Harvest Rock Festival
Rymill and King Rodney Parks / Murlawirrapurka and Ityamai-Itpina, Adelaide
Saturday, October 26th-Sunday, October 27th, 2025
Returning to Adelaide after last year’s hiatus, Harvest Rock arrived in 2025 as both a comeback party and a statement of defiance. The festival’s cancellation in 2024 had left question marks hanging in the air, casting a long shadow over this year’s event with a sense that the festival had something to prove.
Mother Nature, however, had other plans. Anticipation and excitement on day one were quickly darkened by the clouds, and subsequent heavy rain, lightning, and thunder. Organisers were forced to pause the festival mid-afternoon on Saturday as a storm cell swept across Adelaide.
As lightning flashed over Rymill and King Rodney Parks, gates were temporarily closed and punters were left waiting outside in the rain, desperate for updates. Those already inside the festival grounds scrambled for shelter under ponchos, trees, and scarce picnic umbrellas. The pause stretched on and communication from organisers remained patchy.
The all-clear finally came and music resumed, but unfortunately it did mean a couple of sets were canned – most notably Wolfmother – much to the dismay of many who turned up to see the band perform their self-titled debut album for its 20th anniversary. To their credit, the band made up for it later that night, organising a last-minute gig at The Metro for festivalgoers.
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Once the festival resumed, there was no one better than Genesis Owusu to get the crowd pumped. Bouncing across the stage in a traditional Kente kilt, the Ghanian-Australian artist showed why he is one of Australia’s most magnetic live performers, building hype back up after what was a rough hour or two.
Aussie favourites The Jungle Giants and Lime Cordiale followed with buoyant, feel-good sets that reminded everyone why they’re such dependable festival staples. Lime Cordiale’s Oli and Louis Leimbach seemed to play every instrument under the sun – from sax to trumpet to clarinet – and their easy charisma cut through the day’s lingering dampness. Both bands brought the kind of warmth and reliability that the festival desperately needed after the weather scare.
Vance Joy leaned into nostalgia with a golden-hour set that felt like catching up with an old friend. His voice, familiar and comforting, rolled over the park like a wave of calm, with “Riptide” and “Mess Is Mine” prompting thousands to sing along, cutting through the cool evening air.
By the time The Presets took the stage, the skies had cleared. The duo turned Rymill Park into an outdoor nightclub, strobes slicing through mist as “My People” and “Talk Like That” sent pulses racing.
M.I.A. followed with the night’s most unpredictable energy burst. Dressed in a riot of colour and attitude, she powered through “Paper Planes” and “Bad Girls” with her signature blend of defiance and playfulness, her stage presence commanding even from a distance.
And then came The Strokes – enigmatic, erratic, and utterly brilliant. Frontman Julian Casablancas has long had a reputation for unpredictability on stage, and I half-expected another Splendour in the Grass 2022 experience, where he was stumbling across the stage and incoherently mumbling to himself. Instead, Adelaide got something close to redemption. “Radelaide… you freaks,” he grinned early in the set ,before tossing a sly shoutout to The War on Drugs. It was a small crack in his usual cool detachment, but it felt genuine.
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The band were razor-sharp, ripping through “The Adults Are Talking”, “Reptilia”, and “Last Nite” with effortless precision. Casablancas’ vocals were focused and strong, his charm understated but present.
Beyond the music, Harvest Rock is a proud champion of South Australia’s wine and food culture. The Amuse-Bouche Stage hosted culinary stars, comedians, and podcasters throughout the festival, while the Wildwoods and Cellar Door precinct, curated by Duncan Welgemoed and Nick Stock, highlighted regional produce.
After the chaos of Saturday, day two of Harvest Rock felt like a deep exhale. The skies cleared for most of the day, the mud dried (kind of), and the energy softened. Where day one was dominated by indie-rock heavyweights, Sunday saw punters dust off their cowboy boots and Akubras and lean into a more easygoing, country-inspired vibe.
US country singer Julia Cole was among those kicking the day off with sunshine and swagger, delivering a warm, confident set that felt perfectly tailored to a Sunday afternoon crowd. Her mash-up of Luke Combs’ “Best of Me” and “Beer Never Broke My Heart” was a clear crowd favourite, capturing both heartbreak and humour in one swoop.
Sneaky Sound System brought another hit of nostalgia with “I Love It” and “UFO”, turning the park into an absolute dance floor. Singer Connie Mitchell proved why she remains one of Australia’s great live performers; she was endlessly charismatic, seemingly powered by her own disco-ball heartbeat.
Ruel turned up the emotional intensity with his signature mix of pop polish and vocal fireworks. Performing “Destroyer” live for the first time, he held the audience in quiet awe before snapping them back into motion with “Dazed and Confused”. Songs like “Your Gaze” and “The Suburbs” showed why he’s one of Australia’s most dynamic young performers – he was confident, charismatic, and completely at home in front of the thousands-strong crowd.
From the jump, Lauren Spencer Smith delivered a powerhouse set, including a full-throttle belter cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”.
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Shaboozey also brought a surge of energy, with his viral hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and his cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” showcasing his perfect blend of country and hip-hop grit in a way only he can do.
Royel Otis offered a dreamier set, opening with “i hate this tune” before sliding into crowd favourites like “Sofa King” and “car”. Their retro visuals and smooth, summery vibe made for an effortlessly cool set as the sun went down.
Orchestral legends Ministry of Sound Classical brought a totally different energy – loud, layered, and gloriously heavy. “We’ve been trying to play here for years and years,” frontman Al Jourgensen told the crowd, finally making good on that promise with a cosmic rendition of “Galaxy of Stars”. They finished with arguably their biggest song, Darude’s “Sandstorm” which was a clear crowd pleaser.
Jelly Roll closed out the weekend with pure heart. Equal parts country preacher, rockstar, and stand-up comic, he turned the final hours of Harvest Rock into a celebration of community and resilience. He danced, cracked jokes, and even did a dance break mid-song, but also bared his soul between tracks.
His mash-ups were wild and wonderful: Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You”, The Angels’ “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again”, and even The Beatles’ “Let It Be”. He brought Shaboozey back to the stage for their song “Amen”, calling him “one of the greatest performers, funniest motherfuckers I know”, before summoning fellow US country-rock star Teddy Swims, who has been in Australia on tour, for “Lose Control” – a goosebump moment that had the entire park singing in unison.
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At one point, Jelly got visibly emotional, thanking the crowd for sticking it out despite the weekend’s rough weather. “I’ve spent my whole life wanting to come down here and how out with what I always thought was going to be the craziest and wildest people in the world, thank y’all for accepting me as your family,” he told the crowd.
He sang some of his most popular tunes, including “Song of a Sinner”, “Wild Ones”, “Bloodline”, and “I Am Not Okay”.
“I’ll be back, I promise, I’ll be back,” he said upon closing.
