Laneway Festival: A feast for the senses

Double Dutch fries.

Soon the manicured lawns and meandering paths of Albert Park will be alive for a second year with the rollicking good time that is Laneway Festival. As well as a top-notch music, festival-goers this year can look forward to an impressive selection of food and drink. We decided to pay a fun tribute by matching some of the beats to the eats, to help you plan your day.

We recommend a side of The War on Drugs with a burger from Serial Griller. The perfect burger is all about the layers, getting the right balance of a satisfying savoury pattie set off with tart pickles, smooth sauce and a soft demi-brioche bun to soak it all up. Nobody layers a track like the War on Drugs, taking so many instruments and building to epic proportions. Serial Griller uses the "smash" technique: the pattie starts as a ball and is smashed on to a super-hot grill to seal in juices and ensure lots of crispy bits. The meat in the pattie, the piece de resistance ... like when the guitar solo rolls along in Strangest Thing and snare drum kicks in; everything gathers together in a delicious earful (or mouthful of burger).

Tokimonsta (Jennifer Lee) was a classical pianist before turning her attention to producing excellent electronic beats and she's also a dab hand at remixing music by acts like Justin Timberlake and Tinashe. So let's pair her skills with Judge Bao's menu: these guys know all about reinterpreting classics - take their traditional handmade bao stuffed with pork belly braised in Karma Cola.

Chill out with a Nice Block and the sweet, spaced-out sounds of Girl by The Internet. Hailing from Los Angeles, The Internet nails neo-soul electronic and this staggered-beat at track with its steady groove baseline is definitely best enjoyed with a side of something silky smooth and soothingly cool. And while Girl retains some elements of an old-school R&B love song, there's a clever usurping of the genre with Syd the Kid's vocals putting a gay spin on things: much like vegan, organic Nice Blocks have updated a favourite to suit today's world.

Allpress Caravan.

At the heart of a good ramen is a great stock; gutsy and umami - the same features that make Aldous Harding's voice so arresting. The haunting way Harding holds those long notes in Horizons is akin to untangling a long, perfectly al dente handmade noodle in a steaming bowl of Takara's ramen.

Raise a Taco Loco to Josh Tillman (Father John Misty), whose lyrics are getting more and more bizarro-world; there's certainly a stroke of the loco about the world he paints in his third album, Pure Comedy - we're demented monkeys living in a madman's system. He's pure mad glory, packed with flavour and a lick of heat.

Lush, beautiful, jazzy and ambient, all wrapped in a neat production perfection, we're matching Bonobo with the juicy dumplings made by The Rolling Pin. Bonobo is a technical master, much like The Rolling Pin's team of dumpling-wrapping whizzes.

Rolling Pin.

The Guardian described the sound of shoegazer stalwarts as "crystalline", an adjective that also captures the thin, crisp layer of burnt sugar that tops The Brulee Bike's creme brulee (opt for either their vanilla or salted caramel renditions). Shoegazing is much more enjoyable when there's a brulee in the way.

Loyle Carner: musician, MC, model, author, caller-out of sexist jerk audience members, cook. On the cusp of fame in the music world, Carner simultaneously launched the initiative "Chilli con Carner", teaching kids with ADHD to cook. Carner also served up big vats of his homemade chilli con carner to celebrate his album release. It's too darn hot this summer to find chilli con carne in the Laneway line-up, but the kimchi burrito from vegan food truck The Otherside will get your taste buds in the spirit: black bean, chipotle, a whole lot of greenery, with kimchi, cashew sour cream and avocado sauce. Ethical and moreish, just like Carner.

Langos.

THINGS TO NOTE

The main food area, along with the craft beer and wine base, has moved to the area round the fountain, providing easier access and shade under the trees, and a big screen means you don't miss out while waiting, you can have your cake and eat it, too. There will also be food outlets on Princes St.

It's not a festival without floss! Rest assured that as well as the fancy options there'll also be hot chips and dogs and candy floss.

Free water stations will be scattered all around; bring your own reusable bottle and help cut down on waste, and bars are dotted round the park, with an extra bar this year.

This year's festival beer comes from Boundary Road, who've brewed a BRB Laneway Festival 2018 Hoppy Lager. This lightly dry-hopped lager showcases Wai-iti and Sauvin hops as well South Island speciality malts. It clocks in at a nice round 5 per cent ABV. Drink responsibly and keep hydrated, folks.

Lowdown

Laneway Festival, Monday (Auckland Anniversary Day).
For a full line-up of food and music offerings, and ticket purchases, see auckland.
lanewayfestival.com