{"id":67347,"date":"2025-08-14T10:07:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T10:07:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/67347\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T10:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T10:07:09","slug":"the-strokes-jelly-roll-the-war-on-drugs-to-headline-adelaides-harvest-rock-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/67347\/","title":{"rendered":"The Strokes, Jelly Roll, The War On Drugs to headline Adelaide’s Harvest Rock in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been a tough few years for Australian music festivals<\/a>, but an Adelaide event has bucked the trend and is being revived from a rough year off<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harvest Rock is back for 2025. And if you’re a South Australian festival fan, chances are you’ve already got its October comeback marked on your calendar.<\/p>\n

Originally launched by Splendour\/Falls Festival promoter Secret Sounds and events juggernaut Live Nation<\/a> in 2022, the two-day festival had previously featured big-name internationals including Jamiroquai<\/a>, Jack White<\/a>, Beck and Khruangbin.<\/p>\n

For 2025, Harvest Rock maintains that scale as overseas acts mixing it up with homegrown favourites on Kaurna Country in Adelaide over the final weekend of October.<\/p>\n

Who’s playing?<\/p>\n

New York indie rock icons, The Strokes, sit atop the bill, playing their first Australian show since a 2022 visit around Splendour In The Grass<\/a>. More significantly, their Saturday headlining set at Harvest Rock is exclusive and will be the band’s first show in Adelaide in almost 20 years.<\/p>\n

Why Australia got The Strokes’ debut album first<\/a><\/p>\n

On July 30, 2001, Australia became the first country in the world to hear ‘Is This It’.<\/p>\n

From their era-defining debut album Is This It<\/a> through to 2020’s Grammy-snatching The New Abnormal, The Strokes are behind some of the most influential modern rock<\/a> of their generation. Their sharp, instantly recognisable sound also sounds excellent live, and they’ve rarely disappointed on previous tours.<\/p>\n

Two more of Harvest Rock’s big attractions are country music sensations Jelly Roll (headlining Sunday night) and Shaboozey, both touring Australia for the first time (and both heading up the launch of new music festival, Strummingbird<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Jelly Roll is the tattooed, Tennessee vocal powerhouse behind hits like Liar, Need A Favour and Son Of A Sinner, his husky vocals and hooky songcraft making him a near-permanent resident on the US and Australian country music charts.<\/p>\n

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Meanwhile, Shaboozey cemented his hip-hop slant on country with the ubiquitous A Bar Song (Tipsy), which was the second biggest single in Australia<\/a> last year. He arrives off the back of third album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, its title doubling as his future-facing genre-splicing approach to country music.<\/p>\n

Another Harvest Rock exclusive is The War On Drugs, the Grammy winning American rock band fronted by founder and frontman Adam Granduciel. Their latest, I Don’t Live Here Anymore<\/a> was one of the best albums of 2021<\/a>, and their live show is never less than enveloping<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Best known for genre-and-culture-blending hits Paper Planes, Bad Girls and Galang, M.I.A. has long been a polarising figure, bringing attention to tough political issues<\/a>, especially those related to her Sri Lankan Tamil heritage.<\/p>\n

But especially in recent years, due to her controversial stance on vaccinations<\/a> and a conspiracy theory-friendly fashion line<\/a> designed to block out 5G and WiFi waves. That said, she’s always been a magnetic performer.<\/p>\n

M.I.A. refused to back down on her second album Kala<\/a><\/p>\n

“Gunshots are fine coming from Eminem or 50 Cent, but it’s not so fine when you’re an outsider”<\/p>\n

Other notable overseas acts include hugely successful electronic music duo Groove Armada, delivering a DJ set, reunited British dubstep producers Skream & Benga, empowering country singer-songwriters Julia Cole and Drew Baldridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plus, a Ministry Of Sound Classical set, which as it says on the tin, combines an orchestra with a whole history of dance music hits<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A fine selection of homegrown acts<\/p>\n

Harvest Rock really shines on the homegrown front. Riptide hit-maker Vance Joy is at the pointy end of the bill, alongside the sun-soaked hooks of pop-rock siblings Lime Cordiale.<\/p>\n

Royel Otis, the Sydney indie rock duo who swept last year’s ARIA Awards<\/a>, are adding Harvest Rock into their October homecoming tour schedule. They\u2019ve spent most of the year playing overseas, capitalising on the massive viral success of their cover of\u00a0Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 pop hit Murder On The Dancefloor<\/a> for triple j’s Like A Version.<\/p>\n

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There are a few bookings that arrive fresh from charting in the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs<\/a>. Those include Wolfmother, playing their blockbuster self-titled 2005 album of psych-and-blues hard rock in full, and The Presets, the electro ragers behind deathless banger, My People.<\/p>\n

They’ll pair well with fellow Sydney party-starters PNAU and Shooting Stars hit-makers Bag Raiders. Cloud Control will bring the nostalgia with a set extending its 15th anniversary celebrations<\/a> behind its debut album.<\/p>\n

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You’ve also got Genesis Owusu, another ARIA-hoovering talent<\/a>, who is currently teasing a third album to fill out his trailblazing discography.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plus, festival favourites The Jungle Giants, the lush vocal harmonies of Folk Bitch Trio<\/a>, DJ and producer Anna Lunoe, Newcastle’s internationally renowned<\/a> rockers Vacations, and Adelaide’s very own loud and proud duo Teenage Joans.<\/p>\n

\"Collage<\/p>\n

Teenage Joans and Genesis Owusu are two of the stand-out Australian acts at Harvest Rock. (Teeange Joans Supplied, Genesis Owusu: Isaac Brown)<\/p>\n

Besides featuring enough music to keep you moving all weekend long, Harvest Rock also prides itself on providing a family-friendly environment, with plenty to keep the little ones occupied.<\/p>\n

Beyond the two main music stages, a third stage will focus on comedy and culinary events. That’s in line with previous editions of Harvest Rock and their focus on supporting and showcasing South Australia’s enviable food and beverage selections.<\/p>\n

Here’s the day-by-day line-up for Harvest Rock festival as it currently stands:<\/p>\n

Saturday 25 October<\/p>\n

The Strokes (Aus exclusive), The War On Drugs (Aus exclusive), Vance Joy, M.I.A., Lime Cordiale, Wolfmother (performing self-titled debut album), The Presets, Skream & Benga, Genesis Owusu, The Jungle Giants, Cloud Control (15th anniversary performance), Vacation, Bag Raiders (Live), Teenage Joans, Divebar Youth, Sunsick Daisy, Oscar The Wild, Any Young Mechanic<\/p>\n

Saturday 26 October<\/p>\n

Jelly Roll, Royel Otis, Ministry of Sound Classical, Groove Armada (DJ set), Shaboozey, PNAU, Lauren Spencer Smith, Ruel, Sneaky Sound System, The Dreggs, Drew Baldridge, Julia Cole, Folk Bitch Trio, Mild Minds, Anna Lunoe, Velvet Trip, Towns, Coldwave, Colter, Apollo.<\/p>\n

Here’s where and when it’s happening:<\/p>\n

Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 October \u2014 Murlawirrapurka & Ityamai-Itpina, Kaurna Land: Rymill & King Rodney Parks, Adelaide, SA<\/p>\n