Liverpool Sound City add Keo to 2026 line-up
The London quartet will headline the Liverpool festival’s main stage in May.
Photo: Keo at Sound City 2025
Following a jam-packed 200-capacity set at this year’s Sound City Festival, fast-rising alt-rock quartet Keo are set to make a triumphant return. This time, they’ll be headlining the Liverpool festival’s main stage at Great Centre Hall on Saturday, 2nd May 2026.
Since the release of their acclaimed debut EP Siren earlier this year, Keo have not only earned widespread praise but also built serious momentum, with their debut single I Lied, Amber surpassing 1 million streams on Spotify, despite only being released in May.
Sound City’s Managing Director, Becky Ayres, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to announce Keo as our Saturday night headliners for Sound City 2026. After their unforgettable performance at Sound City 2025, where they completely packed out EBGBs, with fans even spilling out into the street trying to catch a glimpse, it was clear they were destined for the main stage.”
“Keo represent everything Sound City stands for: artists with vision, authenticity, and the power to connect with audiences in a way that feels both fresh and timeless. Their headline set is going to be one of those electric moments that people will be talking about for years to come. Sound City has always been about championing future headliners before the rest of the world catches up, and Keo are exactly that.”
Sound City will take place on Saturday, 2nd and Sunday, 3rd May 2026, with another stacked lineup of emerging artists set to perform across the festival’s multiple inner-city venues.
Last month, organisers confirmed that contemporary soul sensation and former Liverpool resident and student of Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, Jalen Ngonda, will headline the festival’s Sunday night, marking his return to the Sound City, having played intimate stages in 2017 and 2018.
The weekend will kick off with the annual Sound City+ Conference on Friday, 1st May, bringing artists and industry figures together to share knowledge and experience through panels, talks and networking opportunities.
Sound City will also continue its tradition of supporting grassroots talent through its Apply To Play programme, powered by TuneCore and Amplead, offering emerging artists the chance to perform at the festival. Applications are set to open here soon.
Weekend and Day tickets for Sound City 2026 are available here.