St Jerome's Laneway Festival 2010

Sydney College of the Arts, the festival’s new home, is a beautiful sandstone former psychiatric hospital turned art school which can only be described as indie-heaven. Its three stages were close enough together that it wasn’t a trek, but laid out so that the there was impressively little sound interference. Which was just as well, given the huge variety in acts.

A major highlight of the day was Afro Dance Pop outfit The Very Best: they actually are. Numbers suffered because of popular rival timeslot Mumford & Sons, but the crowd made up for lack of size with boundless energy. The Very Best minus vocalist Esau Mwamwaya gives you Radioclit: less melodic, but still very danceworthy. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Daniel Johnston drew his audience in with gentle, tremulous singing and honest, poetic lyrics.

Folksy Scots Frightened Rabbit delighted the clap-happy audience. Whippersnapper Jonathan Boulet was impressive, and his happy-go-lucky banter amusing.  In contrast Bridezilla were introverted, and audience was accordingly thin on the ground, especially to begin with, electing funtimes with Philadelphia Grand Jury and Wild Beasts, both of which were packed (ditto The Middle East and the XX). Drum and guitar two-piece Kid Sam really could do with a bass or keys; it becomes quickly apparent that these two largely percussive instruments have limited range.

Dappled Cities glistened in gold spandex bodysuits, and brought Sarah Blasko on for a duet of ‘Vision Bell’, followed by a cover of New Order’s ‘Age of Consent’. Meanwhile, Echo & the Bunnymen proved their staying power with a powerful set.

The thousands who packed in to see Florence and the Machine were not disappointed by convincing show-woman-ship, unique vocals and thorough musicality that left the more hardcore NASA and Eddy Current Suppression Ring a little bereft of friends.

Great music, cute markets, decent food and glorious weather made for a distinctly awesome day. Vivienne Egan