REVIEW: Hinterland 2026 Proved Why It’s One of the Midwest’s Best Music Festivals
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
Photos by Emily Carver
HINTERLAND 2026 WAS INCREDIBLY MEMORABLE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS—With a star-studded lineup of headlining artists like KATSEYE, Lorde, Kali Uchis and Mumford & Sons, it was bound to be an iconic weekend on a farm in St. Charles, Iowa. But what made the weekend that much more special was discovering up-and-coming artists sharing that very same stage with the headliners.
The independent festival clearly curated the lineup in a thoughtful manner with artists across genres spanning the weekend for all festival-goers to attend. What I appreciated especially about the weekend was the intimacy of the shows and crowds, with attendees propped up on the grassy hill on their blankets and inflatable couches ready, all mixed with a hype crowd—mosh pits and all. Read below to learn more about how the weekend unfolded.
Photos by Emily Carver
THURSDAY, JULY 30
Thursday was an explosive start to the weekend with Porch Light kicking off the festival. Jackie Uha’s powerful vocals sound exactly as they do in the studio, which is exactly what the band aims for. Artists like Frost Children and Audrey Nuna had their dedicated fanbases in the crowd immediately jumping before the energy shifted to a more dreamy atmosphere with Oklou’s ethereal vocals. She even mentioned that she forgot to bring her “It’s not paradise, it’s Iowa” shirt to the show, but promised her fans she would show it to them one day.
ASHNIKKO transported us to Smoochie World and started off the evening with whimsical production and visuals, performing hits like “Slumber Party” and “Daisy.” beabadoobee brought her rockstar style and performed recent singles like “Switchblade” and “All I Did Was Dream of You” off of her upcoming album Pylon, out in September. What especially stuck out to me about the evening, though, was the fanbase that KATSEYE brings wherever they go. The group did not hesitate to put on an energetic show for their fans while performing “Animal” for the first time live, and in return their fans brought forth the loudest crowd of the weekend.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
Although Thursday evening’s rainy and windy weather trickled a bit into Friday, that didn’t stop the crowds from showing up and showing out. The day started off with Saint Avangeline’s festival debut, showcasing her siren-like vocals and beautiful stage setup with a life-sized tree and snake, blooming roses and apple visuals. She even debuted her unreleased single “Flutter” off of her upcoming project. Wisp brought a show full of dreamy shoegaze which was the perfect soundtrack for a cloudy afternoon. It was her first time performing in Iowa and gave fans a sneak peek of what might come when she opens for beabadoobee during her tour this fall.
Paris Paloma danced on stage in a gorgeous, flowy gown while emphasizing the importance of standing up against generative AI. SOFIA ISELLA even joined her on stage to perform Paris’ hit track “Labour,” a gorgeous visual contrast of two powerful women in music standing hand-in-hand. Meanwhile, MUNA brought the energy and was by far one of my standout favorites of the weekend. There’s not many feelings that can compare to dancing in the rain to hits like “It Gets So Hot” and “Eastside Girls.” As Katie Gavin herself said, everyone felt like Drew Barrymore running through the rain, including herself.
The perfect way to end the evening, though, was the show-stealing act Lorde herself. Everything about the production felt incredibly intentional and detailed, down to each movement Lorde made and each word she uttered. The visuals were almost as mesmerizing as she was, and it was that much more magical being able to experience that performance in the sprinkling rain.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
Saturday kicked off with a gorgeous performance from Julia Wolf, where she performed tracks like “In My Room” and “Jennifer’s Body.” It’s always impressive to hear an artist sound almost identical live to as they do on the record. All the way from Ireland, CMAT made her Iowa debut and brought her quirky and charismatic stage presence, even making a run through the crowd at one point while performing songs like “Take A Sexy Picture of Me” and “The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station.” I was especially surprised to see The Format on the lineup, but it was an incredible reunion to experience live. Nate Ruess still sounds just as he had years ago, and everyone was transported back to the early 2000s.
Mumford & Sons ended off the night by making a stop at Hinterland while on tour for their most recent album, Prizefighter. Alongside their undeniable talent, what was most impressive was when Marcus Mumford ran through the crowd, up the steep hill, all the way up to the ADA tent and back down to the stage within one song—all without missing a single note.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
Haute & Freddy kicked off Hinterland’s final day with an immersive theatrical performance alongside their backup dancers dressed from head to toe in clown attire. As the duo continues their sold out Big Disgrace Tour this fall, the “humble jesters” were an act you didn’t want to miss.
The two biggest highlights of the final day were Young Miko and Kali Uchis, the last headliner of the weekend. Young Miko’s fans didn’t hold back as they threw panties and bras on the stage while she performed hits like "WASSUP" and “CLASSY 101,” keeping the crowd hyped the entire performance. Kali Uchis ended the evening with gorgeous vocals, pink visuals and a bedazzled “Fuck ICE” corset that easily became a crowd favorite outfit.
What continues to separate Hinterland from many larger festivals is how intentionally every decision, vendor, activity and lineup is curated. Whether it was discovering an artist for the first time, watching longtime favorites command the crowds or seeing musicians use their platforms to speak on issues they care about, the weekend felt personal even on a larger scale. Four days later, the feeling still lingered that every artist had been given the space to create a memorable moment of their own.
