Review: A Day In The Gully @ Civic Park 28/02/26
A Day In The Gully proved that even in less-than-ideal conditions, good music can turn any day into something unforgettable.
Words Satine Richmond // Images Candice Hu
Image supplied
A Day In The Gully @ Civic Park 28/02/26
There had been talk that A Day In The Gully might be called off as all forecasts warned Adelaide of possible thunderstorms and flash floods. People showed up anyway, and by the time the line was steadily building outside Modbury’s Civic Park, the thick grey clouds that hung over the festival looked unpredictable.
Inside, the park’s wet grass flattened quickly under hundreds of eager footsteps. Ponchos clung slickly to shoulders, and sneakers squelched in the mud. Festival-goers navigated the slippery paths toward the stage and grassy hill where groups spread out on soon-to-be sodden rugs and blankets. The lineup created a very mixed demographic with A Day In The Gully attracting families with kids playing on the grass, couples old and young and crowds of teenagers and young adults singing along to their favourite songs.
Hailing from Adelaide, The Tullamarines kicked off the festival only ten minutes after doors opened, playing to a crowd that was still filtering through the gates. They confidently launched into their set with ‘Lying’, quickly loosening up the audience that continued to build behind early arrivals clustered near the barricade. By the time they reached their closer, the crowd had fully settled in, and the band had saved their most popular track, ‘Running on Empty’, for last. With the front section louder and more unified than it had been so far, it was the perfect way to introduce the rest of the festival.
Teenage Joans brought a louder, more chaotic set. The South Australian female duo encouraged the audience to clap and dance, and even though the crowd was still building, people stood close to the stage and joined in. They played popular songs like ‘My Heart’s Dead’ and ‘Bandits’, blending punk-pop with their new country-tinged sound. Their energy onstage never slowed, and by the time the pair walked off, they’d left the audience buzzing and fully warmed up for the rest of the day.
Despite the weather, hundreds of people had filled Civic Park, standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the stage. Some had umbrellas, but most just accepted the rain, with flattened hair and clothes already soaked through. Stage lights reflected off wet surfaces, and the air felt cool and heavy with a mix of humidity and excitement. The smell of damp grass mixed with food stalls and smoke machines settled over the happy crowd.
By the time Brisbane pop princess Mallrat took the stage, the rain had been falling for hours. Her softer vocals and electronic break-beats floated across the Gully as she settled into ‘My Darling, My Angel’. She played a mix of older crowd favourites like ‘Wish On An Eyelash’ and ‘Charlie’ alongside dance hits from her latest album, including ‘Hideaway’ and ‘Hocus Pocus’. The stage itself was adorned with small plush toys and figurines that perched on the piano and other instruments. Mallrat danced across the stage in her signature headphones, effortlessly stylish, while subtle autotune added a dreamy texture to her voice. There was a brief technical hiccup with the autotune at the start, but it was quickly sorted out, and by the second song, ‘Pavement’, her performance was seamless. By the end of her set, Mallrat had seamlessly navigated between emotional songs and high-energy dance tracks, leaving the crowd both moved and energised.
Around the edges of the park, food trucks stayed busy as people searched for something warm to eat between sets. Long lines formed in the rain for hot chips, pizza and other festival favourites. The premium area offered partial cover, but it quickly became overcrowded. The tables were slick with rain, and from most spots, the stage was barely visible through the sea of bodies crammed into the space.
READ MORE: Review: Laneway Festival @ Adelaide Showgrounds 14/02/26
Next up, Pete Murray brought a calmer spirit to the festival, armed with his acoustic guitar and warm vocals that carried across the crowd. Fans sang along to classics like ‘Better Days’ and ‘Opportunity’, leaving the audience feeling nostalgic amid the drizzling rain. Even casual listeners found themselves humming along to familiar lyrics, while long-time fans beamed at hearing the songs live. His intimate performance and simplicity of voice and guitar created a calm pause before the afternoon ramped up again.
When The Living End came on later in the day, it was clear that by this point, the punters were fully committed, singing loudly despite being soaked. The band spoke confidently to the audience between songs, including a playful remark by frontman Chris Cheney as he confessed, “You know the best singers are from Adelaide,” which drew loud cheers. Their set reminded older fans why they had been following the band for years, while introducing younger music fans to their high-energy rock.
Ball Park Music’s indie rock sound drew loud sing-alongs from the crowd. Arms were draped over friend’s shoulders as lyrics were sung back at the band. The crowd danced to the upbeat rhythms of ‘Exactly How You Are’ and I’t’s Nice to Be Alive’. As the band transitioned into the slower track ‘Cherub’, pink and purple hues of sunset began to break through the clouds, momentarily painting the sky in the same colours as the lighting onstage. Ball Park Music closed their set with ‘Please Don’t Move To Melbourne’, which reached #10 on the Hottest 100 of 2025, and by the final chorus, the whole of Civic Park was singing along as one.
One of the unexpected highlights was the silent disco, set up under a small tent near the edge of the park. Inside, live DJs swapped over every hour, each bringing a different style but all playing crowd-favourite bangers. Under the cover of the tent, groups of people danced with headphones glowing different colours.
After dark had settled comfortably over the Park, Chet Faker took the stage, bringing a moody, electronic-infused sound. Smoke and lighting silhouetted him as his smooth, soulful vocals wove through the downtempo beats and synths of his set. Songs like ‘Gold’ and ‘Drop The Game’ had the crowd swaying along, as he took their full attention, creating an immersive atmosphere.
By the time headlining DJ Disco Lines came on for the final set of the night, the rain that had lasted almost the entire festival finally stopped. After hours of standing in a steady drizzle, the clear break felt refreshing and much deserved. From the first beat drop, the atmosphere in the Gully changed. Heavy bass pulsed powerfully through the Park while thick clouds of smoke rolled in front of the lights, creating a hazy glow. With each major drop, flames shot upwards from the front of the stage, sending waves of heat through the crowd. After spending most of the day cold and damp, the sudden warmth from the flames felt intense and exciting. Every time the fire burst upward, the audience reacted instantly with cheering and raised hands.
Disco Lines kept the music flowing with seamless transitions, barely pausing between high-energy tracks, keeping the crowd constantly moving. The biggest reaction came from his recently viral remix of Tinashe’s ‘No Broke Boys’, where the crowd turned into a wave of people jumping and dancing together. By this point, the exhaustion of the long, wet day seemed to disappear entirely.
At the end of his set, Disco Lines surprised the audience by bringing Mallrat back onstage for the final song - an unreleased original they had written together. The crowd reacted instantly, cheering as she ran out to join him. During the final drops, Mallrat climbed up onto the DJ table and danced above the crowd while flames fired across the front of the stage.
What made the day truly memorable wasn’t just the lineup; it was the number of people who showed up despite the weather to dance and have fun. The festival’s eclectic mix of artists, from intimate acoustic sets to electronic dance anthems, drew a diverse crowd. In the end, A Day In The Gully was a celebration of community and the joy of live music, proving that even in less-than-ideal conditions, good music can turn any day into something unforgettable.
Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.
