Twenty years of New Zealand music deserves a serious celebration, and Jim Beam Homegrown is wasting no time setting the tone for 2027. The festival has unveiled its first wave of artists for a landmark anniversary edition, bringing together some of Aotearoa’s biggest names, returning favourites and a new generation of talent for one enormous day of live music in Hamilton.
FAT FREDDY’S DROP, SHAPESHIFTER, SIR DAVE DOBBYN, GIN WIGMORE, SAVAGE, DEVILSKIN, THE EXPONENTS and FULL METAL ORCHESTRA lead the announcement, immediately establishing the scale and variety of the programme. But this is about more than assembling a collection of big names. With several artists returning from the festival’s very first edition in 2008, Homegrown is using its 20th anniversary to celebrate the music, memories and musicians that have helped shape New Zealand’s live scene.
The festival returns to Claudelands Oval in Kirikiriroa Hamilton on Saturday, 3rd April 2027, following its successful move from Wellington. Five stages will bring together rock, reggae, hip-hop, electronic music, pop and plenty of classic Kiwi singalongs, with further artists still to be announced.
For a festival built around celebrating homegrown talent, the first announcement is an impressive statement of intent.
FAT FREDDY’S DROP, SHAPESHIFTER AND A LINE-UP BUILT FOR BIG LIVE MOMENTS
FAT FREDDY’S Drop are among the biggest names leading the 2027 announcement, bringing their unmistakable blend of reggae, soul, dub and electronic influences to a festival that thrives on musical diversity. The Wellington collective have built an international reputation for their musicianship and expansive live performances, making them a major attraction for audiences who like their festival sets to stretch beyond the ordinary.
Electronic music fans have another reason to be excited, with SHAPESHIFTER also confirmed. The group have become one of New Zealand’s defining live electronic acts, combining drum and bass foundations with live instrumentation and a powerful, festival-ready sound. Their appearance should be a natural fit for Homegrown’s energetic atmosphere.
Then there is SIR DAVE DOBBYN, one of the most enduring figures in New Zealand music. With a catalogue that includes Loyal, Slice of Heaven and Whaling, Dobbyn has written songs that have become part of the country’s cultural soundtrack. His presence brings a different kind of weight to the line-up, offering the prospect of a mass singalong that spans generations.
GIN WIGMORE adds her distinctive, gravel-edged vocals and alternative pop-rock attitude, while Savage brings hip-hop credentials and crowd-pleasing energy. Together, these artists demonstrate the range of music Homegrown is putting on the table for its anniversary year.
The heavier side of the programme is equally well represented. DEVILSKIN will bring their hard-hitting metal sound to Hamilton, while The Exponents offer another opportunity to celebrate a band whose songs remain firmly embedded in New Zealand popular culture.
One of the more intriguing bookings is Full Metal Orchestra, which combines orchestral scale with the power of rock and metal anthems. It promises a different kind of live spectacle and underlines the festival’s willingness to look beyond conventional genre boundaries.
A 20-YEAR REUNION WITH THE ARTISTS WHO STARTED IT ALL
The anniversary theme becomes even more meaningful with the return of several acts associated with Homegrown’s inaugural event in 2008. Tiki Taane, Elemeno P, Opshop, Dick Johnson, Sunshine Sound System and Kora are all part of the first announcement, creating a direct connection between the festival’s beginnings and its next chapter.
For longtime attendees, these names bring a welcome dose of nostalgia. Elemeno P made their mark with hook-filled pop-rock, Opshop became a staple of New Zealand radio with songs such as Maybe and One Day, while Kora built a following through a fusion of reggae, funk, soul and rock. Tiki Taane’s distinctive musical approach and Sunshine Sound System’s party-ready selections add further layers to the celebration.
The inclusion of these returning artists gives Homegrown 2027 a story that extends beyond the usual festival announcement. It is a chance to revisit the music that helped establish the event while introducing those songs to a new audience.
Homegrown chief executive Andrew Tuck has highlighted the significance of bringing artists from the original festival back alongside some of the country’s biggest contemporary names. Over two decades, the event has supported 335 artists, and its central mission remains the same: giving New Zealand music a major platform. That sense of continuity is particularly fitting for a festival that has grown alongside the country’s music industry. The 2027 edition is not simply looking back at its history; it is putting established favourites and emerging performers on the same bill to show how much the scene continues to evolve.
NEW VOICES KEEP THE HOMEGROWN SPIRIT MOVING FORWARD
While the anniversary reunions provide a strong emotional thread, the first line-up drop is far from a purely nostalgic exercise. A substantial collection of contemporary artists and rising names ensures the festival is also looking towards the future.
Troy Kingi will bring his ambitious musical world to the bill with Night Lords, while Club Sachi, Montell2099, Pirapus and Sub-Tribe represent the breadth of New Zealand’s modern electronic and alternative scenes. Hip-hop fans can look forward to P-Money’s Anthems Only set, alongside Ché-Fu & The Kratez, while Tadpole and Jon Toogood add further rock credentials.
The announcement also features Written By Wolves, DARTZ, HalfQueen, No Cigar, PRINS, Pixie Lane, Beccie B B2B General Lee, Black Comet, Caru & Brandn Shiraz, Dera Meelan, DJ Sir-Vere, Aunty El and Sean Hill, among others.
It is a substantial first wave, and organisers have confirmed that more artists will follow. Fifteen acts in the 2027 programme have never previously performed at Homegrown, giving the anniversary edition a useful balance between familiar faces and fresh discoveries.
That is arguably one of the festival’s greatest strengths. Rather than concentrating on one particular scene, Homegrown gives audiences the chance to move between styles and generations, discovering artists they might not otherwise see while catching the established names they came for.
HOMEGROWN RETURNS TO HAMILTON FOR ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
The 2027 festival will take place at Claudelands Oval in Hamilton, also known by its Māori name, Kirikiriroa. The move from Wellington marked a significant change for Homegrown after nearly two decades on the capital’s waterfront, but the 2026 edition demonstrated the potential of the new location.
The return to Hamilton also brings the festival closer to its early roots. Organisers have spoken positively about the space available at Claudelands and the opportunities it provides to develop the event further, with five stages planned for 2027. For festivalgoers, the format means one location and a full day of New Zealand music, with the programme spanning everything from heavy rock and metal to reggae, hip-hop, house and electronic music. It is a celebration of the country’s artists on a scale that few events can match.
JIM BEAM HOMEGROWN 2027: DATES AND TICKETS
Jim Beam Homegrown takes place on Saturday, 3 April 2027, at Claudelands Oval in Hamilton, New Zealand. The festival’s 20th anniversary edition will feature Fat Freddy’s Drop, Shapeshifter, Sir Dave Dobbyn, Gin Wigmore, Savage, Devilskin, The Exponents, Full Metal Orchestra and many more artists across five stages.
Tickets and the latest festival information are available through the official website at homegrown.net.nz.
With its first announcement bringing together major Kiwi acts, original Homegrown performers and exciting contemporary names, the festival has laid the foundations for a memorable anniversary. The remaining announcements will reveal more of the picture, but the message is already clear: two decades on, Homegrown remains committed to putting New Zealand music centre stage.
And with a line-up that promises both huge live performances and plenty of opportunities to rediscover the songs that have soundtracked the country, Hamilton is set for a very Kiwi kind of celebration in April 2027.
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