GREAT SOUNDS GREAT Festival 2026 First Lineup Announced - Bic Runga, MOKOTRON, Silicon, MĀ, Deathro (JPN) + More

Giving us all something to look forward to as we bat away old man winter's icy paws, Eyegum Music Collective have evidently been working overtime to assemble an absolutely stonking Great Sounds Great music and arts festival for 2026. A sonically diverse lolly scramble of Aotearoa legends and emerging faves, the first lineup has officially been revealed for Te Whanganui-a-Tara's multi-venue mega-fest, taking over numerous stages in the heart of the capital on 5th September.

Today's initial bill pulls zero punches, headlined by multi-award-winning songwriting star Bic Runga, whose expectation-defying new album Red Sunset is an avant-dream-pop / kosmische highpoint of 2026 so far. The starting pack also includes a rare performance by Runga's partner in crime Kody Nielson's Taite Music Prize-winning Silicon, 2025 Taite Music Prize-winning Hiko innovator MOKOTRON, Japanese BEATROCK dynamo Deathro, Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist Tūī winner MĀ, recently reactivated synth / guitar heroes So So Modern, a DJ set by hip-hop icon Savage, such local post-punk champions as Office Dog, Soft Bait and Pearly*, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

A springtime convergence of top talents from all around Aotearoa and beyond, get ready to pounce on early birds for Great Sounds Great 2026 when they go live tomorrow, plus stay tuned for more updates...

Great Sounds Great 2026
Featuring... Bri Louise, Crook, Cruelly, Deathro, Dream Chambers, Fazed on a Pony, Groove Council, Hihi and the Stitchbirds, MĀ, Mokotron, More Blue Noise, Naaks & Babyzoot, Office Dog, Pearly*, Savage (DJ set), Sheeps, Silicon, So So Modern, Soft Bait, The Sour, The Spectre Collective: Live-scored cinema, Tūi Band, Unsanitary Napkin + more to be announced

Saturday 5th September - Te Aro, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (3pm start)
Meow Nui, San Fran, Meow, Valhalla, Rogue & Vagabond, Bedlam & Squalor, Hotel Bristol, St Peter's on Willis, Flying Nun Records, 13 Garrett St, Tonic Travelling Stage

Early birds on sale from 9am, Tuesday 16th June via eyegum.co.nz

Groove along with the title track to Bic Runga's new album Red Sunset...

Experience MOKOTRON's monumental 'ŌHĀKĪ' from 2024's WAEREA...

Watch the video for Silicon's 'God Emoji' from 2015's Personal Computer...

Here's MĀ's 'Pūhā me te Porohewa' from 2025's Blame It On The Weather...

Smash play on Deathro's 2025 video for 'HIGHVVAY'...

Press release:

Eyegum Music Collective presents GREAT SOUNDS GREAT, a multi-venue music and arts festival taking over Pōneke's Te Aro precinct for one night on Saturday 5 September 2026. Showcasing 40 of Aotearoa's best artists across 10 neighbouring venues, this is one big party that shouldn't be missed.

Eyegum has curated a programme that is as exciting as it is eclectic. The stacked lineup includes national treasures like Bic Runga and Savage, Kody Nielson’s enigmatic project Silicon, indie math rock legends So So Modern, powerhouse party starter Mokotron, local hip hop sensation MĀ, and everything in between. There is also plenty more to be announced soon including more music, poetry, talks, and a roaming venue takeover.

Excitingly for 2026, we will be adding a new venue, the incomparable Meow Nui, helping make this year's event bigger and better than ever.

Limited early bird tickets to Pōneke's biggest inner-city bash are on sale 9am 16 June.