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In 2026 Cardiff yet again sees a huge list of artists coming to perform at some of the city’s huge venues. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here.
Bouncing from genre to genre with dance, rock, pure pop, and 100% punk and more there’s a gig on to suit any music-lover and fit perfectly in that Christmas stocking.
So far the biggest outdoor gig in Swansea is the headliner for Tunes in the Bay 2026 and you can read more on that here. And down in Margam the In It Together festival will be headlined by Snow Patrol. There’s more, including ticket information, here.
Green Man Festival, which is sold out, is yet to announce its line-up and headliners as of yet.
So in the meantime if you’re looking at your diary for summer 2026 these gigs are ready and waiting for you to add.
Pete Tong Ibiza Classics
The godfather of UK dance brings back his line-up of classic tracks with an accompanying orchestra for a night of raving under the stars.
Tickets: Here
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 11
Mika
Pop icon and Eurovision host Mika will perform a gig of stone-cold colour-pop classics to kick off Cardiff’s Pride celebrations next summer with a huge headline show at the city’s historic castle. The Brit Award and Ivor Novello winner will joined on the night by chart-toppers The Feeling and acclaimed homegrown talent Gwenno.
His catalogue of genre-defying hits include Grace Kelly, Lollipop, Happy Ending, Relax Take It Easy, Love Today, Celebrate (feat. Pharrell Williams), and Popular Song (with Ariana Grande)
Tickets: Via depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 12
Ethel Cain
American singer-songwriter Ethel Cain, aka multidisciplinary artist Hayden Anhedönia, extends her sold-out Willoughby Tucker Forever tour into 2026 adding dates across the UK and Europe including Wales.
Tickets: Via depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 19
Garbage and Skunk Anansie
Garbage and Skunk Anansie will co-headline a huge show in Cardiff next summer as they embark on a tour of some of the country’s most beautiful outdoor stages.
Fans will get to hear bonafide 1990s hits like Stupid Girl, I Think I’m Paranoid, and Only Happy When It Rains from Garbage and Weak, Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good), and Charity from Skunk Anansie.
Leave the beach balls at home though.
Tickets: Visit depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 22
The Cure
Mega 1980s legends The Cure will be joined at Blackweir by special guests The Twilight Sad and The Joy Formidable with both acts personally chosen by frontman Robert Smith.
Tickets: blackweirlive.com and Ticketmaster.
Where: Blackweir Fields
When: June 24
McFly
McFly have been on the UK pop scene now for 22 years and fans coming to Cardiff Castle will see them perform a back catalogue of hits from Five Colours In Her Hair to their 2023 full-throttle rock record Power To Play.
Tickets: Via depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 25
Teddy Swims
Teddy Swims will be supported by breakout vocalist and songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rakei.
Swims, from Atlanta Georgia, first became famous on YouTube. He has since had a string of hits and sold out tours around the world. He is described as having “a voice that effortlessly blends R&B, soul, and pop”.
His breakout year in 2024 saw him release multi-platinum hits and in 2026 he earned a Grammy nomination for best new artist.
Tickets: blackweirlive.com and Ticketmaster.
Where: Blackweir
When: June 26
Blackbird Festival
The brand new Blackbird Festival launches in summer 2026 and has a strong line-up with Alter Bridge joined by a line-up of special guests including Welsh heavy metal band Skindred, Welsh powerhouse trio Florence Black, and rock trio Cardinal Black.
Tickets: Here
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 27
Metallica
The American heavy metal band confirmed an extension into the fourth year of their M72 World Tour and it includes Cardiff.
Tickets are sold out for the Welsh date on Ticketmaster currently but it’s worth keeping an eye out for resale and there are sites such as viagogo that have options too.
Tickets: Ticketmaster resale here. And Viagogo resale is here.
Where: Principality Stadium
When: June 28
Katy Perry
Known for her songs Firework, Dark Horse, Roar, California Gurls, E. T, and Teenage Dream Perry boasts six singles and one album for a total of seven Diamond-certified titles.
In anticipation of her Cardiff show she said: “What’s up Wales? I can’t wait to see you guys and we’ll have a party you’ll never forget. It will be epic.”
Tickets: Via Ticketmaster.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: June 30
Lewis Capaldi
The Scottish singer/songwriter had to announce a second Welsh date as the first one sold out so quickly. At the time of writing there were tickets left for night one left on Ticketmaster and for the second date too.
Tickets: Ticketmaster.
Where: Blackweir
When: June 30 and July 1
Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls
Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls are teaming up next summer and they will perform at Llangollen Pavilion first on Friday, July 3, before heading down to Cardiff for a castle gig.
The long-time friends are joining forces for the first time ever for a run of dates across the country with their Bowl My Bones tour, headlining TK Maxx Presents at the two Welsh venues. BFS are best known for Grammy-nominated hit Girl All The Bad Guys Want, 1985, and High School Never Ends.
Tickets: llangollen.net, depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 4
Pitbull
The Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor will bring the ultimate party to the Welsh capital at Blackweir Live on Saturday, July 4. Pitbull, whose shows are infamous for thousands of fans dressing up as him, will be performing at the huge venue as part of his I’m Back! Tour.
Tickets: blackweirlive.com and Ticketmaster.
Where: Blackweir
When: July 4
Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts
Canadian-born Neil Young is a global icon. With critically-acclaimed albums as Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, After The Goldrush, Harvest, On The Beach, and Rust Never Sleeps, together with his work with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, his music is the soundtrack to generations.
Aside from festival appearances next summer will mark 10 years since Neil Young has brought a full tour to the UK since his Earth Tour in 2016.
Joining Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts as very special guests will be Elvis Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton.
Tickets: blackweirlive.com and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Blackweir
When: July 5
Billy Ocean and Marti Pellow
On Saturday, June 27, Billy Ocean will headline Llangollen Pavilion before heading to Cardiff Castle on Thursday, July 9. The chart-topping legend behind such classic hits as Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) and Red Light Spells Danger will have special guest and former Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow at both shows.
Tickets: ticketmaster.co.uk.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 9
Bastille
With more than 13m records sold, three UK number one albums, six UK Top 40 singles, more than two billion video views, and more than seven billion Spotify streams Bastille remain one of the world’s most streamed acts. The band are returning to the castle after celebrating their 10-year anniversary at their sell-out show on stage in Cardiff in 2023.
Bastille will be performing at the outdoor venue with support from London-based Arthur Hill and young Ukrainian musician Carpetman.
Tickets: Via depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 10
David Gray
Multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter David Gray is heading to Wales twice next year with headline shows in Cardiff and Llangollen. The big Welsh shows are part of his Past & Present World Tour which will come to Cardiff Castle on Saturday, July 11, while he’ll be performing at Llangollen Pavilion 2026 on Friday, June 26.
The artist, known for hits Please Forgive Me, Babylon, and This Year’s Love, and who grew up in Solva, Pembrokeshire, will be joined by special guests The Divine Comedy.
Tickets: ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 11
Richard Ashcroft
Multi-award-winning songwriter, producer, and frontman Richard Ashcroft will play Cardiff twice in 2026 and this castle date follows a sold-out gig at the Utilita Arena in April. The former The Verve frontman will be supported by original Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan and indie rockers Apollo Junction.
Tickets: via depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 16
Self Esteem
Singer/songwriter Self Esteem, aka Rebecca Lucy Taylor, follows up a massive 2025 which saw the release of her hugely-acclaimed third album and debut book, both titled A Complicated Woman. Special guest will be songwriter, poet, playwright and recording artist Kae Tempest.
Tickets: Via depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 24
The Wombats
The indie giants are headlining Depot in the Castle for 2026. Their most notable songs include Let’s Dance to Joy Division, Moving to New York, Greek Tragedy, and Kill the Director.
Tickets: Ticketmaster here.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 25
The Streets
The Streets will perform in Cardiff on their 2026 tour of landmark album A Grand Don’t Come For Free.
Mike Skinner and his revered band are performing the album front-to-back for the first time ever across an exclusive run of shows in the UK throughout 2026.
Tickets: depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk.
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: July 31
Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter
Celebrating 50 years of punk the Pistols, fronted now by former Gallows and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes singer Carter, will top off a line-up that also features The Undertones and The Stranglers.
Completing the bill are new punk faces Panic Shack. The original members of the Pistols Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock, plus Frank Carter will headline TK Maxx Presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle
Tickets: www.depotlive.co.uk and www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: August 1
Two Door Cinema Club and Friendly Fires and 3LIJAH
Two Door Cinema Club will mark the 15th anniversary of their debut album Tourist History with an outdoor Welsh show.
The Northern Irish trio – Alex Trimble, Sam Halliday, and Kevin Baird – will play Tourist History in full alongside hits from across their career and will be joined on the night by Indie dance band Friendly Fires while groundbreaking new band 3LIJAH will open the show.
Tickets: depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
Where: Cardiff Castle
When : August 2
Jimmy Eat World
Arizona rockers,Jimmy Eat World will perform their platinum-selling fourth album Bleed American in full for its 25th anniversary. The album saw the group release a number of singles including The Middle, the most popular as well as Sweetness and Praise Chorus.
Tickets: General sale tickets are available via Ticketmaster
Where: Cardiff Castle
When: August 15
