More than 50 bands took over Southampton city centre music fans packed into The 1865, Heartbreakers and The Joiners for the ever-growing Wanderlust Festival, as it returned for 2026.
An early highlight during the two-day event was The Stanford Family Band, whose revival of the 1960s Beach Boys harmonies drew crowds to The Joiners. As one of the many Brighton bands on the bill, The Stanford Family Band’s performance came ahead of fellow Brightonian Lynnie Snow, who took to the stage at Heartbreakers with her band.
After technical difficulties delayed everything slightly, Wanderlust went international as Californian musician Famous Friend performed at The 1865, though it was Welsh-rockers The Family Battenberg who filled out The Joiners.
Three stages across one city means inevitable clashes, so when it was time to watch Slag, it was virtually impossible to get a spot in Heartbreakers, proving the group is certainly one to watch.
One of the most anticipated performances of the weekend was Mary in the Junkyard, who appeared ahead of the release of their debut album. The London trio’s combination of guitar, drums and viola showcased the eclectic instrumentation at the festival.
Saturday night rounded off with indie-legends in the making, Squid, who performed rarities from their back catalogue. The group’s headline performance was a one-off, marking their first show in months, and one of their only summer concerts this year. The exclusivity of the show resulted in a fan-favourites gig, with Houseplants kicking off the mosh pits for the evening.
Day two of Wanderlust brought the crowds in early as Dead Dads Club took to the stage at Heartbreakers. A band that surely would have been on later (if it wasn’t for a performance in Nottingham scheduled only hours after), the hype for the group was perfectly fair as former Palma Violets frontman Chilli Jesson’s new group made their Southampton debut.
The crowd interaction peaked when Lemonsuckr abandoned the stage for the floor at The 1865, before Scottish outfit Cloth made their way on.
A Sunday at The 1865 had a few strengths, not only did it have an incredible lineup – shown by Swedish rockers Girl Scout and synth-pop-turned-punk trio Chalk – but it also had air conditioning, which was vital as Southampton baked over the bank holiday weekend.
As the festival began wrapping up, The Moonlandingz brought their experimental (and somewhat negative) energy, while star-in-the-making Better Joy brought some pop punk anthems to Heartbreakers.
The Horrors and their gothic sounds headlined the Sunday night and the performance was well worth waiting for. The crowd was full of either fans, or newcomers, but everyone walked away thoroughly impressed as Faris Badwan and co. rounded off Wanderlust for 2026.
As a festival that isn’t afraid to push it to the limit and book musicians defying genres, Wanderlust deserves to get bigger and bigger. By spreading the music across the city, it gives fans the chance to explore the grassroots venues that make bands who they are.
Wanderlust Festival will return in 2027, running from Saturday, May 1 to Sunday, May 2.
All photos by Russ Leggatt
