The mecca that is Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre was once again filled with music-loving devotees last weekend (5-7 December) for the 33rd annual Meredith Music Festival. What a time we had!
DAY ONE
Meredith opened with a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country performed by Wadawurrung man Uncle Barry Gilson and his family.
Barry talked about listening to the "echoes of country", encouraging everyone to soak up the present moment and let everything else go. His positive energy was a perfect way to start off the weekend.
What better way to do this than be immersed in the world of Dr Sure's Unusual Practice. Adorned with an absurdist golden headpiece, band-leader Dougal Shaw and his synth-punk posse rocked the 'Sup with songs such as 'No Pigs' and 'Glass Ceiling'. Aunty Meredith couldn't have chosen a better opening act, and boots were already in the air!
Welcome To Country - image © Mike Ridley
To give us some respite from the madness, we then heard from Drifting Clouds, a gorgeous three-piece band headed by songwriter Terry Guyula. Guyula's sound is a unique combination of '80s-style synth ballads with ancient Yolŋu songlines. They ended the set with their first ever single, the transcendent song 'Bawuypawuy'.
As is core to the Meredith culture, we never stayed with one genre for long, this time moving into folk with Folk Bitch Trio (FBT).
With perfectly-executed harmonies and a knack for interesting and humorous lyrics, FBT definitely won over the audience, despite some of the subtleties of their sound being lost in the overwhelming excitement of the sup. Two songs that stood out were 'Come Undone' and their last song, 'God's A Different Sword'.
Next up we had Saya Gray, an enigmatic Canadian musician whose talent has seen her play bass for the likes of Daniel Caesar and Willow Smith. Appearing in a wild costume and holding a double-necked guitar (bass on bottom, six-string guitar on top), it was clear she has a unique spirit. Her vocals and musicality were flawless, and the tune 'Puddle (Of Me)' really stood out as a captivating pop song.
Saya Gray - image © Eloise Coomber
The instrumental group Brown Spirits was to follow, and their discordant, ominous psych-rock perfectly accompanied the sunset. The crowd had thinned a little as it was getting on to dinner time, but there were still enough in the 'Sup to show these Melburnians the respect they deserved.
Now it was time for the night to kick into gear with a highly anticipated set from Perfume Genius. As the pensive pop began, people began rushing to the sup with excitement. Performing some seductive and strange acrobatics involving a rotating chair, Perfume Genius was both captivating and mysterious.
Bringing us the first dance set of the evening was Mildlife, a band who seem to be on countless festival and tour line-ups across Australia. They got straight into the grooves and the party was now in full swing.
Preferring to let the music speak for itself rather than interact much with the audience, Mildlife had a brief slow-jam moment featuring a vocoder before launching back into their tight disco and funk grooves.
Pa Salieu - image © Chip Mooney
On a high from dancing non-stop, the crowd were primed for the energy of British rapper Pa Salieu. Unfortunately he had pretty much lost his voice – apparently from going too hard at his Sydney show. His noble attempts to get through the set won respect, but it was a shame to miss the hard-hitting experience that a Pa Salieu show is surely meant to be.
Sam Austins was up next, and while his dance moves and stage presence were undeniable, it was quite difficult to hear the vocals – along with the fact that his voice is naturally pretty smokey. This set felt a little misplaced, especially since it started at 1am when a more energetic act would have been preferable.
Luckily we didn't have to wait long for Ninajirachi, an Australian powerhouse in the electronic scene, whose debut album 'I Love My Computer' recently won three ARIA awards (including Breakthrough Artist). Everyone was hyped and it was a relief to get some dance music to shake us up. Ninajirachi is clearly one to watch and will surely go on to be a global success.
For the last set of the night, we were graced by the presence of Chicago DJ RP Boo, a pioneer of the Footwork dance genre. Now this was a serious get-down, and not for the faint-of-heart. With some silly remixes including 'Funky Town' and 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine', RP Boo's set was pure fun presented by a musical master.
DAY TWO
At 10am on Saturday, the City of Ballarat Municipal Brass Band kicked off the proceedings. It's always a nostalgic and comforting experience to hear a bunch of enthusiastic people blowing through songs like 'Hey Jude', 'Mamma Mia' and 'All That Jazz'.
A small but committed crew watched at the front of the stage despite the beginnings of rain. There was a kid of about five having the time of his life dancing along, and it was partly due to his infectious energy that more people began to fill up the 'Sup.
The nine-piece Melbourne-based group Mouseatouille kept the touching sincerity going, with songs that often mused on romantic anxieties. A standout song was 'Today Will Be The Greatest Day Of Our Lives'. Their '90s-inspired indie-folk sound was a great fit for a morning set.
The Prize - image © Eloise Coomber
To take us across the threshold of midday was another Melbourne band The Prize. They definitely shook things up with their classic rock-pop sound, looking straight out of the '80s. Nadine Muller was impossibly cool, seated at her drum kit like a queen on her throne. A highlight of the set was a tune with the classic title 'Wrong Side Of Town'.
The next act, June Jones, was a bit of an enigma, and unfortunately the wet weather was not helping. Despite her fun electronic sound with its hints of UK garage, it seemed that The Prize were a hard act to follow, and that maybe the two groups' genres were actually too incongruous.
Despite a slightly lack-lustre feeling in the audience, Jones' stage presence was very entertaining, and I'd be curious to see her perform in a more forgiving environment. By now it was around 2pm and Radio Free Alice kicked off their set.
Their '80s indie sound was very reminiscent of The Cure and New Order, and their tight setup won everyone over – they proved themselves as a very solid band. By now the 'Sup was buzzing and the day was properly kicking into gear.
Radio Free Alice - image © Eloise Coomber
The Peep Tempel, who were replacing an ill Colin Hay, really took the rock-leaning Saturday line-up into heavier territory. They were a relentless force, and the crowd was there for it, soaking up the driving basslines of the Melbourne band's punk-rock sound.
The next two acts were a perfect back-to-back dance odyssey. Despite ongoing rain, Detroit trio Dames Brown brought the house down with their soulful vocals and matching sequined outfits. Their version of 'You're The One For Me' was utterly euphoric.
We thought we had reached peak fun, until it was time for Syrian artist Omar Souleyman to grace the Meredith stage. While his presence is understated, his electronic dabke music more than makes up for this, with its unbridled and joyful energy. I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of Souleyman earlier!
These were very hard acts to follow, but Oddisee and his band Good Compny gave it a good crack, with a warm stage presence and serious jazz chops. It was refreshing to see a rapper perform with a live band, as they often tour with just a DJ.
Chet Faker - image © Eloise Coomber
The next act, which could be cheekily described as an Australian legacy act, was none other than Chet Faker, a man whose voice dominated Australian music from about 2012 to 2015. He opened with one of his best known songs, the Flume collaboration 'Drop The Game'. The band was solid and Chet'S keys playing was very soulful. It was a moment of nostalgia and a welcome breather.
At around 9pm it was time for Bar Italia. Their indie sleaze, '00s-inspired sound was intriguing but something just didn't feel quite right – it seemed they were having quite a few issues with the sound, and maybe the crowd's energy had dropped too much after the mellow sounds of Chet Faker.
Thankfully the interstitial DJ, who I believe was DJ Fee B2, quickly brought the vibe up and had us rocking to classic tracks by Missy Elliot and House Of Pain. The interstitial DJ sets were one of my favourite parts of Meredith – they did the hard work of keeping the crowd entertained during change-overs.
As well as DJ Fee B2 we heard from DJs Small Fry, Sam Cummins, Babycino, Jimi Dawg and Sarita across the three days. After this interlude, the Brooklyn-based indie rock band TV On The Radio came to rock the 'Sup.
They are a very well-oiled machine, having been together since 2001, and the vocalist Tunde Adebimpe was a powerhouse. We were in very safe hands with this anthemic group and they well and truly revived the crowd.
Atarashi Gakko! - image © Mike Ridley
Now, it may be hard to convey the degree of insanity we experienced next, but the entire day felt like it had been mere child's play compared to Atarashii Gakko!. This mind-blowing four-piece girl-group from Japan was a force that felt almost supernatural.
With matching costumes, complex choreography, and almost flawless vocal technique, these girls had us in the palm of their hands. All of their songs were fantastic, but the song 'Tokyo Calling' was particularly fun, and they were working the crowd extremely well.
They moved effortlessly between electronic dance genres, and even touched on jazz and Latin music. I have no doubt that Atarashii Gakko! will be one of those acts that goes down in Meredith history – absolutely untouchable.
After this there was a brief moment for the colourful Meredith Sky Show, a welcome moment of pause after Atarashii Gakko!'s insanity. It was just past 1am and up next was Kaytetye DJ and producer RONA.
With live dancers clad in alien-like black lycra and helmets, RONA's heavy set was thematically captivating as well as satisfying for those who had been hanging out for a doof.
At this point the fatigue had caught up to me, and unfortunately I couldn't make it through to see the DJ sets from HAAI or Wax O'Paradiso. However, reports were very positive and the party continued to flourish well into Sunday.
DAY THREE
At around 9am on Sunday morning some of us headed back to the 'Sup for an invigorating Master Song Tai Chi session, and by the time singer-songwriter Guy Blackman began people were starting to come out of the woodwork.
His sincere and relaxed style was great for a morning set and his tune 'Always Gonna Love You More' had the crowd grooving along. The Aboriginal Women's Choir was also wonderful.
Dressed in vibrant dresses and headbands, their rich songs brought a tear to many tired eyes. The unassuming folk group Florist were up next, once again maintaining the chilled out Sunday energy with just drums, guitar and soft, confessional vocals.
Guy Blackman - image © Jake Pattison
It was now 1pm and we heard from Jack J and his band, which included a live sax (always a bonus). His Sade-inspired drum-machine ballads were working their magic and the 'Sup was getting back into gear for a final hurrah.
It was finally time for one of the festival's more unhinged traditions, The Meredith Gift. This running race is unique due to its requirement contestants be completely naked! Hosted by queer performance artists the Huxleys and drag queen Lazy Susan, it was an utterly hilarious event.
Melbourne band Rhysics were given the last spot on the bill. They're a very tight, high-energy band with great hooks and a '90s/ 2000s-tinged surf-rock sound. Definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Meredith always feels like a fever dream, but it's one I'd be happy to have every night.
