The Avenue of the Saints Amphitheatre is host to the yearly music festival, Hinterland. With their start in 2015, this year marked their official tenth year, as the 2020 pandemic unfortunately put a stop to it that year. Covering almost 250 acres of land, it accommodates a plethora of tent campers, RVs, and general parking for those coming and going each day. Last year’s festival, unfortunately, had its share of concerns and negative feedback, but organizers this year went above and beyond to ensure that there would not be a repeat performance (no pun intended) of the previous year. Several water filling stations and cooling/misting stations were situated throughout the festival grounds. Six-foot diameter misting fans were placed all along the photo pit for the comfort of the attendees in the GA pit. Cases of Boxed Water is Better were brought in, and staff continuously handed out (and even tossed to the middle of the crowd in the GA pit) 250 ml cartons to fans to ensure hydration.
This three-day event brought in tens of thousands of fans each day, traveling from all over the country to see their favorite artists, grab some merch, and even crafts from local vendors. After experiencing Hinterland for the first time, I can comfortably say that this music festival is not one to be missed!
Aside from each day’s headliner, many of the artists were unfamiliar to me, so I was looking forward to seeing, hearing, and capturing photos of each and every one in the weekend’s lineups. I now have quite a few new favorites who I’ll be adding to my playlists for sure.
Day 1 started off with a bang with Scowl as the opening act, setting the tone for the energy level that was soon to ensue. They had recently released their second full album, Are We All Angels, this past April. With shocking, bright green hair, lead singer Kat Moss wasted no time amping up the early afternoon crowd. Turkish-born artist, INJI, took the Main Stage after Scowl, and the liveliness did not end there. Following a sold-out headline tour, she’s been making her way through the festivals, immediately heading to Osheaga in Montreal after her performance at Hinterland.
Following her performance, a new favorite of mine, Good Neighbours, took the stage. This rock duo, formed in London, has a sound that makes you want to instantly get up and dance. The multitalented Oli Fox showed his guitar skills, as well as keeping a beat on a floor tom, which was entertaining to watch and capture the action of him doing so.
Back in 2011, Rebecca Black’s video of her song, “Friday,” went viral. Her sound and image have both changed dramatically. Rebecca shows her true art, and conveyed a strong message on stage throughout her performance. An advocate for the LGBTQIA community, the stage was laden with signs reading “STR8? Seek Rebecca Black Salvation 3:33” and “Repent. Turn to Rebecca or Burn.” Her backup dancers, both clad in white leather harnesses, white shorts, and studded belts, were an integral part of her performance, enhancing her message to her supportive community.
Next up were Royel Otis and Remi Wolf, followed by the lo-fi indie pop music of Clairo. Her set started off with her and her band members on stage right, sitting on the risers and mimicking conversation over glasses of wine. While you couldn’t hear what they were saying, it kept the crowd engaged. Kicking off her set with “Second Nature” off of her 2024 album, Charm, it had a nice, slow tempo, and made it all the easier to capture photos of everyone on stage due to the minimal movement during this number. Clairo’s soft, soothing sound was instantly gratifying, and another artist who I’ll be adding to my playlist.
Headlining the evening was none other than Tyler, The Creator. Fans gathered in droves throughout the GA pit and beyond, awaiting his performance, which was definitely more of a production complete with a glowing display of pyrotechnics. This man truly entertains! A green shipping container, emblazoned with the word CHROMAKOPIA (the title of Tyler’s eighth studio album) sat center stage. A large drop cloth with the words ‘Don’t Tap the Glass’, the title of his most recent album released in July of this year, was then draped over the container to set the tone for his set that evening. Donning a bright yellow suit and matching Petalers hat, Tyler kicked off his set with “Big Poe,” and the crowd was screaming! Tyler really knows how to get a crowd going!
Day 2 kicked off with a band made up of a couple of nineteen-year-olds from Atlanta. Emo folk duo Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips formed the group hey, nothing not too long ago, but they are definitely on the rise. They were obviously no stranger to the fans, as many were singing along with several of their tunes. With one album under their belt, We’re Starting to Look Like Each Other, I’m sure there will be plenty more to come. Next on the Main Stage was another Georgia artist, Willow Avalon. Her old-school country sound was influenced by that of the legendary Dolly Parton. She performed several songs off her newest album released this year, Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell, such as “Homewrecker” and “Tequila or Whiskey”, which were two of my favorites from her set.
Following Willow was Gigi Perez, and then Glass Beams. Glass Beams instantly became a new favorite of mine. Their mysterious appearance behind jewelled and beaded masks to conceal their identity combined with their mesmerizing instrumental music provides a unique experience when it comes to listening to their live performance. A unique feature of founding member, producer, and drummer Rajan Silva’s drum kit was the spiral cymbal. I’ve never seen anything like it being used in any concert I’ve photographed, and I was intrigued.
Tucker Pillsbury, who goes by the stage name Role Model, took the stage next. He has that appearance of a country artist, but his indie-pop sound says otherwise. His song, “Blind,” had quite a catchy beat, and was reminiscent of his days as a former rapper. Role Model is known to bring a guest on stage, generally a celebrity, to join him when he performs “Sally When the Wine Runs Out.” During this number, his special guest was none other than the lead singer of The Marías, María Zardoya, who was to perform later in the lineup that evening.
The stage transformed a bit, and was then adorned with some colorful inflated flowers, personified with surprised facial expressions. The digital display lit up with psychedelic-style imagery, and Still Woozy took the stage with unbridled energy from beginning to end. Colorful and fun to say the least, as lead singer Sven Eric Gamsky frequently hopped around the stage with boundless energy. Toning the color down dramatically after Still Woozy’s upbeat performance, The Marías made their way onto the stage. Lead singer, María Zardoya, appeared in what could be considered summer goth attire. Black lace pants, and a sheer black and white striped top, trimmed with a bit of red which flowed with every movement of hers on stage. Their soothing sound frequently incorporates both English and Spanish. They kicked off their set with “Hamptons,” a song off their 2024 studio album, Submarine. Topping off the evening was headliner, Kacey Musgraves, who kicked off her set with “Cardinal,” a song off of one of her newest albums, Deeper Well, released in 2024.
The third and final day of Hinterland was sold out! Fans lined up hours in advance outside of the festival gates in hopes to secure a prime spot to see and hear the headliner for the evening, Lana Del Rey. Once the gates opened at noon, fans raced through the festival grounds towards the GA pit and/or the hill to claim their spot for the day.
Kicking off the lineup for the day was Detroit-born, L.A.-based artist Sam Austins. His high energy and constant movement all around the stage was a surefire way to get the crowd stoked from the get-go. Not long after the plethora of photographers left the pit, Sam made his way off the stage and into the pit, using the back steps of the barricades to raise himself up a little above the crowd. The fans absolutely loved him interacting with them like this! Sam performed a majority of songs off his newest album, The Woods vol. 1, released just this year, kicking it off with “Smoke Break.” His dynamic stage presence made it easy for me to grab some great shots of him during his performance.
Dublin-born artist, Orla Gartland, was next on the lineup, and the energy continued from there. Her band members, instrumentalist Scarlet Halton and drummer Sara Leigh Shaw (aka Sarastix) were situated with their instruments on stage left and stage right respectively behind a facade of an arch with a shooting star. After my allotted first three songs, I couldn’t help but want to stick around for the rest of her set, so I made my way into the GA pit and just enjoyed the music. Her indie-pop sound had just a hint of punk in it, and you simply couldn’t help but jam right along with her songs throughout the entire set. Definitely another new favorite artist for me!
Next in the lineup was indie folk artist, Evan Honer, who just the night before performed a set at a local distillery that’s just ten minutes from where I live, so it was nice to see that some locals got to enjoy his music as well. Evan truly knows how to make an entrance on stage, too! He literally back-flipped out onto the stage, then just casually walked over, grabbed his guitar, and broke into “Everything I Wanted,” the title song to his third studio album being released in September. He ended his set with a fun tune titled, “idk shit about cars,” which was metaphorically referring to one’s lack of direction and understanding in life. Evan also performed with Wyatt Flores (another artist in today’s lineup) at the Val Air Ballroom for an afterparty at 10:00 p.m. that same evening, with Wyatt covering Evan’s “Everything I Wanted.”
Michael Maracgi (pronounced mar • KAY • jee, as displayed on screen and bass drum head) and Wyatt Flores were the next two in the days lineup following Evan, then the sensational Sierra Ferrell, who happened to be celebrating her birthday that day, made her appearance. Yes, the band even played happy birthday before officially kicking off their set. Sierra often wears elaborate outfits, and today was no different, donning a Coquette style dress and floral bodice. She began strumming the first few notes of “I Could Drive You Crazy” on the fiddle, and the entire aesthetic of her set fell into place. Her band members, in matching white shirts and cowboy hats, completed the visual. In keeping with that aesthetic, she stayed hydrated by drinking her water from a glass mason jar, reminding the crowd to do the same while raising that glass like she was toasting to them. Her sound reminds me of Americana, and feels like I’ve been brought back to simpler times when listening to and enjoying her music.
The second to last artist that evening was alternative/indie rock band Bleachers, fronted by lead singer, Jack Antonoff. With smoke effects and strobes dominating the stage, their set had it all! Jack’s stage presence went unmatched, and their music rocked the festival grounds. The sax sounds were abundant, and Evan Smith completely took over with his sax during “Modern Girl.” Later in their set, they performed “Rollercoaster,” a song off of their 2014 album Strange Desire. During this number, fans are encouraged to sit atop each other’s shoulders, and tonight was no different. A sea of stacked-up fans flooded the GA pit, with hands in the air like they were on a…you guessed it…rollercoaster! They started to wrap up their set with a few of their older songs, including “I Wanna Get Better” and “Don’t Take the Money.” Their final song, “Stop Making This Hurt,” had them gradually exit the stage in an organized line, staying in step while playing the final notes of the song.
Darkness had already encompassed the festival grounds, and the crowd was now anxiously awaiting the ultimate headliner for the night, Lana Del Rey, who was scheduled to take the stage at 9:45 p.m. Unfortunately, her set did not begin until 10:30, but there were zero complaints from those dedicated fans, as they were there to see this living legend no matter what! Fans gathered en masse to see her and listen to the melancholic sound of her beautiful voice.
The stage was now set to resemble something as impressive as a broadway stage production. Complete with a functional farmhouse, the stage was adorned with willow tree canopies, a rose arch, and even a garden swing, which was used by Lana and her dancers periodically throughout her set. Lana made her entrance through the front door of the house, being backlit by a glow of orange light. She crossed the porch, and slowly made her way towards the front of the stage for her first song, “Stars Fell on Alabama.”
I cannot say enough about how amazing and well-organized this entire weekend was. Hinterland is more than just a music festival, it’s an experience. Next year’s dates for Hinterland are July 31-August 2, 2026. Hope to see ya there! Here’s the link to the site to sign up for updates: https://www.hinterlandiowa.com/
GALLERY: Hinterland Festival at The Avenue of the Saints Amphitheatre in St. Charles, Iowa (August 2-5)
