Review: Wildlands at HBF Arena Parklands
Wildlands Review at HBF Arena Parklands
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Under a perfect blue sky, with Perth’s blistering heat tempered by a cool coastal breeze, Wildlands touched down at Arena Joondalup on Saturday. The festival buzzed with anticipation as the crowd gathered, ready for a day packed with high-octane performances from both established names and emerging talent.
Early on, Royel Otis took over the Sahara stage, commanding the main stage with their infectious energy. One of the few guitar bands on the lineup, the Sydneysiders drew one of the largest crowds of the day, blending indie rock with grunge-pop and a touch of Manchester Britpop, sparking numerous crowd sing-alongs. Their set of original tracks was solid, but it was their Like A Version cover of Murder On The Dancefloor that really got the crowd buzzing—prompting even the VIP grandstand to jump to their feet and dance.
Berlin’s horsegiirL then kicked off the EDM festivities with her electrifying blend of hardcore, rave, and happy hardcore, a style that’s earned her a strong following in the underground EDM scene. Known for her high-intensity sets and infectious energy, she wasted no time in delivering a performance that had the crowd moving from the first beat. With tracks like My Barn My Rules and My Little White Pony, horsegiirL’s set was a whirlwind of euphoric highs and untamed energy, setting the perfect tone for what was still to come.
Next up was UKG king Sammy Virji, whose rapid rise over the past few years has solidified his place at the forefront of the UK garage scene. Renowned for his collaborations with the likes of MPH, Salute, and Oppidan, Sammy has cultivated a sound that blends the genre’s roots with modern production flair. Wasting no time, he dropped crowd anthems like If U Need It, Shella Verse, and the massive Daga Da, keeping the energy high with his bouncy, groove-driven style. His set seamlessly bridged the old and new schools of UKG, injecting the crowd with a renewed sense of euphoria, and his infectious energy was impossible to resist.
As the sun began to dip behind the horizon, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation for the next act: Marlon Hoffstadt, aka DJ Daddy Trance. Known for his boundary-pushing take on trance and hard-hitting techno, Hoffstadt delivered a performance that was nothing short of electrifying. With a loyal following in tow, dubbed his “children,” Hoffstadt took control of the crowd from the moment he hit the stage. The energy soared as he dropped tracks like It’s That Time and We Want More, alongside hardstyle anthems like FTS by Showtek and his own take on The Nighttrain by The Rocketman. His set was a masterful blend of trance’s soaring melodies and hardstyle’s relentless drive, keeping the crowd in a trance-like state.
The next act on the list was Malugi, who kept the crowd thoroughly charged with his electrifying fusion of UK-infused house and techno. Dropping hit tracks like Baby and Reach Out, the Cologne-based artist kept the Summit stage rocking well into the night, driving the energy to new heights.
Another standout set came from Tassie’s own Sam Alfred, whose distinctive take on minimal house shone brightly throughout the event, adding an extra layer of depth to the festival’s already dynamic line-up.
Overall, Wildlands 2025 was an absolute hit. Untitled impeccably arranged the site, spacing the stages to eliminate noise bleed, placing free water stations throughout the grounds, and providing plenty of shaded areas to keep festival-goers cool. The event’s layout also simplified navigation, eliminating the need to traverse the entire site to catch the next performance.
This year’s edition was a major step up, showcasing a level of polish and attention to detail that made the experience even more enjoyable.
OLIVIA WILLIAMS
Photos by Anthony Jackson
