By Darren Grayer. Additional reporting: Anita Foxall & Russell Foxall.
Image: Hot Stamp.
Saturday
The sun came out in glorious fashion and shone on Southampton over the weekend for the third Wanderlust Festival (23-24/6/26).
Some seven hundred music lovers descended on the city to see around fifty bands perform across three venues – Heartbreakers Bar, The Joiners and The 1865.
An eclectic mix of established and up and coming artists from across the alternative music scene presented those attending with some tricky choices to deal with, and credit for those putting the event together for making that the case.
With music kicking off from midday Saturday and temperatures rising, which is in no way a complaint, it seemed sensible to try and program in getting to see as many artists as possible without burning out too quickly.
The days of being able to sprint from venue to venue are sadly behind this reporter, so after wristband collection and a little chat, a lovely stroll across the shade of Hoglands Park took me to The Joiners.
Local youngsters Sonne (pronounced Sonn-uh, pictured below) provided a quite wonderful start to proceedings at that venue with a 30-minute set that was relentless in its power and energy, and very high on quality. Songs that included the intricate guitar riffs of Stephen Baker, set to a motorik/krautrock beat driven by a pounding rhythm section. Think along the lines of 2+2=5 by Radiohead, and Neu’s hypnotic beats. Thomas Abercromby delivers powerful and emotive vocals that become even more enhanced when he is joined in two and three- piece harmonies with bassist Valentina Longo and drummer Dan Hyde. Highly impressive all-round.
Daphney were another band providing a terrific start early on Saturday. They took the stage at Heartbreakers as another of the opening bands for the festival. They delivered a raw, explosive set that instantly prepared the crowd for what would be another outstanding Wanderlust. The lead singer’s effusive, high energy was so intense that he managed to snap two guitar strings mid-performance.
If you walked out of that room wishing you could experience their punchy, indie sound all over again, or if you missed them, then you are in luck, they will be headlining Heartbreakers later this year in December.
Brighton five-piece Goodbye provided a contrasting and beautiful set of harmonised dream pop and shoegaze over at The 1865. Lead vocalist Megan Wheeler shares her duties with guitarist Sarah Ryan and along with the rest of their band, providing a very pleasant listening experience, with bittersweet songs that put you in the mind of The Sundays.
Wanderlust’s magic often lies in those unexpected moments when you walk into one of the venues for a quick look and suddenly you’re watching an amazing band you’ve never heard of, and that’s how Dream Nails appeared on my horizon.
The London-based trio delivered a powerful performance, full of political frustration, the anxieties of modern life we all resonate with, a world of worries and turbulence, sealed with their pure punk-rock sounds.
In a beautiful moment of connection with the crowd, the drummer challenged the room, wishing that at least one person would walk out of their gig inspired to start their own band, particularly if that someone didn’t even know how to play an instrument yet. To ensure that, she promised her drumsticks to anyone willing to take this challenge. The sticks were eagerly claimed by a member of the audience, followed by the band’s promise: the next time Dream Nails returns to Southampton, they will open for that person’s new band.
Hot Stamp, sisters Jasmine & Poppy Levi, followed on 1865 stage, with a confidence that belied their comparative inexperience and delivered an engaging 30 minutes of electro art punk/pop.
Singer Jasmine’s striking stage presence perfectly complemented her powerful voice, whilst Poppy provided the musical soundscape that seamlessly switched between engaging pop punk and icy cinematic soundscapes, an impressive Wanderlust debut.
Regular water breaks were taken whilst strolling back to The Joiners where another Brighton four-piece, The Stanford Family Band (pictured below), provided a truly stunning set of West Coast harmonies and Rickenbacker jangle. Channelling the spirit of Todd Rundgren and Gene Clark that seems to be serving The Lemon Twigs well, it’s joyous, heartfelt music that makes you beam from cheek to cheek, played by talented multi-instrumentalists, that seem comfortable with swapping duties.
Staying in The Joiners, I was hoping that Modern Woman (pictued below)would fulfil all the expectation I’d built, having interviewed lead singer Sophie Harris and listened regularly to their debut album ahead of today’s appearance.
I needn’t have worried in the slightest; they met every last piece of it, with a totally exhilarating set that took in much of that brilliant release, Johnny’s Dreamworld.
The pounding, feedback driven title track, kicking off a set that highlighted the band, and Sophie’s ability to range from quiet to loud in spectacular manner. Singles, Neptune Girl, with its stop-start drum pattern and guitar riff, and Daniel, which was delivered with such astounding beauty, you could literally feel your jaw dropping, were particular stand outs, if that’s possible.
Common Goldfish were the first of two back-to- back artists over at Heartbreakers, with a smile enhancing set of 90s sounding indie guitar pop. Groove driven bass lines and guitar riffs built around four chord loops, creating catchy tunes that went down well with an enthusiastic audience.
Slag are another fast- emerging product of Brighton. The young five-piece have been engaging audiences across the UK and Europe for the last couple of years, with their captivating blend of art, prog and indie rock, built around the powerful and emotionally charged vocals of lead singer and guitarist Amelie Gibson. After a strong start, the band encountered some technical difficulties with the bass lead. Once that was sorted, they went on to produce a strong performance that was very well received. Another band to keep your eye on.
Glasgow 5 piece Humour, provided Saturday’s penultimate act at Heartbreakers and it was interesting to see if they could top last winter’s Bournemouth show, which they did in spades.
They delivered a muscular set of songs old and new, showcasing the raw power of their own brand of hard-core, where elements of Killing Joke, and At the Drive In were delivered with the ferocious energy of Fugazi. Singer Andreas’ voice switched from raw scream to melodic half-spoken lyrics, as guitarists Ross and Jack prowled the stage, with barely suppressed fury, all underpinned by the power of the rhythm section (Ruairidh and Lewis). Enthralling and unnerving as ever, they cemented their place as one on my must see live acts.
South London trio Honeyglaze, closed out Saturday as Heartbreakers headliners. A band I had yet to catch live. Their music falls within the broad church of indie rock, though frontwoman Anouska’s beautiful voice, and combination of her jagged guitar and bassist Tim’s jazzy rhythms, separate them from the herd. I was mightily impressed with their musicianship and engaged by the sharp-edged beauty of their songs.
Squid (pictured below) ended Saturday as main headliners with the type of performance that audiences have become accustomed to, making them one of the best live acts around. An hour of engaging, sometimes hypnotic avant garde rock that took in prog, psych and krautrock influences with a whole range of sounds that captivated and thrilled those listening. The set highlighted material from their three studio albums, but singles House Plants and Narrator went down particularly well and sparked off a considerable mosh pit with those still energised. A fine end to a fine first day.
Sunday
Sunday began with a literal toss of a coin to determine where to head first. Heartbreakers it was then and I wish that sort of luck would be with me regularly, because what unfolded there was nothing short of remarkable. Phillipe Nash was a late replacement for the listed artist and as he took to the stage armed with his acoustic guitar and accompanied by a cellist, my thoughts were – well this looks like a pleasant way to start the day. Don’t get me wrong – it was all that, but in the most unexpected manner. His first song started with an almighty crescendo of feedback, cello as well, and then descended into a thing of absolute beauty. Phillipe’s vocal ability is amazing, think Thom Yorke at his most emotional, Exit Music, perhaps, where he sounds both powerful and fragile, then chuck in Tim Buckley as another reference and you’ll see where I’m coming from. Total silence around the room for half an hour, a totally emotional rollercoaster ride of folk music that wasn’t really folk music. Well, it was at times but there’s so much more happening than that, and a chat with Phillipe afterwards confirmed his love for punk and hardcore. The discovery of the weekend, and to find out he is from Salisbury was hugely surprising. How have I missed this artist?
Plantoid (pictured above) were also late replacements, but again, the decision to head over to The Joiners and catch them reaped rewards. They have their feet firmly planted in prog territory, songs that never stay in one place for too long, intricate guitar work, sprawling drums and bass, but it is put together with technical perfection, and lead singer Chloe Spence has the most angelic voice. Another band that play both loudly and quietly with absolute perfection.
Brighton-based alt-punk Lemonsuckr (pictured below) delivered what was undeniably one of the most high-powered, electrifying sets of the entire Wanderlust festival at The 1865 on Sunday. The young four-piece completely commanded the main stage. Their sound was powerfully pulsating, and magnetic, delivered in a raw, intense performance.
What truly set them apart was their charismatic front man Guy Ferris. He had a fiercely interactive presence, repeatedly dissolving the boundary and heading directly down into the thick of the crowd, and two guitarists doing their best Wilko Johnson impersonations, staring into the audience in confrontational manner. They will entertain many more festival audiences.
My love of Scottish band Cloth (pictured below) is boundless, and when I found out they were playing here I felt like a kid who’d just been handed a huge ice cream with a one foot flake stuck in it. Their three albums contain some beautifully atmospheric and endearing guitar pop. Twins Rachael and Paul Swinton both play guitar with great effect, and Rachael’s almost whispered vocals create a sometimes minimal but beautiful sound. When they do crank it up a little, songs like Polaroid and Demo Love are nothing short of pop perfection. Thank you Wanderlust, you made an ageing indie kid very happy!
A little trek along Queensway and it was back to Heartbreakers to see Welsh youngsters Casual Smart. In fact, such is their tender age, they were missing their bass player due to exam preparations and had to work their set around that. There is a lovely innocence about them with singer/keyboardist Peter Martin showing what a character he is between songs, and he’s got that cheeky chap look in his eyes. The songs are heartfelt and very much in early Gorky’s Zygotic Minki/ early Belle and Sebastian territory, with a home- made feel to them. Another band to watch.
It was interesting to see how Swedish band Girl Scout had progressed, having seen them play impressive support slots several years ago. Progressed they certainly have, delivering an impressive set of indie guitar rock, think Pip Blom or Coach Party, with consummate ease.
Frontwoman Emma Jansson dominates the stage and crowd, her voice both strikingly powerful and engaging; commanding the audience throughout, her serious demeanour occasionally slipped into a gleeful smile, revealing that she was enjoying the performance as much as the other band members and the audience. They left the stage to rapturous applause, a job well done.
Stoke-on-Trent trio Formal Speedwear brought a blow of electric energy to The Joiners, delivering a set that fused early ’80s new wave, post-punk tension, and experimental synth-pop into something irresistibly captivating. Their sound carried flashes of Talking Heads, Pop Group and Gang Of Four angularity, paired with a David Bowie-esque vocal flair that gave each track a beautiful uniqueness.
Despite confessing after the show that they were tired, having played back-to-back gigs across the country the last few days, the fatigue never once showed in their performance. On stage, they were tight, charismatic, and fully locked into their own eccentric groove.
Seeing The Moonlandingz reappear last year was a pleasant surprise to those, including myself, who thought their debut album Interplanetary Class Classics was stacked with quality psych pop bangers. On the back of last year’s second album, No Rocket Required they made a welcome return to the live scene. Playing a set made up from those two albums was always going to be worth seeing, and so it turned out with a real crowd pleaser.
The Horrors closed Wanderlust 2026 with an hour of crowd favourites taken from their output over the last 20 years. Their sound might be a bit more polished these days but it still maintains a dark edge and for the most is played at quite a pace, with Faris Badwan theatrically moving around the stage, arms aloft, still sporting that classic skinny goth look with leather jacket and shoulder length black hair slightly covering his face, and lighting effects that give everything a shadowy feel. Still Life sounds great with it’s synth laden psychedelia planted firmly in 80s goth and Sea Within A Sea is Neu! inspired krautrock that features regularly in the set. They ended with Something To Remember Me By, a dancefloor friendly hit taken from their most pop sounding album V.
And that’s that for 2026, a highly successful and enjoyable two days spent watching some brilliant and at times, unforgettable acts giving it everything in their (mostly) half hour slots. I keep repeating that I think Southampton is very fortunate to have such a thriving music scene, and I spent a lovely amount of time talking to faces old and new, who appreciate it. There felt like a real sense of community in and around the venues It’s something that has built year on year so far. The team at Psych Ltd and their fellow promoters, venue staff and volunteers should be thanked and congratulated for their efforts. Here’s to 2027!
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