Simple Things has completed the bill for its 12th edition, revealing four guest-curated line-ups and a final run of artist additions for its multi-venue takeover of Bristol on Saturday 7th November 2026. Tickets are on sale now.
Guest curations are new for the festival. Cobrah, Squid, Shabaka and Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller have each picked their own bills, sitting inside a wider programme that already includes The Avalanches, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Moor Mother, Olof Dreijer, Cloud Nothings and Alewya. The day runs across Bristol Beacon, Strange Brew, Rough Trade, The Island and new skatepark space Shredenhams, with Sportsmans also on the venue list.
Cobrah’s takeover leans into club, hyperpop and ballroom. She has booked fashion-art provocateur Muchas Problemas, DJ Latex, Only Fire and French producer and vocalist Coucou Chloe. Squid take over The Island, the Edwardian police station turned venue and creative complex, with a leftfield post-punk and noise bill of Anton Pearson (a rare solo set from the Squid guitarist), Bristol’s Minor Conflict, Berlin trio 13 Year Cicada and Glasgow drum-and-synth duo Comfort.
Shabaka’s bill is rooted in avant-garde jazz and global percussion. Alongside previously announced bassoonist Joy Guidry, he has added Ugandan rhythmic collective Arsenal Mikebe and a rare solo set from drummer and composer Sarathy Korwar. Jeremy Deller’s showcase brings back his Acid Brass project, performed by The Listening Project as brass-band arrangements of 1980s acid house, plus folk-fusion ensemble Circle Dance, previously announced DFA duo Mermaid Chunky, and art-rock group Grubby Mitts, headed by Andy Holden.
Three further names complete the wider bill: Bristol improvisational group Monosum, Belfast’s Esmeralda Road, and PIXY. Local promoters Temple Cloud also take over the Cellars, headlined by previously announced PC Music artist Hannah Diamond, with Princess Elf Bar, e-kitty, kaiiotye, Leeds Ambient Trance Community, Ab Crab, DJ Slam Dunk and Miracle D.
The 2026 edition stretches into a weekend. On Friday 6th November, an official opening party at Shredenhams is headlined by Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. Music then runs into the early hours with a late-night afterparty across Strange Brew and The Island, co-hosted by Crack Magazine, Noods Radio and PTS. That line-up is still to come. Afterparties are ticketed separately from the Saturday wristband.
Created by Crack Magazine, Bristol Beacon and Team Love, Simple Things last ran on 8th November 2025. This year’s Saturday ticket starts at 12:00. Early bird and tier 1 are sold out. Tier 2 is £67.50 including booking fee, with a two-instalment plan at the same price, or £77.50 on the support-the-festival tier. An open concession takes £5 off the current tier. The festival is 14+, with under-21s able to stay until 21:00 if accompanied by someone over 21. Some external venues have their own age rules, and The Island is not wheelchair accessible.
Curated by Cobrah: Muchas Problemas, Coucou Chloe, DJ Latex, Only Fire
Curated by Jeremy Deller: Circle Dance, The Grubby Mitts, The Listening Project presents Acid Brass, Mermaid Chunky
Curated by Shabaka: Arsenal Mikebe, Joy Guidry, Sarathy Korwar
Curated by Squid: Anton Pearson, Comfort, Minor Conflict, 13 Year Cicada
Full line-up (A-Z): 13 Year Cicada, 96 Back (live), A Good Year, Alewya, Alex Wilcox, Anton Pearson, Arsenal Mikebe, ashnymph, Avery Friedman, Bathing Suits, Big Brave, Butch Kassidy, caroline, Chanel Beads, Charlie Osborne, Circle Dance, Cloud Nothings, Cobrah, Comfort, Coucou Chloe, Cutouts, DIALS, DJ Latex, Dumbhead, Esmeralda Road, Fine, Gold Panda, Grand River presents Temporary, H31R, Hannah Diamond, Joy Guidry, KAVARI, Kloyd, Lord Spikeheart, Loukeman, Marla Kether, Mermaid Chunky, MGNA Crrrta, Mietze Conte, Minor Conflict, Monosum, Moor Mother, Ms Ray, Muchas Problemas, Mykki Blanco, My New Band Believe, Nathan Fake, Nori, Olof Dreijer, Only Fire, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, PIXY, PVA, RIP Magic, Rian Brazil, Roomer, Safety Trance presents Destrucción Live A/V, Sarathy Korwar, Shabaka, Silverwingkiller, Squid, Takuya Nakamura, Temple Cloud Cellars takeover, The Gnomes, The Grubby Mitts, The Listening Project presents Jeremy Deller’s Acid Brass, The Menstrual Cramps, Tony Bontana, Ugly, Water Damage, zzzahara, plus very special guests The Avalanches (live).
Follow Simple Things on Facebook, Instagram and the festival website.
Image credits: Khris Cowley
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