Starting out life as a celebration of electronic music back in 2013, over the last decade Electric Castle has grown into one of the most talked-about multi-genre festivals on the European scene.

Whilst much of that praise comes thanks to the consistently eclectic line-ups put together each year, a fair amount also comes down to it boasting one of the most unique locations possible. Set within the grounds of Bánffy Castle in the Transylvanian region of Romania, the stunning 16^th century structure sits at the heart of the festival, welcoming up to 50,000 music fans each day.

With ten stages spread across the site – some nestled within the trees, and one even designed to feel like an actual beach, complete with real sand beneath your toes – it’s also one of the few truly 24/7 events on the summer festival calendar, with music and mayhem dealt out in generous measures from the minute the gates open to the moment they close.

Like no other festival you’ve seen before, there’s everything from hot air ballon rides and table tennis tournaments to wellness retreats and film screenings. With endless fun to be found, you can stock up on snacks from the onsite Lidl supermarket, cook your own meats on communal BBQs, relax by the picturesque lake with award-winning food from local vendors, and even face your fears whilst drinking a cocktail 164 feet in the sky.

A weekend stacked with performances from some of the biggest names in music, and with something new to discover around every corner, here’s a rundown of our favourite sets at Electric Castle 2026. 

Balu Brigada

There’s a good reason why Balu Brigada have been at the centre of so much buzz over the last few years. Since the arrival of the New Zealand band’s debut album ‘Portals’ last year, the trajectory of the Beasley brothers’ ascent appears to have rapidly increased, bringing them to the other side of the world for their Electric Castle debut.

Charging through a set dominated by tracks from their latest full-length during the festival’s opening night, gorgeously infectious ‘Golden Gate Girl’ and the striking pop sensibilities of ‘Sideways’ prove their penchant for getting the good vibes well and truly flowing. Dealing out some of the biggest ear-worm hooks heard on the Hangar Stage all festival, and even throwing in a wicked cover of Grimes’ 2012 hit ‘Genesis’, they confidently cement themselves as early contenders for set of the weekend.

Twenty One Pilots

There’s a feeling that surges through every Twenty One Pilots show that is seemingly impossible to find anywhere else on earth. It’s one of unity, passion, and belonging, and it’s seeping its way into the atmosphere at Bánffy Castle well before Tyler and Josh set foot in its grounds.

On Electric Castle’s second day, you’ll struggle to walk around the festival’s labyrinth of hidden hideaways and neon-lit paths for more than a few minutes without spotting someone donning the band’s merch, anticipation rising as the clock ticks closer to their headline main stage slot.

Of course, Twenty One Pilots are very familiar with what it takes to close out a festival by this point. They’ve done it all over the world, and their 90-minute stint is undeniable proof that they’re now experts of the game. Really, it’s hard to know where to look, as one minute Josh is scaling a ladder to perform ‘Drum Show’ on a second drum kit positioned on a platform above the stage, before Tyler is scaling the side-stage VIP area during ‘Ride’.

With plenty more surprises in store, including a video co-sign from The White Stripes’ Jack White played before the duo’s rousing rendition of ‘Seven Nation Army’, it’s the kind of show that reminds you just why Twenty One Pilots have ascended to the height they’re now confidently soaring at. Embracing all the showstopping potentials of a festival headline set whilst retaining the gripping emotion that has long driven them forward, Tyler and Josh are rightfully operating in a league of their own right now.

Nothing But Thieves

As the final band on the Saturday main stage before Chase & Status close things out with a dance frenzy, Nothing But Thieves are tasked with keeping late-night spirits high, and they deliver in spades.

Greeted by a passionate crowd eager to shout back every anthemic chorus thrown their way, the band’s third outing to Bánffy Castle feels utterly euphoric from the moment the first belting singalong of ‘Amsterdam’ takes hold. From there, it’s an unstoppable tour through their past, present and future, the blistering catharsis of ‘Sorry’ and the soaring urgency of ‘Tomorrow Is Closed’ sitting comfortably alongside the raw, nostalgic buzz of recently dropped single ‘Evolution’.

With the arrival of their back-to-roots fifth album ‘Stray Dogs’ now just around the corner, after witnessing their domination of a stage this mighty, and seeing just how many people they’re capable of catching up in their orbit – it’s difficult not to feel more excited about Nothing But Thieves than ever before.

The Cure

There’s a magic conjured up whenever and wherever The Cure take to the stage, but there’s something remarkably special about witnessing the goth legends perform upon the grounds of a real-life Transylvanian castle. Fulfilling the gothic dream so many within the crowd never even knew they possessed, by the time Robert Smith and co. make their appearance there are people who have held their spots since the festival’s gates opened, faces painted white as snow and grins now plastered across their lower halves.

All that waiting is proved worth it as the dark, cinematic instrumentals of ‘Alone’ sound out, and from there it seems everyone within earshot is sucked into The Cure’s moody, morose universe. Barrelling through two hours of their biggest hits and finest moments, the likes of ‘Just Like Heaven’, ‘Friday I’m In Love’ and ‘The Lovecats’ predictably spark the most rousing singalongs, but it’s when leaning into their deepest atmospheric tendencies that the Crawley legends truly shine. From the bleak romantic hopelessness of ‘A Forest’ and ‘From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea’ to the stunning poignancy of ‘The Last Day Of Summer’, it’s hard not to feel genuinely caught up in the emotion pouring out from the stage’s speakers, the pure power of it even moving some to tears.

“It’s the end of a long weekend… We will go home happy, is that the idea?” smirks Smith before a closing run-through of ‘Boys Don’t’ Cry’.

The Cure’s second ever show upon Romanian soil, and their first outing at Electric Castle, it’s actually hard not to believe the frontman is having just as much fun than those stood before him. By the end of the night, the 67-year-old appears genuinely overcome with emotion, walking from one side of the stage to the other as though wishing he could personally thank every person giving their applause.

Disappearing after one last misty-eyed wave, one thing’s for sure, there are thousands of people now hoping the band’s third visit to Romania comes sooner rather than later.

Kid Kapichi

With showers of rain and gnarly bolts of lightning dominating the third day at Bánffy Castle, there are plenty of bodies grateful for the shelter provided by the covered Hangar Stage as Kid Kapichi prepare to unleash their punk party on the masses. The Hastings band’s debut performance in Romania, they waste no time ramping up the energy to its maximum level, powering through the politically charged electro-punk snarl of ‘Artillery’ and the gritty riffs of hometown anthem ‘Working Man’s Town’. With frontman Jack Wilson proudly sporting a shirt emblazoned with the Romanian flag as he and his bandmates rip through an hour long set overflowing with fury, fire, and fun, they’re heading back home having converted plenty of new faces to their mighty cause.

Honeyglaze

It’s quite possible that Honeyglaze were the unluckiest band on this year’s Electric Castle line-up. After spending hours held up at airport security, and having to rush to the site for their set, a cruelly timed power cut at the Backyard Stage threatened to render the London band’s trip to Transylvania a total bust. Luckily though, around half an hour after their scheduled start time, the fairy lights tangled within the area’s lush greenery spark back to life, and the trio’s masterclass in melodramatic, melancholic post-punk infused indie was underway.

From the pent-up anger unleashed during ‘Don’t’ to the more dialled-back dark-pop riffs of ‘Pretty Girls’, the intimacy and introspection of 2024 break-up album ‘Real Deal’ feel even more euphoric when experienced within such stunning surroundings, and by the time hauntingly wistful closer ‘Childish Things’ rolls around, the whole crowd has been sucked into their gut-wrenchingly honest, enchanting world. If this lot weren’t already on your radar, now’s the time to get onboard.

Electric Castle will return to Bonțida for its thirteenth outing in 2027, taking place in July.