Southern California’s Darker Waves festival is making its comeback in 2026, bringing a stacked lineup of alternative, goth, and new wave favorites to the coast. The one-day event is set for Saturday, November 14 at Huntington Beach City Beach, marking the festival’s return after a hiatus following its 2023 debut.
Topping the bill are Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins, leading a lineup packed with influential acts spanning decades of post-punk, synth-pop, and punk rock. Fans can also expect performances from Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, and Gary Numan.
The diverse bill continues with names like Silversun Pickups, Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone, Mariachi El Bronx, Cold Cave, TR/ST, Modern English, and Missing Persons, along with many additional artists from both classic and emerging scenes.
Ticket info can be found via the festival’s website.
Editorial credit: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com
