A Loud Music Festival, Shattering Gender Norms
A loud festival smashing gender norms. The fourth edition of Beware of Banshees is on its way! Get ready for blisteringly loud bands proving once again that loudness knows no gender. On August 30th, head over to the beautiful cultural freeport De Nijverheid for a day filled with music across two and a half stages.
There’s more than just inspiration on stage — this year, dive into a range of free workshops like adult skateboarding, how to scream, feminist songwriting, or career advice for your band from Lay Bare Recordings. And that’s far from all! Get inked at the Banshee Tattoo Shop by Nosferobtu and WIMSWIM, or dance to DJ sets from Yssie and Rattekop. And for the first time ever: take the mic for The Worst Karaoke at the Boot122 stage!
Rats and Daggers
This heavy punk band from Utrecht — and the festival’s founding force — returns to the stage with a live show that’s emotionally disarming and fiercely energetic. Think driving punk fused with heavy sludge, building a wall of sound that smashes through the daily grind.
BOMBSTRAP
A fierce four-piece from Manchester and Rotterdam that’s been disfiguring norms at festivals like Sniester and Roadburn. Their rage takes form in a dangerously visual and conceptual live show where frontperson Eva channels the true spirit of a banshee. Their lyrics drip with dark nihilism and murderous political fury. Expect Rotterdam-based terror punk with a strange hardcore twist you simply have to see.
C’est Qui?
Dutch band, French name — C’est Qui? (which definitely means “to throw someone out of a window”) brings fast, feral garage punk that will blow the roof off. Known from the Girls 2 The Front collective and their EP, they know how to turn feminist rage into a sweaty, explosive party.
Cashmyra
This Dutch alt-rock duo brings raw emotion, haunting intensity, and cathartic noise that proves that heaviness can also live in softness. When Cashmyra was just three, her mother died by suicide — a loss that shaped her life and outlook. On her upcoming album “sterven doe je toch wel”, she breaks taboos and explores themes of loss, impermanence, and the will to live.
Crybabies
Ever wondered what a thunderstorm under blue skies sounds like? Crybabies channels that energy through fuzzy dream guitars and melancholy lyrics. The band embraces vulnerability and emotion (“being too sensitive is awesome in this cold bitter world”) and fuses riot grrrl energy with bubblegrunge, light-hearted humor, and feminist fury. Let it all out, babies.
Prom Vagabonds
These theatrical sonic storytellers are here to free your spirit. Known from Girls 2 The Front, Prom Vagabonds blend theater, costume, performance, and liberating music into a powerful, emotional journey. From intense doom sounds to hypnotic ballads and playful rage, this is a full banshee experience.
Kboy and the Goedzo Boys
What do sperm cells, a lactose-intolerant cowboy, and intestines have in common? Kboy and the Goedzo Boys have brought them all to the stage. They’ve just released their totally sick record, and every one of their performances feels like a bouncy castle at a kid’s birthday party. A must-see if you’re into having a good time.
KEROL
Dutch rock trio KEROL brings raw, unfiltered energy with sharp guitar riffs and catchy pop hooks. Their songs hit hard, covering stress, rage, hopelessness, and everyday frustration. Sometimes everything falls apart. Sometimes you just want to scream. Sound familiar? Let it all out with KEROL.
The Worst Karaoke
Unleash your inner wail-diva during The Worst Karaoke. Professional instigators Lynn and Yvette summon screaming spirits to the stage in this anti-talent show and invite you to join them in glorious chaos. No photos, no videos, and absolutely no buttholes allowed — just the perfect chance to go all out in a truly safe space.
