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That the word had spread about the good life at Laneway was apparent from the get-go. At least twice as many punters rolled up for for the festival’s second go-round, enjoying gig weather even more ideal than 2009’s awesome debut. Bigger and more amped crowds made for far longer bar queues but a headier atmos.

Early bands like Boys Boys Boys had audiences in the hundreds, rather than the dozens that watched The Preytells last year. Getting a concrete seat on the Pond Stage steps to catch Perth’s perkiest kitsch-rockers was almost a tough ask as they kicked off with Seeya Later Lovie and Ticky Ticky Boom (of Vodaphone commercial fame). The girls postured, danced and played while the guys wisely sat back and took care of business. New bassist Janelle Morse was rocking BBB’s purple and blue sparkle theme for this gig, plugging the gap perfectly. Theses guys may be a mite less spectacular in daylight but sounded as tight and cheery as ever. A very tasty way to start the day; especially the zappy-synth perkiness of new “90s rap song” which we’ll call Super Fine.

Over at the Museum stage, the guy in black with his back to the crowd a lot of the time was Whitley. It probably wasn’t anything against us; maybe he just really likes looking at his drummer. His opener was a paced-up and re-worked Wind Beneath my Wings, or at least that’s what the already-pissed larrikins were singing along with, and it was close enough to the truth. Whitley followed up with Bright White Light and it was hard to tell much difference from the first number; it’s the same-ish brooding alt-rock, rasped in tones that come tantalisingly close to Chris Rea. Give Whitley another 20 years and that’s exactly where he’ll be at.

The living was better at the TAFE stage where Tim & Jean pumped out candy choruses to a crowd of jiggling ladies and their stoic dudes. It didn’t take too many numbers before even some guys started grooving involuntarily to some of the purest commercial dance-pop ever created. Some tasty lead guitar work from Jean made up for the dodgy mustache attempted by Tim. To say that Tim and Jean are a potent guilty pleasure sells them short; their tunes can dissolve pop guilt like pink lemonade does tooth enamel. The recent addition of a touring pal on keys and vox (good move) and retaining live drums filled out the sound and the stage.

The main drawcard Mumford and Sons had thousands of punters clapping and singing along as the sun began to set, moving through Sigh No More, Awake My Soul, a brand-new number and eventually their mega-hit Little Lion Man. A few punters up the back found room to dance a jig. Judging by Marcus Mumford’s between-song banter, the band seemed genuinely surprised and humbled by their reception.

“This has been our first time in Australia and this is our last show,” said Mumford. “I think I can can speak on behalf of all of us by saying we’re overwhelmed and we’re so happy and thankyou very much for welcoming us.”

The obvious sincerity that came through in his words – which would be stock chatter for other acts – might be that same quality which explains the insane popularity of a band whose rise couldn’t have been predicted. On paper, their earnest banjo-stomp thing is almost a ‘least-likely’ prospect in the hit-biz. What is it about their folky, waistcoat-wearing style that struck a chord with Australia? It’s more than just a well-placed curse word (which works a treat every time) and whatever it is was there in spades.

As queues for everything got suddenly massive and stayed that way, Tomas Ford played his manic one-man show to a small gathering at the TAFE stage. “Thanks for for not seeing Sarah Blasko, and coming to watch a wanker” was his opening gambit, and it wasn’t long before he started stripping off. A couple of tracks in, Ford spied his golden opportunity just up the street at the bar. It was irresistable and his crowd shtick ensued. Smiles broke out as he penetrated the queues and as he worked his way back to the stage, getting in people’s faces and writhing on the tarmac.

Those watching Young Revelry at the Pond Stage saw a frontman decked out in Kurt Cobain’s ‘unplugged’ outfit: t-shirt, grey-green cardy, jeans. They played with a rumbling aggression that wasn’t a million miles from the peak of grunge, but wasn’t close enough. That didn’t stop people digging it, thanks to the inevitable lure of the 20-year cycle and few other options in post-Cobain Perth.

Kicking off in near-darkness, Echo and the Bunnymen started strong with Lips Like Sugar and kept playing in as little light as possible, running through a few moments of The Doors’ Roadhouse Blues, their own Think I Need It Too and Seven Seas. Ian McCulloch was in fine voice, standing stock still in shades, grasping the mic stand and trying not to look his 50-plus years. “How many scousers are there?” he asked, drawing a cheer from enough ex-poms to count, as Bring On The Dancing Horses began. To the huge crowd on hand, Echo and the Bunnymen seemed to be more a talking point than a must-see, with at least half the punters turning to their mates and chatting about what they were seeing, rather than seeing it. Either way it was good to see them in the flesh; they’re a nostalgia act not to be sneezed at.

Radioclit got points for having the coolest name on the bill and got more for getting people dancing to a re-jigged A-Team theme. The duo’s uptempo beats were doing such a good job of making white folk attempt afro-cuban shimmies that the sound man took a ciggie break.

A tree-climber delayed the arrival of Florence And The Machine. Someone took command of the mic and the culprit was soon told ”...you look like a dickhead. Flo’s not gonna come on until you get out.” Even better was the gravelly-voiced follow-up heckle from the crowd: “Yeah, get out you toss-pot!” which was a phrase few expected but many appreciated. ‘Flo’ was worth the wait. A deaf guy would’ve sat transfixed for 40 minutes by her outfit and hair-do alone, much less the tunes. Powerfully-voiced and visually splendid, she also fronted the best stage-set of the festival.

Perth’s second Laneway run got the crowd it deserved, the crowd got the day they deserved and all parties looked like they were making the most of it. Remarkably, it can pretty much only get better. Catch you there in 2011.

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