The Others Way 2025 First Lineup - Sharon Van Etten, High Dependency Unit, W.I.T.C.H, Saya Gray, The Phoenix Foundation, C.O.F.F.I.N + More

The light at the end of Tāmaki Makaurau's wintery tunnel is The Others Way 2025 multi-zone extravaganza on 29th November, with an ultra-stacked first lineup just announced this morning. Topping the bill of international and local guests is US songwriting superstar Sharon Van Etten with her group The Attachment Theory, whose self-titled new album we hailed as "majestic... reenergised, soaring and playful" when it launched in February.

Reuniting especially for the festival's 10th anniversary will be will be Flying Nun avant-rock noiseniks High Dependency Unit, while Pōneke icons The Phoenix Foundation shall treat attendees to tunes from their just-reissued 2005 classic Pegasus, played in full in celebration of the album's 20th anniversary. The international contingent also includes straight up legendary Zamrock pioneers W.I.T.C.H aka We Intend To Cause Havoc, Japanese-Canadian songwriter / multi-instrumentalist / producer Saya Gray touring her acclaimed new album SAYA, returning Aussie raw rockers C.O.F.F.I.N, and California folk-punk artist Shannon Lay (a member of Ty Segall's Freedom Band).

Local stars including Ōtautahi's universally beloved The Bats, Whanganui's Taite Music Prize winning artist and activist Anthonie Tonnon, dub maestro Christoph El Truento, red hot rising guitar / drums combo Elliot & Vincent, a duo performance from Tiny Ruins, and that is simply the tip of the sonically diverse iceberg.

Amplifying the thrill power overload, for the first time ever Karangahape Road will be closed off for The Others Way: "Expect the whole dang block between Queen Street and Pitt Street to transform into the party of your dreams, with our main stage landing right near the Rainbow crossing". Explore the full first lineup below, snag tickets while they're available, and look forward even more magnificent acts to be announced in the coming weeks...

THE OTHERS WAY FESTIVAL 2025
SHARON VAN ETTEN & THE ATTACHMENT THEORY (US)
HIGH DEPENDENCY UNIT, SAYA GRAY (CA), THE PHOENIX FOUNDATION PERFORM PEGASUS, W.I.T.C.H (ZM)
ANTHONIE TONNON, CHRISTOPH EL TRUENTO, ELLIOT & VINCENT, JAMAICA MOANA (AU), SHANNON LAY (US), THE BATS, TINY RUINS (DUO)
ARAHI, BABETECH, BBYFACEKILLA, C.O.F.F.I.N (AU), CRYING IVY, GENEVA A.M, HINA, HOLLY ARROWSMITH, ISLA NOON, KAIVITI, LIPSTICK CHERRY, MAZBOU Q, RNZŌ, ROMI WRIGHTS, SAMPOLOGY (AU), SWIZL JAGER, WOMB
… AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!

Saturday 29th November - Across Karangahape Road, Auckland

Sign up for further information HERE
The Others Way website HERE
Tickets on sale now HERE

Hit play on 'Idiot Box' from Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory's new self-titled album...

Here's the video for High Dependency Unit's 'Schallblüte', from their 2001 Flying Nun Records album Fire Works...

Watch the clip for 'Damn The River; from The Phoenix Foundation's 2005 album Pegasus...

Listen to W.I.T.C.H's unassailable 1972 single 'Home Town', featured on 2011's Witch: We Intend to Cause Havoc!

Take in 'LIE DOWN..' from Saya Gray's new album SAYA...

Get rarked up with 'Give Me A Bite' from C.O.F.F.I.N's 2023 album Australia Stops...

Press release:

Tāmaki Makaurau’s iconic street festival is back, and bigger than ever in every way imaginable! Yes, the first line-up of 29 mind-boggling acts for The Others Way has dropped, and yes, Saturday 29 November across Karangahape Road just became unmissable.

Hot off the press, we’re pinching ourselves at the news that headlining this year’s festival is none other than Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, touring in support of their phenomenal self-titled album. Last seen here for an astonishing show at the majestic Civic Theatre, Sharon Van Etten has fully accepted her mantle as one of the world’s great rock stars, fronting her gothic-tinged new quartet to widespread awe and acclaim.

While we’ve roped in all your usual favourite venues for the festival, we didn’t think we could squeeze Shazza down the back of Little Turkish Cafe, so for the first time ever we’re closing down KARANGAHAPE ROAD! Expect the whole dang block between Queen Street and Pitt Street to transform into the party of your dreams, with our main stage landing right near the Rainbow crossing.

As if that wasn’t enough to get you scrambling for tickets, the rest of the lineup is scorching hotter than a Holden bonnet in late summer. Behold, Aotearoa’s fabled masters of big noise High Dependency Unit, back to saturate your ears for their first live shows since 2017; Canadian “sonic nonconformist” Saya Gray is headed our way for her debut NZ show; The Phoenix Foundation performing their recently reissued cult classic Pegasus in full; and Zambia’s “Zamrock” legends W.I.T.C.H. are intending to cause havoc, Others Way style.

But wait, there’s more! Joining this extraordinary entourage is public transport mensch and songwriter supremo Anthonie Tonnon; the unmistakable dub sounds of Christoph El Truento; scorching rock’n’roll two piece Elliot & Vincent; rapper and international ballroom icon Jamaica Moana; US indie folk favourite Shannon Lay; the return from our dear friends The Bats on the eve of their new album; and a very special duo performance from Tiny Ruins.

You want more? We got more! Dreamy folk crooner Arahi; bass boss Babetech; captivating club legend BBYFACEKILLA; Aussie rockers C.O.F.F.I.N; psych rock newcomers Crying Ivy; te reo Māori injected electronica from Geneva AM; neo-soul sensation Hina; folk heroine Holly Arrowsmith; emerging pop fave Isla Noon; FILTH AKL favourite & super selector Kaiviti; the new wave of riot grrls Lipstick Cherry; the rap scientist Mazbou Q; rising hip-hop champion RNZŌ; stonking soulstress Romi Wrights; Australian soul adjacent DJ producer Sampology; reo rua (bilingual) rapper Swizl Jager; and dreamy sibling trio Womb.

And that’s just the first line-up. There’s a whole lot more to come.

We’re shutting down the street, and throwing K Road the biggest party you’ve ever seen, with the wildest line-up in the festival’s history. You don’t wanna miss it.