St. Jeromes Laneway Festival
Before I dive into the festivities of Laneway let me introduce you to Radio Monash's newest and most chaotic journalism series: Feature Festivals! Within this series, I’ll take you on a journey to the many different festivals Australia has to offer, featuring my friends and I. Follow along to learn tips and tricks, get outfit inspiration, and discover the beauty and wonder of the festival world.
Image Sourced from The Live Wire Music Media: The lineup and locations of St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2024.
St. Jeromes Laneway Festival has been running since 2005 boasting an increasingly impressive lineup of artists that draws larger crowds each year. With artists from a wide range of genres including Indie, Indie Pop, Rock, Rap, R&B and Techno, there is an artist for everyone. Some famous artists from the past include Joji, Billie Eilish, Tame Impala and Fred Again…, just to name a few. This year's lineup lived up to Laneway's incredibly high standards placing popular artists at each stage and consequently making my step count incredibly high.
Festival Fits ~
I don’t think you can ever dress wrong for a festival. Festivals are about exploring and expressing your style creatively and comfortably. In saying that, different festivals have very different vibes. For example, what you wear to Laneway wouldn’t be the same as what you wear to a hardstyle event. Some things that I think should be universal are a hat (if outdoors), sunglasses and comfortable shoes, after that the possibilities are endless. My friend and I decided on matching boxer shorts. Whilst I can admit it's not an obvious choice, it's a funny and comfortable one. Plus, it isn’t something I’d wear in public normally, especially given the funky question written across them.
The Festivities ~
Given that I loved nearly every artist from the lineup my mate and I arrived at Laneway reasonably early, and subsequently reasonably drunk. Although we managed to miss the first act we wanted to see, ‘Vacations’, by twenty minutes, we were still able to see ‘Teenage Dads’. After a reasonably good performance, we found ourselves sweaty, hot and tired, so we set out for water and shade at another stage before taking a quick unplanned power nap. Refreshed, we caught ‘Pretty Girl’ with time beforehand for a quick pit stop and snack. From then on, it was a whirlwind of music. Hearing ‘Rayes’ goddess-like vocals, jumping crazily to ‘Horsegirls’ headbangers, and swaying to ‘Faye Webster’s’ melodies. We intended to see ‘D4VD’ but went to the wrong stage however our mistake let us see the last bits of ‘Confidence Man’ who were as incredible as ever. ‘Dope Lemon’ and ‘Unknown Mortal Orchestra’ made cameo appearances between sets yet weren’t worth staying at for long.
Image Sourced from Laneways Facebook page: The set times, with black highlighting the acts seen and white/red the missed.
The most notable performances however were that of ‘Dominic Fike’ and ‘Steve Lacy’. Dominic, during his most popular song, played a recording of it instead of singing, jumped off the stage, and started rizzing up the audience. Maybe I’m jealous cause I wasn’t personally rizzed up, but not hearing him sing it was a bit disappointing. Steve Lacy however was a pleasant surprise. I had seen a bunch of TikToks about his previous Laneway performances being messy however his Melbourne one was brilliant. He played and sang beautifully, danced, and had an entertaining stage presence, that captivated us throughout his whole set.
Although not every act was seen, heard, or danced to, the ones that were, were well worthwhile.
Tips and Tricks ~
Always bring an empty, clear water bottle. It might be annoying to carry at first but trust me, you’ll regret not bringing one to summer festivals. There are plenty of water stations around, plus buying water there is so pricey, so it’s worth the minor hassle.
You don’t need to be in the mosh or the front of the festival to have fun! Sitting at the back listening to it not only lets you see the stage and screens better but it gives you more room to dance however you’d like.
Apply sunscreen before going. Trust me, if you’re wearing a little top, or a funky structured one you do not want those tan lines. Usually, festivals have workers walking around and handing it out so you can always reapply it there as well.
If you’re not a huge fan of the last artist you can always leave early to beat the crowds. Laneway Melbourne is close to a train line so everyone catches that back into the city and it can get pretty congested. If you leave a bit earlier you’ll most likely get a spot on the train plus an early night never hurt anyone.
Don’t be stressed if you miss an artist you want to see. Your favourite artists could be playing at the same time, you might be hungry, thirsty, or in need of a bathroom break, you might not be able to find the stage they’re on, or need to help out a friend. It’s nearly impossible to see everyone you want to see. Enjoy who you have seen, and who you get to share the memories with, that’s what's important!
Final Festival Factors ~
So, the ultimate question is, would I recommend Laneway? Most definitely, especially for first time festival goers. It’s well planned, set-up with plenty of food stalls, sitting areas, bathroom options and more. Additionally, as I mentioned before, there is a wide range of genres so you’ll most likely be able to see an artist you know and love. It’s a large and beautiful location, close to public transport, so it’s also easily accessible. It is a summer festival though so be prepared to be hot, sweaty, and tired. As long as you don’t forget your sunscreen, water and hat you’re likely to have a blast!
See you at the next Festival,