Cardiff Castle to host landmark rock legends that helped define a generation of alternative rock

Amelia Jones

A breakthrough alternative rock band is set to play Cardiff Castle next summer. The announcement marks the latest addition to a growing series of major live shows in 2026.

Arizona alternative rock band Jimmy Eat World will return to the UK next August for three outdoor headline shows, including a date at Cardiff Castle on Saturday, August 15, 2026. The shows mark the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough fourth album, Bleed American.

Bleed American, released in 2001, was a landmark album that helped bring alternative rock into the mainstream.

The record has been certified Platinum in the US and Gold in the UK, with its single The Middle surpassing one billion streams on Spotify.

The album has influenced a generation of bands, including Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Dashboard Confessional, and Taking Back Sunday, and has been covered by artists such as Prince and Taylor Swift.

Fans can also expect support from Chicago punk band Rise Against, emo veterans The Get Up Kids, and singer-songwriter Jay Som.

The Cardiff Castle show will be part of a larger UK/EU run, including performances in Halifax and London, giving audiences a rare chance to hear Bleed American in its entirety alongside hits and rarities from across the band’s catalogue.

Jim Adkins, Jimmy Eat World’s vocalist and guitarist said, “Bleed American is as much yours as it is ours, so we want to celebrate it with you all in a very special way.”

The announcement follows a busy year for the band, which included performances at Download Festival, North American tours with The Offspring, and multiple festival appearances.

Jimmy Eat World are also currently in the studio working on new music, following the release of their EP Something(s) Loud earlier this month.

The 2026 Cardiff Castle lineup already includes headline shows from artists such as Katy Perry, Garbage & Skunk Anansie, The Streets, Two Door Cinema Club, and Self Esteem with Kae Tempest, among others.

Tickets for the Cardiff show go on presale at 10 a.m. Thursday via depotlive.co.uk/jimmyeatworld, with general sale starting at 10 a.m. Friday via depotlive.co.uk and Ticketmaster.