Our Top Five Acts Of ArcTanGent Festival 2026

Anna Hatfield

Freelance photographer, videographer, and journalist. Specialising in all things music and will most likely be found in a photo pit somewhere muttering about lighting conditions

Here are our highlights from the 2026 edition of Bristol’s ArcTanGent Festival plus a full gallery from the weekend

ArcTanGent Festival has lived on Fernhill Farm for the last 12 years but this year they said goodbye for the final time before the move. We certainly gave that site a good send off as it wrapped up 12 years of memories, ready to make some more next year at Todenham Manor Farm. It would be impossible to fit everything I saw into one article so here’s what I thought were the top 5 bands of this fantastic weekend.

RONKER

Up first were Ronker on Thursday. I was thoroughly looking forward to them and they did not disappoint. I saw them early on in my exploration of the festival and they really got me in the mood for more high energy and fun down the line. The Belgian hardcore/noise band had familiar elements of bands like IDLES but mixed it with an energy reminiscent of Bad Nerves. They were charismatic, effortless, and entertaining. The perfect start to the festival.

Maruja

Next was Maruja. This band has such a massive sound for the limited number of members. If you closed your eyes, you could have easily convinced me there were 5 or 6 people on that stage. Seeing them live is such a phenomenal experience, even if only to see front man Harry Wilkinson command the stage with a balance of threatening machismo and sensual dance moves. The fluidity of his performance coupled with the sweeping sound of Joe Carroll on saxophone is something somewhat transcendent.

Meatdripper

I found two new favourite bands this weekend, one of them being Meatdripper. This unassumingly dressed band filled the tent with complex riffs, heavy basslines and an absolutely stunning stage presence. These four women gave a middle finger to the stereotype of what a metal band sound look like and transfixed the whole tent with both their looks and sound. Dressed mostly in gorgeous summer dresses, they proceeded to fill the crowd’s ears with deafening psychedelic sludge-filled doom metal. If you get the chance to seem them, these guys really are the whole package.

Heck

I feel like I’m a little late to the party by only just discovering these guys (this was their final performance) but I would be remiss no to talk about them. Heck have the kind of sound that I fell in love with when I first started listening to hardcore. The vocals have conviction behind every line and the basslines to match. After forming in 2009, they’ve called it quits and went out with a bang at ATG.

I can confidently say there was approximately 1.5 songs that had all 5 members on stage, as at least 1 person from the band was crowd surfing, moshing, standing in the centre of a circle pit, or climbing the scaffolding at any given moment. This was so clearly a project all the members felt passionately about and seeing them give it their all as a send off was incredibly honouring to be a part of. The set ended with two members stood on the crowd, a drum kit smashed to pieces, and the most crowd surfers I’d witnessed all weekend. A truly special event.

Oathbreaker

My final pick for the highlight of the weekend has to be Oathbreaker. They were such a visual and audible spectacle that really took me by surprise. Clearly the Belgium post-hardcore scene is alive and kicking because two of the country’s bands have made it onto this list. These guys blew me away with their powerful mix between ethereal backing vocals and heavy metal screams. This was the perfect mix of sound and visuals and made the whole set feel like an immersive experience. The fans blowing the billowing hair and dress of the singer, the gorgeous spotlights highlighting the event and the enraptured crowd made this whole set really special.

Honourable mentions must go to TTNG who provided the perfect Midwest Math to the final day, Perturbator who not only sounded absolutely massive for just two people but also put on one of the most stunning light shows of the weekend, and Primus who were definitely a crowd favourite.

All in all, this was the perfect sendoff to the beloved Mendips site but I speak for everyone when we say we can’t wait to see what next year has in store.

Check out the full gallery below: