No Play Festival Announce First Wave For 2026 Plus New Pre Show Event
You may think when August closes off that it ends festival season for the year, think again - the legends at No Play Festival have announced the first wave of acts who will be taking to the stage at this years festival in September. The annual event will see the festival return to its home in Liverpool City Centre for its 4 year and each year they grow and grow - this year is no different. The event will take place over 5 venues in Liverpool’s city centre as well as an additional pre show on the Friday to get the party started early.
Despite keeping us waiting for the headliners, they have got the ball rolling in spectacular fashion dropping California icons SPY who will certainly be a very hard act to follow - their intense hardcore punk will set the place alight just like they did supporting the likes of Deafheaven and Merseyside’s very own Loathe in the US. Joining them on the bill will be another band making their Liverpool debut, Spaced will bring their New York style hardcore to the mix in what’s set to be a special viewing.
Names representing UK hardcore are no strangers to big bills - Leeds based Nu-Hardcore rising stars Bodyweb are making themselves known across the scene who will be sharing the bill with fellow Leeds legends Pest Control who’s fast and furious blend of thrash and hardcore is enough to bring movement to any room.
The festival doesn’t just focus purely on hardcore, Michigan based Liquid Mike will make their UK debut bringing their unique riff fuelled brand of emo to the banks of the Mersey. You can also catch the likes of Victims of Life, Last Wishes and the incredible Dry Socket across the day.
If pre shows are your thing then look no further than the festivals first ever pre show event taking place in the iconic Lost Art, Liverpool’s infamous skate shop on the Friday night - with only 75 tickets going on sale, it’s sure to be a cosy setting. “We wanted to do something really silly and fun and Lost Art felt like the right place to do that,” says No Play’s Ted MacDonald, “In our first year, Loathe played a secret basement show and we wanted to bring that ‘surprise set’ energy back… create a ‘you-had-to-be-there’ moment. We’ve had some crazy shows already with Lost Art with both Haywire and Undeath, we know this one is going to be another one for the books.”
Anyone that’s been to No Play before knows exactly why it’s one of the UK’s best up and coming festivals and with a line-up like this, 2026 is already shaping up to be another mammoth year with an action packed day in store.
