laneway 2025

A month later, was it really that shit? 

Not everyone’s Laneway experience was as fun as mine. I was lucky enough to volunteer as an Artist Liaison. What does an Artist Liaison do, you might ask? Well it mainly consists of installing fridges, packing Clairo’s Grain Waves and nearly rolling a golf cart while taking RNZŌ to do their set (sorry!). Plus pretending not to geek out when Steve Harrington walks past you. If you weren't able to make it this year’s Laneway, or it was too expensive (honestly fair enough), the best way to attend a festival for free is to volunteer. It's heaps of fun and it keeps you busy between sets you want to watch. If you'd like to work at next year's Laneway, keep your eyes peeled for around November/December when applications open. 

“Clairo was so beautiful but omg go girl give us nothing” ~ Anonymous 

Last month we asked our readers what they felt, and so many of them felt the crowd had poor etiquette, the congested gates were dangerous, the sound on the main stage was too quiet but somehow also too bassy. The tickets were pricey and Charli’s setlist wasn’t so spicy. There was also a feeling on the ground at Laneway 2025 was that the festival's spirit was at a crossroads. 

“DOGSHIT this year” ~ Anonymous 

For many, the 16 artists who took the stage(s) before Charli were opening acts to the culmination of Aotearoa's version of brat summer, and the only reason they attended. And was there anything wrong with that? Undoubtedly, the same volume of people would have packed the Spark Arena for a solo show from Charli XCX, so Laneway, being a day-long festival, offered good value for money. 

“I walked in on someone getting fingered in the portaloos - 6/10”  ~ Anonymous

Yet in between the dotty lime sea of 365 Party Girls bumpin' that, some longtime Laneway festival goers felt that the line-up had drifted towards the mainstream. Back in the day, Laneway had a reputation of being an off-beat, weird, and “indie” festival (as far as festivals with ten thousand attendees go). A gathering of international artists who were probably too small to visit Downunder (+NZ) alone, but too big to fit all of their fans in a pub. But these days, Olivia Dean, an artist billed on the 4th line and performing at 3 pm while most concertgoers were still locked out, was able to host a solo show the night before at The Powerstation. A bonus for her fans for sure, but it speaks to the increasing popularity of the artists performing at the festival. 

“Fkn GREATTTTTTT”  ~ Anonymous

However, I feel the sound is the same as it ever was; the style of music, and thus the selection of artists, has drifted toward the mainstream. Headliners Clairo and Charli XCX are Laneway veterans, performing in 2019 and 2020 respectively, when both had less than half the popularity they enjoy today. We know popular music is constantly evolving. Sounds which were once more alternative, emerging and fringe in the 2010s and now in vogue in the 2020s. As such, their obscurity and mystique as they were absorbed into that conglomerate abyss that is mainstream (western) culture. In this age of virality and sudden mass popularity, it is only human nature for older, original fans to feel defensive about newcomers and a sense of loss, or grief, of niche exclusivity. My advice: just be happy you were hip first. No one can take away the veteran status of your fandom from you. 

“A lot of lightweights, but queer friendly env so I felt safer than at other festivals I’d been to” ~ Anonymous

And is it not terrific that these artists are still up for playing a 50-minute set at a festival in central Auckland? This can't be said about every international artist these days, who often skip NZ for "logistics" reasons, like Laneway veteran Billie Eilish, who is performing in Australia this week. We now see these artists we love who started out playing here and are sadly outgrowing us. We need festivals like Laneway more than ever to magnetise their tunes back to our shores. Disagree with me? Tell us @craccum! 

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The views and opinions expressed by authors in their submissions do not necessarily reflect those of Craccum. Craccum does not endorse any content or viewpoints published and is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of the information provided by contributors.