Report: Laneway Festival's U.S. Debut Pays Off

The St. Jerome's Laneway Festival had a warm reception for its North American debut Saturday at Meadow Brook Music Festival, and organizers are saying the Australia-based boutique indie music festival will make a return to Michigan in 2014, according to Australian music site FasterLouder.com.au. 

According to the site, the festival drew about 7,500 patrons to the grounds of Meadow Brook, which included five stages, various vendor booths, a beer garden and live art exhibits over the course of about 12 hours on a clear, cool day in Rochester Hills. 

This year's iteration, the first time the festival has come stateside, featured well-tenured indie artists The National and Sigur Ros in headlining slots and hot breakthrough artists Chvrches and Icona Pop in supporting roles. 

The bands seemed to enjoy the festival's introduction in Michigan, too. Matt Berninger of Cincinnati, OH's The National told fans Saturday night that the festival was "well-curated" and noted he and his bandmates had trouble pinpointing which bands to see with the quality of the 24 artists spanning the festival's five stages. 

Festival organizer Danny Rogers told Faster Louder that the festival is "definitely on for next year" in Michigan, and two additional U.S. cities are under serious consideration. 

The festival will have seven stops in Australia next year, but Rogers told Faster Louder the Detroit-area debut serves as a new benchmark.

"The bar was set in Detroit for next year’s Laneways in Australia,” Rogers told Faster Louder.