Note: Authored by David Menconi, this piece has been produced in partnership with Raleigh Arts. Menconi's latest book, "Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music," was published in the fall of 2023 by University of North Carolina Press. His podcast, Carolina Calling, explores the history of the Tar Heel State through music.

Hopscotch, downtown Raleigh’s premier alternative-leaning annual music festival, has released the performers’ lineup for this year’s model. The 15th edition is set for Sept. 4-6, 2025, happening on large and small stages across downtown.

The two main stages will again be at City Plaza on Fayetteville St., and at Moore Square four blocks away. Key main stage acts for Hopscotch 2025 include unorthodox rapper Earl Sweatshirt (Thebe Neruda Kgositsile), in his first show anywhere in North Carolina in six years; from Kentucky, spacy roots-rock band My Morning Jacket; the venerable and very quirky pop duo Sparks, subject of the acclaimed 2021 documentary “The Sparks Brothers”; from the wilds of Idaho, guitar-heroism band Built to Spill; and the Montreal collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

As always, Hopscotch’s lineup also has numerous acts with local ties, including punk-rock institution Superchunk, with a soon-to-be-released new Merge Records album titled “Songs in the Key of Yikes” to show off; instrumental guitarist William Tyler, who has released multiple LPs on Merge; the Chapel Hill “cosmic Americana” duo Blue Cactus; from Durham, Appalachian music duo Magic Tuber Stringband; Les Savy Fav, featuring the expatriate local drummer Harrison Haynes; Daughter of Swords (Alex Sauser-Monnig), who is also one-third of the folk trio Mountain Man; and r&b act Tre.Charles.

As of this writing, general admission three-day wristbands are still available  for $160. There are also enhanced VIP packages still available at prices ranging from $309 to $396. No single-day or single-venue tickets will be available.

Still to be released are final schedules for both the nightclub shows (in more than a half-dozen different venues), and the free Hopscotch day parties that happen throughout the weekend. Shows go on rain or shine, indoors and out. For lists of rules, restrictions and such, see the Hopscotch FAQ.

Since debuting in its inaugural year of 2010, Hopscotch has grown into a highly reputable mid-sized music festival. While never as large as Bonnaroo in Tennessee or Coachella in California, it’s still a key stop on America’s nationwide festival circuit for alternative music. It always features a well-curated artist lineup, and Raleigh’s walkable grid of nightclubs makes it possible to see a great deal of music in not much time.

Hopscotch typically draws up to 25,000 people per year. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic shutdown forced the cancellation of that year’s event, except for some performances online. Hopscotch returned to an in-person format in 2021, but it took until 2023 for the festival to get back to its same pre-pandemic size as it had been in 2019. It’s back to a lineup of more than 100 scheduled acts for 2025.

 

 

 

 

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Above is the graphic that includes days and venues for the headliners, below is the alphabetical order listing of the artist lineup. 

 Adam Amram • Alec Lomami • Ali Forrest • Ancestor Piratas • Bark Culture • The Belair Lip Bombs • Blaakhol • Blab School • BloodRitual • Blue Cactus • Brennan Wedl • Built to Spill • Cavalier • Charlie Chimi • Chicha Libre • Cinematheque • Claire Rousay • Cosmic Reaper • Crumb • Curiosidades de Bombrile • Daughter of Swords • Day of Show • Dead Tooth • Designer • DÖLTZ • Drook • Earl Sweatshirt • Eighth House • Fatboi Sharif • Florry • Frank Hurricane • Friendship • Frog • Fust • Geese • Geordie Greep • Ghais Guevara • Girl Brutal • Godspeed You! Black Emperor • The Gobs • Golomb • Greg Mendez • Gumhead • Harrison & Wentz presents A Night of Mystic Tropicalia • Harsh Realm • hemlock • Hex Files • Hunx + His Punx • Iceblink • Improvement Movement • Interceptor • Jeremiah Chiu • Kendra Morris • Kill the Buddha • Kumo 99 • Kyle Mooney • La Brava • Laraaji • Leah Senior • Les Savy Fav • Little Mazarn • Magic Tuber Stringband • Maia Kamil • Manas • maya ongaku • Merce Lemon • MIDS • Miramar • Miranda & The Beat • My Morning Jacket • Nathan Matthews Ensemble performs Julius Eastman's "Stay On It" • Nilüfer Yanya • Ora Cogan • Pachyman • Pat Keen Bug Band • Peach Rings • Pelican • Pink Beds • The Point. • Psychic Death • Pyrex • Salami Rose Joe Louis • Scarlet House • Secret Guest • Simon Joyner • Snide • Sparks • Spllit • Starcleaner Reunion • Superchunk • Swamp Dogg • Tara Clerkin Trio • Taylor Williams • Tomin • Tre. Charles • Triathalon • True Optimist • Unwound • Uproot Andy • Uymami • Victoria Victoria • villagerrr • Virgothesavage • William Tyler • Windhand • Wombo • Woody • yeule • YHWH Nailgun

For more details, see hopscotchmusicfest.com.