Subsonic, the cult NSW forest rave with a 17-year history just dropped a ridiculously stacked 2026 lineup.
Forget footy finals and long weekends – the real event circled on the electronic music calendar is Subsonic Music Festival, and its 2026 lineup has just landed with a serious international flex.
Subsonic Music Festival will return to Riverwood Downs Mountain Resort on Worimi Country from 13-15 November, marking 17 years of the New South Wales institution’s outdoor takeover.
Tucked into the Barrington Tops World Heritage Wilderness north of Newcastle, the boutique, BYO bush resort event has built a reputation as the state’s longest-running outdoor electronic music festival, and this year’s bill leans hard into rarely-seen international talent.
Subsonic Music Festival
- 13-15 November, 2026
- Riverwood Downs Mountain Resort, Worimi Country (via Newcastle, NSW)
- Tickets here
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Topping the lineup is UK acid house and jungle pioneer A Guy Called Gerald, alongside German deep house figure Steve Bug, Spanish progressive artist Henry Saiz, Belgian techno producer Peter Van Hoesen, New Zealand bass and psychedelic act Grouch (who’ll play two sets, including a Grouch In Dub set), and Italian tech producer Cioz.
The rest of the international contingent includes Danish psytrance artist and Iboga Records boss Banel, Amsterdam-based minimal house selector Alexia Glensy, Italian groove producer Cristian Sarde, German progressive techno artist Carbon, Japanese selector Que Sakamoto, Dutch disco producer Tonno Disko, and UK vocalist Strategy.
On the home front, the bill champions Naarm’s machine-funk and acid talent Reptant (Live), progressive veteran Kasey Taylor, psychedelic artist Ryanosaurus, bush techno crew Unknown Concept, and forest psytrance producer Acousma.
Elsewhere across the multiple stages, expect high-energy live sets from The Strides and Gang of Brothers, soundsystem crew Foreigndub, and party collectives Conspiracy Crew, People’s Party, Newy Bass Crew, Back To Boogie Wonderland and Banana Bombs Records.
Trusted local selectors Nick Reverse, Kerry Wallace, Cassette, Dylan Griffin, Barney Kato, D-Sens and Ross Mvnro round out the roster, alongside dozens more names across the domestic bill including Bayawaka, Golanski, Jakob, Lili Joy, Parker, Phil Toke, Resonant Hand, Dread Maiden, Ferrari Party, Krelias, Oscill8, Grooveworks, Sound Kemist, Tikabox and Tokyo Sexwale.
Festival director Scott Commens said organisers made the call to cap ticket numbers in 2026, shifting the focus toward comfort and access rather than scale, meaning shorter walks to camp, no big queues, and more chances to get close to the artists on the bill.
The final artist slot on the 2026 lineup will go to the winner of the annual Subsonic DJ Competition, with lifestyle programming, workshops and performance arts still to be announced.
For more information, head here.
