Way Out West returns to Slottsskogen in Gothenburg for the eighteenth edition, between August 13th – 15th next year! This summer’s festival was a record-breaking one, with two of the most attended days in the history of our festival and a new attendance record set for the fourth year in a row.
Organisers have announced the first bookings for 2026 – the iconic goth rock band THE CURE, the animated supergroup GORILLAZ and R&B innovator RAVYN LENAE!
In 2024, 45 years after their first LP “Three Imaginary Boys”, THE CURE released one of the finest albums of their long career. “Song Of A Lost World” is the sound of a band at the peak of it’s powers, inspired by and following it’s own dark shining star. Robert Smith’s existential anguish and meditations on mortality drift across portentous drums, growling bass lines, shimmering guitars, and cascading layers of synths. The result is music that feels timeless and unrelenting, as much a prayer as it is a lament.
From their beginnings in the late ’70s post-punk underground to defining the sound of goth, alternative rock and beyond, The Cure have continually reinvented themselves without ever losing their core: songs of radiant melancholy. Across six decades they have released albums that have shaped generations from “Pornography” and “Disintegration” to “Wish” and now “Songs Of A Lost World” each record another chapter in a catalogue unrivalled in influence. In the summer of 2026, Robert Smith and his ever-glowing THE CURE arrive at Way Out West to remind us that the brightest, most beautiful things often hide in the deepest, darkest shadows
Being a band made up of cartoon characters has its advantages. One of them is the freedom to do whatever you want and that’s exactly what GORILLAZ have done ever since their self-titled debut in 2001. Pop, hip hop, trip hop, alternative rock, new wave, dub, and traditional folk music from across the globe have all found their place in the band’s postmodern hybrid. A radically genre-defying approach that today echoes throughout contemporary music. Under the guidance of Damon Albarn, Gorillaz have not only created a unique artistic vision but also some of the most iconic songs of the past two decades – from “Clint Eastwood” and “Feel Good Inc.” to “On Melancholy Hill” and “Cracker Island”.
Now, GORILLAZ are ready to open their next chapter with their ninth album “The Mountain”. A globally inspired work where voices, languages, and influences from all over the world come together in another eclectic triumph. A promise already fulfilled by the recently released Sparks collaboration “The Happy Dictator”. With their powerful visual live shows and constant hunger for new sounds, GORILLAZ keep pushing the boundaries of what a band can be. This summer, the animated supergroup arrives at Way Out West to prove that the future of pop music has always been drawn in bold colours.
When “HYPNOS” arrived in 2022, it presented RAVYN LENAE as an artist with her own gravitational pull. Her featherlight voice, delicate yet assured, floated across dreamy arrangements that drew life from soul, alternative R&B, and afrobeat. A debut that, for obvious reasons, had both critics and listeners piling on the superlatives. Expectations were therefore sky-high when RAVYN LENAE was set to release its follow-up “Bird’s Eye” expectations she surpassed with astonishing ease.
On “Bird’s Eye,” RAVYN LENAE has created something completely new and strikingly boundless. Where her debut showcased the flexibility of R&B, the follow-up takes an even bigger leap into the unknown. Like a researcher in her own sonic workshop, she experiments with unexpected combinations of guitar-driven indie, gentle reggae, and more experimental beats. The result is an album that continues to stretch the limits of the genre while deepening her already unique expression. This summer, the cosmic visionary Ravyn Lenae finally makes her long-awaited debut at Way Out West!
If you are looking for a place to stay for Way Out West 2026 then check out our interactive accommodation map below. Just add in the dates you want to stay and the venue and you will be able to see what’s available nearby!
If you also need to find a flight to get you there, try our flight search feature below! Simply add in your home and destination city, select the dates you want to travel and search away!
