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
Hit The City announces 24 new names, including Def, Harpy, JACOTÉNE and Fauna
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Hit The City has announced 24 new acts for the upcoming edition of the free city festival in Eindhoven. Earlier, the festival already made an impression with names such as S10, Jonna Fraser, Typhoon, High Vis, DEADLETTER and Lambrini Girls. The line-up is now expanding further with a new wave of acts from both the Netherlands and abroad. From post-punk and indie rock to hip-hop, hyperpop and electronic acts: there will once again be plenty to discover across Eindhoven’s city centre at the end of August. Newly confirmed artists include Def, Harpy, JACOTÉNE, Fauna, Meryl Streek, Nyarko, CROUCH, jev. and DITTER.
Hit The City is a collaboration between Effenaar, Friendly Fire and ASML, and will take 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 throughout the city centre, the festival once again offers plenty of room for both established names and artists you’ll soon be able to say you saw before they blew up.
Four new locations to discover
Eindhoven recently gained a new creative meeting space with Vrijstaat: a venue featuring a stage, skate hall and festival garden right in the heart of the city. During Hit The City, the location will provide the backdrop for summery pop sounds from all corners of the globe. Alongside previously announced headliner Yīn Yīn, visitors can also catch Fauna, whose organic instrumentation and psychedelia effortlessly push toward the dancefloor. The psychedelic pop duo Kit Sebastian and Space Age DJ Collective will also perform there, blending disco, Italo, groove and forgotten gems from around the world into eclectic DJ sets.
The Nieuwe Oude Rechtbank will open its doors to the public for the first time during Hit The City. The distinctive venue immediately receives a fitting line-up: audiences will experience the striking voice of JACOTÉNE, an artist capable of silencing an entire room with ease. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Charlotte OC, praised by Billboard, Vogue and The Independent, is also on the programme, alongside rising pop artist Pixie McCann with her offbeat garage dream pop. Frans Kalf has been upgraded to the Nieuwe Oude Rechtbank and will perform there with a full band. With sharp lyrics, he guides listeners through his bittersweet world under the approving gaze of Ramses Shaffy and Jacques Brel — a place where heartbreak and roaring laughter coexist.
On Stratumseind, Stage Music Café becomes the home for everything balancing between hip-hop, trap and hyperpop. Nyarko combines her Ghanaian roots with Dutch influences into a vibrant afrosound filled with different languages and styles. Congolese-Canadian artist jev. merges experimental hip-hop and R&B into music centred around connection and daring to be different. Meanwhile, Janet Livv moves effortlessly between drum ’n’ bass, UK garage and pop.
Café Prins Hendrik is the place for anyone who prefers experiencing concerts half a metre away from the amplifier. There you’ll find Brussels-based post-punk duo Mek’Dr’Dr, where grooving basslines and chaotic rhythms collide in a live show that makes standing still impossible.
For lovers of the mosh pit
Fans of anything loud and combustible will feel right at home at Dynamo this year. Among the acts is punk producer Meryl Streek, whose experimental electronics and raw punk sound like the world could collapse at any moment. Audiences can also witness alt-metal goddess Harpy with her dark industrial goth-pop, while WIJF unleashes a wall of noise built from vintage stoner rock, sludge and groove. UITZENDBUREAU delivers confrontational music about police, dystopia and the establishment, while CLUB BRAT pushes the chaos even further with an eclectic mix of punk and noise pop.
Just down the road at Café The Jack, HOOFS performs a relentless blend of punk, noise and post-punk. Not exactly music for the faint-hearted — but visitors are welcome to find that out for themselves.
A new wave of future favorites
On Saturday, the Main Hall of Effenaar will be taken over by hip-hop artist Def. With his sultry, zeroes-inspired sound, short yet effective tracks and impeccable sense of timing, he has rapidly become one of Gen Z’s most distinctive new voices. His track “Bad Bitches Luisteren Def” went viral on TikTok, catapulting him from the internet straight into packed venues. In the Small Hall, visitors can catch Devon Rexi, an interdimensional dub collective flirting with motorik krautrock, heavily rooted in dub and constantly pushing the boundaries of what music can be.
Meanwhile, Altstadt offers a healthy dose of guitar-driven chaos. Belgian trio DITTER proves that pop and punk can work perfectly together when paired with a strong sense of humour and cynicism. Fans of Arctic Monkeys should not miss Bandit, bringing a gritty yet irresistibly catchy mix of indie, post-punk and shoegaze.
Somewhere between EKKSTACY, Mareux and The Haunted Youth you’ll find Pyo at Café Wilhelmina: a blend of modern post-punk and new wave with a clear nod to the eighties. Also performing is FIEP, delivering indie rock that goes beyond sharp hooks and catchy melodies, recommended for fans of Wet Leg, Porridge Radio and Alvvays. Frisian pop also gets a place at the festival: MAYTE proves that quirky Frisian-language alt-pop works surprisingly well in Brabant.
Where Eindhoven comes together
As summer slowly comes to an end, Hit The City offers one final reason to celebrate Eindhoven together: three days, 100+ artists and seventeen venues spread across 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.
The 24 new names:
Bandit / CLUB BRAT / Charlotte OC / CROUCH / Def / Devon Rexi / DITTER / Fauna / FIEP / Harpy / HOOFS / JACOTÉNE / Janet Livv / jev. / Kit Sebastian / MAYTE / Mek’Dr’Dr / Meryl Streek / Nyarko / Pixie McCann / Pyo / Space Age DJ Collective / WIJF / UITZENDBUREAU + many more to be announced
The whole line-up so far:
Typhoon / S10 / Lambrini Girls / Kevin / Jonna Fraser / High Vis / DEADLETTER / Yīn Yīn / ten56. / Slow Crush / MICHA / Josylvio / jet van der steen / Jack Shore / Elmer / Yazal / Wrong Man / WIJF / Vals Alarm / UITZENDBUREAU / TJE / Supermarkt / Space Age DJ Collective / Snackbar / Silver Lake / Serve / Pyo / PISS / Pixie McCann / New Candys / Nyarko / Mouth Ulcers / Michael Ekow & May / Meryl Streek / Mek’Dr’Dr / MAYTE / Lintworm / LeBlanc / L.A. Sagne / Kit Sebastian / Kirara / Jools / JACOTÉNE / Jesse Hoefnagels / Janet Livv / jev. / Honey I’m Home / HOOFS / Hex Girlfriend / Harpy /Greg Freeman / Glazyhaze / Gallamesh / Gala Dragot / Future Husband / Frozemode / Frans Kalf / FIEP / Fellatio / Fit / Fauna /Def / Devon Rexi / DITTER / Croíthe / CROUCH / Coalmine Canary / CLUB BRAT / Ceebo / Charlotte OC / Brik Tu-Tok / Blair Davie / BLOED / Bandit / Badtime / Badminton / Automatic / Alice Olsthoorn + many more TBA
High Vis, S10, Lambrini Girls and Typhoon among the first 54 names announced for Hit The City 2026
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Also confirmed: DEADLETTER and rising talents Jack Shore, Slow Crush and ten56.
The free-to-attend Hit The City festival returns from Thursday 27 August to Saturday 29 August with a brand-new edition, continuing its steady growth. At the end of summer, Eindhoven and beyond will come together for three days of live music, as the festival further strengthens its presence in the city with the addition of five new venues. The first 54 acts have now been confirmed, including DEADLETTER, High Vis, Jonna Fraser, Kevin, Lambrini Girls, S10, Typhoon, Elmer, Jack Shore, jet van der steen, Josylvio, MICHA, Slow Crush, ten56., Yīn Yīn and many more.
Last year, Hit The City delivered its biggest edition to date, welcoming 41,500 visitors who took over Eindhoven’s city centre for a weekend of major names and exciting discoveries. The festival once again proved its versatility: from mosh pits in a packed Café The Jack and intimate shows at De Rozenknop, to collective moments at Ketelhuisplein. With the addition of new venues Vrijstaat, Nieuwe Oude Rechtbank, Otomoto, Café Prins Hendrik and Stage Music Café, this year’s edition adds even more dimensions to the festival.
Major headliners at Ketelhuisplein
The large outdoor stage at Ketelhuisplein, with a capacity of around 7,000 visitors, once again sets the scene for high-profile Dutch headliners. On Friday, hip-hop fans can look forward to Rotterdam rapper Kevin, New Wave member Jonna Fraser and Typhoon, who combines high-energy performances with honest and vulnerable lyrics.
On Saturday, the focus shifts to the breadth of Dutch pop and hip-hop. Singer-songwriter MICHA brings his signature “happy sad” pop, Amsterdam rapper Elmer turns up the intensity, Josylvio delivers raw street energy that inevitably leads to mosh pits, and S10 proves how her distinctive alt-pop—following her Alpha-stage success at Lowlands – effortlessly moves the Ketelhuisplein crowd.
Opening night at Effenaar
The festival kicks off on Thursday evening at Effenaar with DEADLETTER, whose sound—somewhere between The Fall and LCD Soundsystem—has quickly established them as one of today’s most exciting post-punk bands, following appearances at festivals such as Paaspop. Headliner High Vis is another act that needs little introduction for those who saw them live last year: after standout performances at Jera On Air and as support for Turnstile, they now play what is currently their only confirmed Dutch show at Hit The City. Irish band Croíthe, tipped by fans as one to watch, completes the line-up with a dark blend of post-punk, goth and shoegaze.
A musical route through Eindhoven
The diverse flavours of Hit The City once again come together in a city-wide programme that unfolds like a route through Eindhoven. On Friday, Effenaar hosts Girls to the Front, where Lambrini Girls – after packing Café The Jack to capacity in 2023- make the jump to the Main Hall. Female and queer punk bands Jools, Vals Alarm, L.A. Sagne, PISS, Supermarkt and Snackbar further fuel the activist spirit.
Things get even louder at Dynamo and Café The Jack, with a new wave of metalcore and hardcore acts such as ten56., SERVE and Wrong Man, alongside heavy bands Lintworm, BLOED, Coalmine Canary and Gallamesh, and the rough-edged (post-)punk of Mouth Ulcers and Hex Girlfriend. At Altstadt, you’ll find some of the most exciting indie acts, including French electronic artist LeBlanc and post-punk trio Automatic, while Stage Music Café shifts toward genre-blurring performances from artists like Ceebo, Frozemode, Michael Ekow & May and Ɣazal.
New venues further shape the programme: Nieuwe Oude Rechtbank offers more intimate moments with Greg Freeman, Silver Lake and TJE, alongside the familiar De Rozenknop, where you’ll find singer-songwriter Blair Davie, the indie folk of Frans Kalf and the art-pop of Gala Dragot. At Café Wilhelmina, indie pop band Future Husband and Popronde favourite Fit take the stage, while the adjoining, tiny Café Prins Hendrik provides just enough room for the energetic electronic duo badtime and queer rave phenomenon Alice Olsthoorn.
Right in the city centre, Vrijstaat emerges as a new festival hub, where you can dance to summery pop from around the globe, including Yīn Yīn, and keep going late into the night with DJs at Otomoto.
On Saturday, the focus shifts to danceable live acts at Effenaar, featuring fast-rising pop star jet van der steen, YouTube sensation Jesse Hoefnagels and Jack Shore, who delivers a 360° live experience in a Boiler Room-inspired setting. Meanwhile, the Small Hall erupts with krautrock disco-punk from Fellatio, the DIY musical trip of Brik Tu-Tok and a live AV set from South Korean producer Kirara. At Dynamo, the festival proves shoegaze is very much alive, showcasing a new generation of bands including Honey I’m Home, Glazyhaze, Slow Crush and New Candys.
A boost for the region
As late summer draws to a close and daily life slowly resumes, Hit The City invites residents of the Brainport region—and far beyond—to come together and celebrate Eindhoven. With a recognisable, accessible and inclusive music festival, it provides an important boost to the region’s cultural offering.
Hit The City 2026 takes place from Thursday 27 August to Saturday 29 August across 18 indoor and outdoor venues in Eindhoven. The entire festival is free to attend. Now in its thirteenth year, Hit The City continues to make its mark on the music scene, with a sharp eye for emerging talent. Over the years, the festival has hosted early performances by major acts such as Loyle Carner, Phoebe Bridgers, Viagra Boys, Fontaines D.C., Khruangbin, Joost, S10, Zwangere Guy, Alex G, Baauer, Wolf Alice, Glass Animals, Lander & Adriaan, Hak Baker, DITZ, Nusantara Beat and more. In the past two editions, the festival also introduced larger headliners, including Sampa the Great, MEROL, The Haunted Youth, Broederliefde, Pommelien Thijs, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and Ronnie Flex & The Fam.
Hit The City is programmed by Effenaar and Friendly Fire, and is made possible in part by ASML and Gemeente Eindhoven.
Info:
Hit The City 2026
Thursday 27 August – Saturday 29 August
Eindhoven
Free entry
The first 54 names:
DEADLETTER / High Vis / Jonna Fraser / Kevin / Lambrini Girls / S10 / Typhoon / Elmer / Jack Shore / jet van der steen / Josylvio / MICHA / Slow Crush / ten56. / Yīn Yīn / Alice Olsthoorn / Automatic / Badminton / badtime / BLOED / Blair Davie / Brik Tu-Tok / Ceebo / Coalmine Canary / Croíthe / Fellatio / Fit / Frans Kalf / Frozemode / Future Husband / Gala Dragot / Gallamesh / Glazyhaze / Greg Freeman / Hex Girlfriend / Honey I’m Home / Jesse Hoefnagels / Jools / Kirara / L.A. Sagne / LeBlanc / Lintworm / Michael Ekow & May / Mouth Ulcers / New Candys / PISS / SERVE / Snackbar / Silver Lake / Supermarkt / TJE / Vals Alarm / Wrong Man / Ɣazal + many more TBA
This was Hit The City 2025!
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This was Hit The City 2025! 41,500 visitors, 85+ live acts, and outdoor and indoor stages with a program running from day to night. You danced, sang, moshed, cheered, and made it one for the books. Thank you for joining us, and let’s do it again 27–30 August 2026!
𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀
Music: GLINTSAL, FAISAL, Glints – ACID
Video: Studio Lafo
Line-up
Broederliefde / Pommelien Thijs / Ronnie Flex & The Fam / Bente / BLANKS / Chloe Slater / Circa Waves / DITZ / Fresku / Gotu Jim / Hiigo / KiLLOWEN / Maan / Matilda Mann / Psychedelic Porn Crumpets / Sef / SUPERSTRINGS / The Chisel / Tramhaus / Aili / Allman Brown / Angry Blackmen / Babymorocco / Brunzyn / BUG / Buunshin / CaitC / Casey MQ / C’est Qui / Charlie Avalon / Cliffords / Combi Magnetron / Curling / Dear Omen / Death Sells / De Toegift / Dylan van Dael / EDLP / Emma Hessels / Eosine / GLINTSAL / Grote Geelstaart / High Hi / Ider / Jawnino / Jerub / Joya Mooi / Julia Adriana / Kaat van Stralen / Karnabahar / KEG / Lézard / Little Moon / Luca St / Lusaint / LYVIA / Niels Orens / Nienke Leone / NOAH / Nymfo / Octave Lissner /Oykie / Parker Fans / Philine / Pol / Sad Banana / Slew / Slow Fiction / SØWT / Teenage Dads / TEUN / Torn From Oblivion / Tukan / Unpeople / Vampire Boyfriend / Violent Magic Orchestra / Waterschade
Hit The City Music Innovation:
OK AI by DOMNIQ x WERC – Passage of Time by Anneke van Giersbergen – Lost Like Alice by CHARLOT – Insomnia by WITT – Resonance of the Self by Mirusi Mergina – Samen alleen in het Clubhuis by YRSA – Tussen eb en vloed by AURA – PUNTJUDITH – Effenaar Living History by Effenaar Lab x 4DR Studios
Did you visit Hit The City 2025? Share your experience with us!
Did you visit Hit The City 2025? Share your experience with us!
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 7. Your opinion really matters to us. Thank you for being part of it, and we hope to see you again next year!
Program update: Saturday August 30
renia
We have a few important program updates regarding tonight’s lineup: unfortunately LULU. had to cancel their performance at Hit The City. Instead, High Hi will now play at Dynamo Main, and we’re happy to announce that Nienke Leone is added to the program at Café Wilhelmina.
> Nienke Leone turns her fears into lyrics, mixing raw honesty with hooks that stick. With influences like Typhoon and Julia Michaels, she delivers energetic pop songs that are both personal and unapologetically catchy.
Hit The City launches a first: create your personal timetable with Spotify
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Eindhoven is gearing up for Hit The City 2025: from August 28 to 31, the free music festival will take over the city with more than 85 live acts across various venues. From big names like Ronnie Flex & The Fam, Broederliefde, Maan, and Pommelien Thijs to rising talents such as Chloe Slater, Angry Blackmen, and Kaat van Stralen. With so many artists to choose from, Hit The City is introducing a smart new tool to help visitors map out their personal festival route: the Personal Timetable.
How it works
The Personal Timetable connects your Spotify profile to the festival program and uses smart data analysis to make creating your personal route easier. At a glance, you’ll see which acts best match your listening history and preferences. Each recommendation shows how strong the match is and which artists or genres it’s based on.
Emiel Haring, Head of Marketing at Hit The City, explains:
“Hit The City is all about discovery. The line-up features more than 85 acts, many of them promising new artists. Reading up and listening in is fun, but also very time-consuming. The Personal Timetable makes it easy: with just a few clicks, you’ll see which artists best fit your taste, how strong the match is, and why these particular acts were selected for you.”
Curated by the team
Every act in the line-up has been carefully reviewed by the festival’s programmers. For each artist, they’ve identified related acts, genres, and subgenres. This ensures recommendations that not only align with your personal taste, but also with the festival’s vision and musical identity.
Connection and discovery
Ahead of the festival, you can share your personal timetable with friends and compare your matches. This way, the excitement starts before the first show, sparking new connections and surprising discoveries.
Emiel Haring: “As far as we know, we’re the first festival in the world to develop and offer such a tool to visitors. We believe this is a fun and valuable addition to the festival experience.”
'Without Stroomhuis, there would be no Tramhaus'
'Without Stroomhuis, there would be no Tramhaus'
Author: Tijs Heesterbeek
The Friday in Effenaar at Hit The City revolves around Stroomhuis. The iconic squat left an indelible mark on Eindhoven’s underground scene – and far beyond – in just two decades. Not only through gritty gigs and dark dance nights, but also as a free haven for artists and musicians. The building was tragically destroyed by fire, but the drive to keep Eindhoven’s DIY culture alive still burns strong among its former residents.
The term ‘residents’ is meant in the broadest sense here. Rosalie Braamkolk actually lived in the building and had her studio there. A Design Academy graduate, she built a scale model of Stroomhuis that has been touring Eindhoven, already on display at Stadhuis and the Van Abbemuseum. Eva Raaijmakers, who graduated from the art academy in Den Bosch, may not have slept there, but spent much of her time working at Stroomhuis. Her concept Folk Punk Take Over was even born there. With a manifesto in hand, a new foundation in the works, and plenty of plans for the future, the building may be gone, but the DIY spirit is very much alive.
"We have to keep going"
It was striking. Just hours after Eindhoven woke up to the news that Stroomhuis had gone up in flames, its social media accounts posted a bold statement: “WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING,” referring to a band night that was swiftly moved to Burgers that same Saturday. These words suddenly became the slogan for all activities that sprang up around Stroomhuis – from selling screen-printed posters at shows to an art auction during Dutch Design Week. The people behind Stroomhuis didn’t stay in a victim role for long.
Rosalie recalls the sudden surge of energy after the fire: “We switched on immediately. The button flipped, and we just started running. Someone had to talk to the press, the fundraiser had to be set up, the money coming in needed to be distributed properly. So much was coming at us, and after a few months you suddenly look around and think: ‘Where even are we? What are we actually doing? Who are we? What does all of this mean?’”
Eva adds: “I remember at some point we looked at each other and thought: maybe we’re just running so hard so we don’t have to look back. But at the same time, I felt: this simply has to be done. Someone has to do it.”
Rosalie, laughing: “Maybe it was a bit of trauma processing, yeah. But with all the support and help, you simply can’t sit back and do nothing. You suddenly feel this responsibility. Clearly, people found Stroomhuis really important – you can’t just shrug and say: ‘well, that’s too bad… bye.’”
Support poured in from expected and unexpected corners. Across the country – and even in England – fundraisers were organized to help Stroomhuis. Rotterdam band Tramhaus, who also play Friday at Hit The City, was among those who stepped in. Guitarist Micha Zaat remembers Stroomhuis fondly:
“My first memory of Stroomhuis was with my old band Pig Frenzy, maybe seven years ago. To me, Stroomhuis always teetered between total chaos and an incredibly well-oiled machine, powered by people who poured their hearts into it. In the end, it really was the latter: the people who made it what it was. That will never be forgotten.”
The band acted quickly: “When we heard the news, we were on tour. Everyone was shaken and stunned. You want to give people space to grieve, but soon the idea came up to organize a benefit night in Rotterdam. That’s really the best thing you can do: direct action.”
Nieuw Eindhovens Peil
After the fire, help and shelter quickly arrived. Rosalie and Eva both got studios at TAC, rent-free for the first six months. Bands practiced at POPEI, De Oefenruimte, or Plan B, and the recording studio was relocated to people’s homes, including that of Koen Verhees from SØWT. Rosalie chuckles: “We were already very DIY at Stroomhuis, but now we had to get even more creative to make things work.”
That DIY drive has since taken shape as a foundation. With Nieuw Eindhovens Peil (NEP), the collective behind Stroomhuis is building a platform for non-mainstream events, aiming to let Eindhoven’s alternative culture thrive. The foundation has already organized several nights, such as Barnyard Boogie at Dynamo, Folk Punk Take Over at Muziekgebouw, and band nights at Burgers. But they want more, says Rosalie: “NEP itself has to radiate the DIY spirit. We’ve got knowledge and networks we can share. Not just for organizing events, but also providing spaces, setting up educational programs, helping with grant applications or budget management. If someone comes to us saying, ‘I want to organize this or that,’ we can help in every way possible.” NEP even has a manifesto, distributed as flyers at their events.
A new location?
For now, the foundation is still run from TAC studios and someone’s home address, but will they eventually want a space of their own again? Rosalie:
“There was an article recently saying we might move to Microstad. We’re still in talks and it’s an interesting spot, but not an easy one. They’ve got cool ideas, but do we really fit in there? With their rules and the rent? Are we even ready as a group? I don’t know yet.”
Eva also has doubts: “The skills we developed at Stroomhuis don’t all apply the same way when you don’t have a building. You have to relearn how to function as a group outside of that. We’ve managed that pretty well. But the structure inevitably changes once you have a building again, with new rules and a new organization.”
Still, the desire for a new place is clear. Rosalie even graduated with a project envisioning a modular space for DIY culture, with shipping containers as the key building blocks: “I researched how such a space could function. New construction automatically comes with high start-up costs, foundations, concrete, regulations – all barriers to accessibility. With containers, you avoid that. The budget is much lower, they’re flexible, and everyone can shape them themselves. Many cities already have container complexes – Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin. A container village on the old Stroomhuis site would be perfect. It’s close to Knoop XL, and that area won’t be redeveloped for another 15 years. We could apply for a temporary building permit, which coincidentally maxes out at 15 years, so it all fits neatly. And once construction starts, we can just move the containers elsewhere – no foundations to worry about.”
That underground venues like Stroomhuis matter to bands like Tramhaus is clear, says Micha: “These kinds of places are indispensable. Without them, there’d be no Tramhaus. Our first steps were in spaces like that. And the DIY spirit of venues like Stroomhuis still runs through our music. You do it together, you’re part of a collective – that’s the simple credo.”
And about Eindhoven’s underground scene, he adds:
“We’ve always admired the scene there. Especially the Stroomhuis crew, who are still around, seem like a tight-knit group of friends. They support and challenge each other. SØWT, for example, is one of the best bands in the Netherlands if you ask me. And really lovely people too.”
Passing it on
Rosalie will present her research during Dutch Design Week’s Graduation Show. But there’s more. Along with the container village model, the foundation is launching a new zine. Rosalie: “It’s kind of a DIY tutorial with tips: how do you organize your own concert or rave? How do you set up your own festival, with Skinfest in Mierlo as an example? Someone from Rararadio gives advice on starting your own radio station. It should become a bundle we can hand to young people who want to organize cool things in the city. That’s also where NEP comes in – we want to create and document things to pass on to the next generation.”
Eva underlines the importance of passing on that knowledge: “In the end, you want to create a place for the next generation to develop as freely as we did at Stroomhuis. We learned a lot from the older 2B generation (2B was a squat behind today’s Effenaar with studios and rehearsal spaces), and you want to pass that on again – in a safe space where you can experiment. And sometimes fail.”
That things should stay a bit raw and unregulated is obvious to her: “It doesn’t all need to be safe. You need to fall in order to learn. Like in the skate scene – every fall teaches you something.” And then, laughing: “I can’t skate because I never dared to fall. But in other areas, I’ve learned how.”
An ode to Stroomhuis at Hit The City: the line-up
Effenaar (Main Hall): SØWT / The Chisel / Tramhaus
Effenaar (Small Hall): Lézard / Slow Fiction / KEG / DITZ / Stroomhuis DJ’s / Grote Geelstaart
Hit The City completes the line-up with 17 final names, including High Hi and GLINTSAL
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The program was already packed with names such as Pommelien Thijs, Broederliefde, Ronnie Flex & The Fam, Chloe Slater, and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, but with the confirmation of the final acts, the full line-up of 86 artists is now complete. Among the latest additions to the city program are High Hi, GLINTSAL, Dylan van Dael, Casey MQ, Violent Magic Orchestra, and Grote Geelstaart.
Hit The City is a collaboration between Effenaar, Friendly Fire, and ASML and takes place from Friday, August 29 to Sunday, August 31, 2025, preceded by an opening show on Thursday, August 28. With a large outdoor stage at Ketelhuisplein and various venues throughout the city center, there’s ample space for both established names and exciting newcomers. The entire program is free to attend.
Girls To The Front
Girls To The Front is a Utrecht-based platform that creates space for female and queer artists from the punk and art scenes. The compilation album of the same name celebrates the diversity of women and sounds within the broad Dutch punk landscape. The same spirit will be showcased on Saturday, August 30 at Café The Jack. In addition to previously announced acts Death Sells and Dear Omen, you’ll see the hardcore punk and riot grrrl energy of Waterschade, the political garage punk of C’est Qui, and Combi Magnetron’s mix of humor and grind/mincecore.
Diversity in the city program
The city program on Friday and Saturday once again emphasizes a broad and varied selection for all audiences—further underlined by the latest additions.
At Café Wilhelmina, Antwerp-based alternative pop band High Hi offers a sound where experimentation and sharp pop sensitivity go hand in hand. For those leaning toward heavier music, Café The Jack is the place to be. There, you’ll find yourself in the mosh pit with EDLP, who deliver a mix of midwest emo and punk. The band Karnabahar takes a different route with unexpected 90s/00s screamo inspired by Balkan, Anatolian, and other traditional folk songs. Rotterdam-based terror punk band Bombstrap dives deep into the strange depths of hardcore, while Torn From Oblivion brings a modern twist to deathcore and hardcore. Violent Magic Orchestra throws black and death metal, industrial, post-rock, and digital hardcore into a blender.
Another notable name: Sad Banana, who completes the line-up of the experimental hip-hop evening Nebulous Forms at Dynamo. With a bold mix of punk, rap, and Dadaism, Sad Banana offers a contemporary tribute to being an overripe banana in a post-capitalist world. At Altstadt, rapper Glints and producer Faisal join forces as GLINTSAL. They deliver a mix of chopped-up soul and 80s samples with powerful drums, heavenly synths, and humorous soundbites. The duo is currently enjoying great popularity in Belgium, climbing the charts and recently performing on the main stage at Rock Werchter.
Colombian-Dutch artist Dylan van Dael was already announced as part of the Music Innovation program, where the audiovisual project centered around digital 3D character Pokka will be featured. In addition, he will bring a special audiovisual show to Altstadt, blending raw samples, melodic vocals, striking visuals, and complex productions.
On the other end of the spectrum, composer and producer Casey MQ presents an immersive sound combining pop and classical piano. He previously collaborated on this year’s acclaimed debut album by Oklou and has also worked with artists like Empress Of, Shygirl, and Vagabon. Armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar, Julia Adriana delivers a warm mix of indie, pop, and folk.
The 17 new names:
Bombstrap / Casey MQ / C’est Qui / Combi Magnetron / Curling / Dylan van Dael / EDLP
Glintsal / Grote Geelstaart / High Hi / Julia Adriana / Karnabahar / Niels Orens / Sad Banana / Torn From Oblivion / Violent Magic Orchestra / Waterschade
The full line-up:
Broederliefde / Pommelien Thijs / Ronnie Flex & The Fam / Bente / BLANKS / Chloe Slater / Circa Waves / DITZ / Fresku / Gotu Jim / KiLLOWEN / Maan / Matilda Mann / Psychedelic Porn Crumpets / Sef / SUPERSTRINGS / The Chisel / The Indien / Tramhaus / Aili / Allman Brown / Angry Blackmen / Babymorocco / Bombstrap / Brunzyn / BUG / Buunshin / CaitC / Casey MQ / C’est Qui / Charlie Avalon / Cliffords / Combi Magnetron / Curling / Dear Omen / Death Sells / De Toegift / Dylan van Dael / EDLP / Emma Hessels / Eosine / Glintsal / Grote Geelstaart / High Hi / Ider / Jawnino / Jerub / Joya Mooi / Julia Adriana / Kaat van Stralen / Karnabahar / KEG / Lézard / Little Moon / Luca St / LULU. / Lusaint / Lyvia / Niels Orens / NOAH / Nymfo / Octave Lissner / Oykie / Parker Fans / Philine / Pol / Sad Banana / Slew / Slow Fiction / SØWT / Teenage Dads / TEUN / Torn From Oblivion / Tukan / Unpeople / Vampire Boyfriend / Violent Magic Orchestra / Waterschade
Hit The City introduces Music Innovation Program featuring virtual concerts, immersive Installations, and high-tech experiences
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The free city festival Hit The City is launching a new program segment: Music Innovation. A large part of the music lineup had already been announced, featuring acts such as Pommelien Thijs, Ronnie Flex & The Fam, Broederliefde, Tramhaus, Circa Waves, Chloe Slater, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, and many more. The Music Innovation program, taking place at POPEI, showcases virtual concerts, immersive installations, and cutting-edge musical experiences. You’ll find boundary-pushing projects like Effenaar Living History and OK AI, along with innovative concepts by artists such as Anneke van Giersbergen, CHARLOT, Dylan van Dael, WITT, Mirusi Mergina, YRSA, AURA, and puntjudith.
Hit The City is a collaboration between Effenaar, Friendly Fire, and ASML, and will take place from Friday, August 29 to Sunday, August 31, 2025, preceded by an opening show on Thursday, August 28. With a large outdoor stage at Ketelhuisplein and various venues spread throughout the city center, the festival provides plenty of space for both established names and exciting new talents.
New this year is the Music Innovation program at POPEI, which on Saturday, August 30, and Sunday, August 31, offers a glimpse into the future of live music. While the festival has always led the way in discovering new artists, this year it also embraces technological innovation for the first time. Visitors can immerse themselves in virtual concerts, immersive installations, and high-tech music experiences. Four pioneering projects – OK AI, HYMNE, Hybrid Music Vibes, and Effenaar Living History – demonstrate how music and technology merge into new forms of experience.
OK AI: DOMNIQ
OK AI is a groundbreaking, traveling installation where you can create unique tracks through the interplay of artificial intelligence (AI) and human creativity. Housed in a mobile concert stage, this immersive audiovisual experience offers both professionals and untrained music lovers the chance to collaborate with AI in making music and visuals like never before.
Developed by DOMNIQ (artist Dominique Vleeshouwers) and the WERC Collective, and supported by leading partners such as Adams, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Effenaar, and ESNS, OK AI is at the forefront of creative innovation.
HYMNE: Anneke van Giersbergen, CHARLOT, Dylan van Dael, and WITT
The HYMNE project presents virtual mini-concerts created in collaboration with four artists, where audio, visuals, and technology come together in AR, VR, or MR experiences. Anneke van Giersbergen offers a VR experience based on her new track Passage of Time, while visitors can step into the virtual worlds of singer-songwriter CHARLOT and Dylan van Dael’s chrome-colored 3D character Pokka. The dreamy world of the electronic music project WITT is also explored.
HYMNE is a collaboration between the CORTEX2 platform, 4DR Studios, and Effenaar Lab, supported by the European Union.
Hybrid Music Vibes: Mirusi Mergina, YRSA, AURA, and puntjudith
Hybrid Music Vibes gives artists the opportunity to explore and integrate new technologies into their work. Mirusi Mergina, YRSA, AURA, and puntjudith have recently developed innovative projects, some of which will be showcased at Hit The City. Mirusi’s Resonance of the Self is a sound installation that responds live to the artist’s body movements, uniting performer and music. YRSA’s Samen Alleen in het Clubhuis uses visitors’ phones to create light patterns that enhance the connection between artist and audience. AURA’s Tussen eb en vloed makes sound visible and tangible through lasers and smoke, synchronized with her music.
This initiative is a collaboration between Effenaar Lab, Rockacademie Tilburg, Thunderboom Records, Studio Wotto, and Bureau Difficult Things, supported by Cultuurloket DigitALL.
Effenaar Living History: Effenaar Lab x 4DR Studios
Experience the rich history of pop venue Effenaar through an interactive VR experience. Visitors can virtually walk through nostalgic spaces and discover hidden objects that take them back to the turbulent 1970s and ’80s, when legendary bands like Joy Division, Talking Heads, and Red Hot Chili Peppers performed at Effenaar.
The experience is developed by Effenaar Lab and 4DR Studios and is supported by the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision.
Music Innovation program:
OK AI by DOMNIQ – Passage of Time by Anneke van Giersbergen – Lost Like Alice by CHARLOT – Insomnia by WITT – Resonance of the Self by Mirusi Mergina – Samen alleen in het Clubhuis by YRSA – Tussen eb en vloed by AURA – PUNTJUDITH – Effenaar Living History by Effenaar Lab x 4DR Studios