Just before midday on my favourite day of the year (Laneway day), I find myself in an Uber to Flemington Racecourse. It’s my first Laneway in Melbourne, though I haven’t missed the festival since 2018. Depending on who you ask, I was too early for anyone worth seeing, such as headliners Dominic Fike or Stormzy. But, as I prepared for my fifth Laneway, I knew I was in for a marathon day of the best up-and-coming local acts sharing the stage with some of the world’s finest talent. 

To me, that is the beauty of Laneway; despite becoming one of the most successful touring festivals in the country, the lineups consistently pay homage to the local origins of the show. This year’s Melbourne edition featured a range of local and emerging acts, two of which I was particularly keen to see - Lotte Gallagher and The Buoys. 

Lotte Gallagher has had a big start to the year, playing at plenty of festivals such as New Years Eve on the Hill, Laneway and Party in the Paddock. As a top-five finalist in the 2023 Triple J Unearthed High competition, Lotte Gallagher is still relatively new to the scene, though is perfectly at home on these bigger stages. The undercover Dean Turner stage provided plenty of respite from the afternoon sun on an uncharacteristically warm day, though people were still up and about, returning the energy that Lotte Gallagher gave out. Fittingly, she shared space on the bill with Angie McMahon - if you do any research, you’ll find some direct comparisons between the two. 

A couple weeks after releasing their first new music since releasing their new single ‘Guard My Heart’, The Buoys went on a road trip with Jameson Whiskey from Sydney to Melbourne for this show. Their 8pm set on the Jameson stage truly felt like one of the original Laneway festivals. For me, and I think for many people in the 35° heat, 8pm is a critical point where you can either crash for the night or turn up the heat. The Buoys didn’t hold back, 

Teenage Dads tore up in the afternoon sun, exactly as expected. After cranking through 100 shows in 12 months, this band is indescribably tight. I’ve seen Teenage Dads a few times over the years, and only recently has lead singer/guitarist/keyboardist Jordan has recently taken to twerking on stage. Maybe after playing so many shows, touring the world, and winning the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist ARIA Music Award, they’re looking to hone in their dance skills to complement their music. One thing is for sure though - the Melbourne crowd quite liked it.

Raye is an act I was genuinely surprised by. Backed by a big band, Raye talked of how, since leaving her label of seven years, she has never been so artistically free. Perhaps this is what surprised me - I had only associated Raye with the TikTok viral songs ‘Escapism.’ and ‘Prada’ - I wasn’t a huge listener. So, to be faced with a genre-bending set spanning soul, jazz, R&B and pop was a pleasant surprise. I could only think that this is our generation’s Amy Winehouse, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, I think everyone agreed. 

The positive receipt extended to every act I was able to catch on the day. Industry powerhouse Angus Stone, performing as Dope Lemon, and ethereal Faye Webster, despite their crooning and melody-driven styles still roused the crowds - something that’s quite challenging to do among acts such as dance-driven-future-sex-ravers Confidence Man. This is one of the great successes of Laneway. With such a range of genres on offer, punters get a rave, a rock show, hyper-pop, and soulful jazz on the same day. And the proof is in the crowd's responses - people come to this one for the music. 

Stormzy, Dominic Fike and Steve Lacy were the three big names on the bill this year. I had seen videos of these sets from the Brisbane and Sydney installments of Laneway, and was impressed to see so much energy across the board. Steve Lacy said that Brisbane was ‘one of the worst shows of (his) life’, but turned it around entirely for Melbourne. Euphoria heart-throb Dominic Fike knew how to play to the crowd. And of course, main headliner Stormzy. Whatever energy the crowd had left, Stormzy wrung it out of us. 

I think there’s something to say about the festival site and staff as well. I’ve seen issues at every festival I’ve been to, but I think Laneway has been the best at managing them over the years. Though it was hot in Melbourne, there was enough shade and water throughout the festival site. Side-by-side stages made for a reasonably safe, controlled crowd. At the Melbourne site, I noted accessible viewing platforms and staff spread throughout the festival to help. Jack Irvine’s design throughout the festival really makes it feel as though you’re in a different world at the festival, as if it’s an outer-space haven for live music. As if there was any doubt, the 2024 installment of Laneway has further cemented the festival as the best touring gig on offer in Australia.

CHECK OUT THE FULL LANEWAY 2024 GALLERY HERE