Laneway Festival is now a veteran on the festival circuit. Seemingly going from strength to strength. Each year they seem to book bands before they break out. This year seemed the year of pop. Lorde and Haim broke fairly big in 2013 and no doubt helped ticket sales. They aren't to my taste, but there was plenty that was. Some hip hop acts that produced stellar albums last year. Some great Indie rock and boom, a great day was had. The Rozelle venue, since its expansion, is now a comfortable way to spend the day. Plenty of grass and shaded areas. Plenty of good quality food outlets. Good bars. Yes, Laneway generally does it right and I always feel satisfied from a day out in their company.

Dick Diver are just great. The Melbourne band have released two albums of sublime music. Melodies that bend and nearly break. They are odd and beautiful. Australian but still unique. The should be huge but probably never will be. Despite some technical issues that produced a beautiful set of languid melodies and good times. I love this band so much.

Set List
Water Damage
Calendar Days
Gap Life
Head Back
Flying Tea Towel Blues
Lime Green Shirt
Amber
Alice

Scott Hutchison was in good form. The lead singer of Scotland's Frightened Rabbit said they have no hits. They are fat and ugly. Well, this might possibly all be true. But this band are the shit. Just a great, great band. They should have hits and really they run rings around most of the bands that followed. Despite a poor mix, the vocals were buried and there was a fair amount of distortion, they shone and dazzled in the mid afternoon heat. Yes, once again they rocked my world.

Set List
Holy
The Modern Leper
Nothing Like You
Old Old Fashioned
Fast Blood
My Backwards Walk
The Oil Slick
The Woodpile
Keep Yourself Warm
The Loneliness And The Scream

I'm kind of in love with Kurt Vile. This guitar genius had rocked my world for the last week. In one way or another this would be the fourth time that I have seen him. Yes, it was all worth it. The man makes music that is both excellent and unique. Rock on Kurt!

Set List
Wakin On A Pretty Day
KV Crimes
Jesus Fever
On Tour
Freeway
Girl Called Alex
Freak Train

Danny Brown was insanely good. The best fun of the day. His DJ was amazingly good and warmed us up nicely before Brown took the stage. When he did he had the crowd in his palm. We were there for the ride and the never let up. Just great song after song. Brown's delivery and flow is quite unique. And his laugh is hysterical. So much fun!

Set List
Break It (Go)
Molly Ringwald
Smokin and Drinkin
Express Yourself
Blueberry (Pills & Cocaine)
I Will
Side B (Dope Song)
Witit
Monopoly
Blunt After Blunt
Kush Coma
25 Bucks
Dip

Earl Sweatshirt has a great rap pedigree. He also released a great album in 2013 in the shape of "Doris". Part of the Odd Future Wolfgang crew he is now standing out on his own. A rapper with exceptional flow, his is also lyrically insightful. I don't think he's as unique as Brown. There is no one quite like Danny Brown. But Sweatshirt was still very enjoyable, packing a lot in in a small amount of time. Highlight was probably the dark and threatening "Hive".