Getting a last minute ticket to a festival can be a godsend. Not only do you get into a festival you didn’t think you would. It doesn’t allow time to overhype the festival and raise expectations too high. Grabbing my late ticket at 12pm and a lift at the same time (bonus) I made my way to the 2010 St Jerome’s lane way festival. Arriving at the gate which had a heavy police presence, including officer beagle and Labrador. The dogs seem to becoming as much a fixture at festivals as bogan's in high visibility singlets. After getting snuffed by a puppy, I then got patted down, asked too lift my shirt up and empty my pockets by the overly vigilant security guards. I don’t understand at a relatively low key chilled out festival why I should come under so much scrutiny before I even get close to flouting RSA laws, its ridiculously backwards. Even more ridiculously backwards were the drink prices, 8 bones for an undersized can of becks, 10 bones for a mixed can of spirits. It’s more expensive than the ivy (not that I’ve been there, I’m just guessing it is).
Now that I’ve aired my grievances its time too get on with the fun stuff like drinking beer (expensive) and watching bands. The first band to kick off the day was HOCKEY.I then checked out recent modular signing JONATHAN BOULET who played some fun songs including the well-known public service announcement. KID SAM sounded good early on the car park stage, Right about the time I had too get out of the sun, chill for a while and check out all the amazing sandstone buildings that line the festival site. Next on the agenda was PHILADEPHIA GRAND JURY. The Philly Jays (as they asked to be called via their pre recorded stage banter). Have become a whole lot more popular since the last time I saw them well over a year ago. They also pulled one of the biggest crowds on the clock tower stage all day, they rewarded the crowd for turning up with a solid performance.
Choosing not too watch MUMFORD & SONS as some kind of one man protest, it was now time for what many had been waiting for, THE XX. The xx arrived on stage all shy and overwhelmed by the large crowd, dressed in all black they only managed a few awkward smiles. They then proceeded to blow the crowd away, especially with songs like island, VCR and crystallised. They easily lived up to their hype and probably created allot more. I could have easily gone home a happy drunk man, but I couldn’t leave yet, cause there was plenty more time to get drunker and happier. I’m not overly familiar with the BLACK LIPS songs, all I’ve heard is that they put on a wild live show. But not knowing songs didn’t really matter, because I arrived to the crowd going feral and decided to follow suit. I wish I could tell you some songs that were good but I don’t know the names, all I know is that it was super super fun. DAPPLED CITIES spiced up their already great live show with gold Lycra suits (the ones they used at peat’s) and a cameo from the amazing Sarah Blasko singing vision bell. This was pretty damn cool.
FLORRANCE & THE MACHINE were the first of three headliners I was somehow going to check out. Florence was all legs, flaming hair and amazing voice. I was too loaded too sit through the whole set so I bailed to the watch EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING after a handful of songs. I arrived just as eddy current climber down from a nearby roof to sing the drunken party songs I needed. After jumping around and getting sweaty ECSR ended and I made the mad dash to catch the end of N.A.S.A. The n.a.s.a Dj show consisted of a blow up spaceship and large dancing aliens. This was all pretty fun with n.a.s.a even calling for everyone to get up on stage. This would have happened had it been for two rank security guards (aka the fun police) stopping everyone. The only people who seemed to actually get up on stage were two rank roid munching jocks who proceeded to take their shirts off and do push ups. We gave them the thumbs down until they left, and one song later so did n.a.s.a.
Just like that laneway was over, which was a shame cause it was easily the best festival I’ve been to all summer. Even with an increased capacity, the change of venue and a hottest 100 #1 on the line-up. Laneway kept a good vibe, void of the “usual suspects” that ruin most festivals these days. I’ll be looking forward to laneway next year and may even buy a ticket before the morning of the festival.
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