St Jeromes Laneway Festival @ Bonython Park, Adelaide 15/2/2025
Adelaide Laneway 2025! The weather was a pleasant twenty degrees, setting the perfect atmosphere for a day of incredible music. This year, Laneway secured what I believe to be their biggest headliner yet: Charli XCX. Not only is she one of the most in-demand artists right now, but her presence was also exclusive to Laneway. Charli’s 2024 album Brat has become a cultural phenomenon, resonating deeply with women while also captivating a broad audience.
Charli XCX dominated this year’s Triple J Hottest 100, with eight songs from Brat making the list. At Laneway, she performed seven of them. She opened with 365 (Shygirl Remix), followed by 360 and my personal favourite, Von Dutch. The crowd’s energy was electric—fans sang every word, particularly to the Brat tracks.
Behind Charli, a massive lime-green backdrop with the word Brat dramatically dropped early in the set to reveal the rest of the stage. On the stage floor, the word “Girl” was displayed in huge letters. A cameraman followed her closely, capturing intimate angles as she moved around and even ventured into the crowd near the rail. This visual setup made the performance more immersive, ensuring that even those further back felt connected to the experience.
The next three songs Rewind, I Might Say Something Stupid, and Club Classics – kept the crowd engaged. Every time Charli commanded the audience to jump, raise their hands, or wave their phone torches, they eagerly complied. At one point, she even commented that Adelaide might be the craziest crowd of the tour.
Other standout moments included massive crowd reactions to Apple, Sympathy Is a Knife, and two collaborations: Girl, So Confusing and Guess. The audience enthusiastically sang along to Lorde and Billie Eilish’s parts in these songs. A clever addition to the festival setup was a dedicated Charli XCX merchandise van near the main stage, which did a roaring trade in T-shirts, caps, and hoodies – especially useful as the evening cooled down.
Charli closed her set with Vroom Vroom and her iconic hit I Love It, ending the show on an exhilarating high.
Before Charli took the stage, the festival featured a stellar lineup of rising and established acts.
Twine kicked things off on the main stage. Having only seen them in smaller venues before, I was blown away by how their sound filled the festival space. Their 2024 debut album, New Old Horse, blends noisy, rocky alt-country influences, and their set reflected this perfectly. The highlights for me were Future Exhales, Fruit to Ripe, and their closing track, My God. Given Laneway’s history of spotlighting future stars – like The Tullamarines in 2024 and Cold Wave in 2023 – I have no doubt Twine will follow suit.
Next up was Divebar Youth, the project of Adelaide’s own Vinnie Barbaro. I had the chance to see him at Cry Baby last September, so I was eager for this performance. Backed by a full band, his dark alt-pop sound resonated well on the main stage. Standout tracks included This One’s for You and All You Ever Wanted from his Petrichor EP, as well as Idioms, which channelled The Strokes with its infectious riffs. He also introduced two new songs – Divide (set for release in 2025) and Living, which he revealed was written just weeks ago. Based on this set, I wouldn’t be surprised if Divebar Youth gained many new fans.
Skegss, the beloved surf-rock band from Byron Bay, drew an early crowd eager to sing along to their anthemic hits. Though they played only one song from their newest album, Pacific Highway Music – the irresistibly upbeat High Beaming – the rest of their set was packed with crowd favourites spanning the past decade. Their latest single, So Excited, was a fun addition, while classics like Got on My Skateboard, Spring Has Sprung, and their debut single L.S.D. stood out as highlights.
One of the festival’s most impressive sets came from Olivia Dean. She opened with OK Love You Bye, immediately showcasing her soulful voice and dynamic band. She made an effort to engage with the audience, pausing twice to check on crowd safety – an act that reflected her genuine care for her fans. The Hardest Part, a heartbreak anthem, received the loudest response, while her unreleased song Nice to Each Other was a touching surprise. Another emotional moment came when she performed Carmen, a tribute to her grandmother’s struggles as an immigrant. She closed with Dive, a song about embracing love and radiating it outward – a perfect note to end on.
Then came Remi Wolf, who brought boundless energy from the moment she hit the stage. Kicking off with Cinderella from her vibrant 2024 album Big Ideas, she kept the crowd hyped throughout. Her set was a perfect mix of new material and fan favourites, including a fun cover of Empire of the Sun’s Walking on a Dream. At one point, she described Laneway as “one perfect day in the fucking sun,” a sentiment the crowd fully embraced. Highlights included Toro and Soup, as well as older hits like Disco Man and Photo ID, which closed her set.
A pleasant surprise was Djo – the musical alias of Stranger Things star Joe Keery. His set blended psychedelic rock and synth-pop, opening with the unreleased Gap Tooth Smile from his upcoming album The Crux. Tracks like Flash Mountain (reminiscent of King Gizzard), Gloom (which had Queens of the Stone Age vibes), and the trippy, melodic Chateau (Feel Alright) were standout moments. The biggest singalong came during his viral hit End of Beginning, which Djo was visibly enjoyed performing to the adoring fans.
Clairo, known for her dreamy indie-pop sound, delivered a set filled with tracks from her 2024 album Charm. I had seen Clairo at Laneway back in 2019 and I was looking forward to seeing her again. Clairo is a US artist who began posting music on the internet at thirteen years old. Songs like Echo and Terrapin showcased her ethereal vocals, while older hits like 4EVER and Juna were fan favourites. The set closed with the rarely performed Sofia, making for a special moment.
After years of anticipation, I finally got to see Beabadoobee, and she did not disappoint. Her set leaned heavily on her latest Rick Rubin-produced album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves. Songs like Talk and Take a Bite resonated deeply with the crowd, while The Perfect Pair received the loudest cheers. Beabadoobee told us that the excellent Beaches from her latest album was her favourite song. She was quite emotional during this song and had to leave the mike a few times. I think that her latest album is a turning point in her career and the lyrics to the song encapsulate the process of making that album and seeing the audience enjoying that song so much showed her that she made the right choices. She ended with early hits She Plays Bass and Cologne, a nostalgic and fitting close.
Barry Can’t Swim was the last act before Charli XCX and he was another great choice by Laneway. I found him similar to Fred Again and he is a DJ who plays keyboards live over the top of his prerecorded music which fuses elements of house, afrobeat and jazz. I loved the uptempo Kimbara and soulful How It Feels. Joshua (his real name) tested some new tunes on us and he told us he will hopefully be releasing them later this year. He performed Deadbeat Gospel with his mate who wrote the poem that goes with the song. It is a beautiful poem and song. He closed with Sunsleeper, leaving the crowd in high spirits.
For me, Laneway did not end with Charli XCX as I was able to quickly walk over (as did many others) to the tent stage to hear the last ten minutes of Bicep, an electronic DJ duo from Belfast. Their hypnotic electronic set ended with Glue, a mesmerizing track that felt like the perfect sendoff for an unforgettable Laneway 2025.
Live Review By Richard De Pizzol