by madelyn barkocy
Unclear Magazine is so excited for the 15th anniversary edition of Hopscotch Music Festival, taking place in Raleigh from September 4th — 6th with many more events hosted by labels and venues occurring in the surrounding days.
Hopscotch 2025 has an exciting array of local North Carolina acts, bands traveling from out of state, and a list of mainstage performers that includes legends and up-and-comers alike. These are just a few of the many artists that stood out to us on this year’s lineup:
10. Daughter of Swords
Alex Sauser-Monning, of Mountain Man and The A’s, is taking their solo project Daughter of Swords to Hopscotch. They’re riding the release of their newest album Alex (Psychic Hotline), produced by Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso, in which they invite their folk roots to a dance party. This new whimsical era features lyricism that springs around in detailed vignettes and production that leans more electronic and sprightly than Dawnbreaker, their primarily folk debut record. We can’t wait to hear how these worlds get bridged in Daughter of Swords’ live set!
Thursday, September 4: 11pm at The Pour House
9. Tomin
Tomin is a Brooklyn-based self-taught multi-instrumentalist and computational geneticist making a name for himself in the world of new jazz. The arrangements on his second album A Willed and Conscious Balance (International Anthem), released last year, solidify Tomin’s place as an innovative voice in the scene. There’s such a dense emotional center in all of Tomin’s work and we’re very much looking forward to experiencing it live.
Thursday, September 4: 10:30pm at Nash Hall
8. William Tyler
William Tyler spent his early days playing with Nashville-based acts Lambchop and Silver Jews. Since then, he has been pursuing his own solo body of work, crafting an extensive array of instrumental tracks that explore the bounds of “cosmic country.” His 2025 album Time Indefinite (Psychic Hotline) sees Tyler leaning into new textures and techniques, spotlighting his knack for creating rich ambient worlds.
Friday, September 5: 4:20pm at King’s*
Friday, September 5: 1am at King’s
Saturday, September 6: King’s (doors at 11am)*
7. T. Gold
T. Gold is a project started by Gabriel Anderson and Saman Khoujinian, the two founders of Carrboro label Sleepy Cat Records. Their approach to folk is somehow at once starkly minimal in its saturation and lushly vast in the quality of sound, a perfect late summer soundtrack. In their latest single “Getting to Know the End” released in 2024, they have fun filling the negative space with new experimental layers on an uplifted tempo.
Thursday, September 4: 10pm at Transfer Co. Ballroom
Friday, September 5: 12:30pm at Schoolkids Records*
6. Kumo 99
Kumo 99 is a glitchy electro-pop duo from Los Angeles composed of Ami Komai’s vocals, often sung in Japanese, and Nate Donmoyer’s percussion. Their industrial, drum and bass-inspired sound has lent them a rightful place on primarily hardcore bills, including an upcoming one with fellow Hopscotch 2025 artist Girl Brutal. Kumo 99 played Coachella earlier this year and has some exciting tour dates up ahead, so don’t miss your chance to see them in an intimate venue.
Saturday, September 6: 1am at Slims
5. Friendship
Maine-raised, Philadelphia-based Friendship makes indie rock with an alt-country twang and a knack for finding humor and comfort in the absurd mundanity of the day-to-day. Frontman Dan Wriggins’ baritone bellows are strikingly emotive, delivering each line with nuance that few can master. Friendship shines on their 2025 release Caveman Wakes Up (Merge Records) and we’re so excited to hear it live!
Thursday, September 4: 4:40pm at The Pour House*
Thursday, September 4: 12am at The Pour House
4. Dead Tooth
Dead Tooth is a self-proclaimed “rodeo-core” outfit from Queens fronted by Zach James Ellis. With chaotically catchy, saxophone-lathered rock tunes and a wildcard live show that often features a haunting dance solo by long-time collaborator Nola Sporn Smith, expect a revitalizing cacophony of sound and sweat from Dead Tooth’s set.
Saturday, September 6: 12am at Slims
3. Hemlock
Carolina Chauffe is the brain behind “swamp-raised, ‘phone-fi’ alt-folk” project Hemlock. Their discography is an impressive one after having completed seven different renditions of a “song a day” challenge in one month long intervals, the most recent having been from June of this year. Be sure to check out Chauffe’s work in Little Mazarn as well, also playing Hopscotch this year with quite a few slots of their own.
Saturday, September 6: 11:50am at Wolfe and Porter*
Saturday, September 6: 10pm at The Pour House
2. YHWH Nailgun
Experimental noise rock group YHWH Nailgun has had an exciting year so far after releasing 45 Pounds back in March to critical acclaim. It’s an absolute sprint of an album, running at only 21 minutes long with whiplash-inducing percussion and animalistic vocals that will have you wondering if you should open up a dance floor or a mosh pit. Maybe both. They’ve toured extensively in 2025 and will be continuing to do so for their EU / UK leg up until the tail end of the year, so now is the best time to catch them!
Thursday, September 4: 6pm at City Plaza
1. Wombo
Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, Wombo has been abstracting post-punk since 2016. On their new album Danger in Fives (Fire Talk), vocalist and bassist Sydney Chadwick layers an airy, ethereal quality over the sharp, angular work of bandmates Cameron Lowe on guitar and Joel Taylor on drums, creating an exciting sonic friction. We’re really looking forward to hearing the title track off this new one.
Thursday, September 4: 11:30pm at Wicked Witch
Those are our picks, but there’s so much more to discover! Check out the full lineup schedule here, the day party schedule here, and then log your must-sees in the Hopscotch app for easy day-of-fest reference. See you there!
*signifies a day party set which is open to anyone, no need for a festival wristband.
