Photography & Words: Charlotte Najjar
Well, 17,589 steps and many rain ponchos later, Laneway 2026 was certainly the place to be on Sunday. Not even the pouring rain could keep Sydney from pulling up to one of the biggest festivals of the year, thousands flocking in early to catch artists such as Cavetown, Shady Nasty and Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers.
The weather also didn’t stop the featured artists from giving us their all on the stage, a handful of UK artists even praising the brief pause from the heat, making way for something more comparable to the british summers.
The Belair Lip Bombs, fresh off their European tour brought big energy to the Hope Springs stage, an excellent warm up before heading over to Cavetown at the main stages.
The day flew by in a blur of talent, Shady Nasty was an excellent introduction to the Everything Ecstatic DJ tent, the place was seriously packed out, and Wisp was another crowd favourite with their alt, shoe-gazy sound that took over the space.
Of course, checking out Teen Jesus in between was a non-negotiable, with the recent release of their album “Glory“, they garnered quite the hype and were an honest highlight of the day.
A quick dash back to center stage got us to Alex G in the nick of time, then it was a quick lunch break before a crazy back to back trio of Lucy Dacus, The Dare and Role Model. All three brought a unique energy to each of their spaces, especially The Dare who I genuinely have no words to describe the energy and stage presence of. Just know the next time he plays near you, get to that show immediately.
Geese was next up on my list, and this up and coming band from NYC did not disappoint. Such a cool new sound, a bit rock a bit jazz, and a crowd that are already forming such a loyal fan base for the group here in Sydney.
I’ve heard that Pink Pantheress put on an incredible show, drawing insane crowds to the tent, so much so it had people climbing trees to get a look. I however, was not one of those brave enough to venture into such a crowd, as I was busy gearing up for Wet Leg over at the main stage.
I popped over just in time to catch The Wiggles make a special guest appearance as Role Model’s “Sally”, before heading into the pit to enjoy the UK band’s incredible performance. The show was phenomenal, made even better by the iconic red landline microphone that they brought out for CPR.
The final few sets were definitely a stretch to try and get to all at once. Malcolm Todd really delivered on a great sound and performance for his adoring fans, but I have beef with whoever scheduled him at the same time as Wolf Alice. Alas, that is the festival lifestyle, so it was quite the sprint (and I mean that in the most literal sense I can assure you) for myself and a few others to get there in time for the group, but there were zero regrets. Definitely one to see if you’re attending any of the other Laneway dates.
Finally, to end the night, a quick stop over at Yung Lean and Bladee (incredible) before what everyone had been waiting for. I swear I blinked and every stage had emptied within seconds, everyone headed to the same spot to try and catch a glimpse of pop phenomenon (Femininomenom even) Chappell Roan.
Despite the absolutely insane crowd, it was the perfect end to the perfect day. Chappell has a stage presence and personality like no other, controlling the environment around her to create a truely emersive show. It was such a treat to have her here again, after her 2023 show at Liberty Hall, it was quite the change of pace. Either way I think we are all hoping to have her back here as soon as possible, just to witness another show of a lifetime.
