Feist, Horrors line up for Laneway 2012

The Horrors are one of the headlining acts set for the St Jerome's Laneway Festival in Auckland next year. Photo / Supplied

Canadian songstress Feist and British doom-pop merchants The Horrors are set to headline a new-look and expanded St Jerome's Laneway Festival in Auckland next year.

The first line-up announcement for the Australasian festival - now in its third year in New Zealand - was released this morning and also includes Laura Marling, Pajama Club, SBTRKT, Shayne Carter, Washed Out and Twin Shadow on a schedule billed as an indie alternative to the summer's major festival, the Big Day Out.

Anna Calvi, M83, Cults, Girls, EMA, Yuck, Toro Y Moi, Wu Lyf, Glasser, Opossom, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Austra and Transistors are also set to perform at the January 30 event.

The Horrors have performed in New Zealand previously at the 2010 Big Day Out and are likely to be a major drawcard, as are hyped Brooklyn duo Cults, shouty Brits Wu Lyf and acclaimed grunge rockers Yuck.

Shayne Carter will be performing a retrospective set of songs from throughout his career, while Pajama Club is Neil Finn's new band with his wife Sharon and is playing to rave reviews following a recent appearance on The Jools Holland Show.

There's also the left-field inclusion of the mysterious Opossom - a new project from The Mint Chick's Kody Nielson that is yet to release a single or play a show. Along with Bic Runga and Michael Logie, they are apparently readying an album for release early next year.

There are plenty of changes in store for the festival, with another move on the cards - this time down to Silo Park in Beaumont Street's Wynyard Quarter.

It's the third venue in three years for the R18 event, which began in Melbourne in 2004 before expanding to include New Zealand and Singapore dates.

This year's event was held in Aotea Square, while 2010's New Zealand debut was hosted at Britomart.

The sheer number of bands - nearly twice as many as last year - has seen a third stage introduced, as well as a collection of "pop up" restaurants, food and market stalls and art installations.

Speaking to radio station 95BFM this morning, New Zealand promoter Ben Howe said the festival catered for serious music fans.

"It's for people who love to discover new music and find out about interesting stuff," he said.

Laneway tickets go on sale on October 19.

The full line-up for Laneway 2012:

Feist
The Horrors
Gotye
Laura Marling
Pajama Club
SBTRKT
Shayne Carter
Washed Out
Twin Shadow
Anna Calvi
M83
Cults
Girls
EMA
Yuck
Toro Y Moi
Wu Lyf
Glasser
Opossom
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Austra
Transistors

- Herald online