REVIEW: Over 23,000 people packed into Auckland's Western Springs park for the first relocated St. Jeromes Laneway Festival.
From fireworks to enthusiastic crowds, big names like Stormzy, HorsegiirL and award-nominated Raye all performed at the day-long event.
These are just some of the highlights from the 2024 Laneway Festival.
Home Brew
New Zealand hip hop group Home Brew had the crowd bopping their heads and eyeing out the glary, sun drenched stage through tinted sunnies. The crowd looked a lot like a group of people you'd see walking along a beach. Bikini tops, button up shirts, jean shorts and a whole range of colours.
"I wake up at about 11:30, that's when I start getting thirsty," the crowd sang along as 'Alcoholic' kicked off.
"For this one right here, we got to go out for this one okay?" lead rapper Tom Scott asked the crowd.
"I don't really like doing this song to be real with you, but hey it is what it is. I wrote it at a time in my life that was real, so I'm going to dedicate this to anyone that ever sat outside the Lab Tests at Point Chev, it's one of four of you," he laughed. "I'm one of them."
'Bad Bad Bad Whiskey' was delivered at the perfect time with the sun only getting hotter. Those with water bottles in their hands lifted them up, while others just nodded their heads to the catchy rap.
Raye
Wearing big gold hoops, Raye was not hard to miss on stage with her name splayed out in bright red bold letters behind her.
Her latest song 'Prada' featuring Cassö and D-Block Europe saw people zig-zagging their way through the mosh to get even closer to the front.
Her soft and silky vocals were enchanting and she wasn't the slightest bit afraid to stretch out the notes or add extra spice into her delivery.
"I love being single, I love sleeping in my bed on my own. You can't snore, we can't have that you know what I'm saying," she laughed into the microphone.
"No but seriously, I do hope that when the time is right, I find love."
The combination of Raye's hip swaying and trancing pitches of the trumpet in her performance of 'Secrets' featuring DJ Regard was simply a masterpiece.
HorsegiirL
The crowds were eating up HorsegiirL through every minute of her set. Getting out on stage wearing her full on horse mask covering her head and neck had the crowd go pretty damn wild.
'My Barn My Rules' was a major hit, with girls galloping and others making gestures of throwing a lasso back at her.
"I walk, I trot, I lope, I gallop," people chanted out, stomping their boots into the ground.
'My Little White Pony' was another big hit, with a more tempo beat creating a trance reaction with the crowd. HorsegiirL's catchy lyrics about living on a farm and engaging with horses somehow contrasted well with the solid techno beat to create a remarkable moment.
People were sad to see her go, but screamed out in delight as her set ended on a high.
AJ Tracey
London's AJ Tracey came in smoking hot from the moment he walked on stage. Despite the sweltering heat and overpacked venue, he made it obvious to the crowd he would be making the most of his time slot.
Welcomed out with a big roar, every track he delivered was a massive standout - but none more so than 'Ladbroke Grove'.
The free-moving, pleasantly gruff vocals over loud beats were captivating, even if all of his songs sounded slightly repetitive after a while. But it was hard to deny the crowd appeal, judging by the reaction to hits like 'Wifey Riddem' and 'LO(V/S)ER'.
With audiences so familiar with all of his lyrics that they ended up performing for him, hits like 'Rain' caused chaos.
"When we run down, it's rain, right wrist and left wrist, that's rain," the crowd screamed out, as his lengthy rap spun people into a frenzy.
'Ain't it Different' kicked off with the high-pitched vocals which were instantly recognisable causing a surge in the audience as energy levels spiked to feverish levels.
Plenty of the main-stage acts were received just as rapturously, from America singer-songwriter Faye Webster, who lost herself amongst festival goers by giving it her all, and R&B icon Steve Lacey who was a massive hit with TikTok fans as his popular and catchy tunes drilled their way into the crowd.
Nia Archives
As the day began to melt into night, Nia Archives was so engaging throughout the entire set, prancing on stage, pointing out to the audience and giving it her all.
With a mix of jungle combined with sensational melodies and neo-soul vocals, it proved to be the perfect mix. There was not a single person in the crowd who wasn't moving.
Her clean, crisp delivery of 'Forbidden Feelingz' with a delightfully hands-in-the-air energy was enough to make the crowd swell and become tighter for the remainder of her songs.
The best thing about Nia Archives was as soon as one song ended she was right into the other, no pauses, no mucking around - her decision to flawlessly intertwine every single was banging.
Melting its way into the crowd effortlessly were samples of Skin on Skin's 'Burn Dem Bridges' which worked so easily with cuts from her own impressive work.
It was a set to remember for thousands of Kiwis who refused to leave even after she did.
Stormzy
Returning after years of cancellations and COVID-19 disruptions, Stormzy didn't disappoint.
Despite sweat dripping down his arms throughout, and with the captivating combination of a freshly shaved head, black singlet and deep voice, the adulation from the audience was clear for the London grime artist.
Songs like 'Shut Up' and 'Vossi Bop' saw the crowd really letting loose.
And being the only artist to perform in the dark, he really put on a show, with crazy red lighting, confetti, fireworks and big fire guns as he hosted a rap-battle with himself.
Although more intense songs like 'Know Me From' had less people knowing the lyrics, they weren't afraid to jump around and punch their hands in the air to make up for it.
Despite knowing that he'd just made a beeline to New Zealand from Australia's Laneway, the crowd was amused for a moment - after the grime star forgot where he was for a second.
"Aussie Aussie Aussie," he yelled out, much to the confusion of the exhausted Kiwi crowd.
Stormzy thanked everyone at the end of the night for being so engaged and patient. "To come back with all of this love, I'm so grateful," he smiled.
