The 2025 Adelaide Guitar Festival will take place from 10 September to 12 October, with its program spanning classical, blues, rock, country and more. Hosted by Adelaide Festival Centre, the Festival includes Australian debuts, world premieres and returning favourites and coincides with Adelaide’s 10th anniversary as a UNESCO City of Music.
Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan says the program reflects a mix of established and emerging artists. “Whether it’s a performance in Adelaide or in our stunning regions when we go on the road, it’s a thrill to host brilliant artists from Australia and across the globe,” he says.
John Butler and Emma Donovan open Adelaide Guitar Festival
The program begins with John Butler performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 10 September. Making his Adelaide Guitar Festival debut, Butler will present material from his new studio album Prism with a full band. Emma Donovan joins as a special guest.
On 11 September, ABC presenter Zan Rowe will host Riffing with Zan Rowe, a panel-style performance event featuring conversations and live music from Troy Cassar-Daley, Kathleen Halloran, Slava Grigoryan and Catalonian guitarist Lau Noah, who is making her first appearance in Australia.
Cassar-Daley returns on 12 September in a shared bill with Nancy Bates. Bates will debut songs from her new album Share Your Love, joined by her band and collaborators. Cassar-Daley will perform with his full band, bringing to the stage material from his extensive back catalogue.
Adelaide Guitar Festival features tribute to Led Zepplin
A one-off tribute performance of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti album will take place on 13 September. Featuring members of the Southern Cross Symphony and a cast of local musicians, the concert will include the full album and selected hits from the band’s discography.
On 14 September, Lau Noah returns for a full-length performance in a double bill with Australian singer-songwriter Lior, who will present work from his latest album The Blue Parade.
Classical music takes centre stage at Adelaide Guitar Festival
Classical guitar also features in the program, with Duo Siqueira Lima performing at Elder Hall on 13 September. The Brazilian-Uruguayan pair will be joined by Young Taek Jo, winner of the 2024 Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition.
The Consonance concert on 14 September includes the premiere of a new suite by South Australian composer Anne Cawrse performed by Aleksandr Tsiboulski, alongside violinist Elizabeth Layton. Additional performances will come from Slava and Sharon Grigoryan, as well as the Adelaide Guitar Festival Orchestra, with guest artist Lior.
The Classical Guitar Competition final also takes place on the morning of 14 September, with free public entry.
Adelaide Guitar Festival goes regional
The Festival will also present performances across Adelaide’s live music venues through its Guitars in Bars initiative and extend its reach through the On the Road regional tour, travelling to South Australia’s south-east, including Mount Gambier, from 4-12 October.
Douglas Gautier AM, Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director, acknowledges the city’s position as a UNESCO City of Music. “There is much to enjoy at this year’s Festival, which celebrates the guitar in its many forms,” he says.
South Australian Minister for Arts, Andrea Michaels, also welcomes the program, saying, “It’s wonderful to welcome visitors to experience the innovative music scene in Adelaide… I encourage everyone to get out and about and enjoy the Adelaide Guitar Festival this September.”
