Release Athens Festival and Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
together again for
Release Athens x SNF Nostos 2026
DAVID BYRNE, NATION OF LANGUAGE | Great Lawn SNFCC, Sunday, June 21
On Sunday, June 21, the one and only David Byrne will put on an extraordinary show at the Great Lawn of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) as part of his Who Is the Sky tour that began in September, filled with legendary songs from his time leading the Talking Heads and solo career to date. With him, the magnificent synth-pop trio from Brooklyn, Nation of Language, for their first ever show in Greece.
More acts to be announced soon!
To celebrate 30 years of philanthropic work, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is collaborating with Release Athens to bring music and culture closer to everyone. Thanks to SNF's contribution, ticket prices are 40-50% lower than is typical for similar events.
Although best-known for his groundbreaking tenure fronting the new wave group Talking Heads, David Byrne is also acclaimed for his adventurous solo career, encroaching upon such diverse arenas as world music, filmmaking, and performance art in the process. After Talking Heads disbanded in 1991, Byrne branched out with numerous projects, including solo albums, film and stage productions and his Luaka Bop label, which played a crucial role in introducing innovative South American and African artists to Western audiences.
Over the course of his incredible career, David has received an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and a Special Tony Award; he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2017, David launched Reasons to Be Cheerful, first an online compendium of news stories, now a curated online magazine designed to be a “tonic for tumultuous times.” In October 2024, "Reasons to be Cheerful" hosted a variety show in New York City, featuring performance, music, comedy, and inspirational storytelling.
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Nation of Language have already established themselves as one of the most exciting bands on the contemporary indie scene. With Ian Devaney's distinctive, intensely emotional songwriting and a sound that balances synthpop, minimal wave, and post-punk, the trio from Brooklyn, New York, continues to win over new audiences with each new release.
Following Introduction, Presence (2020) and A Way Forward (2021), two albums that many considered the ideal soundtrack to the pandemic, the award-winning Strange Disciple (Rough Trade’s album of the year) was universally acclaimed and earned them a place at festivals such as Primavera Sound and Pitchfork Festival, while their tours are drawing ever-larger crowds.
In their recent album Dance Called Memory (2025), produced by Nick Millhiser (LCD Soundsystem, Holy Ghost!), the band expands its sound and is now emerging as the next big thing on the indie scene.
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Ticket sales continue..
Tickets available:
By phone at 211770000
Online / releaseathens.gr + more.com
Retail at: https://www.more.com/el/physical-spots/
All information (prices, schedule, access) is available at releaseathens.gr & snf.org
*Ticket proceeds go exclusively to Release Athens. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is a philanthropic organization that makes grants to nonprofit organizations. SNF does not accept funds from private individuals, corporations, or any other organizations.
Ticket availability for persons with disabilities:
The Festival ensures access for persons with disabilities by offering a special area with an unobstructed view of the stage. The special area is wheelchair accessible and has seats, separate toilets, and free parking.
To purchase tickets for persons with disabilities, please send your request electronically to support@releaseathens.gr, attaching your disability card. To enter the disabled areas, you will need to show this card upon arrival at the Festival.
More about Release Athens 2026
Since its inception in 2016, Release Athens has evolved into one of the most significant summer music events in Greece. This year, to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the festival is returning to Plateia Nerou to write a new chapter in its history. Over the past decade, Release Athens has hosted some of the biggest names in international music, including Arctic Monkeys, Iggy Pop, Massive Attack, Pulp, Slipknot, The Offspring, PJ Harvey, Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue, The Prodigy, Judas Priest, London Grammar, Alice in Chains and Liam Gallagher.
With the slogan “Making Memories Together,” the festival remains faithful to the main principle that has been its inspiration since day one: artists, music fans, and our staff all shaping, together, the unique experiences and memories that will stay with us forever.
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More about the anniversary SNF Nostos 2026
SNF Nostos 2026 will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). In this context, the music program is just one aspect of this multifaceted, open event. The most dynamic SNF Nostos in recent years will take place from June 21 to 28, not only at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens, where it is usually hosted, but also at other locations throughout the country, from Northern Greece to the Peloponnese, so that people can learn about the Foundation's activities in a practical and hands-on way.
Under the central theme of "Focus on People," which is also the central message of the SNF, the established SNF Nostos Conference, the SNF Dialogues, and the SNF Nostos Run will return. Along with them will come a series of new experiences, such as an interactive digital installation that will take visitors on a virtual journey through the Foundation's activities, special performances by the Greek National Opera (GNO), a magical intermission, and much more to be announced throughout the year. Stay tuned!
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