Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Auckland (New Zealand)
The teething problems of 2009 were laid to rest in 2010, as expansive new locations in Melbourne (Footscray Community Arts Centre) and Sydney (Rozelle’s Sydney College of the Arts) proved instant successes. The luxurious new locations matched perhaps the strongest line-up so far, with a trio of UK breakout acts in Mumford & Sons, Florence and the Machine, and The xx, all debuting in Australia at Laneway.
Matthew Lazarus Hall (Laneway co-promoter): “It was a long search to find a new home for Sydney, but when we found it we knew it was perfect. It could take on our growing audience while maintaining the uniqueness that was key to the festival. It also gave us room to continue to build, not just in capacity but the right environment."
Danny Rogers (Laneway co-founder): “We decided we’d like to try and take it to 7 or 8,000 capacity if we could. But we need to do that without compromising anything. We want to create something great: easy to get a drink, easy to get in, easy to see bands. In Melbourne, we went into the Footscray Council and honestly, they were open arms.”
With the festival now in all major Australian cities, it was time to expand once again - to Auckland, New Zealand. Again with the help of Chugg, the festival teamed up with Kiwis Ben Howe, Manolo Echave and Mark Kneebone to deliver the debut NZ Laneway Festival, held amongst the old parking sheds and warehouses of the Britomart Quarter.
Mark Kneebone (Isaac Promotions, NZ co-promoter): “The success of the first Auckland Laneway was all about the line-up which was as diverse as the Kiwis themselves: from the seminal to the scene-starting
Line-up: Bachelorette, Black Lips, Chris Knox and The Nothing, Cut Off Your Hands, Daniel Johnston, Dappled Cities, Dirty Three, Echo & the Bunnymen, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Florence and the Machine, Hockey, Kid Sam, N.A.S.A., Midnight Juggernauts, Mumford & Sons, Radioclit, Sarah Blasko, Street Chant, The 3Ds, The Middle East, The Naked and Famous, The Very Best, The xx, Warpaint, Whitley, Wild Beasts
