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Boardmasters 2026 lineup announced with Fatboy Slim and Kasabian.
The coastal air of Newquay is set to crackle with a different kind of energy next summer, as the first wave of the Boardmasters 2026 lineup has landed, and it’s a veritable greatest hits package for anyone who came of age with a guitar in one hand and a glow stick in the other. Headlining the festival’s twin peaks are two titans of their respective domains: the big beat architect Fatboy Slim and the swaggering lad-rock anthems of Kasabian.For Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, this is a return to a spiritual home of sorts; his iconic sets, which are less DJ performances and more communal, euphoric rallies, have historically turned the Watergate Bay site into a sprawling, sun-kissed rave, a tradition that promises to continue. Meanwhile, Kasabian, now firmly steered by the magnetic Serge Pizzorno, carry the torch for a brand of indie-rock bombast that feels built for vast fields and roaring crowds, their catalogue of bangers from ‘Fire’ to ‘Club Foot’ providing the perfect, chest-thumping counterpoint to the coastal chill.They’re joined by fellow heavyweights The Kooks, whose sun-drenched, breezy pop feels genetically engineered for a festival perched above the Atlantic, and the introspective, soulful flow of Loyle Carner, whose presence adds a welcome layer of lyrical depth to the weekend's proceedings. But the real magic of any great festival lineup is often found in the undercard, and Boardmasters 2026 doesn’t disappoint.The bill is deliciously eclectic, spanning the riotous, punk-infused energy of the Lambrini Girls, the shimmering indie-pop of Alessi Rose, the dancefloor-ready sounds of Luvcat, and the gloriously unapologetic rock spectacle of The Darkness, ensuring that the sonic journey from day to night is as varied as the Cornish coastline is beautiful. This curation speaks to a festival that has confidently found its identity, seamlessly blending the legacy acts that defined the mid-2000s festival golden era with the urgent new voices shaping its future.It’s a lineup that doesn’t just promise a series of sets, but a whole weekend narrative—from the hazy afternoon nostalgia of singing along to ‘Naïve’ to the transcendent, sunset crescendo of ‘Praise You’ and the late-night rock'n'roll theater of believing in a thing called love. For the thousands who will make the pilgrimage, it’s more than a ticket; it’s a time capsule of sound, set against the relentless crash of the waves and the promise of a British summer that, for one weekend at least, always delivers.
#Boardmasters 2026
#Fatboy Slim
#Kasabian
#The Kooks
#Loyle Carner
#Music Festival
#Lineup Announcement
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