It felt like something was brewing at the 17th edition of Golden Plains festival. The event has always been well-loved, as the little sister to the ever increasingly popular Meredith, but this year the last-minute demand for tickets was intense and unprecedented. A concoction of factors – another major Victorian music festival suffering a shock cancellation, the masterfully programmed line-up with a mix of exciting new artists hitting their peak and musical greats, and probably an unwillingness to let go of another festival season when it seems local events are dwindling by the year – meant the hype felt like Golden Plains was the place to be for the Labour Day long weekend.
At the heart of this revered annual gathering is the music. Incredible music, and lots of it. Pretty much every act on the program is praised by someone as a highlight – such is the quality of the line-up, and the skillful programming that means there really is something for everyone.
On the first afternoon, Skeleten’s ethereal yet bouncy sounds drew dancers towards the ‘Sup (nicknamed after its full title, the Supernatural Amphitheatre), followed by beautifully sincere folk music from Bonny Light Horseman that felt like the first special moment of the festival. As the sun set, the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra lifted the energy to prime punters for the evening ahead.
The musical programming on the Friday night was a classic demonstration of the diversity of genres typically heard on the festival’s single stage. Alt-pop duo Magdalena Bay dazzled the audience, followed by a rollicking rock set from Osees. But the arguably most anticipated act of the night was to come next – a pumping set from an act on the rise, Irish rap trio Kneecap. Generating buzz for rapping in their Indigenous Gaelic language and being vocal on global issues, they hit the crowd with a sucker punch of energy.
It would’ve been a hard act to follow for anyone, and while electronic artist Ela Minus rose to the challenge with a creative and quality set, a noticeable dip in energy stalled the night’s momentum. But if there was anyone to keep the crowd moving, veteran DJ Sofia Kourtesis was perfect for the job. For those who were still awake in the wee hours, she summoned dancers back to the ‘Sup with an eclectic mix filled with party favourites like Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ and ‘Born Slippy’ by Underworld.
The festival eased into its second day with the dreamy sounds of Melbourne trip hop trio Acopia. The heat of the day meant the crowds dwindled slightly, but the amphitheatre was still full of punters braving the beating sun for latin instrumental duo Hermanos Gutierrez, with soothing tunes that were the perfect soundscape for a languorous afternoon.
A smooth set from hip hop legend Bahamadia eased her audience into a bouncing groove, and paved the way for beloved Melbourne DJ Adriana to blow the metaphorical roof off the ‘Sup with a super danceable mix, culminating in an explosive moment as she dropped Bob Sinclar’s classic track ‘World, Hold On’.
Soul outfit Durand Jones & the Indications settled back into a steady rhythm as the sun began to set, with velvety vocals and heartwarming moments. As the evening approached, storm clouds began to roll over the crowds. Unusually, in the hour preceding headliner PJ Harvey, there was ominous silence from the ‘Sup soundsystem. Rumours swirled that this was at the enigmatic British alt-rocker’s request. As lightning flashed and thunder boomed over the festival site, we wondered – was this all part of the show, too?
As the storm dissipated, the atmosphere of anticipation was electric as Harvey finally began her set. Her powerful, raspy tones held the crowd captive – in stunned silence between elongated, pregnant pauses between songs. She gave a masterful, regal performance – her presence more powerful than the menacing storm that made her introduction to the stage. This felt like the moment that had been brewing since the start of the weekend.
Perfectly sequenced after Harvey was Irish punk rock band Fontaines DC, with much hype, and rightfully so. Their setlist was packed with moody tracks from their critically acclaimed album Romance, with a unison of gasps from the audience during hit song ‘Starburster’ a highlight. Disco diva Robin S marked a major gear change in the night’s trajectory, cutting her stilted set short, after she scatted through her hit ‘Show Me Love’ then abruptly left the stage. But 2ManyDJs (otherwise known as Soulwax) made sure the crowd got their boogie fix and then some, with an epic two-hour set filled with house bangers – a mixing masterclass from two veterans of the dance scene.
The vibes stayed high and the night danced on, a genre-traversing set from local Zjoso and dreamy beats from CCL guiding the remaining partiers on 'til sunrise. It was my fifth trip to Meredith, and as we staggered away from the stage in the morning light, I thought to myself: ‘they’ve done it again’. This festival continues to create an essentially unmatched experience, and this iteration was no exception.