Paradise City Rock Festival 2025: Blindspott, Alien Ant Farm to rock Auckland next February

Blindspott, fronted by lead singer Damian Alexander, will headline the Paradise City Rock Fest in Auckland next year. Photo / Andy MacDonald

New Zealand rockers Blindspott are set to headline the inaugural Paradise City Rock Fest in Auckland early next year.

The alternative-metal legends are one of five homegrown bands on the Paradise City line-up announced on Wednesday, which also boasts three international acts.

Blindspott will headline alongside California alt-rock unit Alien Ant Farm, who are widely known for their chart-topping cover of Michael Jackson’s 1987 hit, Smooth Criminal.

Other Kiwi acts on the bill include Whanganui’s Pull Down the Sun (who were picked up by Berlin-based label Pelagic Records in 2021) and Auckland outfits Written By Wolves, The Boondocks, and Flirting with Disaster. Texas metal band Drowning Pool and Melbourne punk rockers 28 Days round out the line-up.

The festival is scheduled for February 5, 2025, at Auckland’s The Trusts Arena.

“Alien Ant Farm are back after two decades to perform hits from their latest album, ~mAntras~, plus their iconic hits,” a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

“Drowning Pool will be punching out 23 years of hits along with Blindspott, 28 Days, Written By Wolves, The Boondocks, Flirting with Disaster, and Pull Down the Sun.”

Paradise City Festival will rock Auckland's Trusts Arena on February 5. Photo / Supplied

Blindspott, currently made up of Damian Alexander, Marcus Powell and Shelton Woolright, launched in 1997 and went on to release three studio albums. The West Auckland outfit’s self-titled 2002 debut album went platinum in New Zealand in its first week of release, spawning the singles Phlex, Nil By Mouth, Room to Breathe, and S.U.I.T. It has since been certified triple-platinum.

Their second album, 2006’s End the Silence, debuted at No 1 and featured the successful singles Yours Truly and Drown.

Alien Ant Farm, who in April released ~mAntras~, their first studio album in nine years, will also be performing one show at Wellington’s Meow Nui venue on February 4.

General tickets are on sale from 8am on Wednesday, November 27, via goodvibespromotions.com.