Written by Molly Hardacre
By Sunday morning, Bria and I had picked ourselves up as best as we could out of the
campground – all half sunburnt, half asleep, and entirely as we were. We made one last
pilgrimage into West Des Moines for breakfast, which at this point almost felt like a sacred
Hinterland ritual. After fueling up, we hit Trader Joe’s to stock up on snacks (festival prices will
humble even the strongest among us), and yes… we made one final stop at Target.
With provisions in hand, we headed back to camp for the grand finale of the weekend. As we
made our way toward the main stage, the distant echo of Sam Austins drifted through the air.
From far away, his set sounded so good, which was extra tragic because I adore his song
“Seasons” and his whole futuristic, alternative synth thing. Mental note: next time, no dawdling
in the Target dollar section (had to get a water bottle somewhere though).
Then, Orla Gartland. Pure sunshine in human form. She flew in from Dublin and radiated that
kind of warm, contagious energy that just makes you feel like you’re already friends. Her
indie-pop sound was crisp, bright, and exactly what you want for a festival afternoon. If you
haven’t heard of her yet, fix that. Immediately (she’s great!).
The next stretch was a mini country block: Evan Honer, Michael Marcagi, and Wyatt Flores. All
talented, all rocking a solid country tone. But Bria and I? We had other plans in mind. We
wandered over to Miniland instead, where we crafted our own custom bandanas like the serious
fashion designers we are. I’m talking straight-up runway-level heat (Bria’s was definitely better
than mine though). Meanwhile, DJ Kitty Kat Twins were spinning bangers like Kesha’s “Blow”
and Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own,” which somehow had me almost crying in a kids’ craft tent?
(Did not see that coming.)
We rallied back to the main stage for Sierra Ferrell, who, by the way, was celebrating her
birthday (Happy Birthday girl!). Between songs, she would throw out these mystical, almost
cryptic phrases, my personal favorite being an emphatic “ORB OF WHITE LIGHT!!!”, I think it
was meant in love and peace, but it definitely had us scratching our heads a little. Her mic stand
was this gorgeous floral, woodland piece, and she paired it with a soft pink dress and knee-high
boots with matching bows. Her voice? Absolutely made for country. Add in a killer band
(mandolin included), and it was a whole aesthetic forrr sure.
Then came Bleachers. If you’ve ever wanted a masterclass in crowd engagement, this was it.
Jack Antonoff was just… everywhere! Singing, hyping, building beats on the fly, and interacting
like the stage was his living room. The crowd was feeding off every moment, and the band
matched his energy beat for beat. Pure fun from start to finish. Not only that, but it was my first
time seeing people crowd surf in real life (not an easy feat I’m sure!).
Finally, the queen herself: LANA. Over an hour late (classic), but the production alone made the
wait worth it. The stage was a full-on house, like, an actual house. They had dancers stationed
on balconies, poles, and sets scattered across the stage. The windows displayed visuals,
sometimes Lana herself, sometimes flames engulfing the building and her backup singers?
Angels. Literal angels. Their harmonies wrapped around her voice like velvet, and a few even
had solos that left the crowd in awe. Every time the camera panned to the pit during songs like
“Video Games” or “Ultraviolence,” people were scream-crying like they’d just been personally
serenaded.
She closed with “Country Roads, Take Me Home,” and immediately the great festival migration
began. Bria and I, however, were in no rush. We grabbed pizza, hung around while the dust
settled (both literally and figuratively), then slowly packed up camp. By the time we hit the road
at 1:30 a.m., we were singing in the car completely tired, slightly sore, but completely blissed
out.
It was the perfect ending to a weekend of music, sun, laughter, and moments that will live
rent-free in my brain forever for sure. Massive thanks to Sam Summers, the whole Hinterland
crew, Ari for keeping everything running, and of course, Bria; my partner in crime through every
set, snack run, and sunscreen reapplication. Until next time, Hinterland. You were magic.
