After its inaugural edition in 2023, The Darker Waves Festival went on a break — but it will return to Huntington State Beach on Nov. 14 for a new edition. Headlining acts include Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins, with the rest of the lineup skewing heavily once again toward the “dark wave” and synth-pop sounds of yesteryear.
Also on the bill will be Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan, Silversun Pickups, Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone, Mariachi El Bronx, Cold Cave, TR/ST, Gene, Modern English, The Motels, The Sounds, Choir Boy, Missing Persons, and many more.
Presale for Darker Waves 2026 begins Thursday, April 2 at 10 AM PST. Presale includes the lowest-priced GA tickets, so try to get yours between 10 and 11 AM PST, at which point general onsale will begin.
Available passes include GA (starting at $259.99), GA+ (starting at $359.99), VIP (starting at $599.99), and Ultimate VIP (starting at $1,750.70). Head to Darker Waves’ official site to learn more.
