Jim Beam Homegrown returned on Saturday, 14 March with a new chapter in the festival’s history. After 18 years of being held on the Wellington waterfront, the iconic New Zealand music festival has now moved to Claudelands Oval in Hamilton, bringing its celebration of Kiwi music to a new city and a new audience.
The festival featured seven stages spread across the Claudelands site: the Jim Beam Park Stage, Pepsi Fusion Stage, Jim Beam Rock Stage, Manuka Phuel Electronic Stage, City Stage, Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage, and the Precision Live Dance Stage, offering a wide mix of genres and performances throughout the day.
Camera in hand, I spent the day photographing the festival for Red Raven News, moving between the Jim Beam Park Stage, the City Stage, and the Jim Beam Rock Stage to capture some of the day’s standout performances. I covered Written By Wolves, Jordan Luck Band, Racing, Stellar*, Catcha Fire, The Datsuns, The Black Seeds, and Head Like A Hole — each bringing their own energy to the crowd, from powerful rock anthems to reggae grooves and classic Kiwi hits that had thousands of fans singing and dancing along. Check out all the photo galleries.
The day itself could not have been better. Under clear blue skies and warm summer temperatures, thousands of fans gathered at Claudelands Oval to enjoy a full day and evening of fantastic music. People of all ages attended, many dressed up and clearly excited to be part of the event.
The festival was very well organised. Free water stations were available throughout the venue, which was greatly appreciated in the heat, and a large number of food trucks offered an impressive range of options — from dumplings and pizzas to German sausages and many other choices.
Most of all, the atmosphere stood out. The crowd was cheerful, relaxed, and incredibly friendly, creating a welcoming and positive energy across the entire festival site.
With its successful move to Hamilton, Jim Beam Homegrown continues to show why it remains one of New Zealand’s most loved music festivals — bringing together great bands, great people, and a fantastic summer festival atmosphere.
Photography by Leonie Moreland
Written By Wolves
Jordan Luck Band
Racing
stellar*
Katchafire
The Datsuns
The Black Seeds
Head Like A Hole
