Laneway’s Strong American Debut

The Australian-based Laneway festival made its American debut Sept. 14 near Detroit and “could not have gone better,” according to co-founder and booker Danny Rogers.

Photo: Courtesy Laneway Festival

A crowd of more than 7,500 gathered at the Meadow Brook Musical Festival near Detroit to see an eclectic lineup including ChvrchesFlumeDeerhunterSigur Ros and The National

“We were always confident that the people of Detroit would embrace this event,” Rogers added. “Not only did they come out in droves to see their fave bands but local artists, designers, painters and chefs turned on the hospitality of the region and all demonstrated why the city is on the brink of a major revival.”

Rogers was gratified by reviews, including one from the Detroit Free Press applauding the “high-class batch of sounds and lived up to its billing as an event to please connoisseurs.”

Lucinda Treat, executive vice president for business operations and strategy at Palace Sports & Entertainment, indicated Laneway would return to the venue.

“We had a vision to deliver a thrilling experience for music lovers and we look forward to building from the solid foundation we’ve established with this inaugural event for Laneway in 2014,” Treat said.