The 2026 instalment of Laneway Festival in Melbourne had both bark and bite. In its 21st year, the premier date on the Australian festival calendar shows no signs of slowing down. It was sun-drenched, shoulder-to-shoulder and humming from gates to close.
The heat lifted the whole site as Chappell Roan drew one of the day’s biggest crowds, while Wet Leg delivered pure chaotic fun and PinkPantheress turned half of Flemington Racecourse into a bouncy pop singalong.
Elsewhere, Lucy Dacus held a packed field in quiet suspension, Alex G felt intimate despite the scale, and Geese brought sharp edges and sweat.
It was one of those Laneways where the weather, the crowd and the lineup all worked together.
The AU’s Eloise Coomber was there behind the lens.
