GazeFest 2027: Slow Crush to Headline Fifth Anniversary Shows Across Ireland
GazeFest is back for 2027, and this time it's hitting the road. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the independently run shoegaze and dream pop festival is heading to Galway, Dublin and Belfast for three nights in August, with Belgian favourites Slow Crush headlining every date. Organisers Old Crows Promotions are pulling out all the stops for what looks set to be their biggest GazeFest yet.
GazeFest Celebrates Five Years With Its First Irish Tour
What started as an idea around a kitchen table on a rainy Monday morning has grown into one of the more interesting fixtures on Ireland's alternative music calendar. Over the past five years, Old Crows Promotions have brought together shoegaze and dream pop bands from Ireland, the UK and Europe, building a festival that has stayed completely independent from the beginning.
Reaching five years is no small achievement for an independent festival, so taking GazeFest on the road feels like a fitting way to celebrate. Rather than keeping everything in one city, the organisers are bringing the festival to three venues across Ireland, giving more fans a chance to catch some excellent bands without having to travel halfway across the country.
Slow Crush Return to Ireland to Headline GazeFest 2027
Leading the celebrations are Belgian shoegaze heavyweights Slow Crush, who will headline all three nights. The band released their third album, Thirst
, in August 2025 to plenty of praise, following it up with an extensive run of live shows. Anyone familiar with their mix of crushing guitars, hazy vocals and towering walls of noise will know why they're such a good fit for GazeFest.
The band are no strangers to Irish audiences either, having previously played their first Irish headline shows in Belfast and Dublin with Old Crows Promotions. Their return for GazeFest's fifth anniversary should be a welcome one, particularly for anyone who missed those earlier dates. With three shows lined up this time around, there's a decent chance to catch them live.
Belfast Shoegazers Silk Join the Line-Up
Joining Slow Crush across all three dates are rising Belfast shoegazers Silk, another band well worth getting down early for. Their album Auralux
, released in May 2026, has been picking up praise from fans and critics alike, helping put them firmly on the radar. Having them alongside Slow Crush makes for a strong start to the festival's fifth anniversary line-up.
And there's still more to come. Old Crows Promotions have confirmed that the full line-ups for Galway, Dublin and Belfast will be announced soon, with additional bands set to join the bill in each city. Given the festival's track record of bringing together established names and emerging acts, it'll be interesting to see who else gets added over the coming months.
GazeFest 2027 Dates and Venues
GazeFest 2027 takes place over three consecutive nights in August, starting in Galway before moving on to Dublin and finishing up in Belfast. Each date will feature Slow Crush and Silk, with further acts still to be announced. The Belfast show will once again be open to fans aged 14 and over, something the organisers have made a point of maintaining.
Thursday, August 26: Róisín Dubh, Galway
Friday, August 27: The Grand Social, Dublin
Saturday, August 28: Oh Yeah Music Centre, Belfast (14+)
Making the Belfast date accessible to younger music fans has always been an important part of GazeFest. With so many gigs restricted to over-18s, it's good to see an independent festival making room for younger audiences to experience live music. It's also a great opportunity for anyone discovering shoegaze for the first time to catch both local and international bands.
The Scene That Celebrates Itself
At the heart of GazeFest is the idea of The Scene That Celebrates Itself
, a phrase originally coined by Melody Maker to describe London's shoegaze scene in the early 1990s. Rather than competing with one another, bands regularly turned up at each other's gigs, played together and spent time hanging out, creating a close-knit community around the music.
That same spirit has been part of GazeFest since the beginning. It's not just about putting a few bands on a stage, but bringing together musicians and fans who share a love for the same kind of music. Five years on, the festival is still built around that idea, and expanding into three cities should only help bring more people into the fold.
GazeFest 2027 Tickets
Tickets for GazeFest 2027 are on sale now, and anyone planning to head along would be wise not to leave it too late. Previous editions have sold out, and with Slow Crush topping the bill across three cities, there's plenty of reason to expect strong interest again this year. Keep an eye on Old Crows Promotions for further line-up announcements - Tickets (Eventbrite)
Final Verdict
Five years in, GazeFest is showing no signs of slowing down. Taking the festival to Galway, Dublin and Belfast is a great way to mark the occasion, and having Slow Crush and Silk on all three bills is already a strong selling point. With more bands still to be announced, GazeFest 2027 is shaping up to be one worth sticking in the calendar, especially if shoegaze and dream pop are your thing.
Photo Credit: A©Stefaan-Temmerman
