Laneway Festival

Circular Quay, Sydney

The Laneway Festival, which has grown from the original event in the alley outside of St. Jeromes bar in Melbourne, is a truly unique experience. This boutique festival replaces over-bearing weather, massive crowds and exorbitant drug use, with a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. This year’s line-up was the biggest yet, with a whole gamut of indie-superstars adorning the stage. The biggest buzz surrounded two bands – Broken Social Scene and their friend and collaborator, Feist. Neither of the two disappointed. Broken Social Scene performed a lot off their singer Kevin Drew’s solo record Spirit If…, but the set list did include older material from the band. The crowd went especially crazy when Feist joined Broken Social Scene on stage, also accompanied by Amy Millan of Stars.

Stars were perhaps the festival’s highlight. A late announcement to the line-up, Australia was finally treated to their powerful indie-pop sound, with co-vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan proving to be quite captivating. Their performance of ‘Take Me To The Riot’ was particularly moving.

Mid-afternoon, The Vasco Era delivered a blistering set, sounding as raw, but more polished in their musicality. Through years of solid performances, they’re sounding as professional as ever.

Another highlight was Rudely Interrupted, who played an early slot in The Basement. Although the band suffer from a range of mental and physical disabilities, the quality of their music is undeniable. Their single ‘Don’t Break My Heart’ is incredibly catchy and fans of 90s alternative bands like The Lemonheads, might find a lot to enjoy in the group’s music. Their vocalist, Rory’s stage banter was particularly entertaining.

The Panics managed to turn some incredibly severe sound problems into a positive. Singer Jae Laffer kept the crowd entertained with drowl commentary before leading the group into their resounding final song, ‘Get Us Home’. The Presets turned their narrow crowd into an intense rave, while on the Park Stage, Gotye performed a solo set. For just one man surrounded by multiple instruments and gadgetry, it was an impressive show.

Review by Nick Milligan. Photos by Sean Roche.