The Melbourne weather gods must be fans of country music. For Out On The Weekend 2025 at Seaworks, Williamstown, they delivered a picture-perfect spring day – plenty of sunshine, a touch of sea breeze, and just enough drizzle to remind everyone it was still Melbourne. The festival once again proved why it’s become such a fixture on the local Americana, alt-country, and twang calendar – a day where cowboy hats meet craft beer, and pedal steel meets portside food trucks.
Nashville rockers Cordovas brought infectious energy and effortless harmonies to the main stage, rolling through a set heavy on tunes from their new record The Rose of Aces. Equal parts Allman Brothers and The Band, they set the tone for the day – warm, joyful, and just loose enough around the edges.
Over on the Outdoor Stage, Scotland-via-New York duo Dug won over the crowd with some cheeky audience participation. The crowd gleefully booed along to “I’m The Promoter Man” (a protest song about a dodgy promoter) and clapped through the rollicking “Cumberland Gap” from their excellent new album Have At It!
Back on the main stage, Henry Wagons channelled his inner Man in Black with a loving tribute to Johnny Cash’s American Recordings. His storytelling was as sharp as ever – especially his tale about the album cover photo shoot taking place just around the corner. The only misfire? The kazoo solo standing in for the “Ring of Fire” iconic horns. A bold move, perhaps best not repeated.
The sunshine returned just in time for Sylvie, the dreamy Los Angeles folk trio whose breezy, Laurel Canyon vibes floated perfectly across the dockside. Their Australian tour band – with local guitar, bass and drums – gave the sound a little extra muscle without losing the shimmer.
Vincent Neal Emerson kept things traditional with a pure Texan country set, all heart and honky-tonk. His take on “Dead Flowers” (by way of The Flying Burrito Brothers) was a highlight, perfectly bridging his sound with classic rock ’n’ roll roots.
Back outside, Lost Ragas brought things down a notch with their easy, expansive grooves. “Marijuana Morning” – complete with Shane Reilly’s gorgeous pedal steel – was the kind of blissed-out moment that sums up the festival’s magic: relaxed, soulful, and slightly sun-dazed.
To close the day, Rhythms cover star Nikki Lane lit up the main stage with a sparkling headline set that blended sass, swagger, and Southern soul. Her finale – a communal singalong to Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” – featured half the day’s lineup on stage, including Emerson, Wagons, and Love Police’s own BT taking a verse. It was a perfect ending to a perfectly Out On The Weekend day: communal, rootsy, and full of heart.
Sunshine, songs, and pedal steel by the sea – Out On The Weekend once again proved that nobody throws a better Americana party Down Under.