Texan pop punk legends Bowling For Soup and folk punk royalty Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls are teaming up next summer and they are heading to Wales.
The two genre-defying musical powerhouses and long-time friends are joining forces for the first time ever for a run of dates across the country with their Bowl My Bones tour headlining TK Maxx Presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion on Friday July 3 before heading to the Welsh capital for TK Maxx presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle on Saturday July 4.
One of rocks’ most unlikely friendships began years ago, sparked by Bowling For Soup frontman Jaret Reddick’s admiration for Frank Turner’s music. In more recent years the two became good friends, even hosting a weekly live stream together during the COVID pandemic. Now, after years of fan requests, the tour they’ve been hoping for is finally happening.
Frank is very much looking forward to hitting the road with his long-time friends: “I love summer, I love touring, and I really love Bowling For Soup. So let’s cut to the chase and do them all at the same time! These shows are going to be a lot of fun, I’m honoured to be part of the adventure.“
While the feeling is more than mutual from Bowling For Soup’s Jaret: “Discovering Frank Turner’s music happened at an important time in my life. I needed it, but I didn’t know how much. Now, many years later, I get to call him friend, and touring with him and The Sleeping Souls in his home country of the UK seems unreal to me. I think these are going to be special Summer nights that none of us will forget! Stoked!!!”
The announcement of the tour follows swiftly on from the news of Bowling For Soup teaming up Wales’ viral sensations Punk Rock Factory to release a brand-new version of Endless Possibility featuring alt-rock legends Wheatus, the main theme song from video game Sonic Unleashed. The song was originally written by Jaret and has become one of the most beloved songs from the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise ever, with fans continuing to post about it, stream it, and cover it more than 15 years later.
Bowling For Soup have spent the past 30 years proving they’re not just a band — they’re a guaranteed good time. Known for their infectious anthems, off-the-cuff comedy and massive singalongs, their live shows feel less like concerts and more like backyard parties with thousands of friends.
Their UK breakthrough came in 2000 with The Bitch Song, followed by the GRAMMY-nominated hit Girl All The Bad Guys Want, 1985and High School Never Ends — tracks that helped cement their place in pop-punk history.
Frank Turner is one of the UK’s most successful and beloved artists, with a career built on relentless touring, heartfelt songwriting and a deep connection to his fans. Since going solo in 2005, Turner has released 10 studio albums and played more than 3,000 live shows with his long-time backing band The Sleeping Souls.
His 2022 album FTHC became his first UK Number 1, following four consecutive Top 3 records. His latest release, last year’s Undefeated continued that streak, debuting at Number 3 on the Official Album Chart and topping the Independent Album Chart. With more than a million records sold worldwide and a catalogue that blends punk spirit with folk storytelling, Turner has earned a reputation as one of the most compelling live performers of his generation.
Together Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls bring a shared love for turning gigs into unforgettable nights. The Bowl My Bones Tour isn’t just a double bill — it’s a full-throttle celebration of connection, community and the kind of live music that sticks with you long after the final chord.
The announcement marks the final headlining show to be revealed for TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion 2026, which is presented as part of an ongoing partnership with the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor.
Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls join iconic Welsh trailblazers Super Furry Animals, pop star Rick Astley, Scottish chart-toppers Deacon Blue, Britpop mastermind Alex James’ Britpop Classical, multi-platinum selling hitmaker Tom Grennan, global music icon Billy Ocean, dance music pioneer Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics and legendary singer-songwriter David Gray who will all headline the iconic Welsh venue in 2026.
Artistic Director of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Dave Danford said: “Today’s announcement adds yet another genre to our hugely diverse line-up of shows at Llangollen Pavilion for summer 2026. We’ve really made sure there’s something for everybody next year, and if early indications are anything to go by then tickets are going to be in short supply!
“This completes our line-up for next year’s TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion series, and we can’t wait to get started in June!”
The headlining show for TK Maxx presents DEPOT Live at Cardiff Castle 2026 is presented by promoters DEPOT Live and Cuffe and Taylor.
DEPOT Live founder Nick Saunders said: “This will be unmissable. Combining the forces of Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner will make for an incredible show so we are delighted to be bringing them to Cardiff Castle next summer.
“Both are must-see live artists so Cardiff get ready for a phenomenal night.”
Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday November 28 from llangollen.net, depotlive.co.uk and ticketmaster.co.uk
