LIVE REVIEW: YOURS & OWLS FESTIVAL 2025
Yours & Owls is more than just a weekend of flashing lights, food trucks and screaming fans – it’s a celebration of incredible local and international musicians, and a mutual love for live music.
SATURDAY:
12:19pm. Flagstaff Hill. 23.1°C. The festival gates burst open, and a handful of eager patrons traversed through security, spilling out onto the grassy grounds. The sun was at its peak in the clear sky, but the temperature was yet to hike up to 28°C. Festival goers were in for one sweaty, sunny and scorching afternoon, but the abundance of summery shirts and beachwear suggested that the heat was anticipated. Not that the weather would’ve deterred very many people, anyway. With a bill that boasted so much talent, it was easy to fathom why so many attendees had travelled such long distances to gather at the picturesque city of Wollongong.
Small crowds pooled at the opening sets – Satin Cali and giraffeHead (who had recruited a fanbase of avid friends and family, all donning band t-shirts, to spread the word on the local bands’ Y&O debut). The slightly delayed gate opening times unfortunately provided little opportunity for the grounds to be explored, and water bottles to be refilled, before diving straight into Satin Cali’s set. The grounds themselves were beautiful, nestled on a sloping headland around the Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse, and hosting four stages – Harbour Stage, Mountain Stage, Ocean Stage and the Day of Dance Stage. The grounds were easy to navigate, however, the crowd often became congested around the main walkway, and the bathroom area, especially as the day wore on.
Velvet Trip were one of the first bands to kick off the festival, offering a smooth set at the Harbour Stage (main stage). With open keys, silky high vocals, and an easy beat, it’s not difficult to imagine this band becoming a staple in the indie music scene in the coming years. Their sound was unique – with echoey, spacey tones that completely enveloped the groups of onlookers, who gathered loose rows at the barricade. If 70’s alternative surf rock/pop was a thing, Velvet Trip would’ve been the leaders of this genre – and this groovy sound was an entirely fitting opening for a beach festival.
As the afternoon crept on, and the crowd slowly swelled in size, so did the heat. But what better way to distract oneself, than a bouncy, summery set from none other than 4-piece Perth band, DICE. Hot off the release of their first single of the year, ‘Chasing Hearts’, DICE were ready to leave their mark, carrying that effortless main character energy, and enrapturing the audience in cohesive layers of warm, rock-infused tunes. It may have been the first day of autumn, but each track brushed undertones of summer into the crowd, that married perfectly with the golden sun, and open chords that reverberated throughout every inch of the Mountain Stage. Each song contributed its own texture and colour to the performance, from the slightly heavier opening track, ‘This is Not a Love Song’, all the way to the bouncy chords of ‘Stockholm’. Naturally, their new track, ‘Chasing Hearts’, was an instant crowd favourite – leaning into a poppier sound that was born to be played at festivals like Y&O, amplified by the addictive backing vocals in the chorus. The entire set came together with their final hit, ‘Stop Sign’, the finishing touches to their festival masterpiece. Frontman, Ben Hodge, somehow managed to coerce the crowd into crouching down, letting the anticipation of the chorus build, before reaching its crescendo, the final cue for a mess of flailing arms and inflatable dice. It was not hard to understand why he grinned out at the sea of people, as the crowd carried the chorus throughout the whole festival grounds… it’s moments like these that remind everyone of why live music is so very special.
The afternoon progressed seamlessly, with incredible sets from a selection of Aussie favourites, such as The Dreggs and The Jungle Giants, leaving onlookers happily exhausted. The Jungle Giants were electric – guiding the crowd through the gorgeous sunset with an incredibly interactive and engaging performance, dripping in swagger and exhilaration.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Goo Goo Dolls took the stage. Their set was everything – teeming with that wonderful nostalgic 90’s sound, and slightly gravelly vocals that everyone adored. They don’t make rock quite like this anymore, and it was one of those performances that felt like a bucket list item. From the very first notes of ‘Dizzy’, it was undeniable that they were festival veterans. They had an incredible stage presence and strong confidence that toyed the perfect balance between professionalism and engagement. Whilst each track did feel slightly at risk of sounding similar, songs such as ‘Miracle Pill’ delivered a heavier rock sound that left the crowd clapping and jumping. The disappointment of a teased shoey (which they failed to carry out), was quickly overridden by the promise of the band’s biggest hit. ‘Iris’ was undoubtedly the most anticipated song of the entire festival, and it did not disappoint. There was not a single silent soul, as everyone absorbed the pure joy and euphoria of singing one of the greatest and most gut-wrenching songs of all time. It was one of those breathtaking tracks that makes you forget absolutely everything except for the music, and the shared experience with those around you – a moment that is sure to become immortalised in the mind of every attendee.
A large portion of patrons departed the festival after the Goo Goo Dolls’ set, either to head home, or to flock to La La La’s for the official afterparty (consisting of vibrant DJ sets from DICE and Keli Holiday, as well as a performance from Battlesnake). For those who stayed, Denzel Curry was yet to perform, as well as a few other acts such as Salute and Le Shiv. However, the slightly disorientating effect of placing the Goo Goo Dolls before the close of the festival meant that numbers dwindled before the night ended.
SUNDAY:
The weather couldn’t have been more different from the sunny, humid air that had blanketed the festival grounds on Saturday. As the crowd gathered outside the gates, the cool sea breeze slipped around the early attendees, bringing a satisfying relief from the seemingly endless heat. Punters were allowed little time to dwell on the overcast weather, as the gates opened far more seamlessly than the previous day, with the small crowd passing through security very efficiently.
With a surprisingly early set time of 1:20pm, Grentperez danced onto the Ocean Stage, broadcasting his wholesome energy and incredible ability to engage a crowd, within seconds. Despite the thirty-minute set, he took the time to introduce each song – establishing a very real and personal connection with the audience. The energy was entirely contagious, the crowd grinning as he cheekily bounced across the stage as though it were merely a jumping castle. The movement did little to compromise the quality of the vocals, which floated out in soft, airy tones, and delicate high notes, dusting the performance with a personality that was easy to be adored. Onlookers were also treated to two unreleased songs, ‘Piece of Mind’ and ‘Everest’ (the latter of which will be released on his upcoming album, ‘Backflips in a Restaurant’, later this month).
By the time the breeze had transformed into a stronger wind, MAY-A and her band sprinted onto the Mountain Stage, donning all-black outfits and a wild, rebellious energy. As the opening chords of ‘Time I Love to Waste’ streamed from the monitors, it was instantly impossible to remain stagnant in the bouncing crowd, the chorus of screaming voices wholly consumed by the powerful notes that roared from the stage. Dancing was an absolute necessity – both onstage, and in the sea of fans (it’s not a MAY-A set if it’s not sweaty, right?). There was not a single dull moment, as MAY-A headbanged her way through tracks such as ‘Sweat You Out My System’ and ‘LOLA’, the energy building to an epic finale in the final song of the set, ‘Say Nothing’.
The afternoon unfolded in a stream of wonderful performances. Festivalgoers journeyed between the four stages, eager to witness sets from the likes of The Veronicas, Babe Rainbow, and Coterie. The Veronicas easily amassed one of the largest crowds, whilst Coterie hosted a smaller set at the Ocean Stage. Audience size was most certainly not an indication of engagement, with Coterie fans enjoying the band’s effortless, coastal sound, and rich vocals, in a set that was incredibly enjoyable.
It wasn’t long before British indie pop/rock band, The Kooks, graced the windy Harbour Stage, attracting swarms of eager festivalgoers. The Kooks are an absolute necessity in the playlists of Australian indie music enjoyers, and it was very easy to comprehend why. As the notes of ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ and ‘Seaside’ melted into the air, it was hard to ignore the fact that the set was entirely the epitome of a coastal festival – light and airy, but also guided by a stage presence that was born from years of performing. The entire band was having fun, and it was utterly contagious. As one of the only bands with alternating visuals, it was impossible to ignore the various videos and images of roses that floated across the backing screen – a nod to their upcoming album, ‘Never Know’, set to release in May. They closed the set with the highly anticipated crowd favourite, ‘Naive’, prompting an unfathomable amount of dancing from the mass of fans.
The sunset was far less dramatic than the previous night, with the gritty, eerie chords of Fontaines DC’s set leading the crowd through dusk. By the time that the final sets of the festival rolled in, the sky was a dark abyss, with only the hints of artificial lights left to illuminate the grounds.
Hockey Dad closed out the Mountain Stage, an honour that was befitting of the local, Windang-born band. And what a perfect way to farewell the beautiful weekend than screaming the lyrics to their surf rock staples, including the likes of ‘Wreck & Ruin’ and ‘Join the Club’. As the final track, ‘Seaweed’, streamed from the speakers, the clock struck 10pm, and the mix was muted, as the set ran slightly overtime. But an incomplete song was no way to end a festival, and the crowd roared the final lyrics, even as the sound dulled. The energy and camaraderie were intoxicating, and many left the festival feeling part of something so incredibly special. It was one of those moments that epitomised the festival, and left everyone eager for the next event.