Hinterland’s expansion to four days greeted a new genres of artists and fans alike in St. Charles through rain and shine. Headliners Katseye, Lorde, Mumford and Sons, and Kali Uchis touched four different circles of fans, uniting them under the umbrella of an incredibly unique and singular festival that is Hinterland. Here are my standouts from the weekend.
Thursday
Hinterland does an incredible job of putting female artists at the forefront of their festival, and Thursday was a prime example. All 8 artists were fronted by women or non-binary singers who brought a wide range of genres together. Jane Remover brings electronic and punk influences while later on in the day beabadoobee played her set as one of the leaders on bedroom pop. Katseye closed out the evening in their first US festival headlining slot and the first time a K-Pop group headlined Hinterland. Although beginning as a more folky and americana festival, Hinterland has grown into a hub for music that wouldn’t normally stop in Iowa to have a home.
Friday
The rain calmed for a moment, seemingly parting ways for the good Lorde to enter the stage. The Ultrasound World Tour has been touted by many as one of the most engaging tours out right now and it lived up to the expectations. The camerawork was phenomenal, gliding throughout the stage between Lorde, the two dancers and the band. The band was on top of their game and helped to put on a killer headlining set.
Coming out of the gate with “Royals”, her first single, set the tone for the performance O’Connor was about to give. Pure Heroine tracks bookended this show with “Ribs” being the finale, but in the middle was a heavy dose of her 2024 record Virgin. Eight total tracks from the most recent LP stood out as a distinct progression of Lorde’s sound while fans sung along like they had known the tune for years. There was a showing of Melodrama too with six songs being played including the two singles “Green Light” and “Perfect Place”. It was a lovely blend of the hits and her latest record to the audiences delight.
Lorde took a moment before the song Liability to talk about her long standing infatuation with the state of Iowa, more specifically the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. There’s been a laundry list of authors who’ve went there that she is a fan of. “There’s a lot of mythology there” said O’Connor in her Hinterland debut. There was a lot of love for the fans waiting out the rain all day to see her, and the dedication of those patrons wasn’t lost on Lorde. A phenomenal set where the whole crew gave 100% dried up any dampness people felt. On Lorde’s website you can listen to demos and cuts from Virgin, her ‘X-Rays’ are available here.
Saturday
Irish trio Amble started out Saturday as they continue to make waves here in the states. Their smooth and warm sound, although has a nostalgic feel, is a recent addition to even the musicians lives. Robbie Cunningham Oisín McCaffery, and Ross McNerney were all just guys with jobs not too long ago. They finished university and throughout the following months were playing when they could. Eventually, a switch flipped in their minds and the jobs were no longer. They took a chance on their music and its working out swell for the lads. Opening slots for Ed Sheeren this past summer, Hozier in 2025, and their debut album going number one album in Ireland. This is the stuff of dreams. Amble’s latest single, “The Swell“, charted at #3 in Ireland as they continue their conquering of the States. Their music was a hit with the fans and lovely to listen to a the sun was shining down. Amble comes back to the US this fall.
Waylon Wyatt wasn’t sure if he was going to be performing anytime soon. The outlaw cowboy was in the hospital not too long ago, dreaming about the stage from a bed. His set felt like a dream, giving an dazzling performance reminiscent of some older and classic Hinterland acts. The 19 year old has a track with 2025 Hinterland alum Willow Avalon, “Smoke and Embers“, and their blend of classic western country works incredibly well together. A pedal steel, fiddle, and his voice was a lovely mix as Wyatt prepares to hit the road again this fall. You can find tickets here.
Another Irish star, CMAT, had full ownership of not only the stage but the whole state of Iowa. A performer in every sense of the word, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson was unapologetically a rockstar. Thompson is 3 for 3 getting #1 albums in Ireland, and her 2025 record Euro-Country brought herself to #2 in the UK as well. The alt-folk-pop-rock-fun that CMAT brought to Hinterland was incredibly unique and a joy to witness. CMAT will be returning to the US for a handful of gigs, fests, and a supporting slot for Brandi Carlisle. You can find tickets here.
The Format’s long awaited return to Iowa came to fruition on Saturday, August 1st 2026. Frontman Nate Ruess, an Iowa native and University of Iowa alum, was thrilled to be back and so were the fans. This band was a staple for many during their first run in the 2000’s. Ruess was the frontman of fun. back in the 2010’s and worked on a few solo projects throughout the decade but has since returned to The Format with Sam Means by his side last year. Their set hit a good chunk of Dog Problems, that they will be playing in full at the Hollywood Bowl with Jimmy Eat World this fall, and Boycott Heaven, their 2026 output got two songs to showcase their latest work. The Format has a new single, “The Bar Is Set So Low”, set to release on August 14th and will tour the US this fall with The Get Up Kids. You can find tickets here.
For the first time in 11 years, Mumford and Sons returned to Iowa to open arms. The pillars of the folk rock scene bursted out of England in 2007 and kept rolling until taking some time off in the early 2020’s. Frontman Marcus Mumford lead into his solo work and there was a calm before the storm. The storm being the combination of RUSHMERE and their 102 shows in 2025 with their 2026 record Prizefighter and the subsequent world tour for the record. It has been nothing short of hitting the ground running for the trio, and they couldn’t be happier.
Walking on stage with an electric guitar waiting was Marcus as he was the last band member to step into the spotlight. Hitting the rolling hills of St. Charles with “The Wolf”, “Little Lion Man”, and “White Blank Page” as the opening trio was a bombastic entrance. Prizefighter is a return to form record, where the influences of their heroes like Simon and Garfunkel and Springsteen can seep through their well known sound. Singles from the new record like “The Banjo Song” and “Here“, which was performed on SNL last spring, are new songs chiseled into their long list of classics. Marcus took some time to appreciate the beauty of the scenery, much like most other artists throughout the weekend, as he ran through the crowd during “Ditmas” and made his way to the ADA section. Clouded in hugs and hi-fives, the two time Grammy winner finally arrived back on stage. He also made comment about his disappointment missing some artists on this incredible lineup like CMAT and Geese. I don’t blame him. This was a joyful set, one where every fan and band member was happy to be there. Mumford and Sons closed with their biggest hit, “I Will Wait”, as fireworks sprinkled the farmland sky.
Sunday
There was a great run of three artists that all built up to each other very well. Samia started it with her fun and light sound, almost delving into some yacht-rock vibes, hitting five songs off her most recent record The Baby. This built to Audrey Hobert who opened up her diary to the crowd in her latest record Who’s the Clown with some extremely honest and endearing storytelling. This was then wrapped up with an utterly killer performance from Suki Waterhouse. Her elaborate set was a backdrop to a stellar showing that twirled the crowd into her every word and left them dizzy with making St. Charles her Loveland.
Wet Leg should be headlining every festival around the world. What a spectacular act to be brought to Hinterland as one of the brightest young groups in the alternative world melted the faces off of the hill and the pit alike. The English duo, supported by a full touring band, was absolutely electric bringing their first two records to a massive audience. These big crowds aren’t new to Rhian Teasdale and Heaster Chambers as Wet Leg has gone out to stadiums with the likes of Harry Styles and Foo Fighters. I said this about CMAT and I’ll say it again about Wet Leg, they are performers and rockstars. I feel incredibly lucky to have caught them on the rise of their second record moisturizer before they blow up even more.
Geese were at their best on Sunday, continuing their reign over every person with ears by playing nine songs off their 2025 breakout record Getting Killed. It is no mistake that they have attracted such a large following, as they displayed their talent not only in songwriting but as musicians and performers on Sunday evening. The only mosh pits I saw throughout the weekend occurred during their set, and at multiple points as well. 2122, closer Trinidad, even Bow Down got the people moving. A few crowd surfers here and there, plenty of pushing, and a dabble of circle pits, Geese was a resounding success. They will hit North America this fall on their Getting Killed… AGAIN tour.
There were plenty of new additions to the grounds of Hinterland, including a concrete pit and a permanent stage, cementing St. Charles as a future spot for not only Hinterland’s for years to come, but hopefully more concerts in the permanent space. The hill was draped in blankets and pillows as people enjoyed music from all over the world in the rolling hills of Iowa. No matter the weather, the people seemed happy and excited to be there. Hinterland also overhauled parts of its campsites with miles of trails interconnecting each other and easier access to the campfire stage who housed some incredible artists this year like Die Spitz, Gouge Away, and Buffalo Traffic Jam. Each year the festival builds upon itself, making improvements for the next. Hinterland will return in 2027 from July 30-Aug 1. Tickets are currently available and you can sign up for updates here.
Photo credits Hinterland, Gaby Deimeke, Todd Owyoung
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