Laneway Festival Organisers Say They Have “Something Special” Coming Later In 2021

Under normal circumstances, Laneway would have just kicked off in Australia over the weekend, following up a successful run back in 2020. Thanks to the ongoing pandemic, the festival has not returned this summer – but organisers have promised punters that “something special” will arrive later this year.

In a statement posted to their social media channels last Friday, organisers said that, on the eve of what would’ve been the first show of the Aussie leg of Laneway 2021, they wanted to provide of update regarding where things were at.

“Much has been said about the challenges facing the live events industry as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and while there is hope on the horizon, unfortunately we are still a while away from presenting you with the Laneway events that you know and love,” reads the statement.

“We are however, working hard behind the scenes to bring you something special later in 2021, and we can’t thank you enough for your ongoing love and support. Despite all the challenges of the last year it has been truly inspiring to see everyone supporting each other and working together in the face of such adversity.

“We are in total awe of the spirit of the many artists and their teams that have endeavoured to keep music alive and well through lockdowns, venue restrictions, and constantly shuffling goalposts. We can’t wait to celebrate with all of you at a Laneway Festival in the near future!”

The updates arrives after Laneway organisers announced back in September of last year that the New Zealand leg of the festival would not be going ahead, saying border closures and the “unpredictability of future Covid-19 outbreaks” had created a “tough environment for festivals”.

“We take pride in delivering a premium event but in these conditions we do not believe we can operate to our full capabilities,” they added.

Last year’s Laneway Festival saw Australian dates in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Fremantle, with a lineup that included The 1975, Charli XCX, Ruel, Earl Sweatshirt, Ocean Alley and more.