Laneway Cancels Detroit Festival Due To Lack Of Artists

Australian based St Jerome's Laneway Festival will not throw an event in American city Detroit this year as they haven't been able to secure the calibre of act combined.

In a statement Laneway promoter Danny Rogers said, “We tried to get the very few acts that we felt would be appropriate for Laneway and none of them were available.

"We had one that went all the way to the wire and then changed its mind at the very last minute – bless their beautiful heart too, they were under so much pressure to be everywhere and anywhere and something had to give.

“We decided that we needed to be honest with ourselves and sit it out this year and review it again next year.”

Following international events in Auckland and Singapore, Laneway – co-promoted by Laneway and Chugg Entertainment – made its first move into the US with Sigur Ros and The National last September.

Rogers said last year's show “delivered what I genuinely believe was the most awesome festival I have ever been part of. Once we had gotten through the event we sat down and planning began.

“Some of the first questions we asked ourselves were these: what did we learn from Laneway Detroit? We learned that people in Detroit are some of the most passionate people on the planet. Detroit people are very proud. And so giving. In 11 years it's always been a curated event, but in Detroit we had to think differently. I wasn't going to blow my partners money just for the sake of putting on an event.”

Speaking on Laneway last year at the WAM conference, Chugg Entertainment boss Michael Chugg said that, in his eyes, Singapore had been a bigger achievement than Detroit.

“Better than [Laneway Detroit] was four years ago taking Laneway to Singapore and being told there were no indie kids on Singapore [chuckles],” he said. “They fuckin' came out of the woodwork, then.”

Rogers added today, “Thank you again for being so incredibly supportive of Laneway Detroit. We'll work on this for next year and hopefully your will and support can bring us back into market. We have no intention of doing any other city in America unless Detroit can be part of it.”

Laneway's Australian festival had a successful run earlier this year and featured The Jezabels, Lorde, Vance Joy, Savages and others.

They also held a SXSW showcase in Austin, Texas, in March with Glass Animals, Kirin J Callinan, D.D Dumbo and Perfect Pussy on the bill.