“Three days of music and connections”

Vienna’s Gürtel 20261001-03

Another year, another Waves Vienna edition we were invited and honoured to attend. The third year in a row that we are covering this festival deserved something new. So this time I had Ferdi with me as videographer, covering all the bands we saw during the festival and preparing the amazing aftermovies that you can see below (and in the following link). Ferdi (KI:NO Videoclub) reflects visually what we experienced through his own lens; we hope you like his work as much as we do.

Waves Vienna has gained its rightful place in my list of top festivals, maybe because of its loose vibes, the city-immersive feeling, the fresh autumn air that surrounds it, and the creative spark that shines at every corner and venue of our beloved Gürtel. All ingredients to cook an elaborate sauce of creatives and music professionals from each corner of the European music scene. And that last thing is what it took me a while to process.

During the three days of the festival, in many venues and even on the street, I had the sensation that it was only the artists and “the industry” people who were around. It even felt like the whole purpose was rewritten and turned more into a Music Industry showcase than a hub that attracts not only talents from around the continent but also the curiosity of music fans wanting to discover new and emerging music. Yet still, the hyped showcases remained full and even overcrowded; the overall sensation was that of an event organized by and for the industry.

Do not misunderstand my words; the lineup had many worth-listening acts (some of which I will highlight below). The festival featured artists that stand out for their honest, vibrant, and fresh music. And that is exactly why I was so confused about this year’s aftertaste. Maybe something was done differently, left undone, or simply overlooked. I wouldn’t know.

Without further spill of a month’s overthinking process. I can tell you that from the more than 15 acts I saw over the 3 days, I got very good highlights and recommendations, in case you haven’t listened to them before.

On Thursday, in between other shows, I got to see one of the acts that excited me the most about this year’s lineup. Ivery (AT) plays art-pop that has everything to perform on the big stages of whatever festival you think. An honest pop act that doesn’t pretend anything, with cool songwriting, lyrically and musically. And overall, a frontwoman that displays the confidence and stage experience of a settled star. The band as a whole and their presence took over the whole venue and definitely made the venue feel too small for them.

Second highlight of the day was Agatha is Dead! (DE) who got us by surprise when arriving at an overflowing Chelsea; the first time I made use of the “Press privilege” and forced myself into the crowd until I reached a point where I could see, listen, photograph, and write (not an easy task). And all the hype was reciprocated with a show that was up to the standards, with a hyper-connected band with a grunge/post-punk mix that captured my forever 90’s kid appeal. A fresh revival of a genre that seems to be in the likes of newer generations, and I’m here for it.

From Friday, I can highlight Vera Daisies (FR) and her stage presence that claims it all for her, with no more than a guitar and a drum set to set the energy levels high to start the evening. Also from the French advance, Chest. (FR) was a band that got my attention since I was doing my homework pre-festival and listening to all the acts of the lineup. Their show didn’t disappoint; an excellent frontman with a confrontational but cool attitude to shove in our faces (and ears) a mix of sounds from the first decade of the 2000s and more contemporary rock vibes.

Then came Tamara Flores (AT), winner of the XA Award 2026, who has been hyped for a while around the city, so I felt the need to go check the set out. The band consisted of a drum set, a keyboardist, and Tamara, who occasionally plays the flute, which is an interesting asset for a pop show. To season the performance, a couple of dancers joined the stage.

I can understand the reason for the XA Award (which values and rewards performance) to be awarded to her, considering the context and even the scene we are in. However, musically, I didn’t feel as impressed (and this is a personal statement that only reflects my music taste, which is by no means refined nor educated). And in that sense, and as a Latino myself, I felt that the music was a reductionist and oversimplified version of what “Latino music” is expected to sound to the European industry. Yet, I want to understand this as a small step forward for Latino music to get more representation in European ears.

Lastly, Saturday highlights were full of intensity and mind-blowing guitar riffs. Starting with the post punk/indie rock of Why Horses? (UK) who mixed the upbeat indie rock of the early 2000s with an influence of northern UK folk sounds driven by the violin that enriches each song. A shy but emotional performance that portrays an honest feeling from each word coming out of the singer’s mouth, turning it into a fever dream, intense, and even weird show.

Next was Morn (UK) with their energetic and frenetic young energy. Playing one song after the other with no breaks in between, old-school punk set-like. Mid-set, I remember thinking (and it’s the only note I have), this is The Velvet Underground meets grunge. And I think I cannot come up with a better explanation of what it was. Definitely a young band to have an eye on.

And finally, the impersonation of powerhouse sound Kombynat Robotron (DE), unconstrained fuzz with no prejudice nor regular constructs, simply raw, massive savage sound. The set left me with the sensation that I was a victim of captivating/trapping bass lines and hallucination-inducing fuzzy riffs, then brought back to earth with their violent drum hits. Three guys who made themselves sound like a six-piece band.

It’s been a month since the 16th edition of Waves Vienna, more than enough time to digest and make up my mind about it. Before this published report, I had another draft, closer to the previous reports I’ve made the last couple of times, where I’m going day by day and band by band, describing and reporting on it in a more journalistic manner. Praising my favorite acts, the cool discoveries I made, and highlighting the moments or feelings that I had during the whole experience. However, this year I had a different sensation. And that’s the reason I reframed the article to be more of a personal perspective.

In conclusion, I enjoyed the festival to its core; for a melomaniac as I am, this is a must-go festival as I’ve discovered new sounds and acts that I ended up following up on. My whole commentary goes into bringing to the table a couple of inquiries, what can it be done to make this gem of a festival more appealing to the general public? How can the lineup be restructured or reframed to attract the attention of more casual listeners?

We are going through an interesting (and definitely challenging) moment for live music at any scale. Even if we shouldn’t transfer the responsibility to the music fans, I believe we can make a conscious choice (as much as our context and possibilities allow us) to support emergent musicians and go discover new acts with curiosity and even naivety.

As every year, I’m looking forward to the next edition of the festival. And if you happen to live in Vienna, or be around October 7th-9th 2027, I would recommend you to attend; you might discover your new favorite band (get your Early Bird tickets here).

Special thanks to my comrade Ferdi for joining the team and preparing such fantastic videos, and MeiLan for helping take some photos.