Hot off the back of the first Laneway lineup announcement, The Spinoff writers fire off their scorching takes. 

After much speculation, the first lineup for Laneway 2025 has been announced this morning. Charli xcx has first billing, a heavy-hitter that will see the Sky Tower turn brat green tomorrow in her honour (we are all looking forward to seeing what other local landmarks follow suit). Joining her is British bedroom pop rock icon Beabadoobee, Laneway alumni Clairo, UK dance act BICEP, alternative pop heartthrob Remi Wolf, and dance floor expert Barry Can’t Swim.

A third of the lineup will be playing in Aotearoa for the very first time, including British neo-soul star Olivia Dean, LA shoegazers julie, hip hop’s new arrivals Joey Valence & Brae, New York City’s Fcukers, UK dubstep DJ Hamdi, electropop artist 2hollis, and garage rock duo Skegss. Local offerings include two-piece drum-and-guitar band Elliot & Vincent, Taite Music Prize winner and The Spinoff contributor Vera Ellen, and IYKYK beatmaker and artist RNZŌ.

Here are our scorching takes hot off the back of the announcement.

One for the girls and the gays

Laneway has had a most intriguing facelift over the last few years on the rebound from the pandemic. It’s no secret that festival organisers have struggled to come back since the Covid years and have had to rethink their audiences and image. So, Laneway is now for the girls and gays, but only those with an active X/Twitter stan account, a Brat profile picture and 3k followers. Maybe it changed when they shuffled 95bFM for Coup de Main as one of their main promoters a few years ago.

I don’t think it’s wise to put all your spend on a massive headliner (though Charli xcx was incredible at Laneway 2020) if the rest of the lineup obviously reflects that. Clairo and Beabadoobee are great gets for the (sad) girlies, but couldn’t we have had FKA Twigs and Little Simz instead to break up how same-same the day will sound?

If you don’t know any other names but Charli xcx, you should definitely check out Remi Wolf, Eyedress, Julie, RNZŌ and Vera Ellen. / Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Most of the lineup reads like gibberish, but I’ll be there

On Monday my friend messaged to say “If Charli is headlining shall we go?” I don’t know if Brat summer is over already and maybe lime green isn’t cool anymore but we decided yes. I’m excited to pretend to be under 30, wear something slutty and cover my face in sparkles and speedy sunglasses, and that’s probably how Laneway is planning on getting everyones money. Then again maybe I will wear my Vera Ellen T-shirt with the cute snake and birthday cake on it, and arrive early to get sunstroke.

I’m most excited about Clairo because in 2019 I would play her album Immunity everytime I drove anywhere. It is very beautiful and makes life feel like a bittersweet movie. Most of the other bubbles on the poster look like gibberish to me and I’ll probably wander around hot, bothered and lost most of the day. / Gabi Lardies

Where is all the local talent? 

Oh here we go again, pretending I know anyone other than the headliners and convincing myself it’s worth going just to see them. Am I already too old? I don’t think I’m that old. Charli xcx will be incredible and, yes, I will be going to see her. But this feels like an incredibly top heavy line-up, and makes it seem as though the rumours of Chappell Roan pulling out have some truth. They went all in on the top billed acts and skimped out on the mid-tier performers – and it will probably pay off, Charli is having her long overdue moment in the sun. But there also feels like a weird lack of local talent this time around. Perhaps they will be announced in the second wave. / Stewart Sowman-Lund

I miss the Auckland Anniversary weekend date

Laneway will be a smash hit in 2025 because Charli xcx sparkling in the February sun at Western Springs is a foolproof recipe for success. But it shows the very clear pivot from Laneway offering a true festival to being One Big Concert With Many Supporting Acts. There’s enough of a Charli crowd for it to work but it does suggest a narrower focus (understandable) and a distinct target demographic. Gone are the days of the strong middle tier acts with fierce fanbases that bring an eclectic mix of people to Western Springs throughout the day.

While it makes sense to have the concert on a national public holiday, the shift from Auckland Anniversary weekend to Waitangi Day somehow feels pointed. I suspect many music fans will be making annoying (for them) choices around how to mark the day. Can’t wait for Big Day Out to return and be scheduled for Anzac day. / Madeleine Chapman

Can’t wait for the Lorde cameo

I already booked my flights on the murmurs of Charli and the whispers of Chappell, so at least one of them has come through for us (to have both would have surely been too powerful for our small mojo-less nation). But other than that, I join the chorus of other frightened people in their 30s desperately begging their Gen Z colleagues to help decide who else should be in the image for this piece. While I’m scared about how many acts sound like a joke pub quiz name, I am excited about seeing the electrifying Vera Ellen again, and also the fact that we are surely, surely, surely going to see Lorde, walking like a bitch, live in her hometown. / Alex Casey