Wunderhorse will headline the Saturday night of Rock N Roll Circus Sheffield 2026, playing one of only two outdoor UK shows they’ll perform next year – and the only one outside London. It’s a major coup for the festival, and another signal of Sheffield’s growing pull as a destination for big, forward-thinking guitar music.
The band, fronted by Jacob Slater, will top the bill on Saturday 29 August, joining an already heavyweight set of headliners that includes The Streets and Richard Ashcroft. Festival director Ali O’Reilly described the booking as “incredibly significant”, adding: “We are huge fans of the band and tried really hard to get them over the line. Our programming has always been about championing artists who are shaping the future of live music and giving audiences outside of London access to truly special shows.”
Wunderhorse’s rise has been steady rather than sudden. Built on the back of visceral live performances and emotionally raw songwriting, the band have released two acclaimed albums to date: 2022’s Cub and 2024’s Midas. The latter was recorded at Minnesota’s Pachyderm Studio – famously the birthplace of Nirvana’s In Utero – and was praised for its intensity and stripped-back power, with Rolling Stone UK calling it “the arrival of a band that could become generational”. Since then, Wunderhorse have continued to build momentum through relentless touring and word-of-mouth acclaim, cementing their status as one of the most exciting bands in British guitar music right now.
Main support on the Saturday comes from Baxter Dury, whose spoken-word delivery and sharp-eyed social commentary have made him one of the UK’s most distinctive performers. Also confirmed for the day are Mercury Prize-winning Leeds band English Teacher and south London synth punk agitators Fat Dog, with more names still to be announced.
Rock N Roll Circus returns to Sheffield’s Don Valley Bowl from 28–30 August 2026, blending big-name live music with immersive circus performances across the site. Alongside the bands, the festival’s signature big top will host aerialists, acrobats, fire shows and pop-up theatrical moments throughout the weekend.
The full headline programme now sees The Streets performing A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full on Friday, Wunderhorse headlining Saturday, and Richard Ashcroft closing the weekend on Sunday, joined by The Fratellis and Cast.
Rock N Roll Circus Sheffield takes place from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August 2026.
Presale tickets go on sale Wednesday 4 February, with general sale following on Friday 6 February – you’ll be able to buy yours here.
Words: Donovan Livesey
