Laneway Festival Melbourne, 2012 @ Footscray Community Arts Centre, Melbourne (04/02/2012)
As the St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival rolls into town for 2012, we’re once again treated to a stunning display of music set amongst the serene surrounds of the Footscray Community Art’s Centre. A launch pad for the international careers of bands such as Florence + The Machine and Mumford & Sons, this years line-up once again featured the very best of the best, many of whom will no doubt become superstars amongst the ranks of the formerly mentioned.
Husky, who gave us stunning performance, are a compliment to the Australian music industry. Glorious harmonies, soaring guitar melodies and a richness in their performance, Husky are one of the hardest working groups Australia has to offer, it won’t be long until they follow in the footsteps of fellow Aussie’s Boy & Bear.
Exploring the festival site, we’re treated to market stalls, and a wide variety of food for every acquired taste. The team behind Laneway had once again done a phenomenal job in creating a optimistic vibe within the confines of the festival. A few positive notes worth mentioning are that Laneway is not overcrowded and does not tolerate, well, dickheads. You’d be hard pressed to find a Southern Cross tattoo visibly on display here!
Watching The Pains of Being Pure at Heart perform, it wasn’t very hard to understand the appeal behind this brilliant four-piece. Between the juxtaposition of groovy guitar work and thoughtful lyrics, shines through a band whose energy is more than a testament to their performance. A quick break to allow change in set up passed, and Pajama Club, a new project from the Neil Finn, the legend behind Crowded House, and his wife, Sharon. They arrived on stage to rapturous applause. Along with former The Grates member Alana Skyring on drums, Pajama Club gives off infectious grooves with a dash of rock n roll and were the hidden gem of Laneway, providing a hint of modern nostalgia to the day.
By the time Laura Marling picks up her acoustic guitar, she’s drawn an impressive crowd, to say the least. Marling’s Melbourne sideshow a few nights earlier was one of the single most incredible gigs this reviewer had ever witnessed, so she’d created a tough act to follow in herself. Opening with Devil Spoke, it was superb to hear songs not performed at her sideshow, as well as the crowd favourites such as Ghosts, Rambling Man and even the beautifully written Alas, I Cannot Swim. Watching Marling perform, it’s often hard to believe at just 22 years of age, she embodies the very best and wisest years of folk music in her angelic presence. Closing her set with All My Rage, Marling secured her place in Laneway history and the hearts of her many fans.
Husky, who gave us stunning performance, are a compliment to the Australian music industry. Glorious harmonies, soaring guitar melodies and a richness in their performance, Husky are one of the hardest working groups Australia has to offer, it won’t be long until they follow in the footsteps of fellow Aussie’s Boy & Bear.
Exploring the festival site, we’re treated to market stalls, and a wide variety of food for every acquired taste. The team behind Laneway had once again done a phenomenal job in creating a optimistic vibe within the confines of the festival. A few positive notes worth mentioning are that Laneway is not overcrowded and does not tolerate, well, dickheads. You’d be hard pressed to find a Southern Cross tattoo visibly on display here!
Watching The Pains of Being Pure at Heart perform, it wasn’t very hard to understand the appeal behind this brilliant four-piece. Between the juxtaposition of groovy guitar work and thoughtful lyrics, shines through a band whose energy is more than a testament to their performance. A quick break to allow change in set up passed, and Pajama Club, a new project from the Neil Finn, the legend behind Crowded House, and his wife, Sharon. They arrived on stage to rapturous applause. Along with former The Grates member Alana Skyring on drums, Pajama Club gives off infectious grooves with a dash of rock n roll and were the hidden gem of Laneway, providing a hint of modern nostalgia to the day.
By the time Laura Marling picks up her acoustic guitar, she’s drawn an impressive crowd, to say the least. Marling’s Melbourne sideshow a few nights earlier was one of the single most incredible gigs this reviewer had ever witnessed, so she’d created a tough act to follow in herself. Opening with Devil Spoke, it was superb to hear songs not performed at her sideshow, as well as the crowd favourites such as Ghosts, Rambling Man and even the beautifully written Alas, I Cannot Swim. Watching Marling perform, it’s often hard to believe at just 22 years of age, she embodies the very best and wisest years of folk music in her angelic presence. Closing her set with All My Rage, Marling secured her place in Laneway history and the hearts of her many fans.
A special moment for the day was the performance by The Panics on the Dean Turner stage, a tribute to the dearly departed Magic Dirt bassist. A band that I’ve waited over five years to see live, this perfect mid-afternoon set was a highlight of Laneway 2012. When you’re watching a band that has had an impact on your life, there’s always a subtle anxious feeling of hopes being dashed by a poor performance. Thankfully, we were fortunate to be provided with a standout set of Laneway. Touching on tracks from their whole career, the standouts on display were Cruel Guards and Don’t Fight It, while Majesty off of their latest album Rain On The Humming Wire closed their brilliant set.
And then, we have Feist. A member of the Broken Social Scene, Feist’s 2011 album, Metals, has (thankfully) largely gone under the radar for mainstream music listeners. Its depth and beauty is one thing, but to hear key tracks performed live is another. Crowd participation during The Bad In Each Other and the soul laced mood of How Come You Never Go There gave a tender spirit to the performance, while Undiscovered First allowed Feist to weave her captivating spell over the crowd. Backed by BSS members and with assisted harmonies by Mountain Man (another group to watch) Feist kicked up a musical storm of grand proportions. As dusk slowly settles in, The Horrors begin their Melbourne Laneway campaign in fine form. Dressed halfway between a hipster and a vampire, The Horrors are one of the more ‘visually’ out of place bands on the line-up. With an early performance of their hit single I Can See Through You, it’s so unfortunate to say that as their set continues the crowd begins to lose interest in them. |
Maybe it was the lack of interaction between Faris and the crowd, but what started out as a promising Laneway moment escalated into one of the dullest performances I’ve ever seen. Maybe they’re much better suited to an indoor venue, but I walked away from their set feeling incredibly disappointed.
Meanwhile, as The Drums drew a huge crowd, they also provided to the soundtrack to one man’s ‘dramatic’ rescue from the top of a tree. Yes, in a pure spectacle, the emergency services were called to rescue one punter like a kitten exploring the big blue world. While he probably just wanted a great view, The Drums played through a set of dance-worthy tunes such as Money and Me and The Moon to one of the biggest crowds of the day. As Laneway slowly came to a close, back at the Dean Turner stage, M83 capped off a fantastic day with a blistering set of epic proportions, all in support of their latest LP Midnight City. I'm not one for electronica music, but M83 are one fantastic live band and certainly converted me into a fan with their eclectic tunes.
As the masses make their way out of the venue, I can’t seem to find fault in the day. While some bands didn’t live up to my expectations, this isn’t a reflection on the festival itself. If anything, Laneway is one of the premier summer events on the music calendar, a day to be enjoyed by all. Hats off to the Laneway team, their dedication to providing a stunning day of live music, we can’t wait to see you in 2013.
Luke Sutton
Meanwhile, as The Drums drew a huge crowd, they also provided to the soundtrack to one man’s ‘dramatic’ rescue from the top of a tree. Yes, in a pure spectacle, the emergency services were called to rescue one punter like a kitten exploring the big blue world. While he probably just wanted a great view, The Drums played through a set of dance-worthy tunes such as Money and Me and The Moon to one of the biggest crowds of the day. As Laneway slowly came to a close, back at the Dean Turner stage, M83 capped off a fantastic day with a blistering set of epic proportions, all in support of their latest LP Midnight City. I'm not one for electronica music, but M83 are one fantastic live band and certainly converted me into a fan with their eclectic tunes.
As the masses make their way out of the venue, I can’t seem to find fault in the day. While some bands didn’t live up to my expectations, this isn’t a reflection on the festival itself. If anything, Laneway is one of the premier summer events on the music calendar, a day to be enjoyed by all. Hats off to the Laneway team, their dedication to providing a stunning day of live music, we can’t wait to see you in 2013.
Luke Sutton