Down With Boring #169: The Great Escape 2026

Down With Boring is back on Dork Radio, with the podcast landing straight after for anyone who can’t catch it live. Top of the bill: Do Nothing, calling in to talk about their new album ‘Friend World’, out now via Submarine Cat. Chris Bailey gets into how Andy Kaufman’s habit of closing shows with ‘This Friendly World’ wormed its way into the record, and then — because this is Down With Boring — faces the only question that really matters: pet parrot or pet monkey? Elsewhere, Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Dopamine Chamber’ is named album of the month, and the show wades into the annual festive pile-up with a debate about the latest crop of Christmas songs, and whether a cover technically counts as a new one at all. On the playlist: new tracks from Slayyter, The Itch, RIP Magic and The Healing Power Of Horses, keeping things firmly in the electro-pop and punk end of the pool.

Dork Radio’s Down With Boring returns with The North joining as special guests for the first monthly episode following a summer in the festival trenches. The show also features new music from Fontaines D.C., Sports Team, Bleech 9:3, Holly Humberstone and Fat Dog.

Dork’s flagship podcast-slash-radio show Down With Boring is back to close out the festival season with a bang, dropping a special update straight from the fields of Reading Festival 2026. With Jamie still AWOL, Jake is left holding down the fort. Across the weekend, he charts his real-time deterioration while catching up with some of the weekend's best talent and putting them through their paces in a brand new game, On The Grid, inspired by the main stage's latest rebrand. The awards are clearly in the post. James Marriott stops by freshly armed with news of his upcoming single and a headline date at Brixton Academy. He opens up about climbing the festival bill, fleeing the British winter for Australia, and whether he'd rather post a selfie with Timothée Chalamet or the world's oldest tortoise. Opening up the festival to a packed tent, Tooth join in to recount their full-circle memories of attending Reading as teenagers, their DIY approach to making gig zines, and the terrifying experience of playing bass while Shame's Josh looks on. Pop contender Arthur Hill checks in after meeting fans and coming off a massive year. He discusses his cover of 'Careless Whisper', bringing a live horn section to the stage, preparing for his debut US headline tour, and his surprising holiday hotspot of choice. Finally, making their UK festival debut, Minneapolis indie outfit She's Green share their perspective on Reading's rite-of-passage energy, staying in a remote cabin to write their upcoming debut album, and why hot dog eating contests might just be their true calling.

Down With Boring makes a (brief) return from its summer hols with a special update from Dork's Big Latitude Opening Party. Taking over Henham Park's Alcove Stage as the crowds set up camp and wandered into the arena for the first time, we filled the woods with the Dorkiest line-up we could reasonably assemble. Swim Deep opened with a masterclass in festival fun, tracks from fifth album 'Hum' going down a treat before those classic indie bangers finish the job. Just For Fun and KuleeAngee kept things moving at pace with some of the best new music you’ll hear all weekend, while our favourite Luton party-starters The Itch turned the fairy forest into a full-blown fantasy rave. Then, against all health and safety advice, Sports Team headlined at a gloriously disreputable quarter past midnight with a packed tent and a Vanessa Carlton cover. We grabbed Sports Team, Swim Deep and The Itch for a much needed catch up as we desecrated the UK's most idyllic festival site in the name of weird, wonky and wonderful pop music. 

Dork's flagship podcast-slash-radio show Down With Boring is back this month with a special show recorded direct at this year's Great Escape! Spanning the festival's four days, Jake and Jamie caught up with Dork favourites in pubs, vans and gazebos across a brilliant week on the south coast. There's Shame ahead of their headline set on the Dork stage for our official closing party, Keo mid-takeover as they work their way through stage after stage, Adult DVD's Harry Hanson holding court before the band's festival run, and Julia Cumming digging into her Great Escape memories and the new solo material. It's all there, and plenty more besides.

Back for another edition with an album of the month from Lime Garden, new music from Olivia Rodrigo, Blossoms and The Itch, and loads more.

Dork's flagship podcast-slash-radio-show Down With Boring returns with an hour of extra sunlight and Naomi Scott in tow, fresh off the release of her brilliant new album 'F.I.G.' The acting-type-turned-pop-force joins us for a chat recorded at London's hive of new music, the Sebright Arms – and, because we can't help ourselves, we're also settling the very important question of whether Jamie or Jake would make a better backup dancer. The debate ends here. Elsewhere on the show, we're crowning Fcukers and - you sort of have to, right - Harry Styles as our albums to 'focus' on, having a laugh about CMAT using Harry Hill as a dartboard (as you do), and running through all the drama from this year's BRIT Awards. Plus, we've got a segment on the best shows of the month – including Jamie checking in with thoughts on Dork's Round the Houses Antony Szmierek tour, and Jake's take on David Byrne's absolute masterclass. As for new music? We've got stacks of it. Expect to hear fresh cuts from Carly Hann ('Alone'), My First Time ('The Kids Are'), Girl In The Year Above ('Mama, My Heart Is Achin'), and Really Good Time ('Bob Dylan Was On Pawn Stars In 2010'). Yeah, that last one's a real title.

Jake and Jamie check in with Westside Cowboy at both ends of their completely sold-out UK headline tour — once at the start, and once at the finish line (cheers, technology failures). Across the episode, they dig into the band’s rapid rise, the reality of touring, and – as ever – the important stuff, including what absolutely nobody wants to discover downstairs after hosting a house party. With Latitude Festival on the horizon for the band this summer, there’s also a look ahead to what that set might bring. Elsewhere, the pair get stuck into the cultural Super Bowl that is the Halftime Show, weigh in on Harry Styles being announced as the 2026 curator of Meltdown Festival, and take a deep dive into Charli xcx’s brand new album ‘Wuthering Heights’ as the film hits cinemas. There’s also a stack of new music to get into, including fresh cuts from MUNA, Fcukers, Bleachers and Sorry, before Jake and Jamie round things off by picking out their favourite moments from this month’s issue of Dork.

Overpass join as special guests. We get into their debut album, life on the road, what touring actually does to your brain, and whether they’d happily live on a log flume forever. There’s plenty of new music to get stuck into too. We’re talking Madison Beer’s new album, A$AP Rocky’s latest, and spinning fresh tracks from The Itch, Lime Garden and Bleech 9:3, alongside a cut from the extended edition of Viagra Boys’ most recent full-length. Elsewhere, we catch up on the new WarChild ‘HELP(2)’ album, discuss Harry Styles being back(!)-Back(!!)-BACK(!!!), and get into this year’s BRIT nominations.

Down With Boring comes at you recorded live from this month's Rockaway Beach, featuring Antony Szmierek and Prima Queen.