The Laneway Festival 2014 lineup has expanded with the addition of five new bands, while the event’s battle with ‘fun police’ over the expansion of its Sydney leg has reached a positive conclusion.
The 2014 edition of Laneway will see the likes of Lorde, Haim, Ear Sweatshirt, Dick Diver, Jagwar Ma, Warpaint, and The Jezabels trekking to five capital cities around the country next January and February, and now organisers have added an extra band to the bill in each of its five dates.
The new lineup additions are the five winners of the Triple J Unearthed Laneway competition, which sees the festival and the youth broadcaster handpicking an emerging Aussie act to open the festival in their hometown.
Taking out top honours for Laneway’s opening Brisbane date is spindly guitar pop four-piece, The Creases, who have supported fellow Sunshine State locals The Jungle Giants on tour, while Triple J’s Nick Findlay hails them as “one of the most exciting bands to come out of Brisbane.”
Joining the Laneway Melbourne lineup is Client Liaison. The self-described “purveyors of turn-of-the Nineties Business-class Australiana” have been building a cult following from their brilliantly cultivated synth-pop singles ‘End Of The Earth’ and the 80s panache of ‘Feelings’; though winning performance at this year’s Golden Plains – complete with fax machine and Diner’s Club placard – and Paradise Music didn’t hurt.
Adelaide rock outsiders Bad//Dreems open at their hometown, though the quartet’s scuzzy-rock sounds have already earned them international attention when they cracked the CMJ charts earlier this year while their latest single from their Badlands album, ‘Hoping For’ will be familiar as a regularly played crack to the listeners of Triple J and a mainstay on the AIR independent radio charts. Laneway organisers have added an extra band to the bill in each of its five dates…
Over at the Western Australian leg of the festival, indie-electro trio Crooked Colours have been added to the bill, their seductive synths and stylised sounds being the perfect fit amongst Laneway’s contingent of electronically-minded artists.
Sydney folk-makers Little May will get to flaunt their well-rounded three-part harmonies, rustic storytelling, and keen ear for melody as the opening act of Laneway at the Sydney College Of The Arts, in front of an increased audience size of a potential 12,500 patrons, up from last year’s capacity of 8,000.
Laneway’s application for a capacity increase at the Callan Park site was recently the target of a lobbying group that had opposed the 12,500 increase.
Led by NSW Greens member Hall Greenland, the Friends Of Callan Park – which included several Leichhardt Council members – were up in arms over the festival site, with ‘Annandale Mayor‘ Darcy Byrne stating that the “self-appointed fun police are trying to shut it down.”
Despite the group’s attempts to block the application, following a council meeting on Tuesday 3rd December with promoters Michael Chugg and Danny Rogers in attendance, the festival has since emerged victorious, with its application approved.
“In the battle between Laneway and the fun police, Sydney’s best emerging music festival has prevailed,” said Mayor Byrne, who cast the deciding vote, in a press statement.
“For Laneway to have been curtailed, against all independent planning advice, would have been another body blow for Sydney’s live music scene,” Byrne added. “Dozens of music lovers waited for hours to speak in support of the festival, proving once again that Sydney-siders will fight for their right to party.”
Laneway 2014 Lineup
Triple J Unearthed Winners:
The Creases – Brisbane
Client Liaison – Melbourne
Little May – Sydney
Bad // Dreems – Adelaide
Crooked Colours – Perth
Joining the already announce lineup of:
Savages
Adalita
Autre Ne Veut
Cashmere Cat
Cass McCombs
CHVRCHES
Cloud Control**
Danny Brown
Daughter
Dick Diver
Drenge
Earl Sweatshirt
Four Tet
Frightened Rabbit
Haim**
Jagwar Ma
Jamie XX
King Krule
Kurt Vile
Kirin J Callinan
Lorde**
Mount Kimbie
Mt Warning
Parquet Courts
Run The Jewels (El-P & Killer Mike)
Scenic
The Growl
The Jezabels
Unknown Mortal Orchestra**
Vance Joy
Warpaint
XXYYXX
Youth Lagoon
**Exclusive to Laneway 2014, no sideshows.
Laneway 2014 Dates & Venues
Brisbane: Friday 31st January – RNA, Fortitude Valley
Melbourne: Saturday 1st February – Footscray Community Arts Centre/River’s Edge
Sydney: Sunday 2nd February – Sydney College Of The Arts, Rozelle
Adelaide: Friday 7th February – Harts Mill, Port Adelaide
Perth: Saturday 8th February – Esplanade Park and West End, Fremantle
Tickets and info at http://lanewayfestival.com/
