Velvet Underground legend leads two-day Unsound 2025 program
One of the founding members of the Velvet Underground will perform at the 2025 edition of experimental music festival Unsound, alongside polyrhythmic configurators and emerging post-rock icons.
John Cale will be coming “back to Adelaide” for the first time since 1986 as he heads up Unsound’s 2025 program that’s stacked with international experimental boundary-breakers and a healthy dose of leading locals to boot.
On day two of the two-day festival, the experimental icon and founding member of the Velvet Underground will play music from across his storied career at Hindley Street Music Hall.
CityMag hopes he performs ‘Adelaide’; he’ll have everyone singing along.
This year, Unsound will be leaving its short-term home of Dom Polski, and will be hosted on 11 and 12 July at three venues: Lion Arts Factory, Hindley Street Music Hall and Ancient World.
The cult experimental music festival – part of winter arts festival Illuminate Adelaide – will also feature improvisational US noise duo Yellow Swans, German producer and DJ Wolfgang Voigt, and avant garde producer aya.
John Cale from the Velvet Underground will perform on day two of Unsound 2025. Photo: Supplied
Curated by Unsound artistic directors Mat Schulz and Gosia Plysa, the Friday lineup at Lion Arts Factory was described as one that “revels in a spirit of adventure”.
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This is no more obvious than in the selection of percussionist Valentina Magaletti and Afro-Portuguese DJ Nídia, who are teaming up to fuse electronic grooves and intricate rhythms into polyrhythmic configurations.
Elysia and Josh Crampton will also showcase bewildering beats and unrelenting sound with their project LOS THUTHANAKA. Elysia Crampton (aka Chuquimamani-Condori) and their brother Josh released the new LOS THUTHANAKA record earlier this year, at the time saying it was “a milestone… bringing prayers for rain & gratitude”. It’s a satisfyingly intense LP that blends noisy Brazilian phonk with hypnagogic experimentalism and – for those who care – has been a critical hit.
English producer aya will also take attendees on a raucous journey on the Friday, with her avant-garde approach to hardcore techno sure to thrill, while recently reunited Yellow Swans will perform their first-ever Australian live show at Unsound.
Ticketholders will not have to go anywhere for the must-attend Unsound Club on Friday, which will be held at Lion Arts Factory on night one.
Three DJ sets will take place on the night, including from Gunai/Kurnai and Yorta Yorta artist DJ PGZ, UK underground duo Raime and a second spin from Nídia.
On Saturday, the festivities move to Hindley Street Music Hall, where John Cale and Wolfgang Voigt headline.
Cale kicked his career off with the Velvet Undergound and was a key figure in the New York experimental scene of the 60s. Beyond his own work, he produced classic records by Nico, Patti Smith, The Young Lovers and The Happy Mondays.
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Voigt, meanwhile, is the co-founder of Kompakt Records, which has proudly championed artists that have found a place on the lineups of Unsounds past.
Excitingly, rising post-rock band Moin will play their first-ever Australian gig in Adelaide. Founded by the members of Raime (playing the night prior at Unsound Club) alongside Italian percussionist Valentina Magaletti, Moin is fast embedding itself as a touchstone for 2020s post-rock, drawing on electronic music and found audio to add an ethereal element to their sound.
Unsound Club on Saturday heads to the underground hub Ancient World, where Chuquimamani-Condori will become DJ E for a very special DJ set. Crampton will be joined by aya and local acts like dubstep darling Skorpion King, king of the CDJs Strict Face and Nausea co-founder Bibbe Zee.
Illuminate runs from July 2 – 20 and on the closing weekend, the West End will light up again with another mini festival in Supersonic.
Unsound Adelaide
Friday 11 and Saturday 12 July
Friday program (Lion Arts Factory):
- Valentina Magaletti
- DJ Nídia
- LOS THUTHANAKA
- aya
- Yellow Swans
Friday Unsound Club (Lion Arts Factory):
- DJ PGZ
- Raime
- Nídia
Saturday program (Hindley Street Music Hall):
- John Cale
- Wolfgang Voigt
- Moin
Unsound Closing Party (Ancient World):
- DJ E
- aya
- Skorpion King
- Strict Face
- Bibbe Zee