Laneway 2024: bold artistry and pure summer energy

It’s a Saturday afternoon in Naarm and the sun is beating down, hard. Bec and I are bobbing in a sea of jorts, bikini tops and bucket hats, shirtless guys with silver wrap-around sunnies and t-shirts wrapped around heads. This is Laneway Festival. 

Twenty years on, having outgrown its namesake and humble beginnings as a street party in Caledonian Lane (hosted by St Jerome’s bar), Laneway now sprawls across Flemington Racecourse and five generous stages.

We catch our first act of the day, Angie McMahon, on the Good Better Best stage and she quickly lives up to the title. Old favourites like 'Pasta' and a cover of 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' have the crowd belting along, but it’s 'Exploding' that gives me chills - a difficult feat considering the aforementioned heat. 

Bec calls her a rockstar and says she’s like the Australian Faye Webster. I admit they have a similar haircut and imagine a conversation between Faye and Angie. I think about this for the rest of the day. 

Next we head to the Dean Turner stage to see Floodlights, another Naarm-based act. Here we find respite in the shade and even sitting many metres from the stage, the band commands our attention. There’s an element of nostalgia to their Australiana pub-rock sound, which is only heightened when Ashlee whips out the harmonica. 

Building on their debut album, From A View, their 2023 album Painting Of My Time is brimming with political undertones that lends an urgency to their live set, particularly felt when Louis and Ashlee urge us that “the time is now” during On the Television, a candid critic of Australian media censorship. 

On the recommendation of our friend, Louis (no, not the Louis from Floodlights), our next act is dust. Not knowing what to expect, this Newcastle quintet comes as a welcome surprise; their unique take on post-punk mixes components of electronic music and free jazz. It’s gritty and experimental and full of energy, a perfect pick-me-up before we head back into the bigger crowds milling around the Never Let It Rest stage to see our first international act of the day, Raye. 

Taking the title of largest selling single from a British female artist last year and having already written for some of the biggest names in the music industry (and by big I mean Beyoncé big), the 26-year-old UK artist instantly charms the crowd with her warm, self-deprecating humour, authentic charisma and commanding voice. By the time she closes with Escapism, it’s clear that Raye is a bright, shining, superstar in the making. 

And then it’s time for Faye Webster, the one I’ve been waiting for all day. Of course, I’m not the only one. Even though we go 20 minutes early to snag a good spot, there’s already a thick crowd forming around the stage. For those of us who weren’t lucky enough to get tickets to her sideshow in January, this is the first time we’ve had the chance to see the Atlanta artist perform in Naarm. Opening with 'But Not Kiss', the energy is palpable from the get-go. 

Her band is tight; the sliding guitar and her crooning vocals offer just the right amount of twang. It’s while performing the slowly meandering 'Jonny', though, that her influence becomes undeniable. Faye holds the mic out to the audience and without missing a beat we finish the verse for her, belting out “my dog is my best friend and he doesn’t even know what my name is.” As if under the impression that we might not know what her name is, either, Faye humbly introduces herself and her band. When Kingston finishes and the crowd starts to disperse I realise I’ve been so mesmerised by her set that all thoughts of the festival and other acts on the schedule have completely dissipated. Faye Webster has well and truly stolen the show.

But if Faye was at the top of my Laneway list, UK jungle and D&B producer, DJ and vocalist, Nia Archives, is at the top of Bec’s. Arriving at the dance and beats focused Everything Ecstatic stage, the change in pace gives me whiplash at first but we’re very soon engulfed by the energy in the crowd. 

It really is ecstatic. 

We stay on the outskirts rather than venturing into the middle of the densely packed audience, and from our vantage point can see that everyone is having absolute, unadulterated fun. Nia keeps the crowd hyped until the end, bouncing up and down on stage while hyperintense visuals are projected on the screen behind her. It feels good to dance as the sun starts setting behind us. It’s clubbing without the club, and we leave energised afterwards rather than exhausted. 

If Nia’s visuals are impressive though, they’re nothing compared to what’s in store for Laneway’s closing act, Stormzy. Pyrotechnics, confetti and dramatic red lights elevate his set above the rest, but it’s the British rapper’s inherent star quality that makes him the natural choice for headliner. 

Heavy is the head that wears the crown though, and the exertion has sweat dripping off Stormzy by the end of the opening song. But he doesn’t let up once. Older tracks like 'Know Me From' and 'Shut Up' have the crowd jumping and head banging along with the grime artist, while the slower jams and gospel monologues provide depth to his set. 

It’s an effort to tear ourselves away, but after a couple attempts and only a few songs left, Bec and I finally decide to head off in order to beat the rush. We needn’t worry though, when 'Vossi Bop' comes on, anyone within a 3km radius would be able to hear the crowd. It’s the perfect end to the day, and while I begin fantasising about a hot shower, we continue dancing along to Stormzy all the way out of Laneway and all the way home.

By Sandie Ruuskanen and Bec Martyn 

Image caption (above): A picture of Sandie and Bec in one of the festival tents. Sandie is blonde and wearing a floral top and dark pants, while Bec has dark hair and a blue dress on. They're both smiling at the camera while the crowd behind them crowds around the stage.