“It’s been the most stressful week of my life, so I couldn’t be happier to be here with you guys,” Charli XCX shouted to the sea of thousands of sunburnt faces at Western Springs Stadium.
The queen of the “Brat Summer” phenomenon was only days ago performing at (and winning) the prestigious Grammy Awards (probably the most cut-throat gig of her career) and had jetted straight on a plane to see her doting Kiwi fans.
And while her “Brat” persona was on full display for much of her rip-roaring headline Laneway Festival performance, the global superstar shone through with her genuine nature and blazing sense of fun.
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She knew we were probably going through stuff too, and what better way to use music as a healer than to sing the 2012 hit I Love It with thousands of other Kiwis?
Sincerity and good vibes seemed to be recurring themes throughout the day at this year’s Laneway, seen through both the performers and the patrons.
Every artist who took to the stage seemed genuinely grateful to be there, and gave it their absolute all to create one of the best pop-culture musical smorgasbords I’ve ever witnessed.
Kitted in Von Dutch hats and Brat green outfits, punters also helped make the magic with friendly smiles and fun-loving attitudes on a whole.
Sure, there will always be things that go wrong and bad apples at any big event, and I felt especially sorry for those patrons let down by the earlier Ticketek fiasco who missed their favourite artist.
I’m also still getting used to Western Springs as a venue after the glory days at the beautiful Albert Park, but I never struggled to find shade or fill up my water bottle which were two big ticks in my book considering it was a 25C scorcher.
There was also plenty of visible security, and the R18 crowd generally seemed to help each other out when needed in what was a very packed GA area at times.
The site was split into three stages, two together in the main “outer field” area and another separate stage inside the actual stadium.
My day started with the grungy brilliance of Elliot & Vincent, a rock two-piece consisting of Elliot Finn and Vincent Cherry.
No doubt these two are ones to watch in the future, with their driving melodies whipping the ever-growing crowd into an excited frenzy.
As the sun shone brighter and brighter, so did the brilliance of British singer Olivia Dean not long after.
Her mastery of neo-soul reminded me somewhat of fellow Laneway alumnus Jorja Smith, with hits like Be My Own Boyfriend and Messy showcasing her powerful voice and electric stage presence.
She also let out a little laugh at one point and seemed a bit taken aback when she realised the crowd knew every single lyric to her songs. No doubt this humble and talented lady will be back touring here before you know it.
Another explosion of talent came in the form of Californian alt-popper Remi Wolf, who’s been taking festivals in Australia and around the globe by storm.
She vowed to get the crowd “spiritually warmed up”, and judging by the raised hands and smiles she managed to do just that while powering through high energy hits like Soup and Toro.
This year’s roster wasn’t without clashes, and my first dilemma came when psychedelic rocker Djo performed at the same time as hip-hoppers Joey Valence & Brae.
I opted to start with Djo (Joseph David Keery) who many would recognise from Netflix as Steve Harrington of Stranger Things.
But Steve Harrington was nowhere to be seen, instead we got a masterclass musician whose shades of Funkadelic, Mac DeMarco and ELO proved him as one of the unique acts out there today.
His TikTok famous song End of Beginning, got the biggest crowd response and you could see he was genuinely thankful, but honestly, I could have listened to those soaring guitar solos in the setting sun all day.
I quickly rushed over to the stadium stage in the middle of the set to see Joey Valence & Brae, and I’m glad I got a glimpse because these two are a force to be reckoned with.
Only forming in 2021, a whirlwind four years have seen the college friends bring 90s nu metal back to the modern age.
Whizzing through hits like Punk Tactics and No Hands at breakneck speed, the pair shouted and jumped their way through a set that explored themes of pop-culture and counterculture, while ultimately turning the stadium into a sea of ravers in the process.
Back at the two-stage setup, I caught indie icon Clairo, who performed in front of a sparkling silver backdrop.
I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about her or her music before Laneway, but her captivating and artistic display convinced me to jump on Spotify and add her to my playlist.
Beabadoobee (Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus) admitted early on in her set that she was “sick”, but that didn’t stop her from powering through with a stellar performance.
The Eras Tour opener’s dreamy pop rock ballads have also been prominent on social media, but seeing Laus perform them is something special.
2023’s Cologne is one of my favourites, and her pitch-perfect execution of the brooding, guitar-driven melody sounded even better in the flesh.
Next came what was one of the most unexpected and breathtaking moments of the day, a live DJ set (with instruments) from Scottish electronic artist Barry Can’t Swim (Joshua Mainnie).
While Barry may not be able to swim, he sure can cook up some absolutely sublime music with his fellow musicians.
The Scotsman revealed it was the first time coming down under with his live outfit, and after the reception the crowd gave him while boogying down, I don’t think it will be his last.
And so, we return to the exploits of Charli XCX (Charlotte Emma Aitchison), who was ready to close off what had already been a stellar day.
In true Brat style, a barrage of strobe lights and Charli sizzle reel hyped up the crowd before the infamous green album cover curtain dropped.
360 and Von Dutch saw the star writhe and strut around the stage while she performed mostly to a camera, in a cheeky meta nod to celebrity and paparazzi culture that is littered through her hit album.
Crowd interaction was also key, with the singer taking to the front of the barrier to perform the infamous Apple dance with fans while also dishing out high fives.
“There’s a rumour going round that I like to party,” Aitchison yelled at one point before launching into Club classics.
Party was just the start of it, the energy was so high during her set the VIP risers were visibly shaking.
Sadly, after much speculation, Kiwi singer Lorde didn’t make an appearance for the pair’s hit song Girl, so confusing, but the crowd made up for it by singing her part extra loud.
By the end of the one hour and 10-minute spectacle, plenty of fans were no doubt exhausted after dancing and jumping and singing their hearts out.
But as I walked through the exit gates myself with sunburnt cheeks (despite two sunscreen reapplications) and sunken eyes, my heart was full knowing that, amid all its flaws, Laneway delivered the summer spectacle Kiwis well and truly deserved.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
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