High Water 2025

High Water Festival 2025 lineup will drop on Tuesday, November 12th.

Any predictions for this year?

The festival confirmed they will make improvements to the parking situation.

Shovels & Rope are no longer involved.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold.

If you missed it, here is my review of the 2024 event: https://extrachill.com/how-high-water-festival-could-do-more-for-charleston-sc

here is the 2025 High Water lineup

initial impression – i think it’s stronger than last year’s lineup, especially the headliners

only one local band. Easy Honey deserves it tho, they have been hustling

interested to hear what other people think

What happened to S & R?? Could’ve tossed in a few small-print locals. Great big headliners tho. Will definitely draw a crowd. 🚦🚦🚦 Hope no rain

Here’s the bit from Kalyn’s interview with Shovels & Rope for the Post & Courier where they discussed leaving High Water Festival:

Why Did Shovels & Rope Leave High Water Festival?

One way in which the business has shifted has to do with the music festival circuit. While Hearst and Trent never owned High Water Festival, they helped create it and were an integral part of artist curation for the annual showcase at North Charleston’s Riverfront Park. Earlier this year, they announced they’d be stepping away from the event put on by Live Nation.

“We tried to make the environment a certain way and there was a sweet spot,” said Trent. “But unfortunately, just the state of the music festival business is what it is and isn’t something we want to be involved with anymore.”

Hearst added that it got so big, costs ballooned and it stopped reflecting their values. As far as they know, though, the festival will go on next year without them.

“I would love to see Live Nation, as awesome as they are when we work with them, that monopoly busted up,” added Hearst. “There are local independent venues like the Pour House, which we love, struggling against this mega corporation. And every single one of us has to do business with them.”

While they help support “some of the greatest stagehands” and other talented and much-needed workers across the industry, Hearst said she’d love to see a more “naturally capitalistic and competitive situation” in Charleston, especially.

“Our city is really small, but it’s got big culture and big tourism … and it’s disproportionately talented,” she said. “There’s some incredible art, incredible young people doing incredible things. We want to see that scene continue to thrive.”

@jollymonster

This wasn’t a widely publicized interview and it was buried at the end.

High Water Festival is such trash compared to 90% of other music festivals.

They bank on the fact that Charleston has money and all of the yuppies will buy the tickets no matter what, because it’s the cool thing to do.

It was way better before the pandemic.

Now, without Shovels & Rope, and Live Nation fully in control, I expect it will continue to get worse.

#fucklivenation

High Water 2025 Schedule is out now

Saturday, April 26th:

Sunday, April 27th:

I’m personally really excited about High Water 2025! I absolutely love Flipturn and Mt. Joy <3

I was way more of a fan of Noah Kahan and Hozier last year, but this lineup has enough that I love to bring me back again!

It’s getting close now, can’t wait!!!!!