A Murder of Crows returns to New York this September for its eleventh edition, again bringing together artists from across the goth, deathrock, darkwave, and post-punk spectrum. Presented by The Red Party and The Nite Church, the 2026 festival runs from Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, September 6, with an opening party at TV Eye, two main nights at Bowery Ballroom, and a livestreamed closing party.
The central attraction is a pair of Bowery Ballroom bills on September 4 and 5, led by two figures with deep ties to the music’s formative years: Anja Huwe, the former singer of German post-punk pioneers Xmal Deutschland, and Los Angeles deathrock veterans Kommunity FK. Around them, the festival has assembled a cross-generational roster of established underground bands and newer acts from the United States and Canada.
Founded in 2015 after a late-night conversation among scene regulars at Leipzig’s Wave-Gotik-Treffen, A Murder of Crows began as a small Mercury Lounge gathering. It has since grown into one of New York’s most dependable annual dark-music weekends: a festival built around bands that are often overlooked by conventional promoters, plus the DJs, photographers, record collectors, and longtime friends who keep the city’s goth community connected year-round.
Friday’s program is topped by Anja Huwe, whose work with Xmal Deutschland helped establish a sharp, severe strain of early-’80s German goth and post-punk. Her appearance gives the weekend a direct link to that era, while the rest of the night points toward the scene’s present.
Dallas goth-rock outfit Rosegarden Funeral Party joins California darkwave band Creux Lies, Portland’s Nyx Division, and California’s Guilty Strangers. It is a strong first-night bill, moving from Huwe’s foundational presence through bands that have kept the genre active in clubs, independent venues, and festival rooms on both coasts.
Kommunity FK headlines Saturday’s lineup. Formed in Los Angeles at the dawn of the 1980s, the band remains a vital name in the West Coast deathrock and post-punk tradition, with a catalogue that has continued to find new listeners among younger goth audiences.
They will be joined by New York’s Blacklist, whose dark, guitar-driven post-punk has long been part of the city’s underground fabric; Utah deathrock band Tragic Black; Georgia outfit Entertainment; and Ontario’s Modele. The second night promises the rougher, more guitar-forward side of the festival’s programming, with hometown veterans sharing the stage with bands from farther afield.
The weekend begins Thursday, September 3 at TV Eye in Ridgewood with the official opening party. Wingtips and Grimly Fiendish will perform live, followed by A Night of a Thousand DJs, featuring Sean Templar, Dave Bats, Patrick, Hi-Fi Hillary, Scary Lady Sarah, William Faith, Mistress McCutchan, Miz Margo, Kamikaze Tomato, Detra, Matt V-Christ, and Mark Splatter. Entry to the opening party is free with a two-day festival pass.
The formal in-person program closes Saturday night, but the festivities continue on Sunday, September 6 with a livestreamed closing party via twitch.tv/redpartynyc.
A Murder of Crows XI takes place at Bowery Ballroom on September 4 and 5. Doors open at 7 p.m.; the events are 21+. Find tickets and complete festival information here.
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The post A Murder of Crows 2026 Brings Anja Huwe, Kommunity FK, Creux Lies, Nyx Division, Blacklist, and More to NYC This September appeared first on Post-Punk.com.
