St. Jerome's Laneway Festival 2015

The Laneway Festival - which turned 10 this year! - today announces the 2015 Australasian festival dates and venue details.   It’s been a decade since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio threw a party and called it a festival down by the 'colourful' alley in the backstreets of the Melbourne CBD in 2005.  

In that time, Laneway has hosted some of the world’s best artists before they went on to become major stars.  In 2015, we return to this year's iconic locations in Singapore, New Zealand and five Australian cities.  An urban music experience like no other, the Laneway Festival continues to define itself by its creative collabs (food, markets, local art and more) and A+ line-up.  And we cannot wait.

Laneway’s long-time home at the SCA in Rozelle combines the natural beauty of Callan Park with the historic sandstone of the College. The addition of two main stages to the natural amphitheatre worked a treat last time and we welcome back the SCA artists who enhanced the site with their work, along with some of the city’s finest food vendors.   

Traversing seven cities and three countries, the festival is well and truly settled into its home in each state.  From the sparkling backdrop of the Maribyrnong and Port Rivers in Melbourne and Adelaide, the beachside location in Fremantle, the historic grounds of Sydney College of The Arts and our brand new home in Brisbane, the event is a true highlight on the Singapore, New Zealand and Australian music calendars. 

Andy Bull - Australia’s rising master of pop Andy Bull joins us on our national run around the country.  After smashing out a succession of incredibly catchy singles (‘Keep On Running’, ‘Baby, I’m Nobody Now’, ‘Talk Too Much’) (bet at least one of those is stuck in your head right now), he released Sea Of Approval, an adventurous album replete with wandering melodies and unexpected left-turns. One of the country’s most promising yet underrated songwriters.    

Angel Olsen - Angel Olsen quietly released one of our favourite records of the year. Burn Your Fire For No Witness is an elegant, timeless LP, one that covers the terrain from sparse, haunting folk to rollicking indie rock and won adoring praise everywhere (including a Best New Music stamp from Pitchfork). The former backup singer for Bonnie Prince Billy is capable of silencing entire rooms with her penetrating voice and charismatic presence and we can’t wait to see her this summer. 

Banks - Noted for her eerily striking vocals, the magical Banks continues to rise at meteoric pace. Since her break-out London EP, the L.A native and blogger’s favourite has notched up a debut tour with The Weeknd and a ‘BBC Sound of 2014‘ nomination, a breakout Coachella performance and a string of sold out shows around the globe.  She dropped her “intensely compelling” and “remarkably seasoned” debut LP Goddess in September to rave reviews. Don’t miss her breathtaking debut Australian performance at next year’s Laneway Festival. 

Benjamin Booker - 2014 is the year of Benjamin Booker. He of journalistic background and New Orleans base has a sharp eye for storytelling and a refreshing take on blues and boogie. The gravelly-voiced star has spent the last year on the road, touring with Courtney Barnett and Jack White (who personally requested him and better watch his back), and at European summer festivals, Lollapolooza, FYF Fest and many others.  He joins us on the 2015 run of Laneway shows with a fire in his eyes and a Violent Shiver. Booker’s self-titled debut is out now via ATO Records/Rough Trade Records. 

Caribou- Caribou (a.k.a. Manitoba a.k.a. Daphni a.k.a. Daniel Snaith) is long respected multi-instrumentalist, mathematical genius and musical wizard respected for his genre-bending releases that meld psychedelia, folktronica and dance. Dishing up consistently brilliant records since 2001, Caribou has toured the world with the likes of Four Tet, Kwabs and more, captivating fans with an eclectic catalogue of organic dance tunes. After the release of the universally adoredSwim in 2010, Caribou releases his sixth studio album Our Love this week, a career-best LP that stands to be one of the most dynamic of the year. 

Connan Mockasin - NZ resident Connan Mockasin went to Japan in 2013, booked a hotel room and walked out with his second LP Caramel, an album that is as sensuous as its title suggests. It’s weird and really good. His introverted, psychedelic pop translates into an oddly endearing live show that is about both music and his own partiality for performance art. Mockasin will be performing live for the first time in Aus since touring with Radiohead in 2012.  

Courtney Barnett - Cherished Preston-ian Courtney Barnett returns home for this year’s Laneway Festival after a huge year touring at esteemed international festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza and winning hearts both sides of the equator. Courtney’s songs are refreshingly honest, her observational lyrics incisive and usually hilarious (see break-out single ‘Avant Gardener’). We can’t wait for her debut LP, due early 2015, from this year’s most exciting export. 

Dune Rats - Brissie’s men of mayhem, Dune Rats have been turning heads with their adventures in punk-rock debauchery. Along with their contemporaries Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays, the trio represent the loosest corner of the Australian music community (see ‘Red Light, Green Light’ for reference). After releasing their debut self-titled LP, Dune Rats ripped through a European tour, and will be heading home to give Laneway a taste of their on-stage antics that get crowds going in the best kind of way. Check out their video for ‘Funny Guy’ made in Paris with just 50 bucks. 

Eagulls - Straight out of Leeds, England comes Mark, Henry, Liam, Tom and George of post-punk upstarts Eagulls. They’re the guys behind the winning rotting pig brain video at this year’s NME Awards (their house was raided by police soon after) and that David Letterman performance where they sang toBill Murray. Their self-titled debut LP spawned ‘Possessed’, ‘Tough Luck’ and ‘Nerve Endings’, all of which are fierce and all of which you can bang your head to.  

Eves - Hannah Karydas is Eves: the 19-year-old guitar pop artist who has spent the last year kicking goals. Somewhere in between Cairns Has Got Talent and being named as one of this year’s triple j Next Crop artists, she has supported Courtney Barnett and Sky Ferreira and delivered breakout singles ‘Heavy’ and ‘Zen’ (both of which came with their own self-made videos). The future certainly looks bright for Eves. Fka Twigs - Possibly the hottest act of 2014, British-born Young Turks-signed FKA Twigs is bringing her mesmerising show to Australia for the very first time. It’s almost impossible to characterise 26-year-old Twigs’ remarkable album, LP1, a record of strange beauty and deeply confident lyrics (viz. lead single ‘Two Weeks’, surely a contender for Song of the Year). Writing, producing, singing and choreographing most of her output, the former professional dancer is a force to be reckoned with. Bet you can’t pick up a microphone like this.     

Flight Facilities - Laneway is stoked to welcome Sydney duo Flight Facilities, authors of the indescribable earworms ‘Crave You’, ‘Clair de Lune’ and current single ‘Two Bodies’ featuring local babe Emma Louise. In the past few years, the duo have quietly cemented themselves touring the globe, and putting together some of the most impressive mixes around (check out The Decades mixes if you haven’t already). Their debut album Down To Earth is released on October 24 via Future Classic. Get on board.   

Flying Lotus - Flying Lotus is Steven Ellison: genre-destroying music producer, composer and rapper responsible for mind-blowers 1983, Los Angeles, Cosmogramma (#19 of Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the Decade), Until the Quiet Comes and October 7 release of You’re Dead! via Warp Records (check out the artwork by Japanese Manga Artist Shintaro Kago). Lotus is one of the most influential artists of recent years and one of the most connected: the new album features A+ collabs with Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Herbie Hancock, Thundercat and more. He'll be toting his game-changing 3D live show, Layer 3, to Laneway in 2015. 

Future Islands - Hardest working band on the planet Future Islands have earned their moment, touring relentlessly since 2006 from their base in Maryland USA and releasing a succession of well-received although definitely underrated albums. Thanks to a now-famous Letterman performance, undeniable track (‘Seasons’) and 4AD-released album Singles, charismatic frontman Samuel Herring and his sidekicks Gerrit Welmers and William Cashion are ready for the big time and their back catalogue of tunes is now getting the recognition they deserve. Don’t miss the synth-pop maestros getting gymnastic on stage at this year’s Laneway.  

Highasakite - Nordic indie/rock five piece Highasakite generated loads of buzz earlier this year with their excellent break-out single ‘Since Last Wednesday’. Their new album Silent Treatment gives us the rousing vocals of frontwoman Ingrid Havik and is supported by wicked percussion and synth, which combine to form a captivating sound that takes you to into a realm full of contrasts. Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon invited them to tour with him being so impressed by their live show; we promise you will be too. Hit up their take on Like A Version to find out what a flugabone is. 

Jesse Davidson - Jesse Davidson the 18-year-old wunderkind joins Us for Laneway Adelaide for 2015. The homegrown singer-songwriter belies his age and could very well be the next 90s-born prodigy. In the last couple of years he has shared stages with Mac DeMarco, Wild Beasts and more, impressing us with his intelligent, downbeat pop and lo-fi electronic musical stylings. Get familiar with his debut EP Ocean which features his stunning single ‘Big Bois Gotta Eat’, as well as his recent collaboration with Japanese Wallpaper here.  

Jon Hopkins - Elusive, expert producer Jon Hopkins was a highlight at Meredith where he played in the early hours a couple of years ago, so it is with great anticipation that we welcome him back in 2015. Hopkins has been recognised for his work by nominations for numerous awards, namely the prestigious Ivor Novello for his film score composition and twice for the Mercury Prize (for Diamond Mine, his collaborative project with King Creosote in 2011 and his own solo albumImmunity in 2013). Equally known for his agile remix work (Caribou, Purity Ring etc), collabs (Brian Eno, Tunng) and original electronic productions, Jon Hopkins is a rare talent in a crowded field. His new Asleep Versions EP and a deluxe re-pack of his Immunity LP will be released on November 7 via Domino Records.   

Jungle - Out of the UK thunders Jungle, an enigmatic producer duo formed by two lifelong friends (Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland). Since signing to legendary labelXL Recordings, their retro-future funk has been creating worldwide hype. Their debut self-titled LP came out this July, gifting fans with a range of tunes (‘Busy Earning’, ‘Platoon’) that put a modern spin on old school soul. Live, Jungle expand to an eclectic 7-piece to produce their own unique sound and one hell-of-a-show to watch.  

Little Dragon - Little Dragon are our favourite go-to group for sexy slow jams. The electronic quartet formed in a Swedish high school 15 years ago and have been winning over fans ever since. Frontwoman Yukimi Nagano’s delicate, distinctive vocal has appeared elsewhere (see: Gorillaz, David Sitek and most notably SBTRKT’s classic ‘Wildfire’) but their accomplishments surpass their A-list connections. This year, Little Dragon released their fourth LP Nabuma Rubberband that brought us jams ‘Klapp Klapp’, ‘Paris’ and ‘Let Go’ to critical acclaim and wooed Australian audiences with their super smooth rendition of Kelis’ ‘Millionaire’ on Like A Version earlier this year. Lykke Li - Since breaking out five or so years ago with radio-friendly pop hits (‘Little Bit’, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ and ‘I Follow Rivers’), Swedish star Lykke Li is back with I Never Learn, a collection of songs that will rip your heart apart. It’s a new direction for Li, whose honest, stripped back and brutally direct account of a break-up has made for one of our favourite albums this year. With her mesmerising, ethereal and at times confronting live show, Lykke Li leads our strong female-driven lineup for 2015.  

Mac Demarco - Mac Demarco (real name, Vernor Winfield McBriare Smith IV, we no lie) has a penchant for cheeky lyrics and a gap-toothed smile. After a succession of playful, buzzy albums, Canada’s most charming wild child released his third record Salad Days, which took a more serious turn despite plenty of oddball jams.  DeMarco’s self-labelled style of ‘jizz jazz’ is groovy and melodic, and his live show will be fun, lewd and possibly a little nude. Plus! Mac is bringing his mum along for the ride. Agnes DeMarco joins the Laneway 2015 tour as resident MC, as revealed by Laneway founder Danny Rogers at September’s Bigsound. Also, this gif. 

Mansionair - Fast-rising Sydney three-piece Mansionair join us on Laneway. The band’s first single ‘Hold Me Down’ has amassed a staggering 5 million + YouTube views, over 1 million Soundcloud plays and peaked at #1 on Hype Machine since it surfaced on the Internet in February this year. Their debut EP, Hold Me Down is out Oct 10via Chvrches' label Goodbye Records and they have supported Movement and Broods across a handful of Australian shows.  

Perfect Pussy - Syracuse  five-piece punk band Perfect Pussy have had a mental year. After releasing their bold, Pitchfork-approved debut album Say Yes To Love in March, the band played a ruthless 48 shows in 55 days beforeimpressing a packed out crowd at both theLaneway Festival and NPR Music’s SXSW showcases to much praise. Combine the vivid, visceral imagery of frontwoman Meredith Graves’ lyrics with their brutal, raucous energy and you get an exhilarating show of the highest order.

Peter Bibby - Get acquainted with Melbourne (via Perth) resident muso and self-proclaimed public balladeer Peter Bibby who joins us at Laneway in 2015. The cheeky mate (of Frozen Ocean, Fucking Teeth and Bottles of Confidence fame) is Spinning Top’s latest family member, joining Laneway favourites POND, Allbrook/Avery and Tame Impala. Bibby’s gripping single ‘Goodbye Johnny’ (about “the raw emotion of having a hypochondriac friend leave you for a long time, whilst you are oozing with flu and he simply will not give you any farewell affection”) is the first off his forthcoming album Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician which is set to be released on November 14.

Pond - Pond, Perth’s foremost psych rock group are back to play Laneway in 2015. Led by musical wanderer Nick Allbrook (it’s his sixth Laneway in a row), the band comprises a revolving cast of members taken from Tame Impala, The Growl, The Silents and others. Over their five-year history, the band have released a series of albums (including the raved about Beards Wives & Denim and 2013’s Hobo Rocket) that redefine rock n roll. NME once called them the ‘The Hottest New Band In The World’ and they count as one of our favourites. Their new album Man, It Feels Like Space Again is set to be released on the eve of Laneway, making it the first showcase of their new music. No doubt their set will be as thrillingly explosive and unpredictable as ever.

Ratking - West-side fellas Ratking have burst onto the music scene with their defiantly edgy take on hip-hop. The teenage trio consists of MCs Wiki and Hak, and producer Sporting Life. Their debut LP So It Goes features Laneway old mate Archie Marshall (aka King Krule) and is brought to you by XL Recordings. It takes the intensity of New York living and spins it with beats that are weighty and chaotic, much like the city itself. These kids offer something that is different, driven by a sound that is alive. 

Raury - June 10 marked the 18th birthday of the tenacious and talented Altana songwriter Raury, who collaborated with SBTRKT, swapped tracks with Kanye West and got booked to open for OutKast, all before releasing a single record. Cultivating his craft of singing, songwriting and production since the age of nine, Raury has been turning heads with his intriguing and unique blend of rap, folk and soul as heard on his debut LP Indigo Child (Columbia Records). His intelligent lyrics double as the voice of his generation, talking about the frustrations of adolescence and the deeply felt topics of acceptance and ambition. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with on the live stage during his first trip to Australia.

Royal Blood - Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are Royal Blood. They make powerful riff-rock using only one bass and a whole lot of drumming, and are the authors of ubiquitous singles ‘Out of the Black’, ‘Figure It Out’ and ‘Little Monster’. In just six short months they’ve traversed the world, performing at SXSW, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Glastonbury, T in the Park and Reading Festival, and in just a few more they'll be back in our backyard for some of their most explosive sets yet. Royal Blood’s brilliant self-titled debut charted at #1 in the UK and #3 here in Australia, proving that guitar music is well and truly alive.

Rustie - Glaswegian electronic producer Rustie is anything but. His music is often ten steps ahead of us all, with his debut LP Glass Swords recently charting as one of the greatest albums of the last decade. He did it again with his super impressive follow-up album, Green Language (Warp Records). Featuring collabs with Danny Brown, D Double E, Redinho and more, the record at times takes on a more (quite literal) natural approach incorporating the sounds of wildlife and the beauty of his Scottish surrounds, whilst also continuing to push the boundaries of trap, ‘maximalism’ and electronica. 

Seekae - Sydney talent trio Seekae’s dynamic, glitchy electronica has listeners moving about dancefloors worldwide and we’re thrilled to have them on the 2015 tour. Their stunning debut The Sounds of Trees Falling On People was anointed one of the albums of the decade by FBi Radio; assured follow-up +Dome achieved Mojo Magazine’s Album of the Month in the UK amongst other plaudits. Their brand new album The Worry (Album Of The Week on FBi Radio, 2SER and Radio Adelaide) is rich in detail and with the introduction of Alex Cameron’s vocals, this “highly intelligent and self-disciplined trio” bring something new to the scene as the band continue to push the boundaries in a genre where familiarity is more often favoured.

Sohn - Sohn released his debut album Tremors on seminal label 4AD earlier this year to our delight. Contrasting abstract electronic beats with a killer falsetto, the record is filled with tracks that are equally at home in poorly lit rooms and festival stages (We’ll see you up the front for 'Artifice'). The Vienna-based producer is in high demand, working with the likes of Banks, Lana Del Ray, Rhye and snagging a well-received BBC Radio 1 Residency. He sold out his Australian tour earlier this year, giving us an exciting glimpse of what’s in store for Laneway 2015.

St. Vincent - There is no one quite like St. Vincent and her twisted pop melodies. Described equally as peculiar, inventive, playful and at times, demanding, Annie Clark has consistently revealed herself to be one of indie music’s most vital contributors. Her eponymous fifth studio album is a huge achievement, but it's in the live arena where she really excels. No less than a weapon on the guitar, Clark and her tautly orchestrated band put on a proper rock show, full of surprises. She performed at the iconic Sydney Opera House earlier this year but her festival show is something else entirely.

Vic Mensa - 21-year-old Chicago rapper Vic Mensa is impossibly cool.  Just one of 12 artists included on the prestigious 2014 XXL Freshman Class, Mensa’s intelligent, self-aware lyrics reveal an artist with serious star potential. Get a dose of it on his frenetic breakout mixtape Innanetape. Breakout single 'Down On My Luck', with its deep house beats and free-flowing verse is gonna do very well in end of year polls, we tell you.  An incredible live performer, Mensa has worked with Kaytranada, toured with Disclosure and Danny Brown and is more than ready for his moment in the spotlight.