Welsh alternative rock band to come together once more after 10 year break for the 2026 Eisteddfod

With just over four months to go until this year’s Eisteddfod, the first details of the artists performing on Llwyfan y Maes (the main open‑air stage) in Pembrokeshire have been announced.

After a 10‑year break, Y Bandana will come together once again to perform on the Friday night. This will be their first appearance on the Maes since the 2016 Eisteddfod in Abergavenny.

Betsan Moses, Chief Executive of the Eisteddfod, said: “We are excited to confirm today that Y Bandana will headline Llwyfan y Maes on Friday night.

“With a back catalogue of popular and well‑known songs, they are sure to draw a crowd and appeal to a wide audience. Their performance will be a great way to celebrate our week in Pembrokeshire.”

Having played a total of 17 times across various venues on the Maes, including Maes B, Y Bandana is one of the most frequently featured bands in the festival’s history.

Sion Owens, the band’s bassist, said: “We are very much looking forward to getting back together after 10 years. We hope to take the audience on a trip down memory lane with a set full of nostalgia.

“It’s an opportunity for us to relive and celebrate the innocence of our youth, and to share that with a new generation too – creating new memories and having a lot of fun along the way.

“The Eisteddfod has changed a lot over the past decade. Llwyfan y Maes has grown in profile, and performances by many of the bands are now a highlight of the week for lots of festival‑goers.

“It’s a different world to when we played on the old performance stage, so we’re looking forward to stepping onto the big professional set as it is today.”

According to Sion, even though a decade has passed since their last gig, getting back together felt surprisingly natural. “During rehearsals, it’s been lovely to be able to play and make some noise with the boys again. We’re sure we’ll give everyone a show to remember on the night.”

Once again this year, S4C and BBC Cymru will sponsor Llwyfan y Maes which has become one of the Eisteddfod’s most popular venues.

With musicians of all genres performing as competitions draw to a close each day, it attracts an audience of thousands every year – and this year is expected to be no different.

There will be further announcements about artists for all the festival’s venues over the coming weeks and months – and the Eisteddfod is encouraging people to keep an eye out for a few names that will surely attract attention.

You can find out more about the 2026 Eisteddfod on their website.