Sprints - Europe 2026

There is a palpable wave of excitement surrounding SPRINTS right now. The Dublin-based band have just come off a whirlwind year — riding a rapid succession of breakthroughs, they released their debut album Letter To Self, which landed in the Top 20, supported IDLES and Pixies, and delivered electrifying, widely talked-about sets at Glastonbury, End Of The Road, and All Together Now. All of this has cemented their status as one of the most vital new names in contemporary rock, with a reputation built on intense, compassionate songwriting rooted in deeply personal stories of trauma and resilience.

Since the release of Letter To Self in January — an album that earned 5-star reviews from NME, DIY, and Dork, alongside praise from Pitchfork and Brooklyn Vegan — the quartet have taken their emotionally charged live show across the globe. Channeling the adrenaline of constant touring into new material resulted in “Feast”, a compelling introduction to a new era for SPRINTS and a signal of a bold, transformative phase in their career.

Drummer Jack Callan describes the single as a “true full-circle moment,” as it was recorded at Dublin’s Sonic Studios— the same space where their 2021 EP Manifesto and its follow-up A Modern Job were made. Produced by Dan Fox of Gilla Band and written by guitarist and songwriter Karla Chubb just ahead of a relentless festival season, Feastradiates confidence. Drawing inspiration from gothic fiction and body horror, as well as the subversive poetry of Mary Oliver, the track uses crushing riffs to convey the tension of desire and queer possibility — a sensation intensified by Chubb’s powerful, saturated vocal delivery. It’s the kind of song that leaves you reeling.

“With all the touring and so many changes in our personal lives, there was this sense of rediscovering ourselves — almost like a rebirth,” says Chubb. “But I also love the idea of pursuing passion unapologetically, and what that looks like from the outside. It feels like we’re being greedy with our ambitions as a band.”

Feast was born directly out of that whirlwind of life on the road. A surge of renewed energy also came with the addition of guitarist Zac Stephenson, who has now become a full-time member of SPRINTS. “It feels like we burned everything to the ground and rebuilt it exactly the way we want,” Chubb explains. “I feel like a completely different person compared to the start of the year, and SPRINTS is a completely different band. We’re fully committed to each other. Since Zac joined, we’ve turned a page and we’re ready to write an entirely new story. We had to ask ourselves: where do we want to go next?”

Chubb and Callan formed SPRINTS in 2019 alongside bassist Sam McCann and guitarist Colm O’Reilly, who amicably departed the band in May to step away from public performance. A period of reorganization followed, during which the remaining members invited Stephenson — who had previously joined SPRINTS onstage at The Great Escape in Brighton — to officially join the band. As Chubb explains, the timing couldn’t have been more fitting for an artistic statement as bold as Feast. “The song was written at a very critical moment. Everything felt chaotic, but it all came down to one simple truth: I knew I would always have music, and that meant everything would be okay.”

The response was a complete reimagining of SPRINTS’ creative vision. Embracing Stephenson’s dynamic playing style and drawing inspiration from records by Feeble Little Horse and punk trailblazers Mannequin Pussy, the band’s new material began to take shape. Early recording sessions focused on experimentation and collectively finding the right “frequencies.” Callan describes the band as family — not bound by blood, but by “collaboration, and above all, trust.”

SPRINTS are now bringing this vision to life in the months ahead. They return to the US following a completely sold-out debut American tour, including an appearance at the legendary Riot Fest in Chicago. From there, they embark on a UK and European tour, before playing the largest headline show of their career to date — O2 Forum Kentish Town in London this November. It marks yet another milestone for a band relentlessly pushing forward.

Letter To Self resonated deeply with a diverse, devoted audience through its dark, introspective songs, allowing SPRINTS to shine on international stages and see their passion reflected back with even greater force. Chubb hopes to carry that energy into the band’s second album — while also continuing to explore themes of self-acceptance and identity.

“The most beautiful part of releasing our debut was speaking to older queer people, or parents of trans kids, and seeing how deeply our music affected them,” she says. “The core theme of that record was my struggle with my own identity, and that struggle is still there. But knowing we inspired people to pick up instruments and start their own bands — that makes everything worth it.”

It is this pursuit of pure, authentic musical expression — rooted in community and connection — that defines this thrilling new chapter for SPRINTS. As Chubb puts it: “We’re working incredibly hard, but we’re doing it with empathy — for each other and for the people we play for. That’s something to be genuinely proud of.”