KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Art of Speed (AOS) is set to return for its landmark 15th edition on August 1 and 2, bringing back its grassroots music festival, SoundCircus (SC), following a two-year hiatus.
As Malaysia’s premier annual celebration of custom vehicles, craft and counterculture, AOS will once again occupy the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS).
The showcase spans 452,000 square feet of indoor exhibition space — roughly equivalent to eight football fields — and spills across a massive 320-acre outdoor footprint larger than the Perdana Botanical Garden.
Adding to the weekend’s pull is SC’s return with its largest setup to date, featuring over 70 acts consisting of both local and international performers across six stages.
To help you navigate the massive festival, here is a brief breakdown of some of the components of SC 2026:
SoundCircus 2026 will feature several special showcases including by Malaysian rock queen Ella and famous Indonesian band Cokelat in the ‘Takhta Ratu Rock Nusantara’ segment. — Picture courtesy of Art of Speed
SoundCircus 2026 will feature several special showcases including by Malaysian rock queen Ella and famous Indonesian band Cokelat in the ‘Takhta Ratu Rock Nusantara’ segment. — Picture courtesy of Art of Speed
The acts and special showcases
At the time of writing, SC 2026 has announced a total of 75 acts of diverse genres from hip hop to pop rock to hardcore and metal.
In a more recent update, the organiser has teased that they might be adding several more bonus lineups in the coming days.
It will also be a pretty stacked weekend for festival-goers as SC 2026 will not just be featuring top regional acts but also feature several special curated showcases that are not to be missed which are listed below:
‘Takhta Ratu Rock Nusantara’ Cokelat x Ella: A debut showcase by two legends — multi award-winning Indonesian pop/alternative rock band Cokelat will be sharing the stage with Malaysian rock queen Ella in the Nusantara’s Queen of Rock throne showdown.
Location: Pentas SoundCircus (day two).
‘Waktu Malaysia Berdisko’: Malaysian analog DJ Jemput Dengar will host a retro pop and disco house set featuring appearances by legendary singer Datuk Sheila Majid along with The Impatient Sisters and Ainina Hasnul.
Location: Pentas SoundCircus (day two).
‘Legends x Renegades’ Jemson x Def Gab C: When two generations collaborates — the Legends x Renegades showcase will see Malaysian rock icons Def Gab C coming together with indie alternative/glam rock outfit Jemson.
Location: Pentas 16 (day two).
‘Power Pop Yeah Yeah’ Couple featuring Adnan Othman: Malaysian ‘Pop Yeh Yeh’ legend Adnan Othman, famously known through 1960’s The Rhythm Boys band, will collaborate with indie power pop band Couple, which also consists of his own daughter, Ariana Adnan, the band’s guitarist.
Location: Pentas SoundCircus (day two).
Japanese rockabilly band Johnny Pandora as well as local hip hop and trap hop collective 0108 Slatan will also be performing at SC 2026. — Picture courtesy of Art of Speed
Japanese rockabilly band Johnny Pandora as well as local hip hop and trap hop collective 0108 Slatan will also be performing at SC 2026. — Picture courtesy of Art of Speed
‘0108 Presents Hari Slatan’: Get ready with your ‘S’s as Malaysia’s leading trap hop and hip hop collective 0108 Slatan will be taking over SC 2026 with their Hari Slatan showcase alongside a slew of fringe sets under the 010.8FM Presents across the venue.
Location: Pentas SoundCircus (day one).
’30 Years of Asian Hardcore’: SC 2026 will also be a celebration of milestones especially for these three veteran hardcore bands who are celebrating their 30th anniversary which includes Second Combat (Malaysia), Overthrown (Singapore) and Straight Answers (Indonesia).
Location: Panggung Chaos (day one).
Aside from special showcases, top regional acts gracing the SC 2026 stages include Japan’s ‘Samurai Rock ‘n’ Roll’ band Johnny Pandora and local indie icons such as Hujan, Disagree, Empty Page, Iqbal M, Johny Comes Lately, Masdo and No Good Soundsystem.
This is followed by a slew of top Indonesian acts from current chart-toppers Tenxi, Nadin Amizah and The Jansen to pop punk high schoolers Sukses Lancar Rejeki, indie rock legends The Sigit as well as masked punk duo Sukatani.
The main four stages
Although it has been confirmed that SC 2026 will have a total of six stages across MAEPS, only four were disclosed with details and lineups. Details on the other two stages, believed to be indoors at Hall A and Hall D, have yet to be shared.
The full layout of SC 2026 stages. — Picture courtesy of Art of Speed
The full layout of SC 2026 stages. — Picture courtesy of Art of Speed
Here’s a breakdown of the four stages and what to expect:
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Pentas SoundCircus: This will be the main stage where most of the special showcases such as the ‘Takhta Ratu Rock Nusantara’ and the ‘Waktu Malaysia Berdisko’ sets will take place. It is located right next to Hall B and in front of the ‘ThunderCircus’ open area.
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Pentas 16: This is the intimate and experimental stage where there are no stage barriers which will also feature unique performances including a modern ‘dikir barat’ rendition by Issey and the Clique. Pentas 16 will also feature a flying fox, for those who want to get a bird’s eye view of the performances. Pentas 16 is located right across Hall B.
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Panggung Chaos: From punk to hardcore to metal — it is safe to say this alleyway is where most of the festival’s mosh pits will take place. Panggung Chaos is located outside of Hall D at the Ground level.
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Backdoor Soundsystem: A back-to-back party with an all-Malaysian DJ lineup such as Piponation, AiMampus, S4D.KL, KL Dub Council and more. The Backdoor Soundsystem stage is located in front of the Hall A’s entrance, near the food and beverages area.
What’s happening at AOS 2026?
As every ticket for SC 2026 will also include a general admission ticket to AOS 2026, here are some of the things happening at the 15th edition of AOS dubbed as the Malaysia Summer Festival that is worth checking out.
Known for their stunning lineup of custom motorcycles and cars, the feature vehicles for AOS 2026 this year include a 1945 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead motorcycle customised by Japan’s custom motorcycle shop Hawgholic as well as a 1966 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead motorcycle from Vise Clothing.
AOS 2026 will also feature a special exhibition of stunning custom cars from Bangkok, Thailand and Taiwan, in conjunction with the appearance of Japanese pioneer of widebody supercar modifications and world-renowned automotive tuner Liberty Walk.
Other big names making an appearance at AOS 2026 also include Emi Suganuma, Michihisa “NATQQ” Shinotsuka and Sohei Murakami from MOONEYES as well as Hot Wheels Premium line’s lead product designer Ronald Wong.
The official Hot Wheels Collectors Convention Malaysia (HWCCM) will also be held at AOS this year, marking its fourth edition.
This year’s Hot Wheels Collectors Convention Car is a custom Nissan Skyline GT‑R V Spec II (BNR34), with each car featuring a unique serial number along with authentic Motul and Yokohama decals on top of being officially licensed by Nissan.
In celebration of the special Hot Wheels release, Hall C, where the HWCCM will be happening, will also feature a curated display of Nissan Skyline GT-Rs in collaboration with the Malaysia Skyline Owners Group.
The two-day general admission pass for AOS 2026 is priced at RM35 while tickets for SC 2026 (inclusive of AOS 2026) are priced from RM149 to RM199 for a two-day pass, with single-day passes priced at RM89.
For more ticketing information, please visit https://biz.bboevents.com/event/aosscf26.