Changing Lanes, like chart-topping rapper/forgettable actor Eminem, is back, back again. The moving van has zipped from Newtown to the crooked passageway that is Devonshire Street in Surry Hills for a one-day festival full to the brim of art, food and fashion, not to mention of the sexiest lineups these streets have seen for many a turn. Friends and favourites including PVT, The Vaso Era, The Snowdroppers, Mikeangelo and the Tin Star, Oscar + Martin and many more must-sees are stepping out to support FBi. With the first round of tickets already snapped up, the festival is fast becoming one of the most sought after tickets in this here town. Amidst the busy lead up time to September 16, we nabbed a bit of a chatsy with Festival Director Danae Goiser about lanes, lineups and locality.

FBi: So it’s the second year for Changing Lanes, how did the idea for the festival come about?

Danae: Changing Lanes started as a response to the number of artists and musicians living and working in Sydney’s Inner West that were all individually working on creative projects in the realm of art, music and fashion. Bands like The Jezabels, Thundamentals, Daily Meds and the Big Village crew were starting to make a footprint for themselves. Street art collective The Movement were really starting to flourish and other parts of the community were working on projects like the Oh Really Gallery and Dead Galaxy. All of these, and many more, provided the inspiration and foundations for Changing Lanes.

All of these initiatives were operating independently – not to mention numerous others that are incredible but go completely unnoticed. I felt that a platform should be provided for these artists to work from and to enable them to share ideas and concepts and to collaborate to create a varied range of art that would transcend individual pockets of creativity. This would also enable punters that enjoy live music to also experience live art, fashion and photography.

The concept coincided with a time when a then struggling community radio station, FBi, needed some serious financial help to be able to continue the amazing work they were doing. There was so much cohesion between FBi radio and the original concept of Changing Lanes that it only felt natural FBi and MAPS (Music, Art, Performance and Space) Entertainment should come together with a shared vision to bring heart back to the street and help support the communities that bring vibrancy and energy to Sydney.

Changing Lanes 2010 blew minds left right and centre. Any highlights from last year's festival for you?

I loved the Thundamentals show. They were playing at the perfect time of the day when the sun was just becoming slightly muted and they just blew the crowd away. The ten-strong collaboration on the wall was incredible and most of all [I loved] the community spirit of the event. Everyone came together and chipped in to create a really beautiful day.

For those who don't know, what happened with the petition? Why did you need to get so many signatures?

We have created a concept that exists within a pre-existing urban framework, and close to our sites we have a lot of businesses and residents. Every year we need to prove to the council we are working with that we have support for the event. Signatures are a good way to demonstrate this support. We have had so many supporters, which is great. Each year it is g