SPOD To Laneway Festival: “I’m Not Headlining Anymore?”

Many punters across the country were delighted by the artists announced this morning on the lineup for St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2015, but according to Sydney’s SPOD, organisers left off one key name — his own — and now he wants them to pay for it.

“I noticed with your announcement of the 2015 line up i’m not headlining the festival anymore? Did I blow it with yesterdays hint?” wrote the Sydney muso, tongue presumably firmly in cheek, in a open letter to Laneway posted to Twitter and Facebook — he “doesn’t use email”, see? “Gotta say, kinda regretting our 5 breakfast meetings & evening cocktails at the Shangri La now, seeing as I footed the bill,” he continued.

SPOD is claiming exactly $26,693.92 from the festival in reimbursed costs to cover the expenses of these alleged business meetings. “Don’t get me wrong, i’m ready to invest hard earned cash into my brand, but from our handshake deal back then till now, I thought it was a gentleman’s deal, signed & sealed,” he explains.

In his letter, SPOD ensures that he “respects” the festival’s business decision to not follow through on their “gentleman’s deal” to bestow upon his the headlining slot, or any festival slot at that, but asks they honour the contract they signed, promising to reimburse his costs if such an event should occur.

The alleged expenses outlined in the invoice SPOD so kindly shared with us all include, “bottomless top quality buffet” breakfasts, multiple cocktails including “ultra premium gin Diamond Martinis that include one actual diamond each”, Cornetto ice creams from 7/11, and costs accrued by “an unannounced extra guest”, who was in fact triple j‘s music director Richard Kinsgmill.

The invoice also outlines the terms discussed at these breakfast/cocktail meetings. Apparently, SPOD outlined that he would “headline every show on a hovering pontoon that was designed like a big cloud that constantly rained”, that he would “appreciate no eye contact 9 hours before the performance” and that Kanye West would “NOT” be invited to play the festival.

For the record, the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2015 lineup is topped by the likes of St Vincent, Flying Lotus, Mac DeMarco, and FKA Twigs, and the event will be headlined by DeMarco’s mother, Agnes.

Ever diligent, SPOD also provided Laneway with a link to the Shangri La’s menu so they could accurately cross check his costings. Laneway have responded on Twitter with a simple, “legend. Gold!” but have yet to finalise any monetary exchanges.

We will keep you updated as this develops.

UPDATE 03/10/14, 2.37pm: Laneway organisers have apologised to SPOD for the lineup “oversight” and have invited the muso to co-MC the festival’s Sydney leg, alongside Agnes DeMarco.