On Saturday, September 20, The Vices once again invite you into their surreal playground, where music, skate ramps, and hidden bars collide like a fever dream. Expect everything and nothing at once: punk bands, DJs, acrobatics, vinyl, and that feeling that everything is going just the right kind of wrong. ViceFest isn’t just a concert night—it’s a trip you didn’t know you needed. With Circa Waves, Preoccupations, The Pill, Ellie Dixon, Parker Fans, and of course The Vices on the bill, De Oosterpoort is about to become complete chaos!

VICEFEST
A chaotic one-day festival filled with music, freedom, and countless dreamworlds to explore.

Dive into the wondrous world of ViceFest for one night. Different dreamworlds merge and clash with each other, creating a surreal and chaotic experience. One moment you’re moshing to a punk rock band, the next you’re swept away by a group of acrobats. Soon after, you can’t stop dancing to psychedelic beats in a hidden bar, only to find yourself jumping on a skateboard right after. ViceFest is not your average night out—it’s an evening where you come face-to-face with parts of yourself you never thought you’d enjoy… but maybe, just maybe, you actually do.

Circa Waves
The “Hottest Band On The Planet” (NME) is coming to Groningen to headline ViceFest. Circa Waves broke through in 2015 with the indie hit T-Shirt Weather (over 145 million streams!) and now have five albums to their name, including their latest release Death & Love, Pt. 1. Their albums are packed with melodic indie rock reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. Frontman Kieran Shudall describes the new album as a reminder that he wants to keep on living. After undergoing major heart surgery in 2023, he had to rebuild his way of life. The result? An album full of hope and vitality that’s being hailed as their best in years. Circa Waves have played everywhere from Glastonbury to Lollapalooza. And now…? Now it’s time for ViceFest!

PREOCCUPATIONS
The first Canadian band ever at ViceFest: the legendary Preoccupations!
Formed in 2012 in Calgary—originally under the name Viet Cong—Preoccupations have spent the past 13 years earning an iconic status. They specialize in dark music for dark times. For frontman Matthew Flegel, writing music and lyrics about his fears is sometimes the only way to get through the day. The result is an art-rock/post-punk sound full of tales about scorched landscapes and sci-fi oceans of loneliness and fleeting hope. Their new album Ill at Ease is no exception. A must-see for fans of Protomartyr, Shame, and Crack Cloud.

The Pill
Two women making iconic punk about relatable issues—like the gardener catching you walking around naked or having hair that’s too blonde. They simply have fun with life’s absurdities, as they put it. But there’s more beneath the surface. The Pill tackles big issues through satire. With bands like Wet Leg and Coach Party, it’s clear the Isle of Wight is a breeding ground for clever, tongue-in-cheek music. And with The Pill, the island has yet another brilliant band to be proud of.

ELLIE DIXON
Ellie Dixon creates witty, life-affirming alt-pop. With her DIY approach—constantly pushing the limits of what’s possible from her bedroom studio and on stage—this British artist has become a phenomenon both online and offline. From that very bedroom, Ellie has built a devoted fanbase of millions. She’s played to hundreds of thousands at festivals like Glastonbury, was named an MTV Spotlight Artist, and her music has been featured as BBC’s Hottest Track Of The Week. Ellie Dixon is unavoidable—England knows it, America knows it, and now so does ViceFest.

PARKER FANS
The music of Dutch trio Parker Fans feels like your favorite high school mixtape—translated into a live band. The basic ingredients are simple but effective: drum samples, synths, the ultra-groovy basslines of Sem… and a whole lot of fun. Their guiding principle is clear: set the dancefloor on fire and keep redefining what a good groove can be.

With shows at Best Kept Secret, Eurosonic, Left of the Dial, and Into The Great Wide Open—plus gigs with Altin Gün, Pip Blom, and Jungle By Night—Parker Fans have built a reputation for total chaos. Their irresistibly catchy songs look at the hazy nightlife through a cracked lens. Whether it’s in dark clubs or on big festival stages, the crowd goes wild. And knowing the ViceFest crowd, things will get even wilder. Get ready.

The Vices
The Vices will perform their new album live for the first time in Groningen.
The Vices bring the rawness of alternative rock back in their own unique way. Everything the Groningen-based band does radiates defiance, vulnerability, love, and joy. Their live shows are explosive, and their music overflows with liveliness and improvisation. It all seems to spring directly from the imperfections that make us human. That energy has taken the four men across the world. Thousands have felt connected to their music during shows in Europe and the U.S., where People Magazine even named them “Ones to Watch.” After two albums, The Vices have found a new sound on their recently released Before It Might Be Gone... And now, they’re sharing it for the first time in their hometown—at ViceFest, of course!