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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/culture/australia-culture-blog/2014/mar/11/why-golden-plains-is-the-best-festival-in-australia
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Why Golden Plains is the best festival in Australia | Why Golden Plains is the best festival in Australia |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| So, was that the last ever Drones show? | So, was that the last ever Drones show? |
| That was the rumour going around the morning after the | That was the rumour going around the morning after the |
| beloved band played an angry blinder of a set on the Saturday night, minus | beloved band played an angry blinder of a set on the Saturday night, minus |
| drummer Mike Noga. It was one of several questions going around during the | drummer Mike Noga. It was one of several questions going around during the |
| festival, along with “What was wrong with Tim Rogers?” and “Holy hell, how good | festival, along with “What was wrong with Tim Rogers?” and “Holy hell, how good |
| were the Cosmic Psychos?” | were the Cosmic Psychos?” |
| But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. This was the sixth | But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. This was the sixth |
| Golden Plains festival, the smaller but otherwise near-identical younger sibling | Golden Plains festival, the smaller but otherwise near-identical younger sibling |
| of the Meredith Music festival held in December: same location (the Nolan | of the Meredith Music festival held in December: same location (the Nolan |
| family farm about 12km out of the Victorian township of Meredith), same well-curated | |
| selection of acts (broad-church indie with some hip hop, electronica and | selection of acts (broad-church indie with some hip hop, electronica and |
| country), and same sort of audience demographic (inner-city types who’d sneer | country), and same sort of audience demographic (inner-city types who’d sneer |
| at being called hipsters). | at being called hipsters). |
| People who go to Meredith and Golden Plains get downright | People who go to Meredith and Golden Plains get downright |
| evangelical about the festivals, and the reason is simple: they’re the best music | evangelical about the festivals, and the reason is simple: they’re the best music |
| festivals in the country. | festivals in the country. |
| There’s one stage, so there’s no racing from place to place | There’s one stage, so there’s no racing from place to place |
| as per Splendour in the Grass or Big Day Out, there’s no corporate sponsorship | as per Splendour in the Grass or Big Day Out, there’s no corporate sponsorship |
| so one is not constantly having to negotiate past the people shilling for booze | so one is not constantly having to negotiate past the people shilling for booze |
| brands and mobile networks, and the fact that the place is on private property | brands and mobile networks, and the fact that the place is on private property |
| seems to make everyone behave a little more like it’s a really good party and | seems to make everyone behave a little more like it’s a really good party and |
| less like it’s a drunken assault course. | less like it’s a drunken assault course. |
| It helped that the weather was perfect. An early threat of | It helped that the weather was perfect. An early threat of |
| rain had burned away by the time people had set up for SixFtHick’s Saturday | rain had burned away by the time people had set up for SixFtHick’s Saturday |
| afternoon opening set, and after a clear night Sunday was downright hot. It | afternoon opening set, and after a clear night Sunday was downright hot. It |
| meant that shuffling around was required for those who chose to spend most of | meant that shuffling around was required for those who chose to spend most of |
| the days watching bands on the single stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre, | the days watching bands on the single stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre, |
| as the level of shade changed from hour to hour. | as the level of shade changed from hour to hour. |
| As always, there were some things on the bill that made | As always, there were some things on the bill that made |
| perfect sense, some wonderful surprises, and a couple of weird disappointments. | perfect sense, some wonderful surprises, and a couple of weird disappointments. |
| Most of the most glorious moments came from the local bands. | Most of the most glorious moments came from the local bands. |
| As mentioned above, the legendary rock trio Cosmic Psychos absolutely killed it | As mentioned above, the legendary rock trio Cosmic Psychos absolutely killed it |
| with their early afternoon set on Sunday, enthusiastically getting The Boot | with their early afternoon set on Sunday, enthusiastically getting The Boot |
| (where punters signal their approval by raising their footwear high) from a | (where punters signal their approval by raising their footwear high) from a |
| crowd that appreciated subtext-free songs like Nice Day to Go to the Pub and Dead in a Ditch. | crowd that appreciated subtext-free songs like Nice Day to Go to the Pub and Dead in a Ditch. |
| You Am I were also magnificent with their Sunday evening | You Am I were also magnificent with their Sunday evening |
| hits-and-memories set, although frontman Tim Rogers was clearly in a deep red | hits-and-memories set, although frontman Tim Rogers was clearly in a deep red |
| mood (possibly because of having their set truncated due to things running | mood (possibly because of having their set truncated due to things running |
| late, possibly because his voice wasn’t in tip top condition, possibly because | late, possibly because his voice wasn’t in tip top condition, possibly because |
| he’s Tim Rogers and that’s just occasionally part of the deal). Still, few of | he’s Tim Rogers and that’s just occasionally part of the deal). Still, few of |
| the thousands in the crowd weren’t singing along with every word to Get Up, Cathy’s Clown and the near-obligatory set closing Berlin Chair. | the thousands in the crowd weren’t singing along with every word to Get Up, Cathy’s Clown and the near-obligatory set closing Berlin Chair. |
| They too got The Boot, which seemed to confuse the hell out | They too got The Boot, which seemed to confuse the hell out |
| of Rogers who took a proffered shoe and proceeded to beat himself over the head | of Rogers who took a proffered shoe and proceeded to beat himself over the head |
| with it before sidearming it back into the crowd, hurling his guitar down and | with it before sidearming it back into the crowd, hurling his guitar down and |
| storming off stage. | storming off stage. |
| The night before the Drones had done a less dramatic but no | The night before the Drones had done a less dramatic but no |
| less emotionally punishing set, drawing mainly on older material (The | less emotionally punishing set, drawing mainly on older material (The |
| Minotaur was particularly furious, as was Shark Fin Blues). If this was | Minotaur was particularly furious, as was Shark Fin Blues). If this was |
| indeed their swansong, it was a hell of a note to go out on. | indeed their swansong, it was a hell of a note to go out on. |
| Other excellent sets came from locals including the | Other excellent sets came from locals including the |
| Orbweavers, who started Sunday perfectly with their quiet, Tex-Mex inflected | Orbweavers, who started Sunday perfectly with their quiet, Tex-Mex inflected |
| music, the appropriately old-tyme Perch Creek Family Jug Band who turned the | music, the appropriately old-tyme Perch Creek Family Jug Band who turned the |
| venue’s collective hangover into a cross between a revival camp and medicine | venue’s collective hangover into a cross between a revival camp and medicine |
| show, and Cut Copy, who churned out the old favourites to great effect for | show, and Cut Copy, who churned out the old favourites to great effect for |
| Sunday night’s party. US visitor Neko Case was also magnificent, charging | Sunday night’s party. US visitor Neko Case was also magnificent, charging |
| through a gorgeous set of country-inflected indie with a band that included | through a gorgeous set of country-inflected indie with a band that included |
| long-time vocal foil Kelly Hogan and guest guitarist Eric “Archers of Loaf” | long-time vocal foil Kelly Hogan and guest guitarist Eric “Archers of Loaf” |
| Bachmann. | Bachmann. |
| Some of the other big names were less impressive, however. | Some of the other big names were less impressive, however. |
| The normally brilliant Yo La Tengo couldn’t find the sweet spot, playing an | The normally brilliant Yo La Tengo couldn’t find the sweet spot, playing an |
| uncharacteristically weak set – a too-slow version of Pass the Hatchet, I | uncharacteristically weak set – a too-slow version of Pass the Hatchet, I |
| Think I’m Goodkind drained the track of its relentless energy, which is a | Think I’m Goodkind drained the track of its relentless energy, which is a |
| problem with a 12-minute song. | problem with a 12-minute song. |
| Public Enemy were also less impressive than expected – not | Public Enemy were also less impressive than expected – not |
| because of their music, which was superb (although the bass-heavy mix obscured | because of their music, which was superb (although the bass-heavy mix obscured |
| the vocals at times) but because of the band’s insistence on reminding the | the vocals at times) but because of the band’s insistence on reminding the |
| audience of their website at every opportunity, pausing only to plug their | audience of their website at every opportunity, pausing only to plug their |
| personal Twitter accounts and all other affiliated online portals. They may | personal Twitter accounts and all other affiliated online portals. They may |
| have spruiked their Pinterest and LinkedIn profiles too, but if not it’s about | have spruiked their Pinterest and LinkedIn profiles too, but if not it’s about |
| the only things they missed. | the only things they missed. |
| But as ever, the real star was Golden Plains itself: a | But as ever, the real star was Golden Plains itself: a |
| perfect location, blessed by ideal festival weather. For two and a bit days I | perfect location, blessed by ideal festival weather. For two and a bit days I |
| was reminded why this is my happy place, surrounded by 8,000 other | was reminded why this is my happy place, surrounded by 8,000 other |
| people who felt the same way. So, see you at Meredith this December? | people who felt the same way. So, see you at Meredith this December? |