Sore Losers 2026 : Squire / Bad Mothers Union / Ruin(ed)

Me and my boy, the dog are the tag team champions. SQUIRE, Are an upcoming 5 piece alternative rock band. Coming from the vibrant and creative streets of Waterford, SQUIRE are an Alternative Indie rock band that brings their raw energy with adrenaline filled lyrics to form their fast paced, off the walls sound. With their playful group dynamic and infectious melodies, they captivate audiences with each electrifying song and performance. Drawing inspiration from Waterford’s rich musical heritage, and following after many local bands in the city they look up to, with a bit of their own personal experiences to write their music. SQUIRE’s music resonates with authenticity and passion, their music reflects the highs and lows of life. SQUIRE effortlessly blends elements of new wave, pop punk and alternative rock to craft a sound that is uniquely, them. Bad Mothers Union is a force of nature masquerading as a band. Established in Kilkenny, the experimental psychedelic group creates feral walls of sound and meandering dreamy paths, and subscribes to the philosophy of repetition, repetition, repetition. Earlier this year, Bad Mothers Union released their debut record, Sore Losers, which draws influence from krautrock, shoegaze, post-punk, hardcore, jazz, post-rock and noise rock to create “an immersive atmosphere that gently commands complete surrender.” Praised for its “sheer nofucksgiven audacity” by Andy Cairns of Therapy?, Sore Losers has since been named as one of The Quietus’ Albums of the Year So Far 2026. They don’t “subscribe to anything customary,” according to The Goo, and eschew the standard approach to membership, acting instead as a collective that thrives on collaboration and idiosyncrasies. The band currently features Conor Kavanagh (vocals/guitar/bass), Joel Pitcher (bass/guitar), Fionn O’Sullivan (bass/guitar/vocals) and James O’Neill (drums/percussion). Ruin(ed) are a 3 piece, all-female band from Waterford City. They draw inspiration from the Riot Grrrl movement and punk music in their original songs.