Review: Laneway Festival Melbourne 2020
“Middle fingers up everybody”, are the untroubled words from Charli XCX’s set that mirror the energy surrounding Melbourne’s 2020 Laneway Festival.
Punters were treated to bright skies, and a versatile lineup; a blend that is as much fortunate as it is victorious. Whether an act was emerging, at their peak, or finding their footing, their sets were anchored in passion, and firm in their desire to make the most of the day festival.
Very little stood in the way of Omar Apollo on the Dean Turner Stage as he instantly began his set with a giant grin, ready to groove and embark on a sultry, stimulating set. Dressed in a piercing, silver disco ball top, not only was Apollo the disco ball, but the dancer spotlighted by his own shine.
In a set ample with dance breaks, Apollo possessed a Freddie Mercury-like demeanour as he exuded allure and charm like no other. Flamboyant and theatrical in his movements, it was a rarity to witness someone teeming with flare captivate the wildly heterogenous audience. There was a great irony in Apollo’s performance of ‘Ashamed’, as he was at his most unabashed and unchained during the song.
On the opposing end of Footscray Park, KAIIT took to the Fishbowl stage as an incarnate of the sunny summer weather. KAIIT’s set provided a confidence boost for all audience members, as she continually uplifted the crowd with her positive affirmations and infectious, beaming smile.
A common thread that lingered within the grounds of Laneway was the youth’s intuitive command of the stage, with KAIIT being a pioneer of this performing style at Footscray. Empowered and assured in every word she sang and every movement made, KAIIT’s set felt like a celebration of unity and acceptance. An early wholesome, and nourishing set from KAIIT provided the foundation for the high spirits that ensued in the remainder of the day.
Spacey Jane provided the antithesis to KAIIT’s set with their high-octane indie garage sound infiltrating the Future Classic stage. Spacey Jane may fly under the radar for the time being as they fill out and broaden their discography, but their set showed no signs of this, with the audience growing marginally with every song they speared into the chests of attendees. As their cult following flocked to the stage, Spacey Jane delivered a surging set, with an outpour of energy that feels rare for a band of their infancy. With their untamed, fluid energy, Spacey Jane confirmed that it won’t be the last time they’re slated to make up a powerful festival lineup.
Up and comers went back to back on the Laneway stages, with Hatchie bringing her soft and delicate touch, a relief from the shrills contributed by her Laneway contemporaries. As she eased her way into the 45 minute set, Hatchie’s music proved dissonant to her toned down persona. With a guitar in hand, it appeared that the instrument was an oasis of calm for the singer in the midst of increasingly sweltering conditions. Clashing with Hockey Dad’s set, Hatchie proved that crowd size leaves her unaffected.
Transmitting her galactic aura during the set, the audience was intimate yet mighty, and continued to branch as Hatchie’s calm never faltered. Noteworthy in Hatchie’s set was her appreciation and acknowledgement of her growth. Just two years earlier, the singer was booked as the Unearthed act, and has now developed herself into an act capable of playing the entire Laneway tour.
The night became significantly larger, and crowds heaped in as DMA’s made their way to the River stage. Without being reworked or altered, ballads like ‘Delete’ and ‘Silver’ were resuscitated as the Laneway audience joined in with their sharp, vehement iterations of the two tracks.
With the loud, bountiful roars that stirred the crowd, DMA’s achieved a difficult mission of giving ballads new life. The band authenticated just how ballads are limitless, transfixing an audience in whatever rendition it takes.
‘Ruel 2020’ stage designs and props decorated a significant portion of Ruel’s stage. The elaborate design could have struck audiences as braggadocios and boastful, but felt appropriate and imminent of what’s next for the rising star.
With a vast selection of his pop-leaning tracks, and an ambitious Pink Matter cover, Ruel’s rasp was on full display. Ruel 2020 seemed a sure thing after the command he had over his soulful vocal, and the staggering set he gifted the audience.
Instrumental intros were given their spotlight on the Laneway stage this year as Ocean Alley accentuated their set by reeling in the Laneway crowd with their tactical intros into the most memorable tracks of their discography. Ocean Alley’s intros created hysteria in the crowd, as anticipation for each song grew, and the crowd danced collectively.
Capitalising on their slot time as the sun was ready to set, the group blended old and new, with mellow and energetic, a perfect goodbye to the clear, cloudless weather and showcase of music.
Capping off the night for Artist1on1 was headliner, Charli XCX. As autotune is at its most abundant, yet is also a major point of criticism, Charli uses the tool to punctuate her set, turning it into her superpower and draw-point. Secure in her sound, the singer opted to hit the Laneway stage solo, with her raucous attitude being the spine of her set.
Brimming with fan favourites ‘1999’, ‘I Love It’ and ‘Vroom Vroom’, Charli XCX galvanised the electricity of the audience with her authority on stage. Revamping the studio versions of her hits created a special pull between herself and the audience, establishing an adrenaline rush that was only amplified by witnessing her in a prime night slot.
The Laneway lineup was eclectic, catering to the diversity of its audience in 2020. There was a musical moment to embrace for everyone, and most importantly, Melbourne’s Laneway 2020 only scratched the surface of what’s to come for each artist on the lineup. As the tenacity and drive of the artists grows and builds throughout the year, Laneway proved that these acts are what we should be grasping onto, and following avidly this year.