Aunty Meredith has done it yet again for Golden Plains 18th birthday
Another weekend filled with community, bliss and a reinvigorated sense of humanity, all through the power of music.
I started my weekend at 3am Saturday morning. This not being my first rodeo, I knew I wanted to get in nice and early to not miss a second of the best festival of the year. I clocked off my night shift and dread of a 2 hour nap before a long drive hit me. This was quickly overpowered by my knowledge of what was to come. Artists that I know and love, and my new favourites that I will be shown, back at my number 1 couch covered hill.
Saturday
After setting up camp, all the way in Outer Space as everyone had the same idea of getting in early, we made it down to the amphitheatre for the smoking ceremony and welcome to Wadawurrung country, given to us by Uncle Barry Gilson, followed up by Nolsey's long blink. The official go ahead that our weekend had begun.
First up in the ‘Sup was Melbourne locals Public Figures.
Despite their recent blow up, including opening at infamous Amyl and the Sniffers Fed Square show, I hadn’t put the time aside to listen to their music. Big mistake. Immediately they set the tone as soon as they stepped on stage. Their costuming alone made a statement, the big hair and eccentric outfits proved they weren't here to play around. They were powerful and empowering, calling the “divas and people of colour” to the front. Moving through a more punk forward sound, into almost a power pop. Their set was unflinching and proud, an immediate crowd favourite before the night’s even begun.
They made a big comment on the fact they had been coming to Meredith/Golden since around 2019, and that it was incredible making it up on the stage, a dream come true. To push this dream even further they got the notorious boots in the air, including mine. This is the ultimate symbol at this festival that you’ve done something the people really really dig. I immediately left this set to buy one of their bedazzled baby tees which I now wear religiously.
Next up for Saturday afternoon was Georgia Knight. Starting just 20 minutes after Public Figures, she veered the vibes into something more gothic and ethereal in nature. The tone shift was immediate and wild, but seemed to speak to the same thing. Hugging her autoharp (an instrument that seemed to be an extension of herself) to her chest throughout her set, it felt as if we had stepped into something a lot more intimate and hidden. In this collaboration of old and new sound I found myself transported into a 90’s-esque fever dream, with moments that took me to 60’s and 70’s medieval revival. Her spectral voice spoke in stories and poems of love and heartbreak. I found myself reminded of artists like Patti Smith and, I think this may just be me, Natalie Imbruglia. Luckily for me we had more grunge on the way.
Moving into the evening we were blessed with Indie duo Water From Your Eyes.
Their first time in Australia brought a whole bunch of new eyeballs to their stuff, including mine. I had my mate show me a short snippet of their music before we went to watch them. My first impression was that it sounded like the cool/it girl’s BillieEilish. They proved to be much more than this initial sense, giving us a full band with a grungier sound, a bit closer to bands like Cake. They often make humorous but cynical observations into a melody you can dance or cry to, with breakdowns of monotone speaking mixed with a delicate singing voice. I found myself totally mesmerised with the skill and ease of this whole band, and will definitely be on the look out for any new music.
I feel the theme for this first day was honesty. Truthful storytelling no matter how angry or sorrowful, and the next artist I saw follows up on that idea.
Smerz is a duo from Norway whose name comes from the German word for heartache. Casually cool and romantic, they shift through genres and instruments delivering a performance that is two times more emotional than their recorded music. They're soulful and calm, expressing pure emotion with their hair flowing 24/7 in the wind. Usually with two vocalists it can sometimes feel like a competition, instead they are feeding off each other in a way that makes it feel like they share a brain. Moulding their voices together, they almost become one instrument in itself. Shifting through RnB and an electronic glitchiness, they stayed grounded and supported within each other.
Finishing this set I had half an hour to grab a quick feed before I would be stationed at the stage all night before I got too tired to stand anymore, with so many acts I just could not miss. Big shoutout to the vendor with the GIANT spring rolls. They were life changing.
Straight after my meal I made it to the amphitheatre for the legend at the top of my gig bucket lists. Marlon Williams and the Yarra Benders, joined by Ngā Mātai Pūrua. For years I’ve been listening to him, always seeing him as one of the best musicians of this current era. There was no better time than at Golden Plains, where the community is all here for it. Having launched his te reo Māori album Te Whare Tīwekaweka towards the end of last year, this performance was a showcase of the beauty and cultural exploration the release is known for. With heartfelt melodies, his gospel like choir singing along and a constant misting of rain, his ballads of reclaiming his language and history hit deep. The entire ‘Sup was mesmerised in his story of community, land and love. It was joyous and moving all in one. A special haka experience towards the end of his set really topped off what was a highlight of a beautiful night.
By this time it’s hit 10pm, which means its beginning to get into a more experimental, higher intensity experience. And who better to start shifting us there than BADBADNOTGOOD.
Hailing from Canada, they’re a jazzy collaborative band with inspirations in hip hop and electronic sound. Watching them live was like seeing the most insane jam session ever known to man. There was a constant never ending groove that felt like a funky techno. It felt intimate and intricate. A constant understanding that can only be made between musicians who have worked together as long as they have. Sitting out the back of the hill at this point,
I could see how much they were making everyone move. My favourite was a father with his toddler on his shoulders, wearing matching yellow raincoats and braving the storm, bouncing around to a cover of J Dilla. Their set was a constant high and left us feeling ready for the night ahead.
While sipping on a pipping hot two dollar coffee my Aussie Gen Z ears perked up. I heard a tune that activated me like a sleeper agent. It was Soup Opera. THE Soup Opera.
It began unadulterated, then mixed into an incredible dj set given to us by one of Golden’s Interstitial DJs. It woke me up more than my delicious coffee, and I had to get to the front of the stage.
Well known, loved and pioneers in the early Australian electronic music scene were now up, legends Cut Copy. These titans brought the sound of the synth punk of the 80s into the early 21st century and have elevated it into a more tech forward modern experience. Releasing music from 2001 all the way to the current day, they know the way to run a stage. They brought us along on a journey of strobing lights and music that just blew the crowd away. Even in this intense experience they knew when to stop. The band, crowd and event staff all acted in the best fashion when a medical emergency occurred dead centre in the mosh, and the person was able to quickly get the help they needed. It was probably the best and fastest reaction I've seen at any festival, and is what I've come to expect from Golden Plains. Respect and community are on another level in the ‘Sup.
My phone at this point had gone out of charge, and I was exhausted from such a big day, so I decided to catch at least a bit of Frost Children, electro/hyperpop siblings from Missouri. I really wanted to check them out because I had heard they had a similar sound to one of my favourite duos, The Hellp. They didn’t disappoint, they brought such a high energy into the early morning, loud and in your face. They were controversial, with their music not being everyone's cup of tea. To be honest if you like music like Bassvictim, underscores and the aforementioned Hellp, I reckon they’re a good time.
Sunday
Waking up on Sunday after quite possibly the best sleep of my life, even though my mattress had deflated to little more than a plastic sheet, I quickly rallied to get ready for the big day in front of me. I had slept in a little more than I had intended and only had about 10 minutes to get to the main stage. I needed to see The Gnomes.
These Frankston locals had just headlined at Flippin the Bird, which I very sadly missed this year, and I would not miss them again. They gave us a performance of good old Franga rock and roll, pure and harsh. Think The Kinks or The Unknowns. Funny how all these band names are all “the something”. My favourite songs of the performance was Better With You and Flippin’ Stomp, where you can't help but to party when you hear it. They had some big fans in the crowd besides myself, including a group who gifted them their own gnome mid song. It was a sweet moment to witness. These four young guys played their hearts out, setting the tone in a similar fashion to Public Figures the day before.
Similar to Saturday as well was the swift tone shift, with This Is Lorelei coming at us, a folky indie amalgamation. Emerging from the Water from your Eyes performance and working double time this weekend, Nate Amos was joined with the band for his solo project's time to shine. Lorelei went more into Nate Amos’s indie roots when compared to his other project. It was a softer experience that reminded me of the first time I saw Mac Demarco. It was vulnerable but not weak and it leant into a poem-like diaristic form of song writing à la Elliot Smith and Tom Petty. He’s definitely somebody I discovered this weekend and will be keeping up to date with.
Upchuck really surprised me, and not for the reasons you might think. I thought I didn't know them. Turns out they’re responsible for my favourite song of 2022, Face Card. I did not figure this out until about halfway through their set, when they had already won my love yet again. Atlanta punks did not come here to play. They came in hot, with messages of fuck Trump, fuck ICE, essentially fuck fascists. They are revolutionary and intense, exactly what punk is meant to be. Crowd surfing, moshing and generally losing your shit couldn't be stopped. They seemed to be well enmeshed with our own home grown favourites, as I spotted some members of COFFIN and Amyl and the Sniffers recording or playing along with them. Big stuff.
On Sundays at my job we have a Soul Sunday once a month, where we get our DJs in and have a big ol’ boogie. I had to miss this month’s edition to make it to Golden (so worth it) and was feeling a little left out. Lucky for me I made it down for Francois K and Jalen Ngonda. It was the ultimate Soul Sunday. Francois K gave us a wide array of music, masterfully made mixes of songs we love and songs we don't know yet. Everybody was smiling and grooving, many flowing along with a dancer on stage who had the most beautiful energy.
Following up was Ngonda, who has this gorgeous Motown sound.
He has one of those voices you don't find often, he’s built for this. His music sounds straight out of the 60s, but make no mistake, he is as contemporary as they come. His lyrics speak to things we all feel and experience with remarkable sophistication. I almost missed watching him but I am so glad I didn't. I never would have gone out of my way to listen to him truely, let alone see him live, on my own. Now he is on heavy rotation at my house.
Quickly the night moved forward and Ty Segall was standing up front of the stage. Giving us a slice of Americana psych rock, his music flowed easily and in my mind blended into one big performance. It was raw and rough around the edges, what we’ve come to know him for. He kept the crowd humming in anticipation for our headliner who was coming up in just a short hour.
Basement Jaxx were great, don't get me wrong. How could they not be, the duo's been making hits for 3 decades. Everyone was dancing, jumping, squishing themselves onwards to get as close as they could. They were how I expected when it comes to their music. What really shone though was the singers, dancers and visuals lighting up the stage. They elevated the performance from a simple DJ set to a full live experience, working together to push this into an experience no one wants to forget. Who can when you have thousands of fellow partiers screaming Where’s Your Head At full volume.
Golden Plains is a transcendental weekend. Once you've been once, you never want to miss it again. Every single set is a full house, the people ready to see something new, or something they love. People show nothing but care for the people around them. Everyone just wants to have a good time and enjoy what the amazing people at Meredith have put together with such care. Golden Plains is a beacon of light in the festival scene, a meeting place for likeminded music lovers and humans.
See ya next year!
Article by Niamh McCosker @doubl3scorpio
Photos by Andrew Bibby