Twisterella Festival is back—and it’s already shaping up to be one of 2026’s essential grassroots music moments.
- BabyStep Magazine
- 10 hours ago
- 1 min read
The award-winning Middlesbrough multi-venue favourite has announced the first wave of artists for its 12th edition, set to take over the town on Saturday 3rd October—with early bird tickets on sale now.
Known as a vital platform for emerging talent, Twisterella once again delivers a stacked preview of the UK’s next wave. Leading the announcement are Bottle Rockets, the fast-rising Glasgow indie outfit fresh off major accolades and growing radio support, alongside Brighton’s explosive congratulations, whose genre-blurring, high-energy debut album has been turning heads.
Also high on the bill is ELLiS-D, the boundary-pushing one-man force blending glam-punk, psychedelia and coldwave into something thrillingly unpredictable.
They’re joined by a diverse and carefully curated lineup including Celia Grace, Curiosity Shop, Doss, Gifthorse, Hector Gannet, Robyn Errico, Sarah Johnsone, Scotstown Dance Band, sundayclub (Canada) and The Slow Country—a mix that underlines the festival’s reputation for discovery.
Spread across venues like Teesside University Students’ Union and Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, Twisterella’s city-wide format gives fans the chance to catch dozens of acts in one day—cementing its status as a cornerstone of the North East’s thriving music scene.
With more names (including headliners) still to come, Twisterella 2026 is already looking like a must-attend for anyone serious about new music. October can’t come soon enough.
More acts, including this year’s festival headliners, will be shared soon.
