The indie rock trio will head the charity festival at Ballina Skatepark in September, which will also bill several local schools bands to be announced soon.
The Healthy Minds Club’s Folded Festival is excited to announce the addition of Eliza and the Delusionals as the headline band for its 2025 iteration, which will hit Ballina Skatepark on September 20. The beloved indie rock trio have today announced a national tour, including the top spot on the Folded bill.
Originally from Northern New South Wales and Brisbane, Eliza and the Delusionals have earned over 17.8 million streams, a triple j Album of the Year nomination, a Rolling Stone Australia Award nomination and a Queensland Music Award win. Their second album Make It Feel Like the Garden debuted at #11 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart, and they’ve previously played a sold out Australian tour and through the USA with acts like The Front Bottoms. Now, they’re bringing their effervescent sound back to stages across the country.
The act will spearhead the all-ages event in Ballina, with all remaining performers to be local school-aged bands from the Northern New South Wales region in a unique opportunity to foster a wealth of local young talent.
In its third year in 2025, Folded was formed with the creativity of local youth at its forefront. An event by local mental health charity, The Healthy Minds Club, it’s a day for school-aged rockers to come and experience a gig opportunity where there might not otherwise be one.
President of The Healthy Minds Club, Jackson Connellan, says of the concert, “We are proud to help foster the wealth of musical talent among the young people in our area.
“Our board came up with the idea for Folded three years ago because, here at The Healthy Minds Club, we understand the importance of creative outlets for wellness, so we’re keen to put on a great day of music and give the kids a chance to feel like rockstars.
And to have Eliza and the Delusionals on board as our 2025 headliner is an absolute dream!”
On top of this, each of the young bands will be in the running to win a day of recording in a local studio, including mixing and mastering. The best performance on the day, with the exclusion of the major headliner, will be selected by an independent board for the top gong. For many, this could mean the opportunity to release their very first single.
The family-friendly event will run from 12 to 6pm on Saturday 20 September, and invites everyone in the area to come along for some great tunes, to support the kids in their performances, and stick around for the top notch headline act.
Ballina Rotary Club will put on a free barbecue and soft drinks, and the skating bowl is open to any and all skaters who wish to come and add to the festivities by showing off their skills.
This is the first lineup announcement for the festival, which will also present its bill of school bands in early August.
This event is made possible with the support from our sponsors Harvest Estate Byron, Marcon Consultancy, POP’s (Pelicans On Posties), Cherry Street Sports Club, and Koellner Steel.