Top 5 Acts You Can’t Miss At Humber Street Sesh 2026
Scuzzed up, fuzzed up Scouse Rock n Roll from Liverpool four-piece The Kairos
Putting together a lineup of 100+ artists isn't easy... Picking just five favourites might be even harder.
Festival programmer Dan Mawer shares the acts he'd make a beeline for at Humber Street Sesh 2026.
Humber Street Sesh returns for our fourteenth year in 2026; it’s another year packed with emerging new music, not only from our outstanding regional acts, but from those further afield too. I’m privileged to give you my brief top picks, travelling into the city to perform for us on Saturday 1st August.
The Kairos - 10:00pm - Music Cities Stage
Liverpool four-piece The Kairos have established themselves as one of the country's most prominent touring acts. Beginning their journey at venues like The Zanzibar & The Arts Club, the indie troubadours have graced the likes of Isle of Wight Festival, and will play shows with Richard Ashcroft and The Wombats later this year! We’re over the moon to have ‘em with us.
Walt Disco - 10:15pm - Dead Bod Stage
For those that keep an eye on the UK’s emerging alternative music scene, Walt Disco will be a familiar name.
The Glasgow art-pop band have performed at Glastonbury, Latitude and SXSW, whilst being nominated for Scottish album of the year in 2022; they’ve most recently worked with EMI North and showcased new music via a 6Music session earlier this month.
Their beautiful mix of glamrock infusion sees them headline the Deabod Stage this year.
Blush Puppy - 7:00pm - Rock Stage
We like to give those who play our free entry nights at Polar Bear the opportunity to smash it at the yearly festival too!
Blush Puppy join us on the rock stage; their alt emo style has found its way to Venn Records. The Midlands band fuse guitar riffs with big harmonies; we hope their journey follows the likes of Love Rarely, another underground band who played the Rock Stage previously and have gone on to amass a dedicated following across the UK.
Likör - 8:00pm - Music Cities Stage
Every couple of years we’ve managed to throw an international touring artist into the Humber Street mix. The Hull Music Cities stage is backed by Hull City Council, a collaborative effort which brings artists from UNESCO creative cities to our grassroots music festival.
Likor are a Swedish indie rock band from Norrköping, a blend of surf rock and spaghetti western style, flying into the city to perform for us!
Flat Moon - 9:00pm - Main Stage
The Sesh team have a real soft spot for this lot. Another band who took a chance on Hull, playing our Tuesday free entry night at Bear, the Leeds/York jazz/rock/punk six-piece smashed our stage and have gone on to sell shows out across the country.
They have a true showman style to them, an independent spirit, and they’ll knock your socks off if you’re about the main stage before Fiona-Lee’s headline set!