David JoblingLaneway Festival 2009
October 15th 2008 03:10
The St Jerome's Laneway Festival is back, as intimate and boundary-pushing as ever. Featuring a quality line-up pitched straight to the heart of discerning music fans, the boutique street party delivers a collection of bands that lie on the left-side of centre, hand-picked purely for their amazing live shows. With inspired city locations around the country, an indie cinema, art installations, ten pin bowling, boutique fashion markets and cocktail bars, the 2009 Laneway Festival will give music fans a full day of sonic revelation.
With special thanks to the City of Perth, West Australian Department of Culture and the Arts and EPRA, the Laneway Festival is thrilled to announce that it's heading to PERTH for the very first time. In an extra special twilight show, that will see West Coasters partying well into the night, Laneway is coming to the Perth Cultural Centre - a truly exceptional urban space right in the soul of Perth City. Be a part of Perth's very own cultural revolution.
The site for the BRISBANE Laneway Festival will move to Alexandria St off St Paul's Terrace, Fortitude Valley. The new site features plenty of interesting nooks and crannies, heaps of shade and a brilliant natural undercover clay amphitheatre plus a fabulous new boutique designer street market thanks to FourThousand and tap beers and cocktails courtesy of the Zoo.
Get ready for a stellar block party in MELBOURNE. Following the successful addition of the main stage into Lonsdale St in 2008, we're paving our way to Little Lonsdale St, up along and inside the QV building (with trams passing through the heart of the site!). We can't believe this event started in tiny Caledonian Lane five years ago and while the charm of that area remains, this is now officially an indie music extravaganza with over 40 artists scheduled to perform and an array of other surprises including markets presented by ThreeThousand and a sculpture competition (Please note that this event is non-smoking. Pass outs available).
Festival-goers in ADELAIDE and SYDNEY can look forward to returning to the original sites of Fowlers Live and Circular Quay respectively (though we're adding a new stage in Adelaide as well as an indie cinema).
Last year's festival completely sold out nationally, so we recommend putting Monday, 27th October (the day tickets go on sale), into your diaries.
The Line-Up
And now, to the line-up. Laneway is and has always been about discovery, about seeing the bands before they explode. Over two dozen amazing acts before your curious eyes. Up close and personal. You can practically touch them.
One-man party-starter GIRL TALK defies anyone to stand still during his electric live sets. Following the breakthrough success of his 2006 release Nightripper, the former biomechanical engineer (AKA Gregg Gillis) has travelled the world over, inducing feverish masses of dancers to surround Gillis as he triggers samples and create mixes new and old out of loops from his laptop. His latest record Feed the Animals contains 300 samples meticulously meshed together to create an art form that surpasses the ubiquitous remixes and mash-ups that can be found all over the internet. Get sweaty with GIRLTALK this summer.
Seminal UK band STEREOLAB head to our shores for the first time in six years to play at the Laneway Festival. The band has produced some of the most consistent, experimental and downright beautiful records of the past 17 years, elevating them to company of legendary acts such as Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth. Led by Timothy Gane and vocalist Laetitia Sadier, the cult band will be trying out tracks from Chemical Chords, their Motown-flavoured, rather gorgeous release of 2008, along with perfectly-formed tunes from their extensive back catalogue. If cascading harmonies, mesmerizing synths and inordinately pretty songwriting are your thing, don't miss STEREOLAB.
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI raised the bar with last year's groundbreaking, ground-shifting album Places Like This. Since playing at the first ever Laneway Festival five years ago in Melbourne, AIH have become one of our most valuable indie exports. Fans from all over the world have been won over by their joyous, schizophrenic, wildly fun soundscapes. Architecture in Helsinki has secured themselves a unique position; where anything is possible, but nothing is predictable.
THE HOLD STEADY are back! The Brooklyn band is a Laneway fave, having made a memorable appearance at the festival a few years ago. 'Stay Positive', their latest release is a beauty, and upon listening to this exhilarating, redemptive collection of rock n roll gems, it's damn well impossible not to want to drink beer and go nuts. Critics are losing it over the album, dishing out four- and five- star reviews everywhere, and you'll feel the same way when you catch them live, guaranteed.
It seems no-one can touch THE DRONES on their steady ascent to recognition here and around the world as one of Australia's most exciting music propositions. Driven by frontman Gareth Liddiard's incendiary vocals, their debut picked up the inaugural Australian Music Prize for its stormy, swampy rock pieces, and the poetic, rumbling chaos of The Drones' latest longplayer Havilah is destined for commensurate acclaim.
CUT OFF YOUR HANDS have come a long way, literally and figuratively, since they made their Laneway debut a few years back in their former incarnation as Shaky Hands. Now based in the UK, the unstoppable NZ four-piece play the kind of frenetic indie pop that is liable to get stuck in your head for days. They deliver the kind of intense, engaging live shows that are liable to stay in your mind forever. Their brand new debut record (shaped by producer du jour Bernard Butler) is replete with jangly guitars, indelible melodies and the delinquent energy that made everyone fall in love with them in the first place.
Radiohead-endorsed FOUR TET (aka Kieran Hebdon) is a visionary who consistently pushes the boundaries of contemporary electronica. Drawing on harps and folk instruments as well as crisp hip-hop breaks and experimental jazz, Four Tet is a musical renegade whose recorded output has won him a legion of fans. His latest album, Ringer, is an excursion into the kind of wide-open spaces you might find if you set out to make techno with an afrobeat/krautrock sensibility. Also acclaimed for his work remixing artists such as Thom Yorke, Badly Drawn Boy, Beth Orton and Battles, Four Tet proves that electronic music can be colourful, seductive and eminently danceable.
New kids on the block TAME IMPALA come from Perth. The psychedelic rock trio recall the best riffs, rhythms and thumping drums of Cream (c. 1967) and their track 'Half Full Glass Of Wine' is as an exciting debut single as we've heard in a while. They're set to rack up a few frequent flyer points over summer as they hone their talent on the road amongst the fine company of Yeasayer, You Am I and MGMT. Talent to burn. Psychedelic bonanza. See them intimately before you lose your chance.
Over in the 'amazonic rave' corner, we present EL GUINCHO, the solo artist from Barcelona whose mum calls him Pablo. A one-man mishmash of percussion, vocals, a floor tom and a whole bunch of samples, EL GUINCHO single-handedly creates an indefinable mélange of joyous, danceable techno pop. His first recorded effort Alegranza is an international cult hit and festivals are his specialty (as the blogosphere will attest), so we'll be pushing to the front for this one. El beserko.
We are SUPER excited to introduce BURAKA SOM SISTEMA (DJ/MC SET) to Australian audiences. Championed by Diplo, M.I.A and Switch, the Portuguese trio has fused the wild beats of Angolan Kudoro music with 21st century electronics to create a whole new sound. Check out their Youtube vid for "Sound of Kuduro" featuring M.I.A., a viral sensation featuring footage of their recent trip to Angola, where kids are dancing in the streets, despite being surrounded by all manner of violence. An epic mix of drum'n'bass, hip hop and dance music with a distinctly political edge, BURAKA SOM SISTEMA are destined to be one of this festival's highlights. You can say you were there.
Memphis native JAY REATARD makes the kind of snarling pop-punk gems that make critics fall over themselves. Pitchfork Media observed that "In a short space of time, Reatard has cranked out more memorable songs than some acts do in their whole careers." INTERESTING FACT: frenzy for Reatard's limited edition 7" was so intense that it brought down his label Matador's server twice, once with over 10,000 attempts to buy a copy in a one minute period. Another artist that has to be seen live to be believed.
Possessed of soaring vocals, a captivating rhythm section and charisma by the bucket-load, THE TEMPER TRAP were never going to arrive quietly. The Melbourne four-piece attracted generous praise for their eponymous EP and compelling live show when they surfaced a short while ago, scoring tours with Modest Mouse, Kasabian, Cold War Kids, The Dears and Spank Rock along the way. They are now readying the release of their highly-anticipated debut long-player, recorded by revered UK producer Jim Abbiss (Massive Attack, U.N.K.L.E, Bjork). Lead single 'Sweet Disposition' is a classic indie anthem and has already been splashed across triple j and community radio airwaves, confirming what we've always known: the hugely-talented Temper Trap are the ones to watch.
With their enthralling Sub Pop debut Nouns, NO AGE (drummer/vocalist Dean Spunt and guitarist Randy Randal) are destined to rise out of the Los Angeles underground scene and take their DIY art-is-life aesthetic to the discerning masses. Always challenging the status quo, NO AGE prefer to perform their starkly beautiful noise-rock in unique venues: public libraries, book stores, an Ethiopian restaurant and now, the Laneway Festival in 2009.
THE JOHN STEEL SINGERS make the kind of summery backyard pop that is dangerously contagious. Since their emergence on the national scene earlier this year, the six-piece from Brisbane have been accruing fans everywhere for tracks like 'Strawberry Wine' and 'Evolution'. Playful, strong vocals - think doo-wops, falsettos and sky-high harmonies - are the standout element of this band, with horns and accordions peppering their Sixties-flavoured pop for good measure. Get clapping to the exhilarating JOHN STEEL SINGERS show at the Laneway Festival.
CANYONS equal two producers/DJs Leo Frostwave and Fred Cherry. As influenced and inspired by soul, hip hop and psych rock as they are by disco and early house, Canyons write music that sounds just as good in the club as it does on your sailboat. Live instruments are combined with drum machines, percussion, analogue effects, vocals and samples to create a sound that is refreshing, relevant and all their very own.
Another Australian band earmarked for global success is the insanely talented PIVOT. Upon the release of the Sydney trio's startling debut O Soundtrack My Heart (on the iconic label Warp), esteemed publications everywhere made flattering comments about their unique contribution to the art-rock movement. It may be hard to pin a label on a band that is influenced equally by Vangelis and Talking Heads, but one thing is evident: PIVOT is a class act.
PORT O'BRIEN bring their seafaring charm to the 2009 Laneway Festival all the way from Alaska. Lead single 'I Woke Up Today' has been making its mark on the airwaves and is a rambling, ramshackle delight. The rest of All We Could Do Is Sing, the quartet's Australian debut, is equally beguiling and the perfect soundtrack to your summer.
HOLLY THROSBY has an enviable way of hushing a crowd with a whisper. Her wistful tales of love lost and found have won over folk-pop fans everywhere and her third release A Loud Call sees her hone her talent for acutely observational and searingly honest lyrics, augmented by nuanced production and a fine cast of guest musicians. Holly is well on her way to becoming one of our national treasures and we welcome her to the Laneway Festival.
Laneway loves Canadian indie, so we invited BORN RUFFIANS along to the party. The trio made waves at this year's SXSW with their terrific live show and backed up their promise with Red Yellow Blue, a ripping, taut stomper of a record that packs a punch with its muscular instrumentation, witty lyrics and understated production. Full of surprises, BORN RUFFIANS are rollicking fun and completely endearing.
If you've ever had the pleasure of catching a MOUNTAINS IN THE SKY show, you'll know why we're enthralled. The project of Melbourne's John Lee delights listeners with melodic beats and grooves, samples and score. MITS' debut album, Electron Suite is a mercurial concoction, an anthro-mechanic experiment, an exploration of personal alchemy. Live, MITS' sounds dance playfully around in his audience's heads, visuals create an engaging backdrop inviting you to a place beyond the clouds. Now is the time to discover MITS, the new record is a complete triumph. And we'll be the first to feature the compelling new live show.
Hailing from Brooklyn, the extraordinary TIM FITE brings his enormous talent and inimitable humour to Australia. His first visit accompanies the release of Fair Ain't Fair, a gorgeous, sprawling affair that features lush orchestration, obscure samples, and layer upon layer of Tim's distinctive harmonies. Tim has garnered a cult following for his music, drawings, illustrated stories and one-man multi-media shows and inspires fanatic devotion everywhere he goes. Just ask The Grates, who collaborated with the Tim on 'Not Today', a track from their latest LP.
STILL FLYIN' make a triumphant return to Laneway Festival after successfully frying the brains of Australian audiences in early '08. This San Francisco band bring with them a way of life that sounds something like at least a dozen indie-kids jamming brews and slamming high fives - with a healthy dose of roots reggae and dub thrown in for good party measures. STILL FLYIN's debut album Never Gonna Touch The Ground is set for release in Australia on December 6. Recorded in San Francisco and mixed by members of Architecture in Helsinki, Never Gonna Touch The Ground combines insistent melodies with an infectious beat.
Alfred Darlington, also known as DAELDELUS, isn't your average cookie-cutter musician. Aesthetically influenced by early Victorian dandyism, but sonically indebted to the rave culture of Britain in the 1990's, his latest record Love to Make Music To is a fresh take on your favourite sounds from that era. Check out his Youtube hit 'Vote Obama', a jubilant hip-house endorsement audibly influenced by Dee-Lite and Ice Cube.
St Jerome's Laneway Festival 2009
GIRL TALK, STEREOLAB, ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI, THE HOLD STEADY, THE DRONES, CUT OFF YOUR HANDS, FOUR TET, TAME IMPALA, EL GUINCHO, JAY REATARD, BURAKA SOM SISTEMA DJ/MC SET, THE TEMPER TRAP, NO AGE, JOHN STEEL SINGERS, CANYONS, PIVOT, PORT O'BRIEN, HOLLY THROSBY, BORN RUFFIANS, MOUNTAINS IN THE SKY, TIM FITE, STILL FLYIN , DAEDELUS...plus more to be announced
Presented by triple j, YEN, FasterLouder and Channel [V]
DATES AND VENUES
Saturday, 31 January 2009
BRISBANE
Alexandria St off St Paul's Terrace, Fortitude Valley
Sunday, 1 February 2009
MELBOURNE
Lonsdale St, Caledonian Lane and Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Friday, 6 February 2009
PERTH
Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge
Saturday, 7 February 2009
ADELAIDE
Fowler's Live, Northern Terrace
Sunday, 8 February 2009
SYDNEY
The Basement, Macquarie Park & Reiby Place, Circular Quay
TICKETS
Onsale: Monday, 27 October 2008
Online Booking: moshtix.com.au
Phone Booking: 1300 GET TIX (438 849)
And all Moshtix outlets nationwide
MELBOURNE ONLY: St. Jerome's Bar, 7 Caledonian Lane, Melbourne.
For the latest, hit lanewayfestival.com.au
| 22 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
