Today is line-up release day for Rolling Hertz 2025 so what better time to share the lowdown on this epic event! We asked the legendary Luan from Sound Delinquents about the history of their crew, their toughest and proudest moments, and what makes the underground festival circuit in Aotearoa so unique…

“The Sound Delinquents are a collective of passionate young bucks that host music and art events in the South Island of Aotearoa, predominantly in the Tasman region. With a love for getting the highest quality rigs in NZ paired with the best underground musicians, they are dedicated to creating immersive and unforgettable experiences. 

Back in June 2021, a group of our friends all had birthdays near the same weekend and decided to host a birthday party open to the public. The party was called “The Krusty Krab” as the friends were all Cancers. This event is how we (Luan and Bayley) decided that we wanted to continue hosting events together and started our journey. Incidentally, we share the exact same birthday, year, month, and day.

All we wanted to do was host outdoor parties that we would want to go to ourselves. We saw such events as opportunities to showcase the musical talent and passion for art in the Tasman region and our friend group. We wanted to create safe, fun, and inclusive environments where every person can contribute what they are passionate about, a space for countless ideas and energy to converge, where people can unapologetically be themselves and have the time of their lives at the same time! 

Growing up going to Twisted, we knew that the Cobb Valley was the perfect spot to host our gatherings because it’s such a lush area with stunning nature and an awa right next to the site. This is where we host our main event, Rolling Hertz, the 4th installment of which is coming up in February 2025. We picked a pretty rough time to start out, because just as our first event was about to go ahead the COVID lockdowns hit and we were forced to postpone. After recouping some losses, the first Rolling Hertz went ahead in May 2022 when we were just 19 years old.

Six months after that we decided to host another festival, the infamous Galvanize (meaning to inspire someone into action). Absolutely torrential rain engulfed the Cobb Valley, and no amounts of hay could save us. That was by far the wettest we’ve ever seen the Cobb. Literal rivers were flowing through the site, people swimming and sliding everywhere. Litres of water were in the subs on the Discrete Sound stage, and we were so close to pulling the pin on the stage and packing up because we were afraid of damaging the equipment when suddenly skies cleared and we could continue on. 

We definitely shoved ourselves in the deep end with these early events, we fucked around and found out so to speak. With our ‘go big or go home’ attitude, we got into a lot of debt trying to make the vision happen, and had to work full time jobs and get loans to pay off the festival once it was done. But when you do it for the love of it, it doesn’t matter, the moments created are far more valuable. It was the support of our community and friends that made, and still makes it possible for us to continue these events - you know who you are <3

We have a lot of pride in the grassroots, community focus of our events. Pretty much every aspect of the art that is incorporated in our festivals, from the stage art to the event posters, is from Tasman/Tākaka locals. We have a focus on natural event builds, making all the stages from wood and re-using as much as we can. We also try to cover the whole spectrum of underground electronic music in our events, along with a hearty dose of hip hop and live bands. Aotearoa has such an amazing music scene, and being able to combine your favourite acts with gangsta bedroom DJs you haven’t heard before in one lineup is amazing. With hundreds of acts in just a few days, there’s truly something for everyone. 

Compared to larger commercial festivals, ‘doofs’ in Aotearoa have a more intimate vibe, which fosters an environment that allows people to feel more connected to the event and those around them. The parties feel real and genuine, with a strong sense of community and homegrown flavour. The outdoors is the perfect place to boogie, and when we do we take care of it by disposing of waste correctly and respecting the whenua. 

Community is the main reason we do this - festivals open up opportunities for creativity and growth by bringing together artists, musicians, and performers, creating a platform where everyone’s unique talents shine. The magic happens when everybody’s individual strengths combine, creating a seamless fusion of music, art, and atmosphere that wouldn’t be possible without the collective energy of the community. 

We’d like to give a massive shoutout to everyone who has supported us on our journey through the years, whether by buying a ticket, painting a sign, or digging a hole - thank you!

Special thanks to Clayton, having our backs since day one. Niwa Jongkind for creating the most insane artwork ever. Discrete Sound, passionate and onto it legends. Jakob Climpson, visual maestro. Amy Soulfire, the most gangsta genius out there. Biggup Pedwar. Charlie Brown the don. Cardi da master builder. Naomi the stage painting machine. Psycare and medic team holding it down.. And all the DJs, artists, and workers, the list goes on…

Community is what it’s all about. Aotearoa underground. Stronger together. 

Thank you to Twisted for being the biggest inspiration and GCs. 

We can’t wait to see what the future holds. 

Come to Rolling Hertz 2025, Feb 6-9th. See what the hype is about. 

MUSIC, LOVE, BUSH, BASS. 

With Love, Sound Delinquents.” Phwoah - What a bunch of absolute legends, <3 We are so excited to see the new blood coming through and producing such phenomenal events and it is clear that this crew hold a lot of the same ethos and passion as the Twisted team. Make sure to get your tickets locked in and support these up and coming weapons in their noble cause. Massive love right back to ya Sound Delinquents, you should be thoroughly proud of the effort and mahi you have put into your mission so far and we are looking forward to seeing your events grow and thrive in the coming years <3