renia, auteur op Hit The City

This was Hit The City 2026!

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Our biggest edition yet. There was crowdsurfing, moshing and climbing, artists disappearing into the crowd, and at some points, even the stage seemed too small for what was happening on it. With 48,500 visits, you made it one for the books.

Thank you for being part of it, and let’s do it all over again, 26–29 August 2027!


Did you visit Hit The City 2026? Share your experience with us!

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Did you attend Hit The City last weekend? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your experience with us for a chance to win 2 tickets to a show of your choice at Effenaar.

Our visitor survey is open until Sunday, September 14 – your opinion really matters to us. Thank you for being part of it, and we hope to see you again next year!

Participate in the visitor survey

Bibi Bannink on Girls To The Front: “I was looking for a different sound, forms of representation, and people I could connect with”

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Girls to the front! The rallying slogan of the ’90s riot grrrl movement is still resonating today. Founded by Bibi Bannink, the Girls To The Front collective gives FLINTA*-fronted (Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Non-binary, Trans & Agender) bands a stage, making space for different sounds, stories and perspectives. With shows across the country, two compilation albums and its own zine, the DIY initiative is building on a growing platform. Last year, Girls To The Front curated an evening at Café The Jack during Hit The City. This year, the programme expands to both halls at Effenaar. On the line-up: Lambrini Girls, Jools, Vals Alarm, L.A. Sagne, Snackbar and more.

“I think this is the kind of line-up that will also draw people who don’t live in Eindhoven. I’m curious to see what it will look like on the night itself” Bibi Bannink says. “Especially after everything that has happened recently surrounding Sophie Straat. Will there be more friction, or more openness?”

There were clear ambitions when putting the line-up together: bringing international and local bands together, giving Girls To The Front acts – and the audience – literally more space, and showcasing a diversity of sounds. “That also represents both GTTF compilation albums. It’s not necessarily punk in the way you might initially associate with it, with simple riffs. You also hear complex art-punk or darkwave, for example. That diversity is reflected in the line-up.”

We’re very angry, but we’re in this together

The idea for Girls To The Front emerged just over two years ago, when Bibi was only eighteen. On International Working Women’s Day, she organised her first event at dB’s in Utrecht. It came from her own love of punk, but also from the fact that many of the emerging punk bands around her were predominantly made up of men.

“I wanted to organise something that brought my two interests, punk and feminism, together. I listened to a lot of punk, read a lot about the riot grrrl movement and wanted to surround myself with people who were also part of that. I mainly just wanted to be at a show like that myself. I was looking for a different sound, different forms of representation and different people I could connect with.”

But from the beginning, it was about more than just who was on stage. “It also came from a need to give space to the political side of a day like that, to the ongoing urgency.” By incorporating self-written poetry between the shows, she tries to stimulate discussion and create a sense of community. “That’s something I’ve found really important and special at protests too. You can really feel that we’re very angry, but we’re also all in this together. And from that comes a kind of love and a certain sense of community.”

That sense of collectivity became very visible during that first event, and more specifically, in the mosh pit where making space was just as important as taking up space. “People enjoyed being there together, and the mosh pit was also a completely different kind of mosh pit. It was more about: we share this physical space, we want to be here together, we want to let go, and we want to do that while looking out for each other.”

Punk is supposed to create friction

Where the riot grrrls shook up the scene in the ’90s, with women and queer people pushing back against sexism and male-dominated power structures, the slogan girls to the front is once again hitting hard thirty years later. Especially following the recent wave of hate and threats directed at Sophie Straat, among others.

“In some ways, I really feel like: this is what punk means to me. It creates friction. It clashes with the mainstream and with more right-wing ideologies. The way people have responded to the media coverage of Sophie Straat really speaks to the kind of neofascist and individualised society we live in, and emphasises that we all have a responsibility to address this and speak up about it. Part of me is glad that this public debate is happening, because punk is suddenly becoming visible to people who aren’t exposed to it very often. And they’re getting angry about it”, Bibi says.

“But it also makes me sad because it symbolises such a polarised society. I’ve thought a lot about what a Girls To The Front event can mean in this renewed spotlight. It’s even more important for people to take up space now. But at the same time, I wonder: how can we build more of a bridge? How can we help people who might be further removed from it understand? Maybe an event is no longer enough to achieve that goal, if that even is the goal. But it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot.”

That question becomes even more interesting now that Girls To The Front is receiving increasing attention: from shows at venues across the Netherlands to major festivals such as Down The Rabbit Hole. The bigger the stage, the greater the reach? “We want to distance ourselves as much as possible from commercial festivals and venues sponsored by all kinds of things that, in many ways, don’t align with our ideology or what a punk initiative should represent. On the other hand, because there’s such a strong social message behind it, you want that voice to have a bigger platform.”

That bigger platform also means reaching an audience that might not automatically come to a Girls To The Front show. “I think it’s important not to stay exclusively within the punk scene, because that can become a bit of preaching to the choir. Bigger stages are also simply really exciting for the bands. We’re doing this because we genuinely want to give their talent a larger platform, and bring their music to a wider audience. And by doing that, you automatically move beyond the DIY scene.

We think a lot about our target audience and how we want this message to come across. But at a big festival, for example, we’ve experienced quite a lot of friction with men taking up a huge amount of space and laughing at us when we tried to reclaim it. I think we should do this more often in places where our ideas aren’t necessarily taken for granted. But sometimes I wonder: can we really do that this way? Or does it require a much more structural change to ensure safety and inclusivity?”

What even is the punk scene nowadays?

“What even is the punk scene nowadays?” she asks out loud. “There are still squats and DIY initiatives that have so much value, of course, but a lot has also become commercialised in this era of late-stage capitalism. You’re basically always paying nine euros for a ticket. I fully stand behind what we’re doing, but I also find it difficult to see what position we’re taking within the punk movement. But it’s also really fun to philosophise about it, to try things out and think: is this the direction we want to take, or should we approach things differently?”

The constant questioning of what the scene is and can look like when different voices are deliberately placed at the center is part of the movement itself. According to Bibi, there is still plenty of work to be done. “I think this movement is still very white and cis-dominated. We want to engage with themes connected to the feminist movement, but also way beyond that. We want to make more zines and create more content to emphasise that Girls To The Front is about
more than records and shows.”

The ambitions now extend far beyond concert venues. “My big dream is to create a physical space – like the one in the important documentary De stad was van ons – with a group of FLINTA people, turning it into a large studio and community space where you can organise shows, but also film nights or book clubs. A place where you can think about important subjects such as feminism. Or a free festival where we collaborate with other collectives and showcase different voices, with the money raised going towards something we all believe in.”

Girls To The Front at Hit The City

But first: Hit The City. On 28 August, Girls To The Front will take over Effenaar. Bibi herself is particularly looking forward to two acts: “When it comes to the bands, I’m really looking forward to PISS and Jools. I listen to them a lot.”

Perhaps the real appeal of the night goes beyond what happens on stage. The message behind Girls To The Front is simple: make space for people who aren’t always given that space by default. Not only to be angry and kick against something, but to collectively create something new.

“I always get so happy seeing young queer people being completely themselves, being inspired by the space and dancing together. And being able to express their anger at the world around them in a different way, but doing it together in a supportive environment. I hope they can mosh as hard as they want, in a way that allows them to be less conscious of their own bodies and simply take up whatever space they want to take. I hope everyone can come into it with an open mind and that it encourages conversations. And that men are open to seeing what happens rather than inserting themselves into it”

Check the line-up

Create your Personal Timetable in the festival app

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Whether you’re a seasoned festival pro or brand new to the game, one thing’s for sure: with 121 acts on the line-up, there’s a whole lot to discover. Diving in and listening ahead is great fun – but it can also be a bit overwhelming. That’s where the Hit The City festival app, featuring the Personal Timetable from Timegem, comes in! A smart tool to help you map out your personal festival route.

From S10, Typhoon, Jonna Fraser and Kevin to High Vis, Lambrini Girls, DEADLETTER, Snapped Ankles and Yīn Yīn. And with dozens more artists on the bill, you might just discover your new favourite acts. But with so much happening across the city, choosing what to see can feel like a bit of a puzzle. That’s where the Hit The City festival app comes in. Find the full programme, explore venues, save your favourite shows and see what’s happening where.

Want to make your festival route even more personal? Connect your Spotify account and let the app do the matching for you. The app featuring the Personal Timetable application from Timegem looks at your listening habits – including artists, tracks and genres – and compares them with the Hit The City line-up. Already listening to an artist on the bill? You’ll see them pop up. But the app also introduces you to artists you might not know yet, based on the music you already love.

Every recommendation comes with a match score and a short explanation, so you can discover what fits your taste and build a festival route that’s uniquely yours.

“There’s so much happening at Hit The City at the same time. Of course you want to know where S10 or Typhoon are playing, but with 121 acts, it’s easy to get lost in too many choices,” says Sandra Broeren, Head of Marketing & Communications at Effenaar and Hit The City. “This feature takes some of that pressure away. Instead of putting an endless list in front of you, it gives you recommendations based on your own musical taste. Ultimately, this isn’t really about an app or an algorithm. If the app helps you decide, great. But if it takes you somewhere you never planned to go and you end up having the night of your life, then we’ve built it right.”


A curated playlist by the Girls To The Front acts

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Protest and music collide at Girls To The Front! This curated night is all about FLINTA (punk) bands that not only make really cool music, but also have something to say. But what actually inspired them to make music? We asked the artists to pick two songs that set them on their way, and then – together with their own tracks – turned them into one cool, curated playlist.

Listen to the Hit The City x Girls To The Front playlist now via the link in bio. Even better, of course, is seeing the bands live on Friday 28 August in Effenaar.

Listen to the Hit The City x Girls To The Front curated playlist here!

L.A. Sagne

1. Lynn Andersson – Rose Garden

“We make no secret of the fact that we at L.A. Sagne love country music. Punk and country actually have quite a few things in common; it’s “music for the people, by the people,” it can be full of sass and cheekiness, and it makes you want to drink huge amounts of beer. Lynn Anderson’s “Rose Garden” is no exception. It’s a favorite on our tour bus.”

2. Trampolene & Pete Doherty – Uncle Brian’s Abattoir

“In our music, we like to highlight the absurdities of life. These can be terribly unjust, but sometimes they’re also pretty funny. “Uncle Brian’s Abattoir” by Trampolene & Pete Doherty is a song that embodies just such a bizarre contradiction, and that makes us happy.”

PISS

1. Strangelight – Fugazi

“If you’d asked me for 10 influential songs, at least half of them would have been by Fugazi. They were, for me, a bridge between loving punk for its accessibility and loving punk for its potential to challenge. Everything about them — their music, their politics, their ethos — was formative for me. I admired Ian Mackaye so much. (Fun fact: in high school I named my cat “Mr. Feelings” after a lyric off Minor Threat’s OUT OF STEP)”

2. Illustrated Bible Stories for Children – The Weakerthans

“This was my favourite song throughout all of high school. I heard it on a CD my older cousin had lying around her bedroom the summer before I started ninth grade. I remember being so touched by it, so captured, but not understanding why. Now that I’m reflecting, I can see how this song was another bridge for me, between lyrics and poetry. I remember thinking endlessly about the line “I’d like to pull just this one building down” and realizing how much you could say by writing in images and metaphors. My Opa was a reverend in the Christian reformed church, and one of my earliest memories is of him reading to me from a book of illustrated bible stories and explaining how the stories are not literal, but metaphors meant to help us learn how to live well. Not sure if this memory is actually related to my teenage obsession with this song, because I was pretty ardently atheistic in high school. But now that I’m neither atheist nor Christian, I can see that there’s probably some mysterious influential connection there.”

Vals Alarm

1. Sugar Town: Shitkid

“
When I first heard “Sugar Town” blasting during a friend’s DJ set in 2023, I didn’t know what had hit me—suddenly, all the lyrics fluttering around in my head made sense. It’s a song about a woman who moves through life carefree, with a lightness that’s infectious. That combination of freedom, sound, self-assurance, and a pure “I don’t give a shit” attitude really spoke to me.”

2. Erase You – ESG

“
While a lot of music revolves around heartbreak, “Erase You” is actually about taking back control. You can really feel that energy in our first album, VALS ALARM: don’t dwell on the past, but take control and move forward. That independent, stubborn attitude—that “I’ll decide for myself” mindset—is exactly what we stand for, and it has inspired us greatly to make the music we make.

Hondenfokker

1. This is Dub – Grace Jones

2. Back It Up, Boys – Peaches

“clubby, dubby, wobbly, party, dancey. We’re most inspired by all the different sounds and samples and the playful way they come together. A clash of genres and instruments that captures the club vibe, but also the energy of live instruments.

Fun plays a big role in our music, because having fun and creating something is hardcore. People got upset recently when we said we make punk, but in my eyes, the combination of fun and having a big mouth is the best form of (contemporary) punk.

Grace Jones and Peaches have inspired and shaped us because they’re both pioneers in the fields of emancipation and genre-bending music, and they’re constantly reinventing their stage personas, it’s just ultra-cool.”

Snackbar

1.Plasmatics – Butcher Baby

“A powerful track, it sounds like you’re riding a Harley through the front window of an Intertoys store. A theatrical live act (chainsaw!) and chaotic music with nonsensical solos and over-the-top, almost barking vocals. A kind of theatrical musical middle finger, with an iconic frontwoman who never compromised, both on stage and in her beliefs. R.I.P. W.O.W. – we love you forever.”

2. Dolly Parton – Gonna Hurry as Slow as I Can.

“Besides being an amazing singer, Dolly is the queen of great outfits and stage presence, something our frontwoman Fleur draws a lot of inspiration from. Her music is also a recurring theme in the children’s series Dunya & Desie, a show that, along with other TV series from that era, serves as a major source of inspiration for our band.”

Gender Reveal Atomic Bomb

1. Alien She by Bikini Kill 

“Bikini Kill and the Riot Grrrl movement have always been a huge inspiration to us. When Blaise wrote some lyrics at age thirteen but didn’t know how she should sing them, Beau said “Imagine you’re Kathleen Hanna” and that’s kind of how GRAB was born. Alien She also has to do with a recurring theme in our music: feeling like an alien in society or even recognizing an alien within yourself.”

2. Wake Up by Rage Against the Machine

“Rage Against the Machine is another major source of inspiration for us. True musical trailblazers, politically not just volatile but also intellectual, and with the intensity of a raging bull. The brutal riffs, biting lyrics, and infectious energy of songs like Wake Up have had an impact on our music that cannot be understated.”

Bandgurl666

1. Iconoclasm – Dear Omen

“The first track is Iconoclasm from Dear Omen. This is a cover of a Japanese band BUCK-TICK song from one of my favorite local acts. This has been my opening tracks since Bibi and I DJ’d at Down the Rabbit Hole together in 2025, which was both of our first sets EVER. Co-creating a setlist with her was so much fun, and this track always reminds me of her when I play it. Strong, punchy, a little groovy; immediately sets the tone for the rest of my set.”

2. MADRID – Kate Oram

“My second track is MADRID by Kate Oram. This track hits all the right notes: high energy, electro-punk, Brit attitude in the vocals, and a racing beat that keeps you on your toes. It’s featured on Girls to the Front Vol. 1, which makes it even more special. No matter what the show is, I always try to include at least one GTTF song, as I feel deeply connected with the mission and music, and of course, there’s nothing but bangers featured.”

KaasFM

1. Shocking Blue – Send Me A Postcard

“I first started getting into Dutch music by going to small DIY shows at my local venues. Once I was hooked on the music scene developing around me, I wanted to find the context and history behind it; so I asked my Dutch friends to recommend old, iconic bands from The Netherlands. My partner put me on to Shocking Blue, the band with hits like Venus and Love Buzz (famously covered by Nirvana). But the track that stayed with me the most and still finds its way in my DJ sets is 1970’s Send Me A Postcard. It’s got a rock’n’roll edge to it while being very danceable and it makes me feel like it’s the Summer of Love.”

2. Truus de Groot – Sexy Machine

“As a graphic designer, I do judge albums by their covers. The cover of ‘Dopamine Dreams’, Truus de Groot’s 2024 album, led me down the rabbit hole of her extensive discography. She’s one of the pioneers of electronic music in The Netherlands, fully creating her tracks with her collection of analog synths (some of which are her own designs). Sexy Machine is a track from her 2026 album and it encapsulates the mood of my DJ sets: fast, dark, sexy and sprinkled with some satisfying beeps and boops. Truus also inspires me by demonstrating that you can be a badass artist and keep experimenting and innovating regardless of age.”


Music Innovation x Hit The City 2026

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Step into the future with our Music Innovation program, where creativity meets cutting-edge technology. Immerse yourself into the world of music and tech with some innovative performances and talks.

Innovative ideas, new sounds and groundbreaking experiences

Performances by Effenaar Labs Hybrid Music Vibes graduates.

The Hybrid Music Vibes program offers artists the opportunity to discover how new technologies can contribute to their artistry. Hybrid Music Vibes is an initiative of Effenaar Lab in collaboration with Rockacademie Tilburg, Thunderboom Records, Bureau Moeilijke Dingen, Studio Wotto and is supported by Cultuurloket DigitALL.

ALTERITY by Jacco Gardner

With ALTERITY the multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and media archaeologist Jacco Gardner excavates a forgotten moment in the history of human-machine collaboration. The piece’s narration, written and researched by art historian María Pandiello, traces humanity’s recurring desire to build thinking companions; against it, sound, light, and image are synthesized live, each element responsive to the others, in a format closer to improvisation against a silent film, except the film is audio narration and the improvised response is audiovisual.

Music Innovation talks

Music Tech Netherlands: Will musicians still be needed in the tech and AI era in 10 years?

We can no longer ignore it; tech is changing the music landscape in an unprecedented way. From making music to ‘disrupting’ the business model for the industry. During this panel Alexander Beets (Fontys Rock Academy) discusses the developments with people from different disciplines (publishers, labels, CRMs, festivals, managers and makers). What changes can we expect, what threats are there for everyone, but also what opportunities does this new technological perspective offer?  

This talk is meant for artists, industry professionals and music students. Registration in advance is needed due to limited capacity. 

Moderator:
Alexander Beets / Head of business department Fontys Rockacademie

Panel members
Michel Peek / Head of Publishing Armada
Jack Pisters / General Director Muziek Gebouw Eindhoven
Teffie Schneider / Founder Nexus Polaris Music x Tech x Innovation
Ivo Schot / Artist, chairman Kunstenbond / Ntb Music

Register here

Followed networking drinks hosted by Music Tech Netherlands.

Date: Saturday, 29 August
Time: 14.00 – 16.00
Place: POPEI

Music Innovation is hosted by Effenaar Lab

In addition to a vibrant music venue, Effenaar offers space for innovation and high-tech experiments with Effenaar Lab. The rapid rise of various technologies has a major impact on the music industry, especially in the field of music experience. Together with artists, tech companies, schools and other educational institutions, Effenaar Lab is discovering the future of music experience.


Hit The City is part of De Opening 2026

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In 2026, Eindhoven is the host city of De Opening, a national celebration marking the start of the new cultural season. During the final weekend of August, artists, makers and audiences from across the Netherlands come together to celebrate culture in all its forms. Throughout the city, visitors can discover new worlds through music, theatre, dance, visual arts and more, as cultural venues present special programmes and activities.

During this cultural celebration, Hit The City presents its own festival programme, featuring 120 artists across 17 stages throughout Eindhoven. Together, Hit The City and De Opening create an inspiring weekend full of music, art and culture across the city. Staying true to its mission of making live music accessible to everyone, Hit The City festival invites visitors to enjoy their favourite artists and discover emerging talent!

Discover the full Hit The City 2026 programmeMore info on De Opening 2026

Hit The City x Girls To The Front!

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Especially at a time when there is growing discussion about who feels welcome, safe and represented within the music scene, we believe it’s important not only to join the conversation, but also to create space.

That’s why Girls to the Front is part of Hit The City. Together with Girls To The Front founder and curator Bibi Bannink, we’re presenting a programme featuring FLINTA-fronted punk bands that not only express their own sound through their music, but also use their voices to speak out about the world around them.

We believe pop culture becomes stronger when more people are given the space to be visible, tell their stories and claim their place. Not as a trend or a temporary statement, but as a conscious choice for a music scene where talent, creativity and diverse perspectives have room to thrive.
That’s the future of pop culture Hit The City wants to contribute to.

The line up curated by Girls To The Front
Friday 28 August

Effenaar Grote Zaal
Lambrini Girls / Jools / Vals Alarm

Effenaar Kleine Zaal
Gender Reveal Atomic Bomb / Hondenfokker / L.A. Sagne / PISS / Snackbar / Girls To The Front DJ Set

View all acts

Curator spotlight: Durum Records

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Bringing danceable sounds from all over the world to Hit The City

From the Turkish influences of Kit Sebastian and the Thai psychedelia of Yīn Yīn to the Mediterranean sounds of Parbleu: during Hit The City, music from all corners of the world finds its own place on the Durum Stage. For two days, Vrijstaat becomes the backdrop for artists who connect contemporary sounds with music deeply rooted in their origins. One thing ties it all together: it has to be music you can dance to.

Behind this carefully curated programme are Sander Harryvan and Timo Spijkers from Durum Records, a music label in the broadest sense of the term. A home for artists, audiences, and music that doesn’t fit into a single category.

Building a platform for global sounds

The idea for Durum Records started during a trip through Australia, where the pair discovered how deeply music can be connected to place, history and identity.

“That really inspired us,” Sander says. “We realised there was a growing audience in the Netherlands for artists who blend influences from different parts of the world into something entirely their own. We come from completely different professional backgrounds: Timo worked in healthcare, while I came from the marketing and tech world. But we looked at each other and knew we had to do something with this.”

One year later, what began as an idea quickly grew into something much bigger than a label.
“From day one, we wanted to build an ecosystem,” Timo explains. “Booking artists, releasing vinyl, organising festivals, telling artist stories. We wanted all of those pieces to strengthen each other.”

Instead of focusing on genres, Durum focuses on artists with a strong musical identity. Many draw inspiration from their heritage, but reinterpret those traditions in new and unexpected ways. “Our ambition is to build a name that represents a certain sound and identity, like Motown once did”.
“People often ask if it’s world music,” says Timo. “But all music comes from somewhere. We’re much more interested in artists who create something new by building on where they come from.”

A home for boundary breaking music

Looking at the Durum Records roster, you’ll find artists with widely different backgrounds and influences. Yet they all share one important thing: a strong connection to their roots. According to Sander and Timo, that is exactly where their strength lies.

“Because the music is so deeply connected to its roots, there’s often a much bigger story behind it. It’s about much more than just the music. It’s about the culture behind it, where the artists come from, and what has shaped them.”

Through interviews and conversations, the duo takes their audience into the world behind the songs. These ‘artist stories’ can be found on the Durum Records website as an extra layer to the live experiences.

The love for music and genuine passion are also reflected in the events the two have built in a short amount of time. Recently, they organized their own festival Falafelpop at Hall of Fame in Tilburg, and they will soon host their own stage for two days at Hit The City.

The reactions from the audience show exactly why they do what they do. Timo: “Recently, people came up to us at Best Kept Secret Festival asking if we already knew Falafelpop. They started pitching our own festival to us. That’s probably the ultimate compliment.”

They also heard from visitors that the festival reminded them of the Lima stage at Lowlands. Sander: “It showed that people experienced it as one big celebration. That’s exactly what we want to create again at Hit The City over two days.”

The Durum Stage at Hit The City

The collaboration with Hit The City quickly felt like a natural fit. “We got in touch with Robert [Head of Programming at Effenaar and Hit The City, ed.] and he wanted to give Durum’s music a place in an international city like Eindhoven”, says Sander.

That place became the brand-new Vrijstaat. Located in the heart of the city, this urban oasis perfectly matches the sunny sounds of the curated programme. With a skate ramp, outdoor terrace, and creative surprises around every corner, Vrijstaat is a space where anything can happen and everyone can feel at ease.

When curating the programme, Sander and Timo mainly focus on the flow of the day.
“You want DJs between the live acts to gradually build the vibe, so that from the moment you arrive, you don’t want to leave. On Friday you’d have to think: I’m coming back tomorrow. And next year as well,” says Timo. Sander adds: “We also try to find the right balance between local and international artists.”

Hit The City is known for introducing audiences to new artists while also bringing the favorites they already know. The Durum Stage fits that same approach. “Olkan & La Vipère Rouge is definitely an act we think people should discover. They’re a surprising duo from the south of France combining techno with French rap and Turkish saz, adding their own unique twist. One thing is certain: these guys know how to throw a party,” says Sander. “Fauna is also a really exciting emerging band from Sweden, who sometimes remind me a little of Goat. They’ll be playing with a huge band in Vrijstaat’s small skate hall, and I’m really curious to see how that will translate to the stage.”

And of course, there is one favourite that cannot be missing: “Headliner Yīn Yīn, a Dutch band that has developed international allure.”

You can visit the Durum Stage, curated by Durum Records, at Vrijstaat during Hit The City Festival on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August. The programme includes Yīn Yīn, Fauna, Olkan & La Vipère Rouge, Parbleu, Kit Sebastian, and Chica Chica. For those who want to continue dancing afterwards, Durum Club takes over listening bar Otomoto with DJ sets from artists including Arabella Memdouh, Discos Horizontes, and Radikal Rupert.

View the Durum Stage line-up

Hit The City completes the line-up with 43 new acts, including Mula and Snapped Ankles

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The programme for Eindhoven’s free city festival was already packed with names such as Typhoon, Jonna Fraser, S10, DEADLETTER and Lambrini Girls. With the announcement of the final additions, the line-up is now complete at 121 artists and bands. Alongside headliner Mula at Ketelhuisplein, Snapped Ankles, Gender Reveal Atomic Bomb, Olkan & La Vipère Rouge, Julia Sabaté, LEMONSUCKR, Parbleu and Arabella Memdouh join the city-wide programme.

Hit The City is a collaboration between Effenaar, Friendly Fire and ASML, taking place on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August 2026, preceded by an opening show on Thursday 27 August. With a large outdoor stage at Ketelhuisplein and venues spread across the city centre, the festival once again leaves room for both established names and artists you’ll soon be claiming you saw before they broke through.

Mula guarantees a mosh pit at Ketelhuisplein

With his unique blend of classic rap and electropop, Mula — now performing without the “B” — has been leaving a significant mark on the Dutch hip-hop scene for years. During his performance at Best Kept Secret, he turned the TWO stage into a swirling breakbeat frenzy, delivering a set packed with tracks from the acclaimed album Narcopop (2023) alongside older material, never giving the audience a moment to catch their breath. The performance was ranked fifth in the festival’s Top 25 by 3voor12 and named the best show of Friday. Anyone who witnessed it already knows what to expect: Ketelhuisplein is guaranteed to become one giant mosh pit.

From club basement to open-air stages: the festival's many faces

Anyone wandering through the city on Friday and Saturday will naturally be swept up in a diverse mix of music and vibes that showcase the festival in all its forms.

At Snapped Ankles’ show in Effenaar, it may briefly feel as though you’ve stumbled into a forest rave. Dressed in ghillie suits, the band will have audiences dancing to their signature blend of punk and electronica. Friday’s programme at Effenaar kicks off with Girls To The Front, curated by the collective of the same name led by Bibi Bannink, where live performances and activism seamlessly intertwine. Gender Reveal Atomic Bomb explodes punk and riot grrrl into creative chaos, while Hondenfokker tears through a sound that lands somewhere between rave and riot. Meanwhile, the dance floor will be fuelled by sets from the Girls To The Front DJs, Bandgurl666 and KaasFM.

In Dynamo’s basement, the lights dim for LEMONSUCKR, blending alt-rave with dance-punk and rock, hardcore outfit Inherited pushing the BPMs ever higher, and WASTE, effortlessly transforming the room into a sweaty collision of noise and dark post-punk. Room 8 hosts Club Commit, born from the freerunning community and serving as a meeting place for street culture collectives, creative talent and anyone gravitating towards the night. The late-night programme will be curated by DJ !KUEL & friends.

Outdoors, at the new Vrijstaat location, Durum Records curates its own stage filled with summer sounds from around the globe. Alongside previously announced acts such as Yīn Yīn and Fauna, the line-up is now completed by the tropical grooves of Chica Chica, the Mediterranean techno of Olkan & La Vipère Rouge, and the eight-piece collective Parbleu, who fuse Caribbean dub, Latin rhythms and Afrobeat into a sun-soaked celebration. DJ Baba Ganouche will soundtrack Saturday with a groove-filled musical journey, while cosmic funk duo Kagami continue the evening at listening bar Otomoto with a DJ set following their Vrijstaat performance.

The night carries on at Otomoto with DJ sets ranging from the genre-defying French-inspired sounds of Arabella Memdouh to the pop gems of Kit Sebastian and the tropical dancefloor fillers of the Trackvogels DJ set. Discos Horizontes blends cumbia, disco-folk and reggae into a sound that feels as though it has travelled in from every corner of the world.

At Café Prins Hendrik, Kourosh mixes rap and electronics, while Katie Bitchcoin christens cryptopunk as a genre of its own, somewhere between techno, electroclash and punk.

On Stratumseind, K.Zia delivers a raw and story-driven performance filled with soul and alternative R&B at Stage Music Café. At Altstadt, fans of Sharon Van Etten and Sam Fender will find a kindred spirit in Ellur, whose heartfelt indie anthems capture the experience of growing up. Dublin collective Sell Everything combines grunge, jazz and R&B into an energetic and compelling live show.

In collaboration with the Rockacademie, POPEI presents three emerging acts: Säm Wilder, blending neo-soul, R&B and pop; Lucy Fabienne, crafting country-pop for wandering hearts; and Owen Bryce, whose dreamy indie folk is steeped in nostalgia and emotion. Also featured are the melodic pop of Spanish-Dutch singer Julia Sabaté, the poetic electronic pop of puntjudith and the alternative pop of Yrsa.

Music Innovation: the future of music experience

Just as it did last year, Hit The City explores the future of music experiences. At MU, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Jacco Gardner presents ALTERITY, an audiovisual performance installation that combines forgotten technology from the early digital revolution with modern AI. Through generative music, live visuals and spatial audio, Gardner breathes new life into intelligent instruments from the 1980s.

At POPEI, Ramses3000 presents a live performance in which music and visuals are directly connected through a newly developed instrument created in collaboration with Studio Wotto and Effenaar Lab. The work stems from Thalamus, a project in which he explored how music can support focus and calm through the lens of his own experiences with ADHD. This personal journey is translated into a sound that combines classical influences with synthesisers and electronic textures. During the performance, analogue liquid-light techniques from the 1970s merge with digital visuals, allowing image and sound to flow together in real time as one continuous live experience.

Where Eindhoven comes together

As summer slowly draws to a close, Hit The City offers one more reason to celebrate Eindhoven together: three days, more than 100 artists and seventeen venues spread throughout the city. With its accessible and wide-ranging programme, the festival contributes to the region’s cultural landscape and once again turns Eindhoven into a central meeting place for music lovers and curious explorers alike.

The 43 additions:
Mula – Snapped Ankles – ALTERITY by Jacco Gardner – Altstadt DJ team – Arabella
Memdouh (DJ set) – Bandgurl666 – Chica Chica – Club Alt with DJ Sharon and DJ Bob
Discos Horizontes – DJ !KUEL & friends – DJ Baba Ganouche – DJ Iris – DJ Quick Fade – DJ
Sjaak – Dynamo DJ team – Eefke Boelhouwers – Effenaar DJ team – Ellur – Gender Reveal
Atomic Bomb – Girls To The Front DJ set – Hit The City DJ team – Hondenfokker – Inherited
Julia Sabaté – KaasFM – Kagami – Kagami DJ set – Katie Bitchcoin – Kit Sebastian DJ set
Kourosh – K.ZIA – LEMONSUCKR – Lucy Fabienne – Olkan & La Vipère Rouge – Owen Bryce
– Parbleu – puntjudith – Radikal Rupert (Trackvogels DJ set) – Ramses 3000 – Sell Everything
– Säm Wilder – Waste – Yrsa

The whole line-up of Hit The City 2026:
DEADLETTER – High Vis – Jonna Fraser – Kevin – Lambrini Girls – Mula – S10 – Typhoon
Elmer – Jack Shore – jet van der steen – Josylvio – MICHA – Slow Crush – Snapped Ankles
TEN56. – Yīn Yīn – Alice Olsthoorn – ALTERITY by Jacco Gardner – Arabella Memdouh
Automatic – Badminton – badtime – Bandit – Blair Davie – BLOED – Brik Tu-Tok – Ceebo
Charlotte OC – Chica Chica – Club Brat – Coalmine Canary – Croíthe – CROUCH – Def
Devon Rexi – Discos Horizontes – DITTER – DJ Baba Ganouche – DJ !KUEL & friends – Eefke
Boelhouwers – Ellur – Fauna – FIEP – Fit – Fellatio – Frans Kalf – Frozemode – Future Husband
– Gala Dragot – Gallamesh – Gender Reveal Atomic Bomb – Girls To The Front DJ set
Glazyhaze – Greg Freeman – Harpy – Hex Girlfriend – Honey I’m Home – Hondenfokker
HOOFS – Inherited – JACOTÉNE – Janet Livv – Jesse Hoefnagels – jev. – Jools – Julia Sabaté
– Kagami – Kagami DJ set – Katie Bitchcoin – Kirara (live AV) – Kit Sebastian – Kit Sebastian DJ set
– Kourosh – K.Zia – L.A. Sagne – LeBlanc – LEMONSUCKR – Lintworm – Lucy Fabienne – MAYTE
Mek’Dr’Dr – Meryl Streek – Michael Ekow & May – Mouth Ulcers – New Candys – Nyarko
Olkan & La Vipère Rouge – Owen Bryce – Parbleu – PISS – Pixie McCann
– puntjudith – Pyo – Ramses3000 – Säm Wilder – Sell Everything – Serve – Silverlake
Snackbar – Space Age DJ Collective – Supermarkt – TJE – Trackvogels DJ set
UITZENDBUREAU – Vals Alarm – WASTE – Wijf – Wrong Man – Yazal – Yrsa

DJ support sets: Altstadt DJ team – Bandgurl666 – Club Alt with DJ Sharon and DJ Bob –
Dynamo DJ team – Effenaar DJ team – DJ Iris – DJ Quick Fade – DJ Sjaak – Hit The City DJ
team – KaasFM


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Dommelstraat 2
5611 CK Eindhoven

info@hitthecity-festival.nl
+31 (0)40 311 83 12

With the support of Gemeente Eindhoven and Bureau Binnenstad

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