Rock Monsters Romania

Control through OneDay Live keeps the radar locked on adventurous sounds this late winter and beginning of spring, bringing cinematic jazz, avant psych, boundary-free electronica, and many more to the heart of Bucharest.

Here’s what’s coming up:

Thursday, February 12 – Vega Trails

Thursday, February 12, brings Vega Trails into Control Club’s orbit for a night that’s bound to shimmer.

Vega Trails is the expansive, cinematic, chamber-jazz project from double-bassist and composer Milo Fitzpatrick, known from cult London ensemble Portico Quartet, and featuring saxophonist Jordan Smart (Mammal Hands, Sunda Arc).

After crafting 2022’s beautifully resonant debut Tremors in the Static as a duo, Fitzpatrick expands the blueprint on the follow-up, Sierra Tracks. Conceived at his new home in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains north-west of Madrid, the album widens its sonic lens: piano, vibraphone and strings enrich the palette, deepening the project’s already immersive atmosphere.

Inspired in part by David Toop’s seminal book Oceans of Sound, Fitzpatrick approached each track as an aural story. “I wanted to make sounds that felt equal to where I’ve been roaming in the mountains and forests out here,” he explains. “You get these huge views and skylines, which it’s hard to find words for.” Even the album’s opening moments – the curious tones at the start of Largo – echo harmonic series often heard in the Sierra region, recreated on cello.

“Fitzpatrick has almost created a new musical genre. Sierra Tracks gets under the skin from the first listen… and then finds its way to the heart.” – UK Jazz News

Expect vast sonic landscapes, intimate textures and a quietly overwhelming sense of scale.

Saturday, February 14 – Mint Field & Avishag Cohen Rodrigues

Saturday, February 14, 2026 – we’re calling it a double bill, but it’s really a double hit: Mint Field and Avishag Cohen Rodrigues live at Control.

Mexican trio Mint Field craft a unique blend of avant-psych shoegaze, exploring nostalgia and everyday melancholy through complex rhythms, loud shimmering guitars and softly sighing vocals. With four studio albums, a live album and two EPs under their belt, the band has been praised by outlets such as NPR, KEXP, Pitchfork, NTS, Rolling Stone, Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan.

Their 2020 album reached #26 on the NACC Top 200 Charts, and they’ve landed on major Spotify playlists including Dreampop, indiekid, Latin Indie Rising, Undercurrents and Shoegaze Classics.

“Mint Field pull from a popular set of ’90s influences – Portishead, Low, Mazzy Star – but they never feel too referential. The group weaves strands of its inspirations together to create their own avant-pop sound. Mint Field are more about conjuring a feeling than spelling out a narrative.” – Pitchfork

Sharing the stage is Avishag Cohen Rodrigues, guitarist of New York’s all-female punk collective cumgirl8 (4AD). Her solo work is intricate yet raw; aloof yet vulnerable. Drawing from rock, lo-fi, dark electronic, noise and experimental textures, Rodrigues builds stark sonic landscapes cut through by bold guitars and minimal, shadowy vocals.

With a full-length album (Islands) and several EPs, she bends genre lines without settling into any single form. Her latest single, Some Are (December 2024), came with a striking video directed by Adeline Thery. Beyond cumgirl8, she has collaborated with artists including Laila and Yonatan Gat (Stones Tapes/Joyful Noise).

Two distinct worlds, one shared intensity.

Saturday, February 21 – Elf Traps

A collision of live drums, synths, beat-driven electronica and spiritual jazz – that’s Elf Traps, the daring new venture from Rob Turner (Mammal Hands, former–GoGo Penguin) and Liviu Gheorghe (former–Matthew Halsall / Gondwana), landing at Control on Saturday, February 21.

Emerging from Manchester’s underground, Elf Traps channel Squarepusher’s rhythmic chaos, Four Tet and Floating Points’ textural electronics, and Pharoah Sanders’ spiritual openness. The result is music that feels raw, vibrant and emotionally charged.

After years of global touring and even a Mercury Prize nomination, both musicians sought a reset. Loose, improvised sessions became the foundation for a project shaped by instinct rather than structure. On stage, acoustic drums and synths intertwine with drum machines, laptops, samplers, chopped vocal fragments and custom robotic percussion.

The music twists and evolves in real time from meditative ambient passages to explosive, adrenaline-fueled peaks. No two performances are ever the same.

Thursday, March 5 – A.A. Williams

The London-based singer-songwriter A.A. Williams invites us on a brilliantly dramatic and intimate walk on the dark side on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

After making her live debut at the prestigious Roadburn Festival on the strength of a self-titled EP, Williams has toured worldwide alongside Cult of Luna, Explosions In The Sky, Russian Circles, Sleep Token and The Sisters of Mercy. She has also established herself as a compelling headliner, including a show at London’s iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Restless and constantly evolving, she has released collaborative and companion works such as Exit In Darkness with Japanese post-rock titans MONO, and Songs From Isolation – a 2020 covers collection praised by The Cure’s Robert Smith and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan.

Perhaps most strikingly, 2021’s arco saw her completely reimagine her debut EP for string ensemble, drawing on her classical training to stunning effect.

Expect haunting dynamics, orchestral depth and a voice that cuts straight through the dark.

Saturday, March 7 – Stavroz

On Saturday, March 7, Control welcomes Stavroz, hailing from “the land of compromise in the heart of Europe” – Belgium.

Their recent 14-track album, Take a Seat, has been described by Decoded Magazine as “a journey that drifts through dusty deserts, humid cities, and late-night reflections.” What began in 2011 as DJ sets and genre-colliding studio experiments has evolved into a fully formed live band exploring an organic, cinematic approach to electronic music.

Their EP The Ginning marked an early breakthrough, reaching gold status in France and topping Hype Machine, with the B-side The Finishing – driven by a compelling tenor sax solo – becoming a standout. The group has earned national recognition in Belgium’s electronic scene, including awards for Best Producer and Best Breakthrough Artist.

From Coachella to Fusion Festival, Wonderfruit to Pukkelpop, Stavroz’s dramatic, melancholic yet determined live presence has left its mark worldwide. Their streamed concert at Fort Saint-Eynard for Cercle once again proved their gift for creating a soundtrack perfectly attuned to place.

Electronic music with a cinematic soul – and Control is ready for takeoff.

Humour – Tuesday, March 17

A band too fascinated by hooks and memorable melodies to be “proper noise,” Humour frame nostalgia and memory through surreal and absurd storytelling. Rooted in post-punk but stretching into post-hardcore and beyond, their sound thrives on intentional tension and carefully orchestrated chaos.

Formed during the 2021 lockdowns, the band wrote and recorded their early material at home, creating sonic landscapes designed to carry Andreas’ lyrics sometimes about letting people down, sometimes about losing pets, sometimes about struggling to say something when nothing feels worth saying.

“Glasgow punks are leading a pack of new, restless guitar bands” – NME

Following performances at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Truck Festival, 110 Above, Connect, and Leffingeleuren, plus a tour supporting Do Nothing, they released their second EP, A Small Crowd Gathered to Watch Me, receiving extensive BBC airplay and critical acclaim. Their rising profile has landed them in NME 100 and BBC Scotland’s Top 25 of 2023.

IAMX – Friday, March 20, 2026

IAMX returns to Control as part of the Artificial Innocence Tour.

Chris Corner’s journey from Sneaker Pimps to IAMX has evolved into a theatrical, deeply personal artistic project that blends electronic experimentation with punk energy and intimate lyricism. His work fearlessly explores identity, sexuality, and mental health.

Across two decades, IAMX has released eleven studio albums, with the latest, Fault Lines2 (2024), debuting at #1 on the Deutsche Alternative Charts and holding the position for six consecutive weeks.

“Corner is what you would call a one of a kind artist (…) Their music is dark, sombre and with one purpose, to awake the beast within” – Louder Than War

Supporting IAMX is Stockholm-based hauntwave artist aux animaux, whose dark aesthetic blends 80s goth influences, horror imagery, and occult themes. Performing on bass and theremin the only instrument played without physical contact she brings an eerie and captivating live presence.

Mother’s Cake – Wednesday, March 25

Since forming in 2012, Mother’s Cake has built a reputation as a powerful live force, sharing stages with Deftones, Iggy Pop, AC/DC, Alice in Chains, and more. Their shows transcend the traditional concert format, becoming immersive psychedelic journeys packed with intensity, darkness, and euphoric release.

“…like a thunderstorm – electrifying, paralysing” – Music-News.at

This is music for listeners craving unpredictability, distortion, and fearless experimentation.

Deki Alem – Thursday, March 26, 2026

The Swedish duo Deki Alem blurs boundaries between drum & bass, trip-hop, dance, and rap, creating a rebellious and electrifying sonic hybrid. Their performances are explosive bursts of raw, unfiltered energy.

Their latest album, Forget In Mass, earned widespread praise from critics including Anthony Fantano, BBC Radio 6, and Clash Magazine (9/10). After festival appearances at Glastonbury and Electric Castle, the twins now embark on their own headline tour.

Opening the night is Romanian artist Andradonna (Andrei Stroe), whose project merges alternative, electronic, and rock influences into deeply personal storytelling, showcased on his debut album The Shit Show (2025).

Antony Szmierek – Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Hip hop, house, spoken word, and rave collide in the work of Manchester’s Antony Szmierek.

Emerging from Manchester’s spoken-word scene, Szmierek combines nostalgic beats and indie textures with sharp, introspective lyrics that dissect modern British life while finding beauty in everyday moments. His album Service Station at the End of the Universe earned widespread five-star reviews, BBC airplay, and festival acclaim.

“Fundamentally British yet beautifully universal” – DIY
“Lyrics that plenty of post-punk bands would dream of penning” – NME

A Place To Bury Strangers – Saturday, April 4, 2026

New York’s A Place To Bury Strangers brings nearly two decades of boundary-pushing sound to Control. Combining post-punk, noise rock, shoegaze, psychedelia, and avant-garde experimentation, their concerts are immersive sonic rituals.

Frontman Oliver Ackermann, founder of Death By Audio, continues to push creative and technological limits. With a refreshed lineup and recent releases including Hologram and Synthesizer (2024), the band remains as unpredictable and electrifying as ever.

Tramhaus – Friday, April 17

Rotterdam’s Tramhaus delivers high-voltage post-punk and crank-wave energy, known for intense and emotionally charged live shows. Their debut album The First Exit (2024) received perfect review scores across major Dutch publications and followed extensive touring across Europe.

“Our music is darker, less heavy, but still light and danceable.”

Black Country, New Road – Thursday, April 23

Described by The Quietus as “the best band in the world,” Black Country, New Road continues to redefine contemporary experimental rock.

From their Mercury Prize-nominated debut For the First Time to the genre-blending Ants From Up There and their newest album Forever Howlong, the British collective fuses folk, prog, baroque pop, and art rock into a uniquely ambitious sound. Produced by James Ford, the latest record further solidifies their reputation for fearless reinvention.

Svaneborg Kardyb – Thursday, May 7

Danish duo Svaneborg Kardyb brings jazz-infused minimalism built around warm Wurlitzer textures and crisp percussion. Their compositions move between introspection and momentum, creating a serene yet emotionally resonant listening experience.

Their latest album Superkilen, inspired by Copenhagen’s multicultural public park, reflects their ability to create calm and connection through music.

“Their sound floats and twinkles like it’s from another place” – BBC Radio 3

The beginning of 2026 at Control isn’t just a run of shows it’s a carefully curated stretch of nights that move from cathartic noise to intimate vulnerability, from dancefloor euphoria to quiet transcendence. Different scenes, different cities, different emotional temperatures all meeting on one stage.

All of these concerts are brought to Bucharest by OneDay Live, continuing their commitment to connecting the city with some of the most exciting and forward-thinking artists on the international circuit.

See you in front of the stage, tickets are available on EventBook.