Open Ear returns to Sherkin Island in West Cork this coming June Bank Holiday weekend
We would never have in our wildest dreams imagined that this landmark occasion would be celebrated with a SOLD OUT capacity reached before the line up even dropped!
Open Ear has grown, evolved and morphed over the last ten years but the fundamental core tenets of the festival still stand. Celebrating all that is wonderful and weird about the experimental and electronic communities of Ireland across the invigorating landscapes of Sherkin Island, with only one performance taking place at any one time. And as of recent years we’ve also added a sprinkling of like-minded international artists into the fray…
And so without further delay we can finally present the OE26 line up…
Contorting our dancefloor into unbeknownst shapes by way of intense cacophonies will be the likes of Dublin’s drums-driven barrelling, the noise-rock infected techno of Container and the industrial psychedelia of Gilla-Band affiliated Null Club. On hand to deliver bass dislocations will be the Netherlands’ Nicolini complimented by Legion of One’s crushing dub assaults, and teaming up with the legendary dubstep MC Sgt Pokes will be Woozy boss EMA.
To release the pressure will be a rare Irish appearance from revered ambient techno artist, Galway’s o.utlier, a special collaboration between the lilting dream-pop inspired, Young Echo affiliated Jabu & Sähkö recording artist Memotone, and the alternative RnB stylings of Dundalk’s Negro Impacto.
The spirit of collaboration has long been ingrained in Open Ear’s being and 2026 will see the premier of a specially commissioned piece from experimental operatic coloratura Stephanie Lamprea in collaboration with visual artist Jesse Jones, and the long-time creator of Open Ear’s staging, Sara Murphy. Further late night adventures will include the post-punk theatrics of Chris Imler who will be making his Irish debut, the EBM-inflected electro of the none-more-mysterious Ingo Hammer and Pitch037’s rewiring of jungle, dub and techno.
Finally, fresh off the release of their acclaimed debut album will be the experimental three-piece Rún, the only act on this year’s line up to count acid-folk, cosmic jazz, RnB and sludge metal amongst their equal inspirations - And that really is a perfect surmise of what Open Ear is all about.
Please see below the complete OE26 line up…so far. We are still working on a few surprises that are currently somewhere up our sleeves…
Open Ear 2026AKA.Zato / Ali Daly / Anna Clock / barrelling / Chris Imler / Container / Dali De Saint Paul & Clíona Ní Laoi: Whoever Stays Until The End / Eliza / EMA & Sgt Pokes / Heatsink /
Ingo Hammer / Isaac Newtune / Jabu & Memotone / Jay Galligan / K8olo & Alba / Kenny Hanlon / Legion of One / Miss TKA Newberry / Negro Impacto / Nicolini / Null Club / o.utlier / Pitch037 / Rosanna / Rún / Small Crab / Stephanie Lamprea with Jesse Jones & Sara Murphy / t-woc / Twelfth House
+++ More TBC +++ For all media enquiries please contact: kenny@openear.ie