Cowboy Hunters Bring a Rave-Punk Party at the End of the World to Pohoda
"The world is ending, and we're throwing a party!" That's the motto of Cowboy Hunters, a Glasgow duo the British music press has called the soundtrack to your next messy night out. At Pohoda 2027, they'll bring their Farty Rock, an explosive mix of punk, rave-rock and outrageously funny lyrics.
02. November 2026
The band is Megan Pollock and Desmond Johnston. They met while studying music at Edinburgh Napier University. Both are drummers, and when the guitarist left their previous band, the two of them carried on as a duo. They had to learn bass out of necessity, so they swap instruments and vocals on stage mid-set. Desmond used to play in a doom metal band, and by his own account his riffs are still doom riffs. He's just sped them up so people dance instead of solemnly headbanging.
Their official bio reads like the script of a B-movie western: 69 years have passed since the cowboys attacked, and when the world needed them most, Cowboy Hunters were in the pub. Behind the humour and absurdity, though, there's a sharp edge. Shag Slags Not Flags is an anti-fascist anthem, and Cowboy Hunters don't shy away from queer themes in their lyrics either. They've also won over fellow musicians: Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos has called them the best band in Glasgow. They've supported Franz Ferdinand at a sold-out show in Glasgow, as well as Sleaford Mods and Bob Vylan.
After the EP From One Speck of Dust to Another (2023) and a run of singles including Money For Drugs and Have A Pint, they released the punningly titled EP EPeepee in March 2026. Their track Punched In The Head went viral on social media.
Why see them at Pohoda? Because their shows deliver exactly what their music promises: chaos, energy and fun with no holding back. Asked what the audience should feel at their gigs, they keep it simple: "Overwhelming need to get down." They often end their sets with the whole room doing the Macarena or the Cha Cha Slide. Tie your shoes.