Festival Review: Homegrown 2026 @ Claudelands Arena, Hamilton – 14/03/2026

Homegrown hit Kirikiriroa, Hamilton, for the first time over the weekend, held at Claudelands Events Centre and Claudelands Park near the CBD. For the past 18 years, the festival has been held in Wellington, so the move to Hamilton was a significant one.

The move to Claudelands made the event feel both more intimate and larger at the same time. With the stages closer together, it was far easier to hop between the acts you wanted to see. Tens of thousands poured into Kirikiriroa for the event. From the start, any sound concerns I may have had were quickly put to rest as The Jordan Luck Band (pictured above – Photo Credit: Aaron Christiansen for Muzic.NZ) hit the City Stage at 1pm. Even so early in the day, Kirikiriroa fans turned up in numbers, with thousands coming out to see Jordan Luck and his band. Luck was in great spirits and full of energy, getting the crowd to hang on every word and turning the audience into his own choir. By the time he launched into I’ll Say Goodbye (Even Though I’m Blue) the crowd was already in full voice. Guitarist Bryan Bell – also of The Dead Flowers and Ekko Park – performed I Wanna Know, which was a lovely touch and a great surprise for fans. The set was absolutely brilliant, packed with classics from The Exponents era favourites including Victoria, Why Does Love Do This to Me, Whatever Happened to Tracey, and Who Loves Who the Most. It was the perfect way to kick off the festival. Kyle Evelyn, Luck’s sound technician, did a beautiful job and we were treated to something very special indeed.

Sink Like a Stone was a personal favourite, delivered in a very energetic and daring arrangement. Beaver Pooley from The D4 on drums was electric throughout the set, really showing his impressive skillset. There was also a lovely cover of Don’t Change by INXS performed by Joe Walsh, dedicated to his father who was stuck in the UK. He had planned to travel over but couldn’t be due to the conflict in Iran affecting travel routes. It was a powerful and beautiful moment.

From there I headed across to the Electronic Stage to catch P-Money. The stage itself was impressive, sitting around 2.5 metres above the crowd, and fans quickly piled in to fill the mosh. P-Money was his usual genius behind the decks, getting the crowd moving on a hot Hamilton afternoon. He showed exactly why he remains such an important part of Aotearoa’s music fabric. The sonic architect was pushing boundaries and showing his vast skill set, and you could really see he was having an absolute blast up there.

Over on the Nexus Stage, Coridian took the stage by storm, delivering an electric and energetic performance that had the crowd fully engaged from the first note. There is always something special when brothers come together in bands – Angus Young and Malcolm Young of AC/DC, Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, and Neil Finn and Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House. This performance felt no different. The brothers were completely in sync and you could really feel that connection in their playing. It was tight and beautifully arranged. Dity Maharaj’s vocal performance was extraordinary, and his energy on stage was second to none. Overall, it was a fantastic performance to an adoring audience.

Meanwhile, legendary Kiwi rockers Hello Sailor brought plenty of classic energy, reminding the audience why they remain such a staple of the New Zealand music scene. Back on the City Stage, the crowds once again came swarming in. The rock legends looked like they were loving their time on stage and gave the audience a memorable performance, playing classics like Gutter Black and Blue Lady. The crowd felt like a tight-knit whānau woven together through generations of Kiwi songs.

One of the standout performances of the day came from Supergroove, who were absolutely eclectic. Che Fu was at his finest, commanding the stage with his trademark style. A lovely cameo from Troy Kingi and others helped bring the crowd together. This was where the night became a little difficult – not because of rowdy people, but because of the sheer number of incredible bands overlapping. Supergroove, L.A.B, Six60, Devilskin and Blindspott were all performing around the same time. It became a scramble to catch at least a few songs from each – not a bad problem to have. Supergroove were beyond impressive. They are a band I have loved and respected since I was a kid, and I finally had the opportunity to see them live for the first time. They definitely did not disappoint. I had to pinch myself as I stood in the crowd watching thousands of people united, singing Misty Frequencies.

As the final glimpses of the sun set over Mount Pirongia, L.A.B took to the stage to the excitement of tens of thousands of people. Joel Shadbolt and the band didn’t miss a beat in a hit-filled set. Yes I Do, In the Air, and my personal favourite, a beautiful version of Controller, were all highlights. Their set seemed to sum up the entire evening – beautiful, calm, and all about unity. Thousands of people coming together for the love of music. L.A.B have firmly established themselves as a powerhouse in the Aotearoa music world, and their performance on Saturday night made that clearer than ever. Their presence and their mana were evident.

Closing out the festival in true Kiwi fashion were Six60, who once again proved why they remain one of New Zealand’s biggest live acts. At one point during White Lines, Matiu Walters demanded everyone take off one piece of clothing – probably the rowdiest moment of the night as a sea of middle-aged men removed their T-shirts and swung them above their heads. Six60 had the crowd hanging off their every word and movement. They were tight, polished, and sounded fantastic. The band played all the songs the crowd wanted to hear, along with a scattering of tracks from their new record. They also looked like they were having a wonderful time themselves, with Chris Mac at one point playing his bass while holding a bottle of wine.

It is very hard to fault Six60’s performance – in fact, I’m not sure you could. The same could be said about Homegrown itself. Every detail seemed to be meticulously thought out, with care poured into every aspect of the festival. The layout was perfect, with every stage within a five-minute walk, and somehow the sound remained excellent without bleeding across stages. The lineup was extraordinary, featuring a mix of Aotearoa’s finest bands and musicians. The food and drinks were remarkably cheap for a festival, the toilets were abundant and clean with virtually no lines at any point, and there was plenty of drinking water available. Small details perhaps, but important ones. Every element of this festival felt well organised and professional.

Overall, Homegrown was a huge success. Hamilton proved to be the perfect host, with the people, the place, and the weather all playing their part in what was a truly memorable celebration of Aotearoa music.

Gallery 1
Gallery 2
Gallery 3
Gallery 4