by carrierbagman

[zahidf]

29 minutes ago, SweepingTheNation said:

 

I don't think they'd give it away like that if it were the case.

 

CMAT has self-confirmed for Friday, and as Mac is in Belgium on Monday I assume he's Saturday and Pulp Sunday.

Stop the Pulp fans leaving after the set on Sat!

[The Nal]

7 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Stop the Pulp fans leaving after the set on Sat!

 

There's been a couple of noticeable Sunday clear outs recently. 

[noisenoiseandmorenoise]

Is the Thursday headliner not reserved for a (for want of a better word) 'legacy' act? Or at least an act with a healthy back catalogue behind them. I don't see Geese falling into this category (though I accept ignorance at barely knowing a single one of their songs).

[xxialac]

For Pulp most likely meaning of unusual is a) stripped back (cynically also equals cheaper) or b) another new album played in full (15 months between albums isn't impossible)

[carrierbagman]

33 minutes ago, noisenoiseandmorenoise said:

Is the Thursday headliner not reserved for a (for want of a better word) 'legacy' act? Or at least an act with a healthy back catalogue behind them. I don't see Geese falling into this category (though I accept ignorance at barely knowing a single one of their songs).

 

not sure if its a hard and fast rule but agree with you, defo feels like that slot is usually reserved for indie darlings who have been around the block rather than up and comers. The likes of YLT, Wilco, Spiritualized, Slowdive