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Why Golden Plains is the best festival in Australia Why Golden Plains is the best festival in Australia
(6 months 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 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 were the Cosmic Psychos?”
beloved band played an angry blinder of a set on the Saturday night, minus But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. This was the sixth Golden Plains festival, the smaller but otherwise near-identical younger sibling 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 country), and same sort of audience demographic (inner-city types who’d sneer at being called hipsters).
drummer Mike Noga. It was one of several questions going around during the People who go to Meredith and Golden Plains get downright evangelical about the festivals, and the reason is simple: they’re the best music festivals in the country.
festival, along with “What was wrong with Tim Rogers?” and “Holy hell, how good 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 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 seems to make everyone behave a little more like it’s a really good party and less like it’s a drunken assault course.
were the Cosmic Psychos?” 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 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 the days watching bands on the single stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre, as the level of shade changed from hour to hour.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. This was the sixth As always, there were some things on the bill that made perfect sense, some wonderful surprises, and a couple of weird disappointments.
Golden Plains festival, the smaller but otherwise near-identical younger sibling Most of the most glorious moments came from the local bands. As mentioned above, the legendary rock trio Cosmic Psychos absolutely killed it with their early afternoon set on Sunday, enthusiastically getting The Boot (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.
of the Meredith Music festival held in December: same location (the Nolan You Am I were also magnificent with their Sunday evening 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 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 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.
family farm about 12km out of the Victorian township of Meredith), same well-curated 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 with it before sidearming it back into the crowd, hurling his guitar down and storming off stage.
selection of acts (broad-church indie with some hip hop, electronica and The night before the Drones had done a less dramatic but no less emotionally punishing set, drawing mainly on older material (The 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.
country), and same sort of audience demographic (inner-city types who’d sneer Other excellent sets came from locals including the Orbweavers, who started Sunday perfectly with their quiet, Tex-Mex inflected 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 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 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” Bachmann.
at being called hipsters). Some of the other big names were less impressive, however. 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 Think I’m Goodkind drained the track of its relentless energy, which is a problem with a 12-minute song.
People who go to Meredith and Golden Plains get downright Public Enemy were also less impressive than expected – not 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 audience of their website at every opportunity, pausing only to plug their 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 the only things they missed.
evangelical about the festivals, and the reason is simple: they’re the best music 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 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?
festivals in the country.
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
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
seems to make everyone behave a little more like it’s a really good party and
less like it’s a drunken assault course.
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
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
the days watching bands on the single stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre,
as the level of shade changed from hour to hour.
As always, there were some things on the bill that made
perfect sense, some wonderful surprises, and a couple of weird disappointments.
Most of the most glorious moments came from the local bands.
As mentioned above, the legendary rock trio Cosmic Psychos absolutely killed it
with their early afternoon set on Sunday, enthusiastically getting The Boot
(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.
You Am I were also magnificent with their Sunday evening
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
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
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
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
storming off stage.
The night before the Drones had done a less dramatic but no
less emotionally punishing set, drawing mainly on older material (The
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.
Other excellent sets came from locals including the
Orbweavers, who started Sunday perfectly with their quiet, Tex-Mex inflected
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
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
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”
Bachmann.
Some of the other big names were less impressive, however.
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
Think I’m Goodkind drained the track of its relentless energy, which is a
problem with a 12-minute song.
Public Enemy were also less impressive than expected – not
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
audience of their website at every opportunity, pausing only to plug their
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
the only things they missed.
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
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?