For one weekend every summer, a small Iowa town plays host to some of the biggest acts in music, along with around 15,000 fans and campers who make the grounds home for a few blistering days. Coming from across the country to convene on the plains, Hinterlanders found excitement in nearly every act on the ticket, one of the most star-studded lineups the festival has assembled in its history. Across its 3 days, here are the performances that stood out the most at Hinterland 2024.

Valencia Grace

For those that could navigate the line fast enough to make it into the grounds to open day one, they were treated to vocal acrobatics and powerful acoustics from Valencia Grace, who garnered well-earned awe from the audience when propelled on a vocal run. After taking the hot seat in front of the piano (literally, with the sun beating down on the seat’s leather), her resonant lyrics boomed from the stage. Never relenting, there was hardly a moment to take your eyes off the UK-born singer. While a focused performer, her power seemed effortless, and her charisma just the same: “I’ve always wanted to make people feel things: feel happy, feel sad, but I always wanted to make people feel horny,” she quipped between songs. While her blackout outfit may not have been the best call in the heat, Grace will have no other regrets surrounding her performance, as she was commanding even in her most vulnerable moments. Though they were just getting settled in, Hinterlanders seemed caught on every word Grace could muster. As a one-woman-show, Grace was more than enough to jump-start a weekend of memorable music.

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Josiah and the Bonnevilles

Arriving on stage with humility and infectious energy, Josiah and the Bonnevilles were all smiles for their time on stage. Their chemistry radiated from their place above the crowd, inspiring feel-good sways and taking in “yee-haws” with gratitude. As the band surrendered to their music, the audience followed suit, all aiming for the same free-flowing, cloud-nine experience. Though a technical difficulty attempted to interrupt their momentum, the show was back on when Josiah wrapped a harmonica around his neck for an impromptu acapella performance that reinvigorated the set, giving an adrenaline boost to all who anticipated their show. The true treat of the set was the band’s debut of their Wilco cover “Jesus, Etc” with Richie Mitch of Richie Mitch and the Coal Miners, which is sure to be heart-wrenching when released but was jolting on this August day. As the first jam session of the weekend goes, it set a high precedent and welcomed in the festival in full. From the second he stepped on stage, Josiah and the Bonnevilles were not to be denied, and they were there to do what needed to be done: put on a damn good show.

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The Last Dinner Party

Sometimes the hardest thing to do as a performer is live up to your billing. It proved to be no problem for The Last Dinner Party, as they sweated and trounced around the Hinterland stage with a sense of belonging so grand that you’d believe they owned the place. Not found in their signature dresses, gowns, ribbons and all the sort, the band instead sported cowboy hats, sunglasses, flannels, and tights in concession to the weather. As their reputation suggested, the band plays every show like their last: histrionic, theatrical, yet never too much. Lead singer Abigail Morris pranced around stage while her fluttering voice followed closely behind her. The band was in such a state of liberation that even their coordinated choreography appeared improvised and in impulsive service to the music. They debuted their coming single “Second Best,” a towering addition to their catalog, a bratty track about being treated, well, second best. The song's performance even featured a pause in action for bass player Georgia Davies to apply fresh lipstick mid-track. Their 30 minutes felt like a headlining performance, and if they weren’t so concerned with pirouetting around the stage, The Last Dinner Party could have burned it down. 

Hozier 

As Friday’s headlining act, Hozier took the stage with a deliberate intent to deliver. There were religious overtones throughout, but they reached a high when he previewed an unreleased song early in his time on stage. The theme of his set was worship: beating a tambourine against his chest, Hozier surrendered to the performance, looking thrillingly exhausted after each song. There was unparalleled joy in the band members and back-up singers, all praising every note and chord with devotion. There was a lot of pride in the music on stage, with everyone in Hozier’s band seeming grateful to be there and unwilling to take the opportunity for granted. For his understated presence, Hozier is a showman in the truest sense, determined to put his best foot forward in bringing the song’s of peoples’ lives to life. Towards the close, he spoke in solidarity with Gaza and celebrated the simple freedoms we often take for granted. Rightfully ending with his two grandest singles, “Too Sweet” had more of a bitter edge to it in concert while “Take Me To Church” sounded even more divine when right in front of you. An artist of the utmost pride and stoicism, Hozier is incapable of disappointment. 

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Hans Williams 

Williams’ folksy tunes were just what was needed to get day two of the festival started. Above his overalls, he wore a smile on his face that spread across the entire stage, projecting onto the audience as his set moved along. He endeared himself to Iowa and the strong collective of Hans fans in the crowd, a number that only grew by the time his set was over. Williams’ music naturally has a midafternoon mood to it, pairing perfectly with the sun high in the sky. Both his Louisiana soul and Northeast sentimentality were present with him, culminating in a welcoming energy that was reciprocated by the audience. It was when the band took time to freely jam that everything came alive, earning an applause uncommon so early in the day. Towards the close, he welcomed Lyla George for an astounding duet - George served as an airy counter to Hans’ groundedness. Conversations throughout the rest of the weekend often included the mention on Williams as a surprise favorite for those familiar and otherwise. On a scorching Saturday afternoon, Hans Williams proved to be the epitome of why showing up early is important. 

Blondshell

After over a year of listening to her debut self-titled LP, Blondshell fans finally found the answer we were all looking for: how do you dance to grunge? Blondshell herself was happy to demonstrate, swaying her hips and bobbing her shoulders to a groove that is much harsher than her moves would suggest. While skipping around the Hinterland stage to the thrash of drums and guitar, she looked to get a thrill out of confessing her shortcomings to the thousands in attendance. Along with the fan favorites from her album, she performed an unreleased song that proves her sound is not a phase but a definition. Even if her new material will be more of the same, she sounds like she has much more to say. The stomping of “Salad” felt like an earthquake that grew with the synchronized clapping of the crowd. While giving glimpses of her powerhouse vocals, Blondshell resorted to more of a drawl for some of her more taxing verses, still retaining the personality present in her songs. Hearing Blondshell’s songs come to life in front of you is a treasure - especially without the guilt of living in the shame of the performer in front of you. In fact, Blondshell appeared to be having the most fun revisiting her misery for all to see.

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Madison Cunningham

Perhaps the biggest standout in terms of unexpected pleasures was Madison Cunnigham, whose live performance brought out the best in her music. With a jump-for-joy kind of voice that boomed from the stage, Cunningham often sang with her eyes closed, feeling the music as she played. She would go into a lilt at times vocally that sounded either romantic or ominous, dictated by her surrounding instruments. In the crowd, there were distant groups of screams at the introduction of nearly every song, as her fans seemed excited for their own favorites to be performed. Her down-right feel-good tunes made for a good transition into the evening, lightening the dread of the heat in the audience. “Broken Harvest” stood out as a cut above the rest. The band was tightly-wound in the best way, bringing out the best in one another and elevating each song. Some of the most impressive vocal runs of the weekend could be heard from Cunningham, who proved to be one of the most winning acts on the ticket.

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Charley Crockett

Though he fancies himself a $10 cowboy, Charley Crockett carried himself like a million dollar commodity on Saturday evening. What began as emotion mostly realized in his face eventually found its way through his bones and possessed his entire body. He would slink down while playing guitar, at times positioning it as a rifle; his throwback style went over well with all generations. In their matching uniforms, his band picked their moments with precision. Bounds of southern charm projected from the stage, resulting in a set that would have sounded just as great in a pool bar. A loose performance that let the crowd come to it, the horns really brought some flare that was at times lacking from the twinkling piano and weeping guitar. Crockett loosened up as he went, his body turning more and more into a slinky to give his lyrics a more winding path to navigate. Between songs, he explained how he won’t accept any title except the blues for his music, and his pride was evident in how he approached his craft. After hitting his stride about 20 minutes in, Crockett didn’t take his foot off the gas. 

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Lizzy McAlpine

Though her lyrics can sometimes fall shallow, it’s clear that McAlpine feels deeply on stage. Her soothing vocals come naturally, and she seems to take her music more seriously than ever when in concert. Positioned far back on stage on the same level as her bandmates, she made good timing with nightfall setting in. “All Falls Down” was a tumbling performance, with a much more involved performance from McAlpine than can be found on her recording. The opportunity for improvisation from the band helped her songs, bolstering them past their otherwise elementary composition. The pedal steel in particular really added flavor - the instrumentalists laid it on the line on a few occasions. “doomsday” kicked off the sing-along from the audience, where it had been mostly quiet to begin with. For as much of an asset as they were, McAlpine got too carried away with the band sometimes, leading to a bit of a drag at times. Her cover of the night came in as “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts, inspired by Hannah Montana and interpolating John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane” for a verse. McAlpine added her particular style of despair to the song, making for the most compelling part of her set. She shared an unreleased song “Spring Into Summer,” which shared the same optimistic feeling in a relationship as is with the seasons in the title. The biggest shift in perception can be awarded to McAlpine after seeing her live, as she sounded more musical than ever with a band; in the past, her songs could sound like underdeveloped journal entries recorded too simplistically. To close, “ceilings” received a more melodramatic rendition, again adding more complexity to a character who before had seemed very two dimensional.

Vampire Weekend

Upon making their grand entrance, the members of Vampire Weekend were immediately charming. Just as idiosyncratic in person as they are on record, the band produced a sound unlike anything else heard on that day. Things got raucous when “Ice Cream Piano” hit, with each member taking the spotlight for damn-near ludicrous solo displays of talent. It was apparent early how much juice they have, and there wasn’t much easing off of the brake after the curtain dropped. One of the more memorable moments of the entire weekend came in the form of freestyle dancing by a shirtless drummer during the saxophone solo of “Classical.” Their musical prowess was amplified by their likability as entertainers, with great banter between songs shared with the audience. Though they seemed like a jagged puzzle piece fit to the lineup, Vampire Weekend made their own shape and completed the picture of a spectacular day of music. 

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Chappell Roan

Ever heard of her? In what was undoubtedly the biggest moment of the weekend, summer sensation Chappell Roan had nearly everyone on the grounds standing over 15 minutes before she took the Hinterland stage. At about that same time, tutorials were going on in the crowd for the irresistible “HOT TO GO!” routine. For her Sunday primetime performance, Roan and her band took on nun costumes for their time on stage - a brave venture if not for the divine consequences than for the temperamental ones. Easily the most alive the grounds felt all weekend, Roan soared through the anthems of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The high expectations still undersold her ability to control an audience - never once did she feel over her head, out of control, or outside her depth. While she’s not needing anointing at this point, her Hinterland performance was the work of a superstar. It’s never too early to add Chappell Roan’s 2024 appearance to the Hinterland Hall of Fame. 

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Ethel Cain

Tasked with following Ms. Roan on Sunday, Cain ran her own race when her time came. Her voice soared on the echoing, heartbreaking “House In Nebraska,” gripping the crowd with no hope of escape. An intimidating but warm figure, lyrics poured out of Cain like blood from an open wound. There was an intense stillness in the crowd, but Cain was comfortable in the quiet - her presence was like a shadow moving through a dark room. The romantic nature of “Thoroughfare” brought the crowd closer to her, and established a trust that carried both parties through the rest of the emotionally tumultuous set. The neon-pink costumes that lingered after Chappell Roan’s show felt starkly out of place in Cain’s cloudy world, but Cain had stayed true to self with a performance that still left an impression - just maybe not as high-definition as the act she had to follow. 

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