Wider Than Pictures 2026
Another year, another Wider Than Pictures! Now in its sixth iteration, the beloved and anticipated concert series has taken place at the famed Collins Barracks since its founding in 2022, and its 5,000-punter-fitting grounds have served as the perfect intermediary for artists in transition between the 1,500-cap world of the 3Olympia or Vicar Street and the 13,000-cap world of the 3Arena.
This year’s series kicks off on August 25th with the revered, as-tough-as-they-are-loving Aussie pub-rock revivalists Amyl and the Sniffers, who will headline two consecutive nights.
The fiercely independent quartet cut their teeth in the Melbourne punk scene, and through anthems like “Hertz” and “Security,” they organically grew a global fanbase who loved their madcap, hard-hitting tunes.
Through support slots for the likes of AC/DC, Green Day, and Foo Fighters, their second album, Comfort to Me, became a massive hit that has brought nothing but perpetual growth since.
Within Ireland, they have headlined the second stage at Electric Picnic, opened the Hella Mega Tour in Marlay Park, and sold out the Olympia Theatre. These upcoming shows will mark their first return to Ireland since they performed at the National Stadium in November 2024.
Still on the same touring cycle for their major label debut and most recent record, 2024’s Cartoon Darkness, the band elected to take some time off for the beginning of 2026. “We screamed, ‘Stop, we want to get off!’” laughs their guitarist, Dec Mehrtens, when he spoke with The GOO.
“We had just done this two-year album cycle with Cartoon Darkness, and we didn’t really feel like we got a break after the Comfort to Me album cycle, so it was important to us that we got this time off before going back onto the road.”
With reference to the aforementioned support slots, their drummer, Bryce Wilson, adds, “It teaches you a lot about how to be on tour and what your limits are. We’re at the point, now, where we know that we’ll go absolutely mad if we go longer than four weeks or something!”
In their home nation, the band have stormed all their national music awards ceremonies, such as the Australian Music Prize, the ARIA Music Awards, the AIR Awards, the J Awards, the Victoria Music Awards, the Rolling Stone Australia Music Awards, among many others (they, apparently, love a good music ceremony Down Unda’h!).
This year saw them nominated for their first Grammy, with their song “U Should Not Be Doing That” up for Best Rock Performance. “It was really interesting,” Bryce says of their trip to L.A. for the ceremony. “It was really eye-opening. You feel like a small fish in a big pond there. It was a bit humbling!
“It was nice to be nominated for an award and not win one, for a change!” laughs Declan. “We cleaned up at the ARIA’s, and go in and lose a Grammy! I’ve been nominated for more Grammys than any of my mates, so I don’t give a shit!”
Having recently completed an amphitheatre tour of North America in June, supported by the soon-to-be-dissolved grunge legends L7, the Sniffers are coming back to Europe for a month-long tour in August. For this leg, they will be backed by the Epitaph-signed Philly punkers Mannequin Pussy, and the Dublin shows will also feature the Tallafornian experimental rocker Spider.
Just ahead of their fifth trip to Ireland, Declan and Bryce half-remember some of their visits here, primarily comprised of stories from pubs they visited and the conversations they had with the locals, and, for fans who have seen them before, they promise something new.
“I think it’s bigger,” Bryce says of their current show. “I think we’ve gotten a lot bigger and louder. We’re jamming on stage. We’re improvising. It’s a totally different vibe!”
Playing the day after the second Amyl and the Sniffers show is the quirky Atlantan indie-pop artist Faye Webster, on the 27th, with support from the Dublin garage rockers Sprints and the smooth, Def Jam-signed London-based R&B singer-songwriter Amie Blu.
While Faye’s music diverges from the Sniffers’, both have had a similar career trajectory: Faye began by independently making and releasing her music, rising in her local scene, having tracks like “Kingston” and “I Know You” blow up online, organically finding an international audience, and recently signing to a major label.
When her third album, 2019’s Atlanta Millionaires Club, began blowing up, Faye’s ability to capitalize on this newfound interest was limited, as the COVID-19 lockdowns prevented touring, but, since then, she has more than made up for lost time. With two additional albums following in 2021 and 2024, Faye has spent the last five years in a constant cycle of writing, recording, releasing, and touring.
But, also similar to the Sniffers, Faye elected to take the beginning of 2026 off. When we spoke at the beginning of July, she was getting ready to head off on her first tour of the year, supporting the Canadian neo-soul singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar on a massive arena tour of the States and Canada.
“I spent a lot of time at home, which has been so nice,” Faye tells us of her 2026; a welcome return, as she also admits that her home is the only safe space where she feels that she can write. Continuing, she says, “I feel like that’s been so rare in the past. We’re leaving for a tour next week, so I’m really excited for that. […] We’re excited because we haven’t been an opening act in a really long time, and I think that feels really refreshing, in a way.”
Now a major headlining artist, the Wider Than Pictures show will be Faye’s second time in Ireland since she headlined both The Button Factory and Vicar Street in May of 2024. This show is a part of a compact trip to Europe, comprising one show in France, three in the UK, and one in Ireland.
“Every tour is so cool, to just see new fans, physically, with your own eyes,” Faye says of getting back on the road. “It’s such a big difference than watching something on the internet, you know? So, I think every time you go on tour, there are new venues and stuff, and new people; so, yeah, it reminds me why we do what we do. So, that’s really nice.”
On coming back to Ireland, she adds, “I’m excited. We only get to go once or twice a year,” and that wherever she is, she tries to fit in a game of tennis!
When asked what the uninitiated can expect from her concert, Faye, in her characteristically candid manner, responds, “I don’t know! We’re just excited to be playing music again! I feel like I’ve been off the road since…I don’t know how long, but a long time! [Laughs] So, I’m just excited to be there, honestly!” So, anticipate an elated, joyous time should you pop along!
In addition to Amyl and the Sniffers and Faye Webster, also playing at this year’s Wider Than Pictures are the South African jazz house musician and producer berlioz, who will be presenting his new Deep In It jamboree on the 28th; the Canadian lo-fi jangle rocker Mac DeMarco on the 29th; and, closing the series, the longstanding psych-infused experimental Welsh band Super Furry Animals on the 30th. There’s something for everyone, especially you!
The Wider Than Pictures concert series will run at Collins Barracks, Dublin, from August 25th to the 30th. Tickets, full line-ups, and additional information can be found at widerthanpictures.ie.