Cliffords:
In 2025, Cork indie rockers Cliffords took festival season by storm, and they’re poised to do so again this year. Cliffords’ live shows can best be described as ‘cathartic’; they put every ounce of passion and energy into their performances, so as an audience member, you can’t help but respond in kind. Frontwoman Iona Lynch is a force to be reckoned with: her vocal performance has to be seen to be believed.
Cliffords’ songs are endlessly catchy and danceable, and their lyrics run the gamut of emotion and experience: love, heartbreak, grief, homesickness, righteous anger. With their debut album in the works, maybe they’ll have a few brand new songs up their sleeves too. This is their second year at TRNSMT, having played the BBC Introducing stage last year. It’s looking very likely that they’ll be returning as headliners before too long.
Must-listen track: ‘Bittersweet’
Madra Salach:
2026 is Madra Salach’s year. Since January, the Dublin alternative folk six-piece have released their debut EP, ‘It’s a Hell of an Age’, embarked on an entirely sold-out debut Ireland and UK headline tour, and announced another tour to come in autumn and winter. It’s safe to say, then, that their TRNSMT set will be completely packed out with fans who are already converted, alongside festival attendees curious to see what all the hype is about. And you should listen to the hype, because this set is not to be missed.
With all six members raised on rock and punk rather than traditional Irish music, their sound is much closer to that of The Pogues or Lankum than other popular Irish folk bands such as Kingfishr or Amble. Madra Salach are endlessly surprising and fascinating, with a catalogue that features original songs that reimagine traditional folk themes through a modern lens, including the breakout hit ‘The Man Who Seeks Pleasure’, alongside covers of old folk songs they’ve completely transformed for a contemporary audience.
And while frontman Paul Banks has an incredibly formidable and charismatic stage presence, the band around him, whose instruments include mandolin, harmonium, synth, and tin whistle, are just as skilled. If you’re not yet on the Madra Salach train, it’s time to hop on.
Must-listen track: ‘Blue & Gold’
Girl Group:
If confident, thought-provoking, and unabashedly feminist alt-pop sounds like your thing, then look no further than Girl Group. Their sound is reminiscent of Charli xcx and Chappell Roan by way of Wet Leg, and their live performances are endlessly fun and energetic. It’s refreshing to come across an all-female band like Girl Group whose songs explore gender from a provocative, incisive point of view.
Whether they’re considering the contraceptive pill, the joys and complexities of female friendship, or their frustration at systematic misogyny, Girl Group are skilled at balancing politically insightful lyrics with hooky choruses and hypnotic multipart harmonies. They’ll have you singing and dancing along while seriously contemplating their lyrics about sexism in the music industry.
Must-listen track: ‘SuperDrug’
Tanzana:
Glasgow’s own Tanzana take to the BBC Introducing stage on Saturday evening, where they’re sure to win over plenty of new fans with their haunting, atmospheric, shoegaze-inflected brand of alternative rock. Radiohead are a clear inspiration for Tanzana and the easiest comparison to describe their sound, but there’s a decisively spooky slant to Tanzana’s music that’s intriguing. Vocalist Freya Talbot’s performance alternates between soft and overwhelmingly powerful, but it is always self-assured.
Tanzana have only released two songs so far, but both show a lot of promise. On their debut single ‘Covet’, lyrics about obsession and yearning are backed by driving guitars, while on ‘Pulse, Pose, Position’, a more traditional shoegaze arrangement accompanies lyrics that evoke childhood memories and the passage of time. This is sure to be a performance you can’t look away from.
Must-listen track: ‘Covet’
Westside Cowboy:
A real contender for the band that will deliver the most purely joyful performance while demonstrating a high level of musical skill is Manchester four-piece Westside Cowboy. They’ve been the talk of the festival circuit for the past year, and for good reason. Every Westside Cowboy gig is a celebration of how music creates community. At a time when the trend is for rock musicians to act totally indifferent while on stage, Westside Cowboy are always clearly having the time of their lives, and so are their audiences. They’re one of the most tight-knit, in-sync bands you’ll see at the festival, and while all four members are very talented, drummer Paddy Murphy deserves a special shoutout – he is simply astonishing.
They’ve pioneered their own genre, "Britainicana", which is essentially indie rock, inspired by American bands and aesthetics, reinterpreted through a contemporary British lens. There’s a folk influence on their sound too, audible in songs like the beautiful, lively ‘Strange Taxidermy’ and set closer ‘In the Morning’, during which the band gather around one microphone to sing, accompanied by a guitar and a single snare drum. With their debut album ‘It Goes On’ due this August, 2026 is already Westside Cowboy summer.
Must-listen track: ‘I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)’
Of course, these are just a few sets that are sure to be standouts this weekend. An honourable mention goes to "Dunboyne Diana", Irish popstar CMAT, who’s already having a huge summer and is certain to deliver an electric performance on the main stage on Sunday. Tickets for TRNSMT 2026 are still available, so don’t miss out.
Mia Tobin Power
Image: TRNSMT 2026 Official Lineup Poster