SIMPLE THINGS Bristol Reveals 2026 Festival Lineup, Features Guest Curators

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SQUID, Shabaka, Jeremy Deller, and Cobrah each curate distinct lineups featuring COUCOU CHLOE, Arsenal Mikebe, and other acts.

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Simple Things has revealed the final piece of its 2026 puzzle with the unveiling of its four curated guest lineups and the last remaining artist additions, completing the bill for its multi-venue takeover on 7th November in Bristol.

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With the 12th edition introducing guest curations for the first time in the festival's history, four talents — Cobrah, Squid, Shabaka, and Jeremy Deller — have each handpicked a bespoke selection of acts, carving out four distinct sub-universes within the broader Simple Things program.

Pioneering electronic visionary Cobrah channels club, hyperpop and ballroom energy into her takeover, bringing together fashion-art provocateur MUCHAS PROBLEMAS, the fierce, bass-heavy mutations of DJ Latex and the unfiltered erotic pop-techno of Only Fire. Completing her bill is French producer and vocalist COUCOU CHLOE, whose sleek, industrial beat constructions and hypnotic vocals promise an unmissable set.

Taking over The Island, an Edwardian police station-turned venue and creative complex, West Country experimental outfit Squid lean heavily into leftfield post-punk, erratic math-rock and urgent noise. Bringing bandmate and prolific guitarist Anton Pearson for a rare solo set, Bristol's own post-punk/folk-improvisers Minor Conflict, Berlin trio 13 Year Cicada's fractured polyrhythmic chaos, and the boundary-pushing Glasgow drum-and-synth punk duo Comfort.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Shabaka shapes a deeply spiritual and rhythmically complex lineup rooted in international avant-garde jazz and global percussion traditions. Joining previously announced bassoonist Joy Guidry, Shabaka welcomes Ugandan rhythmic collective Arsenal Mikebe for a performance of visceral, heavy-percussion industrial trance, alongside a rare, intimate solo performance from acclaimed drummer and composer Sarathy Korwar.

Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller merges heritage folk absurdity and rave culture for his showcase. Central to his curation is the return of his iconic Acid Brass project performed by The Listening Project — a collision of traditional brass band arrangements of iconic 80s acid house anthems — alongside traditional folk-fusion ensemble Circle Dance. Deller also claims previously announced DFA-signed art-pop duo Mermaid Chunky for their live show. Joining them is long-running art-rock performance group Grubby Mitts, headed by multidisciplinary artist Andy Holden.

Completing the final overall additions to the festival bill are three new acts: Bristol's experimental improvisational supergroup MONOSUM, bringing their dark fusion of dub, ambient noise and spoken word; the genre-blurring indie-jazz fusion of Belfast outfit Esmeralda Road; and the high-energy club sounds of PIXY.

Deepening the festival's connection to the local underground, Bristol promoters Temple Cloud will take over the Cellars this year for a showcase. Headlined by previously announced PC Music icon Hannah Diamond, the takeover spotlights an eclectic mix of boundary-pushing club sounds, euphoric trance and hardcore. Joining the bill are Princess Elf Bar, e-kitty, kaiiotye, Leeds Ambient Trance Community, Ab Crab, DJ SLAM DUNK, and Miracle D.

These newly unveiled stages and acts join an already lineup featuring The Avalanches, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Moor Mother, Olof Dreijer, Cloud Nothings and Alewya. The festival spans Bristol Beacon, Strange Brew, Rough Trade, The Island and the newly introduced skatepark space Shredenhams.

Extending beyond the main Saturday event, the 2026 edition expands into a full weekend experience. Kicking things off on Friday 6th November, Simple Things hosts an official opening party at Shredenhams, headlined by Australian fuzz-rock act Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. The music will continue into the early hours with a late-night afterparty across Strange Brew and The Island, co-hosted by long-time collaborators Crack Magazine, Noods Radio, and PTS, with the event and lineup set to be revealed soon.

Saturday 7th November, Bristol city centre

Tickets are on sale now via the Simple Things website .

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

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

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/SIMPLE-THINGS-Bristol-to-Present-Guest-Curated-Lineups-for-2026-20260924)._