SAN FRANCISCO, CA – For the last ten years, FREAK NEST has been but a breath in Bay Area warehouse folklore. A decade after its inception, the independently funded festival is making its return to San Francisco this August 22 and 23 at PUBLICWORKS. The event will feature performances from SunSquabi, Sugar Candy Mountain, Shaheri, The Helltones, The Orange Peels, and many more (full initial lineup below, with more to be announced soon.)
At the core of FREAK NEST is a focus on musical diversity, community, and a full spectrum of artistic expression. Taking place over two days and across three stages, the event will feature over forty acts from various schools, forms, and styles of music and art. Live Painting. Art Installations. Projections. Food. Dance. Performances ranging from Balkan brass to deep house, hip hop to bluegrass, psych rock to New Orleans second line and everything in between.
The initial lineup of FREAK NEST 2026 includes:
SunSquabi
Sugar Candy Mountain
Shaheri
The Helltones
The Blank Tapes
Inspector Gadje
Gaucho
Justin Waves
The Orange Peels
Belle and Chain
dustcollector
Mother Goat
Michael Musika
Indianna Hale
Chasing Hues
Soundhoose
The Shimmering Leave
The Housewives
PuZL
The Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion
ABOUT FREAKNEST
The first FREAK NEST was held in 2016 in Dogpatch/Bayview Industrial Grey Area, at co-founder Taylor Lissandrello’s warehouse, The Cave. Thrown together on a shoestring budget the festival ran from noon to midnight, featuring a nonstop performance model, with “marching” style bands performing in the middle of the crowd during set breaks. The small event showcased over a dozen Bay Area musical acts as well as visual artists and various performers. The event was a success and became the proof of concept to be brought to a larger scale.
Co-founder Matthias Wesner thought it imperative that FREAK NEST reawaken on its 10-year anniversary.“I got tired of watching the corporate takeover in the music and arts community and wanted to do something about it” he says. “So we called all of our favorite bands from the Bay Area and beyond to put together something different.”“We have been putting our heads together to bring back this festival rooted in musical and artistic inclusiveness and diversity,” Lissandrello continues, “and we are grateful for the way it has come together.”
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