SCENE + HERD: Show us the Laneway
MANILA, Philippines - St. Jerome sent people (and a Manila contingent) for a pilgrimage to Fort Canning, Singapore for the Laneway Festival. What transpires is a merger of muses, mosh, and music worthy of an exodus.
Sights: Fort Canning Park was populated by long lines for beer and kebab, highlighting just how short the girls (and some boys) of the festival wore their denim cutoffs. Girls vocalist Christopher Owens got the crowd to pay homage to Whitney Houston, through a heartfelt rendition of I Will Always Love You. In true music festival tradition, Laneway isn’t without its rockstar moments. Twin Shadow vocalist George Lewis Jr. handed his guitar to a lucky lady by the end of his band’s set. Also spotted was Erlend Øye of The Whitest Boy Alive, roaming the grounds while taking a few swigs of beer.
Sounds: Bands like Yuck and Chairlift started the 11-hour day right, preaching so effectively that when the time came for sets by Girls and The Drums, the drizzle couldn’t even mar the resonating creed. By the time night creeped in and Toro Y Moi played, the devotion became so unanimous that when Leslie Feist stepped onstage, a resounding chorus besides her gypsy slash songbird backup singers sang along as well (singing is praying twice, after all). The exodus culminates and took on new meaning with M83, who pulled ou all the stops for the sermon of all sermons, leading everyone to an out-of-body experience — Midnight City-inclusive, of course.
