Laneway Festival has wrapped its biggest edition yet, drawing over 200,000 fans to sold-out shows across six cities, plus an additional 40,000 at sideshows.

The 20th anniversary of the much-loved Australasian touring festival saw artists including Charli XCX, Clairo, BICEP, Beabadoobee, Olivia Dean, Remi Wolf, and Skegss perform in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth.

Co-founders Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio believe that the record sell-out is a testament to the quality of the lineup: “The team puts so much effort into making sure both our punters and artists have an incredible experience and it is such a joy to see it all come together.

“We’re not sure how we’re going to top this one”

“We’re not sure how we’re going to top this one, but our firm belief is that the quality of the line-up will be the thing to keep fans, and artists, coming back. This was a record for the festival and we’re confident that 2025 will continue its 20-plus years of success.”

Laneway, in full St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, was founded in 2005 as a Melbourne street party and has grown into a respected festival of domestic and international music, with events in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. The company also has a touring arm, Laneway Presents.

In 2021, Sydney-based TEG acquired a majority stake in the event, with founders Borazio and Rogers staying on as co-managing directors and “substantial owners”.

Laneway is one of the last festivals of its kind in a rapidly shrinking Australian live landscape. Last month, Splendour in the Grass and Groovin the Moo were both canned for the second year in a row, in addition to Hello Sunshine, Chapel Street and Souled Out.

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Veteran German band Scooter have been announced as headliners for the inaugural edition of Poland’s two-day Fajer Festival.

Promoted by Kraków’s DM Agency, the festival will debut at Silesian Park in Chorzów on 21-22 August, with separate days dedicated to electronic music and hip-hop.

Polish composer Bass Astral has also been confirmed for the event, for which tickets start at PLN 199 (€47).

In other festival news, it has been announced that New Zealand’s Homegrown will be relocating after 18 years in Wellington. The event has been held on Wellington Waterfront since its inception in 2008, but this year’s edition will mark its last time in the capital.

“For a myriad of personal and logistical reasons, Homegrown is moving cities after this year”

“For a myriad of personal and logistical reasons, Homegrown is moving cities after this year,” says festival director Andrew Tuck. “We couldn’t be more grateful for the unwavering support we’ve had from fans and the city. The support from WellingtonNZ and Wellington City Council has been massive over the years, so we’re keen to knock this last one out of the park as a heartfelt thank you to Wellington.”

Homegrown’s Wellington swansong will be held across five stages from 14-15 March and will include the last ever performance by local legends Shihad. The bill also features domestic artists such as Synthony, Shapeshifter, Kaylee Bell, Stan Walker, Lee Mvtthews and Katayanagi Twins.

Organisers are yet to reveal where the festival, which reportedly brought NZ$3 million (€1.6m) of economic value to the region last year, will take place from next year onwards. But Wellington City councillor Geordie Rogers tells RNZ the festival has outgrown its location in the capital.

“The beautiful thing about the Wellington waterfront is that it is such a tight knit space,” he says. “That means you can have really special experiences but it does mean you get a little bit stuck when it comes to massive event numbers. We’ve got a lot of work to do I think in Wellington to find out where our venue for those numbers is.”

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New Zealand’s best-known festival Rhythm & Vines recorded its biggest attendance in 13 years for the 2024 edition.

The Live Nation-backed event took place from 29 to 31 December at the Waiohika Estate in Gisborne, with headline sets from Ice Spice, Pendulum and Luude.

Approximately 26,000 people attended the sold-out instalment, with more than 50% attending for the first time.

In another first, more than 17,000 attendees stayed at the newly expanded R&V Onsite Camping this year, making this one of the largest campgrounds in New Zealand.

Rhythm & Vines co-founder and programming director Hamish Pinkham dubbed the 2024 edition “one of the most memorable festivals yet” despite “some of the trickiest festival conditions of recent times”.

Gisborne endured a month’s worth of rainfall on Boxing Day (26 December), just two days before the gates were due to open, creating a challenging pack-in for the team.

“The stronger more established festival brands such as Rhythm & Vines continue to thrive in this market”

“It was a mammoth effort to get the site ready in time – the team worked tirelessly around the clock in tough conditions but pulled a rabbit out of the hat,” Pinkham told IQ.

A few days into the festival, a severe weather watch was issued for the local area but it didn’t put a dampener on the festivities according to Pinkham. “It was a muddy final 24 hours to the year but that didn’t stop the party,” he tells IQ.

Other acts on the Rhythm & Vines lineup included Sammy Virji, Peking Duck, Shy FX, RL Grime, Dope Lemon, Koven, Meduza, Coterie, Sir Dave Dobbyn, JYOTY and Lee Mvtthews.

“It was probably our most diverse lineup in years,” remarks Pinkham. “Sammy Virji bought his upbeat UKG and bass-driven sound, Ice Spice wowed the crowd with her choreography and dancers, Peking Duk smashed their mashed-up party set which is always an R&V crowd favourite, Dope Lemon performed their dreamy surf rock and along with all the local DJ’s playing everything from Afro-house to liquid drum and bass.

“It is always a challenge to source leading headline talent in this part of the world but with a majority of the tickets selling out months before the lineup drops, many punters are there for the experience be it camping with friends, the road trip to Gisborne or being first in the world to celebrate New Years. This means we can be more creative with our programming, keep things fresh and bring new sounds to the country. The programme focuses on upbeat, fresh music with cutting-edge production to suit the party environment as revellers celebrate the summer holiday season with their friends.”

Additional changes at this year’s festival include new and improved production and an increased focus on safety and wellness.

“We had a Red Bull shred shed which gave punters a chance to work out and keep active. Also, the return of the Garden Stage, supporting grassroots/local music was a huge success,” he adds.

With 22 years and a fourth consecutive sell-out under his belt, the Rhythm & Vines director is comfortably looking towards the future.

“The stronger more established festival brands such as Rhythm & Vines continue to thrive in this market,” he explains.

“They are trusted brands and experiences built on sustainable businesses run by event professionals. Many fly-by-night promoters have been caught short in this environment, while other festival brands are having time off the market. It has been one of the busier years for touring acts such as Coldplay and Pearl Jam so there is only so much entertainment-spend to go around. However, R&V continues to draw the crowd and we look forward to leading the event towards our 25-year anniversary and beyond.”

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New Zealand’s best-known festival Rhythm & Vines is to welcome more campers than ever to its 2024 edition after being granted a capacity increase.

R&V takes place from 29-31 December at the Waiohika Estate in Gisborne, headlined by Ice Spice, Pendulum and Luude.

Other artists on the lineup will include Sammy Virji, Peking Duck, Shy FX, RL Grime, Dope Lemon, Koven, Meduza, Coterie, Sir Dave Dobbyn, JYOTY and Lee Mvtthews. Three-day general admission passes cost NZ$429.30 (€233), or from $568.28 (€308) with camping.

Organisers of the 26,000-cap festival, which attracted 1,300 campers to its first edition – a one-day event held in 2003 – are expecting 18,000 people to camp on site after receiving permission to expand further by Gisborne District Council earlier this year.

“We got resource consent from [the council] this year to expand our camping capacity from 15,000 to 20,000,” Rhythm & Vines head of operations Dan Turner tells the New Zealand Herald.

“R&V is the only festival I know of that lets people leave [the] site during the day”

Previous headliners include Public Enemy, Moby, Central Cee, Chase & Status, LCD Soundsystem, Wiz Khalifa, Bastille and Chance the Rapper.

“The issue was not getting people to R&V, but with limited accommodation and camping options in Gisborne, it was being able to accommodate them,” adds Turner. “R&V is the only festival I know of that lets people leave [the] site during the day. People don’t just come to Gisborne to go to R&V, they come to go to the beaches, they want to experience the East Coast.”

Live Nation, which recently announced plans to operate a new theatre in New Zealand’s fastest growing city of Hamilton in partnership with Waikato Regional Property Trust, took a controlling interest in Rhythm & Vines in 2018.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s biggest one-day festival Electric Avenue is also growing for its 10th anniversary edition next year. Staged by local production company Team Event, the festival will expand to two days in Hagley Park, Christchurch, from 21-22 February 2025.

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Live Nation New Zealand is to operate a new theatre in New Zealand’s fastest growing city in partnership with Waikato Regional Property Trust.

Set to open in Hamilton in late 2025, the 1,300-cap Waikato Regional Theatre will host music concerts and other live events including comedy, theatre and family entertainment.

The new venue is also intended to boost economic development – expanding Waikato’s night-time economy and domestic tourism, while creating employment opportunities and pathways for industry professionals.

“We can’t wait to bring some top-tier local and international talent to the stage in Hamilton,” says Mark Kneebone, MD of Live Nation New Zealand. “It’s a diverse and growing city and we relish our role in contributing to the regional arts and entertainment communities across Aotearoa as custodians of this venue.”

“Live Nation is thrilled to contribute to the effort to elevate arts and entertainment in the Waikato while bringing our global network and venue management expertise to what will be a world-class theatre,” adds Live Nation Australasia COO Alex Klos. “This wouldn’t be possible without the incredible belief and investment from the Waikato community and Waikato Regional Property Trust to make this venue a reality.”

“Our partnership with Live Nation is the single most effective way to realise the vision for the theatre project”

Live Nation will programme the venue which will also include community access for cultural organisations and institutions.

“Our partnership with Live Nation is the single most effective way to realise the vision for the theatre project, as it guarantees the top international and national touring shows can and will visit, that local productions have a top-of-the-line fully resourced venue on their doorstep, and that community, cultural and civic access is affordable and well supported logistically,” says Ross Hargood, chair of the Waikato Regional Property Trust.

“This agreement with Live Nation delivers on our promise to ‘Share the Stage’ and means the Waikato Regional Theatre now has a sustainable and resilient business model that will offer fantastic experiences to audiences, hugely invigorate the Hamilton CBD, and realise substantial economic benefits and advantages for the wider city and region.”

Live Nation oversees a venue portfolio across New Zealand including Spark Arena and the Tuning Fork in Auckland and San Fran in Wellington.

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Inspired by Michael’s Rule in Australia, the Music Managers Forum (MMF) Aotearoa is calling for greater inclusion of New Zealand artists in international shows and tours.

Spotlight Aotearoa bids to ensure that every foreign artist performing in the country includes a New Zealand artist among their support acts.

The organisation points out that recent tours by Thom Yorke, Coldplay, Travis Scott, Kaytranada, Metallica and Hozier did not include support slots for local talent, while Pearl Jam, Fisher and Highly Suspect did not announce local supports until the 11th hour.

“In Aotearoa, many international touring acts perform without local support or announce support acts at the last minute,” it says. “This practice sidelines local talent, limiting their exposure to larger audiences and losing opportunities to showcase our diverse voices and culture.”

“Including local artists in international tours is essential to preserving the unique identity of Aotearoa’s music landscape”

Furthermore, the MMF says the examples of Messie’ and Christoph El Truento’s recent support slots for Fred Again and Yasiin Bey, respectively, provided “powerful examples of how a local artist can seamlessly complement an international act while gaining invaluable exposure and experience”.

“Including local artists in international tours is essential to preserving the unique identity of Aotearoa’s music landscape and strengthening our creative sector,” says MMF Aotearoa chair Cushla Aston. “By providing New Zealand artists with a platform to share the stage with global talent, we not only amplify their voices but also retain the economic and cultural benefits of live performances within Aotearoa.”

Australia’s Association of Artist Managers unveiled its proposal for Michael’s Rule earlier this year. The campaign bears the name of legendary artist manager Michael McMartin, who guided the career of Sydney rock band Hoodoo Gurus for more than four decades.

Spotlight Aotearoa shares the same three main tenets as Michael’s Rule, in that every international artist must include a domestic artist among their opening acts; the artist must appear on the same stage as the international artist using reasonable sound and lighting; and the artist must be announced at the same time as the tour so that they benefit from all the marketing and promotion.

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New Zealand’s touring circuit has been handed a boost after the national stadium was granted permission to double the number of concerts it can host per year.

Auckland’s 60,000-cap Eden Park will now be able to stage up to 12 shows (by a maximum of six artists) each calendar year.

The “landmark” decision from the authorities followed overwhelming public support for the proposal, with 94% of 2,000 submissions backing the increase.

“We are delighted that Eden Park has been granted consent to host up to 12 concert events,” says Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner. “This is a landmark moment for Auckland and New Zealand’s entertainment scene.”

P!nk brought her Summer Carnival Tour to the venue for two nights in March, with a show by Travis Scott in October and three nights with Coldplay last month rounding off 2024. However, acts such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish opted to skip New Zealand on their latest tours.

“Expanding venue availability enables us to offer artists flexibility to perform multiple shows”

“Expanding venue availability enables us to offer artists flexibility to perform multiple shows to meet fan demand, making Auckland a more attractive stop on their global tours,” adds Sautner.

“Eden Park has been a cornerstone of Auckland’s cultural and sporting landscape for over 120 years. This consent allows us to build on that legacy, attracting top global artists while maintaining our commitment to being a valuable asset for our community and strategic asset for New Zealand.

“We will continue working with promoters to bring international artists to New Zealand’s national stadium. Our commitment to continually enhancing venue utilisation and infrastructure will ensure that Eden Park is a world-class, multi-purpose venue for top-tier events.”

The decision has also been hailed as “great news” for Auckland’s hospitality industry.

“Major events like concerts at Eden Park bring life and energy to the city, and they’re a real boost for local businesses, including hospitality and accommodation operators,” says Hospitality New Zealand CEO Steve Armitage.

“Our stadium business is having an incredible run of shows”

“Our sector thrives when visitors come to our cities and towns. The run of Coldplay and Pearl Jam concerts in Auckland earlier this month brought the city to life, filling our venues and restaurants with visitors keen to experience more than just the music. Accommodation occupancies were also close to 90%.”

The organisation cites research from Massey University showing that for every dollar spent on live performance, A$3.20 (€1.97) is returned in benefits to the wider community.

“Auckland businesses in our sector will be ready to welcome locals and visitors heading to Eden Park, and to make the most of the opportunities that more concerts will create,” adds Armitage.

Speaking in IQ‘s 2024 Global Promoters Report, Live Nation New Zealand MD Mark Kneebone said that business was “strong”, with the country experiencing a “record year” for ticket sales.

“Our stadium business is having an incredible run of shows with three nights of Coldplay, three nights with P!nk, two shows with Pearl Jam, and one Eden Park stadium show for Travis Scott,” he added.

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Australian collection society APRA AMCOS warns the country’s local live music scene remains “under serious threat”, despite the organisation reporting its highest group revenue to date.

Days after Live Performance Australia revealed live music attendance and revenue reached record highs last year, APRA AMCOS posted record annual takings of A$740 million (€456m) – up 7.2% from the previous financial year (1 July-30 June).

According to the body’s newly released 2023-24 Year in Review report, major concerts and festivals grew 8.4% to $37.4m (€23m), buoyed by tours by major global acts such as Taylor Swift and P!nk (digital was the biggest driver overall, accounting for almost 50% of the total). International revenue also reached an all-time high of $86.1m, up 22.5% year-on-year.

And a year after revealing that more than 1,300 venues had closed permanently since the start of the pandemic, there was positive news in a 19% increase in licensed live music venues, as new types of spaces entered the scene including small bars and breweries. However, numbers are still not back to pre-Covid levels and average licence fees are down 25%.

“We’re deeply concerned that an entire generation may miss out on seeing new and emerging acts perform live”

Furthermore, live music revenue is still below pre-pandemic levels, with artists losing out on an estimated A$600 million (€370m) in live earnings since 2019.

“This year, we’ve delivered strong revenue growth, investment in technology and the services that matter most to our members, together with our clear focus on advocacy,” says Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS. “We cannot, however, overlook the ongoing challenges facing the local live music sector at home. We’re deeply concerned that an entire generation may miss out on seeing new and emerging acts perform live, and that those acts may lose the chance to launch their careers if the decline in live music continues.

“That’s why we’re renewing our call on the Australian government to urgently implement a live music tax offset – a national catalyst to support existing and new live music venues. This will ensure we have stages for artists to play on and venues for audiences to see and hear their favourite artists and rising superstars.”

Elsewhere, concert revenue in New Zealand increased 9.6%, contributing to NZ Group revenue of nearly $70m.

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Operators of New Zealand’s national stadium are bidding to double the number of concerts it is allowed to host per year.

The 60,000-cap Eden Park in Auckland is currently permitted to hold six gigs a year but has applied to increase the limit to 12, to be “performed by no more than six different artists”.

P!nk brought her Summer Carnival Tour to the venue for two nights in March, with shows by Travis Scott (31 October) and Coldplay (13 & 15-16 November) still to come before 2024 is out.

“Increasing the number of concert events will help Auckland and New Zealand continue to be an appealing destination for major international tours,” says Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner, as per Coliseum. “Concerts at Eden Park have become integral to our country’s cultural landscape, delivering significant socio-economic benefits to our local community and city.”

The move comes after acts such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish elected to skip New Zealand on their latest tours. New Zealand was included on The Weeknd’s cancelled 2023 tour but is not part of the revised 2024 itinerary “due to schedule and logistical constraints”.

“The current limit of six concert events per year at Eden Park restricts the stadium’s ability to attract and accommodate top-tier international acts,” adds Sautner. “By increasing this limit, Eden Park can offer artists flexibility to perform multiple shows to meet fan demand, making Auckland a more attractive stop on their global tours.”

“We have proven we can deliver large-scale international concerts successfully”

Moreover, Sautner says the bid has the support of the overwhelming majority of the Auckland public and notes that 70% of the venue’s current revenue streams did not exist five years ago, highlighting the evolution of the business.

“Live events such as concerts provide escapism and entertainment for people,” he continues. “We have proven we can deliver large-scale international concerts successfully and with an overwhelming 95% of our local community in support of concerts, we want to have the option to bring more world-class entertainment to our city.”

Speaking in IQ‘s 2024 Global Arena Guide, Mark Gosling, general manager of Auckland’s Sparks Arena (cap. 13,280), offered an update on the state of play for live music in the country.

“We are confident that the pipeline of international acts is looking consistent for the remainder of 2024 and into early 2025,” he said. “The pandemic impact has largely subsided, and the touring cycle has returned back to its normal timing, with the southern hemisphere very busy from October through to April during the northern winter.”

A new 55,000-seat stadium was proposed for the Quay Park area of Auckland earlier this year.

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The Weeknd will finally bring his After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour to Australia after initially postponing and then cancelling the 2023 dates.

The Australia and New Zealand leg, promoted by Live Nation, was originally planned as one of the final stretches of his world tour before those dates were shelved.

The Canadian R&B superstar, born Abel Tesfaye, will kick off the 2024 leg on 5 October at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, with a second show on 6 October, before heading to Sydney for back-to-back performances at Accor Stadium on 22 and 23 October.

These will be The Weeknd’s first stadium shows in Australia and his first visit since 2017. He will be joined by special guests Mike Dean and Chxrry22, along with Australian DJ and vocalist Anna Lunoe on all 2024 dates Down Under.

“I feel a strong pull to perform in Australia before moving on to the next chapter”

Brisbane and New Zealand, which were included in the cancelled 2023 tour, are not part of the 2024 itinerary “due to schedule and logistical constraints… and there will be no further cities,” according to the tour announcement.

In a statement about the upcoming shows in Australia, The Weeknd said: “I feel a strong pull to perform in Australia before moving on to the next chapter and want to make sure you all know I hadn’t forgotten about you.”

“When I return now, it will be the right time, and I promise it will be such a special experience. I can’t wait to see you all!”

The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour has been a global success, with over 60 sold-out stadium dates and more than three million attendees across North America, Europe, the UK, and Latin America.

The tour has also broken attendance records, including a two-night run at London Stadium that drew 160,000 fans.

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