Sunday at Hinterland Music Festival 2025 brought slightly warmer temperatures than the previous two days, yet still felt mild compared to the sweltering summer weather leading up to the weekend. With clear skies overhead, it was another day of perfect festival weather.
Anticipation was sky-high: when we walked into the press area before the gates opened, we found a long line of fans โ not for merch, not for food, but โthe line to get in lineโ since no one was allowed to officially queue until 10 a.m. Music wouldnโt start for another three hours, but many of those early arrivals were here for Lana Del Rey and were ready to camp out for the day. As you will see, they had plenty of amazing music to help the time go by.
With all one-day passes sold out, the final day of Hinterland promised to be a full test of the festivalโs newer, larger main stage area. As we would see as the day progressed, even at peak capacity, there was still plenty of room to move, and the VIP section felt like an actual upgrade rather than simply being in a more expensive mass of people.
There had already been so many memorable sets on Friday and Saturday of Hinterlands, yet Sunday felt like the “main act” that we had been working up to all weekend. With that in mind, let’s get to the shows!
Orla Gartland
Dublin-born singer-songwriter Orla Gartland opened the day with a serious rock edge, delivering a set that immediately had us texting friends about this rising star. Songs like โCodependencyโ and โLittle Chaosโ showed her knack for hooks, while a cover of Chappell Roanโs โRed Wine Supernovaโ hinted at her range. By the time she wrapped, people who had been staking out spots for the headliner were leaning in, clearly swept up by just how much she could command the stage so early in the day.
Evan Honer
Arizona native Evan Honer made an entrance โ literally โ by backflipping onto the stage. Once on stage, Honerโs set was deep and contemplative. Melancholic wordsmithing was on full display as he played โWake Up, Come Down,โ pausing to offer a tongue-in-cheek apology for putting a sad song so early in the set โ and then promising an even sadder one, before launching into โMr. Meyers.โ At the end of the set, the mood shifted to hopeful reflection with a massive singalong to Honerโs hit, โIDK Shit About Cars.โ For us, it was an early reminder of how much meaning could be packed into a single festival set.
Michael Marcagi
Michael Marcagiโs warm, Midwestern style paired perfectly with the setting. Tracks like โSavannahโ and โScared to Startโ flowed across the field, while a cover of Olivia Rodrigoโs โdeja vuโ wove his chill vibe into the crowd’s pop-hungry vibe. The audience swayed and nodded along, a sea of quiet movement that matched the setโs easy flow. His arrangements were focused, often letting the lyrics carry most of the weight.
Exploring Hinterland Festival
Between sets, the festival grounds were alive with activity โ friends lounging in the grass, couples sipping craft cocktails, and clusters of fans lining up for food ranging from giant slabs of pizza at Pizza Nova to smash burgers at Bussin’ Burgers that were almost too good to be festival food. There was even an on-site used record store that to Vinyl Cup Records! The selfies, the shared food, the easy laughter โ these unscripted moments were as much a part of Sunday as the music.
Wyatt Flores
Wyatt Flores brought an easy warmth to his set, grounding it in genuine gratitude for the fans whoโve supported him both at the festival and beyond. Artists say it often, but something about Floresโs words felt he had a genuine appreciation for sharing his time with us. Between heartfelt verses, the band stretched out into multiple jam sessions that showcased their range โ from guitar breaks to a harmonica feature that drew cheers. Even larger applause met Floresโs fiddle player, Kenzie Sue Miracle, adding a bright, kinetic energy while bringing out the country side of his folk-rock-tinged anthems. By the end, it felt less like a midday festival slot and more like an old-fashioned fireside gathering.
Sierra Ferrell
Playing Hinterland on her birthday, Sierra Ferrell brought her signature blend of country, jazz, and swing โ and her vocals were at the absolute top of their game. Weโve seen her several times before, but this set felt magical. “Jeremiah” and “In Dreams” felt as vibrant as the first time we heard them, even with a few years now under their belt. The anthemic โFox Huntโ became a highlight when Ferrell took center stage, pounding the beat out on a giant bass drum as the crowd clapped along. And yet, even with the golden vocals and the songs that demand, at a minimum some foot tapping, it’s still Ferrell’s contagiously charming stage presence that makes her live sets so perfect. This set was huge y’all and we feel sorry for anyone who missed it!
Bleachers
Bleachers turned the main stage into a euphoric dance party. Jack Antonoffโs giddy energy was infectious, and the bandโs big, layered sound โ built from guitars, keys, two saxophones, and a variety of percussion โ gave the set an E Street Band-like fullness. Guitarists and sax players made the most of their space, trading spots and leaning into each otherโs parts in a way that amplified Antonoffโs joy. With hits like โI Wanna Get Betterโ alongside deeper cuts and a nod to Lana with โMargaret,โ it was one of the dayโs most joyful performances and a perfect bridge into the nightโs headlining set.
And then there was Antonoff almost saying that Hinterland was a better experience than Glastonbury. While he may have stopped just short of actually saying it, he definitely put Glastonbury “on notice” of the sounds and vibes at Hinterland 2025.
Lana Del Rey
The dayโs long build-up paid off as Lana Del Rey delivered a set that felt as much like theater as it did a concert โ a carefully staged, cinematic experience mixing her biggest hits with extended intros, elaborate interludes, and visual projections. Standout moments included โSummertime Sadnessโ and โBorn to Die,โ as well as her closing take on โTake Me Home, Country Roads.โ At times, the spectacle briefly eclipsed her presence, such as when she appeared only as a hologram during two songs, but those moments were balanced by stripped-back performances that reminded everyone why her lyrics and voice have earned such a devoted following. The collective hush during those quieter songs was as striking as the cheers and singing that greeted her most famous choruses.
Campfire Stage: Haffway
Many festival-goers ended their night with the closing of the main stage, and admittedly that was our plan too. But as we weaved through the exiting crowd our new friends from the In the Round Podcast pulled up on a golf cart and shouted “get in loser, we’re going to listen to more music.” (Maybe they didn’t use those exact words, but the sentiment was there, lol)
With that encouragement, we made a late stop at the Campfire Stage to catch Haffway, the artist side of producer and song writer Sam Westhoff. His heartfelt, emotional songwriting, paired with genuine gratitude for those who stayed up, made for a quietly powerful end to the weekend. Under the glow of lights muted by the surrounding forest, it felt less like the end of a festival and more like the kind of small, late-night set you remember long after youโve gone home. Truly the campfire experience bringing you back to mindfulness after making it through the happy strain of a full day of music festing. It was with the fading sounds of songs like “Bones Sleep,” “I Don’t Need You Anymore,” and “East Coast” in our head that we all drifted back to our campsites.
Farewell To Hinterland…until next year.
Sundayโs sold-out finale showed Hinterland at full capacity without losing its small-festival charm. From the rock edge of Orla Gartland to Lana Del Reyโs sweeping spectacle, it was a day that rewarded both the early risers staking their claim and the casual wanderers soaking in the atmosphere. Three days of music, art, and unexpectedly perfect weather left us tired but already counting the days until next yearโs return.
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