Last day at Mundi Mundi was stacked with Aussie legends hitting the Red Plains in NSW. The Pierce Brothers, Dragon, Leo Sayer, Kate Ceberano, The Cat Empire, and Hoodoo Gurus all rocked the stage and brought serious energy.
The twins—Patrick and Jack Pierce from the Pierce Brothers—kicked things off early in the arvo, grinning brighter than the blazing NSW sun. A light breeze rolled through and took the sting out of the heat, setting the scene for a cracking day of live tunes.
They launched straight into some of my all-time faves. “Bottle” from 2023 came in early with its quirky tempo—perfect way to get things rolling. Then “Brother” slowed it all down, sultry and smooth, giving the crowd a chance to belt it out. Total goosebumps moment.
Their newest track, “Losing Friends When You’re Older,” dropped just days before and absolutely landed. Raw, honest, super relatable—and the crowd felt it too. I reckon it’s gonna be a big one for them.
The set was short and sweet (not gonna lie, I could’ve listened for hours… but I’m totally biased lol). Loved how upbeat and genuine they were about their music—it made the 15,000 punters fall for them even harder. They were a joy to watch and even better to hear.
Dragon were up next, and I hadn’t seen them live before so I was pretty keen to find out how many tracks I actually knew. Growing up on ’70s and ’80s tunes, I figured I’d recognise a few—but turns out I knew nearly all of them. Wild how music from your youth just sticks with you… and Dragon totally proved that.
Their 1978 classic “Still In Love With You” echoed across the crowd, with punters kicking up dust as they danced. Then they threw us straight back to 1990 with “Show No Mercy,” and when those iconic chords from “April Sun In Cuba” hit—mate, no one was sitting down. Even the folks in the seated section were up and grooving. And with 15,000 voices backing them? Absolute magic.
The stripped-back acoustic intro to “Are You Old Enough” was something special, and they followed it up with “Rain,” which had me singing like a maniac. Honestly, hadn’t belted out a tune that hard since the next day… definitely earned myself a stiff drink after that one.
Then came the legend himself—Leo Sayer. Honestly, it blew my mind how that much talent and charisma could be packed into a five-foot-three-and-a-half frame. Physics had no chance. The guy was a machine. From the first note to the last, he had everyone locked in—even the food trucks paused service. That’s how magnetic he was.
He kicked things off with “Thunder in My Heart,” and it stopped people mid-step—me included. I’ve never heard a festival crowd sing that loud before. Thank god I packed earplugs lol. Then came “Love You More Than I Can Say,” which turned into a full-blown hand-waving session, followed by “One Man Band.” But it was his stripped-back cover of the 1978 track “Raining in My Heart” that really hit deep. You could feel the emotion ripple across the Red Plain—one of those rare festival moments that felt personal and shared all at once.
And then chaos—in the best way—when he dropped “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” from his 1976 Endless Flight album. The whole place went off. Like the pro he is, he brought us gently back down with “When I Need You,” one of my all-time favourites from 1977. I was cooked after that… definitely needed to sit down and catch my breath.
All the energy had been sucked into the dance pit after Leo wrapped up his set, and it was gonna take someone with serious presence to fill that void. Enter Kate Ceberano—challenge accepted.
She didn’t just walk on stage, she kicked the door off its hinges, cranked the stereo to 11, and rocked the absolute guts out of Mundi Mundi. No concern for the neighbours—she was here to make noise, and we were 100% here for it.
“Pash” came flying out of the gates, followed by a killer mix of Aussie anthems. “Out of Sight Out of Mind” by the Models got a spin, and “Too Much Too Young” from the Divinyls with the incredible Kathleen Halloran, had the crowd singing like seasoned pros. Kate had a yarn with us about aging disgracefully and living in the moment—classic her, cheeky and real.
She teased a bit of Jesus Christ Superstar, then rolled into “Bedroom Eyes,” which got a massive reaction (even the media tent was vibing lol). And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, she dropped a version of “Nutbush” that kicked up so much red dust it dyed my grey hair.
No joke—I looked like I’d been dipped in ochre. Gonna be a fun one to explain when I get home. Kate left the bar sky-high… now it was The Cat Empire’s turn to take the reins.
It was The Cat Empire’s first time at Mundi Mundi, and they were absolutely gobsmacked by the sea of people and that jaw-dropping sunset lighting up their set. The whole vibe was already blissed out, and they just added to the magic.
“How to Explain” hit hard, echoing through the crowd with that killer line—music is the language of the soul. Couldn’t have picked a more fitting track for a day that was all about celebrating Aussie music. Then “Two Shoes” dropped and boom—we went from dusty plains to a full-blown Latin dance party in seconds. Seriously impressive stuff.
Their latest track from 2025, “Blood on the Stage,” kept the hips swaying, and when they launched into “Hello Hello,” the crowd went next-level. The Cat Empire looked slick up there—brass, percussion, the whole setup running like a well-oiled groove machine. They wrapped things up perfectly, setting the stage for the next legends—Hoodoo Gurus.
The Hoodoo Gurus rolled in with decades of lyrical gold and a back catalogue so stacked, there was no way anyone wasn’t vibing with their set. It felt like we were all strapped in for a joyride across the big red plain. As soon as they dropped the 1984 classic “I Want You Back,” the dust started flying. “Right Time” and “Death Defying” off Mars Needs Guitars kept the heart rates pumping.
The dance floor was packed tight—hands in the air, kids on shoulders, colourful hats bobbing around, glow sticks lighting up the red dirt like a neon dream. Smiles everywhere. The Hoodoo Gurus didn’t let up, throwing hit after hit: “Good Times,” “Miss Freelove ’69,” “1000 Miles Away,” and “Be My Guru.” Then “What’s My Scene” took the crowd to another level, and they kept us floating with the 1987 gem “When I First Met You.” It was a blistering set and the perfect send-off for Mundi Mundi 2025.
Trying to explain Mundi Mundi is like trying to bottle lightning. It’s part massive family reunion, part Aussie music fever dream. Imagine a human jukebox loaded with top-tier Aussie tracks, add dancing, endless smiles, a whole lotta red dirt, and a splash of Mad Max cosplay—and you’re still only scratching the surface. Mundi Mundi isn’t just a festival, it’s an institution. You’ve gotta be there, feet in the dust, tunes in your ears, sunset on your back… only then will you get how truly special it is.
Huge shoutout to Cardinal Spin for the access, the media crew (you were my fam away from home), the Mundi Mundi legends, the volunteers, and the 15,000+ die-hards who made it unforgettable. Keep your eyes peeled for next year’s line-up—it’s going to be iconic. Catch you on the red plains in 2026.
All photos: Hunter Brothers Media
The Rockpit would like to extend a special thanks to Rossco Hunter who painstakingly covered this monumental festival, not just for us but for his own platform. Thanks Legend.
