ArcTanGent Festival has officially unveiled its main stage headliners for next summer, confirming that Primus, Chelsea Wolfe, and a collaborative performance from Cult Of Luna & Julie Christmas will top the bill. The award-winning independent festival is set to return to its home near Bristol from 19th to 22nd August 2026. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
The announcement marks a significant moment for the festival, securing three distinct and highly requested acts. Experimental rock legends Primus are confirmed as the Friday headliners, marking their first-ever appearance at ArcTanGent and their first live shows in the UK since 2017. They are joined by Thursday headliner Chelsea Wolfe, whose appearance is a long-awaited fulfilment of a booking originally scheduled for 2020, which was cancelled due to the global pandemic.
Saturday night will feature a UK exclusive performance from Cult Of Luna & Julie Christmas, who are reuniting to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their acclaimed album Mariner. This performance will be their only UK show of the entire year. Released in April 2016, Mariner is widely regarded as a landmark release in post-metal.
Festival organiser James Scarlett expressed his excitement about finally securing this trio of artists. “The stars really have aligned for this set of ArcTanGent headliners,” Scarlett said. “It’s safe to say all three have been firmly at the top of our wish lists for a very, very long time. Primus at ArcTanGent is well overdue, Chelsea Wolfe can finally make that headliner appearance following the booking, announcement and then cancellation from back in 2020… and ‘Mariner’ by Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas is 100% one of the greatest albums of all time.”
Johannes from Cult Of Luna reflected on the decision to revisit the material a decade later. “Making this album was a risk, we didn’t know what the creative process would look like with someone who wasn’t part of our world at the time,” he explained. “Julie is now a dear friend, and we’re grateful to ArcTanGent Festival for giving us the opportunity to return to this material together. So with a mix of excitement and a fair bit of fear, we’re preparing to bring these songs back to life next summer.”
Alongside the main stage headliners, the festival has announced a wave of other significant additions. UK math-rock pioneers SikTh have been confirmed as the Wednesday headliners. The bill will also feature grindcore legends Napalm Death, Oakland metal outfit High On Fire, and British heavy metal band Conjurer. In another exclusive booking, cellist and composer Jo Quail will perform with the Crossbones Ensemble.
These new acts join an already substantial lineup that includes Igorrr, Perturbator, Chat Pile, Alcest, Oathbreaker, and many others. Known for delivering lineups that differ significantly from the standard festival circuit, ArcTanGent continues to build on its reputation as a key destination for experimental and heavy music in the UK. The festival celebrated its tenth year in 2024 and has previously hosted artists such as Mogwai, Meshuggah, and Opeth.
ArcTanGent Festival 2026 Lineup So Far
- Primus (Friday Headliner)
- Chelsea Wolfe (Thursday Headliner)
- Cult Of Luna & Julie Christmas performing Mariner (Saturday Headliner – UK Exclusive)
- SikTh (Wednesday Headliner)
- Napalm Death
- High On Fire
- Conjurer
- Jo Quail & The Crossbones Ensemble (UK Exclusive)
- Igorrr
- Perturbator
- Chat Pile
- Alcest
- Oathbreaker
- Agent Fresco
- TTNG
- Svalbard (Wednesday Only)
- BRUIT ≤
- Amplifier (Silent Disco Live Set)
- Heck
- Alpha Male Tea Party (Wednesday Only)
- Humanfly
- Psychonaut
- Lost In Kiev (Wednesday Only)
- Overhead, The Albatross (Wednesday Only)
- Michael Cera Palin
- Darkher
- Shearling
- Town Portal
- Barrens
- Blessings
- Bucket
- Chalk Hands (Wednesday Only)
- DIMSCÛA (Wednesday Only)
- Erotic Secrets of Pompeii
- Giant Walker (Wednesday Only)
- The Grey (Wednesday Only)
- HAAL
- KLÄMP
- Meatdripper
- No Violet
- Sans Froid (Wednesday Only)
- Swamp Coffin (Wednesday Only)
- Tanzana
- Zatokrev
- Sara Zozaya
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