Get Notorious | 29
JANUARY 2012
Strewth it’s been both hot and cold – and barely a break between one party season before we jump back into the the festival merry go round again. In this edition we’ve had a chat to a number of the headline acts of the Laneway Festival and we’ve managed to secure some great freebies for you to try and bribe us to win – don’t be shy. We’re easily bought.
Editorial and advertising – Jim Murray jim@getnotorious.com
THE DRUMS
The Drums co-founder Jacob Graham is at home in Brooklyn when Get Notorious calls, which he explains ‘is rare and very appreciated’. Indeed, it’s just before Christmas and amazingly for a band that have had a punishing schedule over the last few months, he doesn’t have any shows to play until the Laneway Festival kicks off at the end of January in Brisbane. He explains ‘it’s been a while since we’ve had such an amount of time off which is pretty exciting’, but as for playing Laneway Festival, he says ‘we’ll be getting pretty antsy around that time’. However, in the meantime the band are putting their feet up and not hopping in to the studio – not unreasonable since the band exploded into the blogosphere and attendant music press with their Summertime EP in 2009. Chock full of sugary and winsome pop delights such as ‘Let’s Go Surfing’, the mournful ‘Down By The Water’ and the plaintive lament of ‘I Felt Stupid’, the EP was quickly followed up by debut album The Drums, which saw them making the leap from playing small clubs to joining the festival circuit and becoming comfortable playing theatres rather than small venues.
There was little time for the band to pause for a break, with barely 14 months between their debut and the much darker follow up, Portamento. Graham indicates that there’s no compulsion amongst the band to get working on a third album at the moment. There’s a hint of glee in his voice as he says ‘I don’t know that we’ll be doing recording or songwriting for The Drums, just because we put out our second record [Portamento] so quickly after our first record. We’re actually trying not to think about the third Drums record right now if we can help it. We like the idea of putting out records really fast because it helps establish a band, with people realising that they’re stubborn in their ways, you know, because essentially our second record sounds just like our first record and I’m sure our third one will sound the same way.
The Laneway Festival will be the first proper chance for Australian fans to hear the songs from Portamento live, but considering not all the songs are as of as upbeat a nature as their debut, does Graham feel that fans are digging the tunes in their current live set? ‘I think it’s gone over really well live. I’m sure that the songs that we’re playing live are the ones that are more upbeat but it’s gone really well. I think the fans are responding as much to the songs off Portamento as they are to songs off the first record – and especially in America – they’re responding to the newer songs because this record got a little more attention in America than our first one did.’ Graham says that ‘failed romance is the most recurring theme in all of our songs’ but ‘on Portamento it’s definitely taken on more of a realism than it did on our first record, which … our first record was kind of written from a naïve point of view . Almost as if we were still in high school and experiencing love for the first time and things like that.’ He concedes that ‘everything was kind of cinematic and grand on our first record, whereas on Portamento we wanted to write it from our current adult perspectives; and I think because of that parts of it are a little fatter and on a song like ‘I Need A Doctor’ it’s almost more humorous.
Amidst the round of interviews The Drums conducted around the release of the album, there was the very real suggestion that the band was on the verge of breaking up. Is that still the case? Graham deflects this suggestion only slightly, saying ‘it’s sorta true but it was kinda blown out of proportion by the media , especially in the UK. But I think this band is always on the verge of breaking up.’ He further reflects – ‘maybe it was something to do with how suddenly the whole thing happened for us, you know, and it wasn’t something that we were necessarily working towards, to be at this level. So it is constantly kind of waking up and wondering do I want to continue doing this for now? That said, he also admits that ‘I do think as far as the band - from the last couple of tours we’ve done – we’ve really hit our stride being on tour and everything seems to be clicking a little more than it used to.’
As for their slots on the Laneway Festival and several double headline sideshows with Cults, Graham says that the band have ‘completely restructured our live show’ which on their debut Australian tour 18 months ago saw them using a lot of backing tracks. This time around the band have several new travelling members following the departure of guitarist Adam Kessler and one of them is none other than an Aussie. Danny Allen, previously best known for his work behind the kit with Aussie chart toppers Youth Group is now resident in New York City. ‘Danny is an amazing drummer’ Graham enthuses, explaining that he joined the band just after The Drums were last here for the Groovin The Moo festival in 2011.
As for their co-headline sideshows with Cults, Graham reveals that despite both bands being from New York City, they don’t really know each other. He explains ‘every time I’ve seen those guys, and hung out with them, it’s not been in New York. It’s been in London or Chicago or wherever . I think a lot of people think that all the bands from New York and Brooklyn get together in the same hangouts but really when we’re all in New York we just stay to ourselves and if we do get to hang out it’s when we’re all on a festival bill together in Australia or something like that.’ He goes so far as to laughingly say ‘I’ve met more New York bands and Brooklyn bands in Australia than I have here’.
The Drums play the Laneway Festival in Australia and Singapore as well as sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne (co-headline w/ Cults)
Brisbane – Saturday 28th January – Alexandria Street, Fortitude Valley
Melbourne – Friday 3rd February - Palace Theatre (w/ Cults) 18+
Melbourne – Saturday 4th February – Footscray Community Arts Centre
Sydney – Sunday 5th February – Sydney College Of The Arts
Sydney – Wednesday 8th February - Enmore Theatre (w/Cults) All Ages
Adelaide – Friday 10th February – Fowler’s Live
Perth – Saturday 11th February – Perth Cultural Centre
Singapore – Sunday 12th February – Fort Canning
BENEATH NYC
According to our friends at the East 9th Brewing Co, there’s an abandoned brewery in the tunnels beneath New York City. For those of you whose knowledge of New York City’s subterranean life is limited to the exploits of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you’d be surprised at what lurks beneath the bustling streets of Manhattan. Under the Waldorf Astoria Hotel sits a secret extension of Grand Central Station, containing the rusting hulk of US wartime President Franklin D Roosevelt’s armoured train, which allowed him to exit via car disguising the fact that polio had left him paralysed from the waist down.
That’s not to mention a myriad of bomb shelters, disused subway stations and even underground houses, home to the Mole people, the homeless and adventurers. Add to this now an abandoned brewery. A documentary crew is set to follow a lucky winner in a quest to find the abandoned brewery and this could be you! Check out www.beneathnyc.com for more info and to enter.
YUCK
Yuck’s drummer Jonny Rogoff has a busy schedule. It’s mid December and he’s doing press interviews on his mobile while catching a bus from Stansted Airport in to central London, having just jumped off a plane from Stockholm where he’d been visiting a friend at the end of a short post tour trip to Berlin and Prague. No rest for the wicked and adventurous then.
Unsurprisingly, he’s looking forward to trading in the European winter for a jaunt down under to play the Laneway Festival, saying ‘we’ve never been there before and it’s a place we all want to go to really badly.’ They won’t be arriving blind, however, as they may have had a bit of Australia rub off on them last year while touring with Perth’s much vaunted exports, Tame Impala. ‘We had the pleasure of touring with them for a few weeks in America’, he explains, enthusing that the psychotropic troupe were ‘a privilege to watch … live every day. They put on an incredible show’. He’s also enthusiastic about the band’s side project Pond, explaining that ‘they showed us the demos … they had a song called ‘Annie Orangetree’ – I really like that one.’
Formed from the ashes of UK teenage indie also rans Cajun Dance Party, the 90s sludge and fuzz fest of Yuck is a multinational affair with members hailing from the UK, Japan and America, but they’re a band united in wearing their slacker and fuzz rock influences proudly on their sleeves. Indeed it’s no surprise that they have already toured with Dinosaur Jr and worked with My Bloody Valentine’s director or sonic Armageddon, Kevin Shields. It begs the question – is there really anything left for such a young band to accomplish apart from maybe a lazy festival tour around Australia? Rogoff laughs ‘they were the highlights, definitely. Sometimes I can’t believe it happened, and it happened so quickly, we were really lucky to be able to do that and tour … all the bands that we’ve been touring with we’re really lucky to have the pleasure …. Just playing with bands we like, like Porcelain Raft, Tame Impala, Unknown Mortal Orchestra. We’ve been lucky like that.’
Another feather in the band’s cap is an invitation to play the Weezer cruise from Miami to Cozumel in Mexico later this month, alongside the likes of Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr, The Antlers and Wavves – surely enough have Florida’s weed dealers warning of a shortage of supply at the end of January. Apart from looking forward to the cruise which precedes the Laneway Festival, Yuck have been given the heads up on the festival by Wild Beasts who described it as ‘an awesome experience – everyone travels together and becomes great friends. All the shows are great and it’s just going to be a really awesome experience.’
With the band hailing from all corners of the globe, including the UK, New Jersey and Japan and clearly very united in their music taste, is there harmony backstage when it comes to the rider and deciding what they want on it? ochuckles, admitting that they usually ask for money while on tour to go their separate ways to forage for food, although if the worst comes to the worst, they can ‘usually agree on Japanese’.
Once the sun has set on Laneway Festival 2012, can fans expect any new recordings in a hurry? Rogoff explains ‘we’ve been on tour the last year so it’s been tough to get in to the studio, but we did a few times just to lay down a few tracks, but now that we have some time … because we’re doing Laneway, then we’re doing a few other shows but then we’re kind of looking at settling down and doing a new album. We’re looking forward to that.’
Yuck play the Laneway Festival as well as Sydney and Melbourne co headline shows with EMA.
Brisbane – Saturday 28th January
Alexandria Street, Fortitude Valley
Auckland – Monday 30th January
Silo Park, Beaumont Street
Friday February 3RD
East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
Melbourne – Saturday 4th February
Footscray Community Arts Centre
Sydney – Sunday 5th February
Sydney College Of The Arts
Thursday February 9th
Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
Adelaide – Friday 10th February
Fowler’s Live
Perth – Saturday 11th February 2012
Perth Cultural Centre
Singapore – Sunday 12th February
Fort Canning
WHAT’S ON IN JANUARY?
Sugar Mountain Festival
Sugar Mountain is one of Melbourne’s newest art and music festivals and it’s set to make a welcome return this weekend. Comprised of a number of satellite events surrounding the big ‘un at the Forum Theatre on Saturday 14th January, the festival takes over Melbourne CBD from Thursday 12 January to Saturday 21 January 2012, cropping up in the cream of Melbourne’s prominent arts locations including No Vacancy Gallery, Federation Square, ACMI, Polyester Records, Rooftop Cinema and Chapter House Lane.
“Sugar Mountain 2012 will feature a week of extended and involved side events, exploring forward thinking contemporary art from alternative backgrounds”, says Festival Creative Director Pete Keen.
“The viewer will be offered an exciting open doorway into the artists practice, also allowing a one-on-one experience through artist workshops and discussions. Come get involved”.
A wealth of international guests as well as prominent local acts include: DEERHOOF | TUNE-YARDS | THEE OH SEES | SHABAZZ PALACES | JULIANNA BARWICK | JOHN MAUS | SUN ARAW | PRINCE RAMA|WORLD’S END PRESS | ABSOLUTE BOYS | DJ YAMANTAKA EYE | FOX & SUI | LOST ANIMAL | PETS WITH PETS | THE HARPOONS | THIS THING PRESENTS and the NO LIGHTS, NO LYCRA dancers
The visual arts component will include work and performances from : KIT WEBSTER | MAYA HAYUK | KYLE RANSON | DYLAN MARTORELL | BEN BARRETTO | VINCENT MOON.
For more info see www.sugarmountainfestival.com
Saskwatch
A nine piece soul revue crammed in to a rock n’ roll bar with a sweaty crowd that just wants to D.A.N.C.E.? Saskwatch are fast becoming a sensation in Melbourne with their afro inspired horns leading punters in to a frenzy. Singer Nkechi Anele’s soulful voice and the gigantic groove these cats dig saw the first week of their Thursdays in January residency at Cherry Bar sold out with a queue stretching down the street.
Thursdays in January – 9pm Cherry Bar AC/DC Lane Melbourne
www.facebook.com/saskwatchmusic
Fed Square Live
Wanna catch some of Australia’s hottest up and coming bands for free? The Fed Square Live series of gigs is presented by youth music organisation The Push and features hot to trot acts such as Bleeding Knees Club, Triple J Unearthed High winners Snakadaktal and Stonefield (Pictured), Tessa & The Typecast and Clairy Brown & The Bangin’ Rackettes.
Main Stage, Federation Square, Melbourne
Bleeding Knees Club + Snakadaktal
Thursday 12 January, 6pm – 7.30pm
Stonefield + Tessa and The Typecast
Thursday 19 January, 6pm – 7.30pm
Clairy Browne and The Bangin’ Rackettes + Saskwatch
Wednesday 25 January, 6pm – 7.30pm
Loon Lake + I, a Man
Thursday 26 January, 7pm – 9pm
Koolism (live + dj set) 75 Minute Park Jam
Friday 27 January, 6pm – 7.30pm
Midsumma Festival
Victoria’s Queer community unites to present a huge series of events that build upon its standing as a progressive, engaging, inclusive festival offering over 30 Premier Events that run the full gamut of live performance, visual arts and film along with sporting, social and community events. Naturally it’ll include some of the best parties you’ll come across all Summer! Kicking off with the opening Carnival on 15th of January, the event will culminate in the annual Pride March on 5th February.
Check out www.midsummaorg.au for full details.
Lady Chatterley’s Lover
It’s an oldie, that’s for sure, but it’s still a good one. Fancy yourself some wanton displays of toned flesh romping amidst the beautiful surrounds of Rippon Lea House Gardens? Of course you do and because you’re high brow you want a timeless narrative as well, so get down to the Australian Shakespeare Company’s performance of DH Lawrence’s classic tale of sexual awakening and adultery.
Rippon Lea House and Gardens : 31 January to 8 March 2012, Mon – Thurs at 7pm, 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick. See www.australianshakespearecompany.com.au for more information.
WIN SHIT
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival
Yes, we know you’ve been hanging out for this one for a year and it’s almost upon us. Yet again St Jerome’s Laneway Festival has a stellar lineup of some of the hottest artists on the planet, including some that you just know are going to be huge later this year – simply for the fact that the are on the bill. The likes of Anna Calvi, Cults, The Horrors, Chairlift, Laura Marling, Feist, SBTRKT and M83 are set to hit town and whaddya know – Jerome’s in a good mood and he’s found a double pass to the Melbourne Laneway Festival for you to win. Shoot us an email with Laneway Festival in the subject line to howdy@getnotorious.com and you could be going for free.
Sugar Mountain Festival
This one is on this weekend and lucky for someone we’ve got a double pass for you to win to this massive shindig in Melbourne at the Forum Theatre. Deerhoof, Tuneyards, Shabazz Palaces and Thee Oh Sees are just some of the amazing line up performing over three stages along with performance art, installations and projections. Wanna go? Drop us an email to howdy@getnotorious.com with Sugar Mountain in the subject line.
WE WUZ THERE – REVIEWS
Falls Festival Lorne – 28 Dec – 1st Jan
Well it’s déjà vu again at the countdown for The Falls Festival at Erskine Falls, however I must say the rest of the festival went far beyond baseline standards. Sure, the usual festival difficulties were still lingering such as some alcohol choices being unavailable, entry and exit into the festival being disastrous and there was even talk about bouts of food poisoning amongst punters, but the stellar talent that was the line up for 2012 seems to overshadow these matters fairly easily. Boasting a decent dose of prominent international acts, home-grown favourites and a smorgasbord of genres, this year’s ‘The Falls’ will be one to remember (or at least for those who didn’t drink themselves to oblivion).
Day one consisted of setting up camp, gazing at the stunning scenery, mingling with the crew I’d be sharing three days of mayhem with and of course checking out the first round of acts. First off the ranks was Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes who are a sassy, nine-piece affair, complete with a trio of soulful backup singers and dancers, plenty of brass and one wickedly talented leading lady. Tales of untrustworthy ex-lovers come to the surface, but Clairy’s humorous storytelling makes for some serious musical and theatrical entertainment. After a lazy hour dabbling in the festival food cuisines, Missy Higgins truly proved she’s back in action with a few new tunes under her belt and a healthy head of newly-coloured blonde hair! During the set, we were graced with the presence of a rogue streaker, only to hear Missy turn her head in disgust and explain that she “doesn’t like seeing penis”. I guess some things aren’t changed as easily as the colour of one’s hair.
Rather chuffed at the standard of the first two acts, I was in hope that Beirut would up the ante once again. Indeed they did. Although not the most engaging group of musicians on stage and as a result the audience finding solace in sitting in the grass, ‘Postcards From Italy’ sounded brilliant and suited the mood to a tee. After the sun dawned and us three-day ticket holders started getting excited for the first night of Falls antics, DJ Yoda christened the stage with an incredible mix of tunes, audio snippets and vocal samples. It’s pop art in music and it was definitely a highlight for many. Although John Butler following such an upbeat act was an interesting move by organisers, the Australian god of roots music sure brought the goods. It was a raw, earthy set and boy was there a sweet, well-matched smell in the air.
Day two began with a perfectly sunny morning – just right for festival activities. For those who rose around midday, either the rockabilly-loving Lanie Lane or two-piece, indie Brisbane band and evident grammar Nazis, An Horse opened the day. Soon following was the brief comedic stylings of Josh Thomas who although is considered by many as a pesky, fair-haired blonde kid who fakes a Brit accent for no apparent reason, did make the crowd laugh a little more than a mere giggle. The much anticipated Grouplove served up a high energy set and pleased fans with crowd favourites ‘Colours’ and ‘Tongue-tied’ whilst dancing crazy-like and generally having a ball on stage. People soon were taken off shoulders when Metronomy delivered a relatively underwhelming set despite playing supposed hits ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘The Bay’. The most noteworthy thing of this set was the immense talent of the bassist and rather out-there attire of the female drummer, which was a bright gold, space-like, metallic jacket.
The day only ramped up from here with the much-loved The Jezabels gracing the stage and lead singer, Hayley Mary proving herself as a worthy front (wo)man. Their unique brand of what they have dubbed “intensindie” was received so well by the audience that one punter attempted to pull Hayley into the audience by her hair. A smooth recovery, a few tunes and a bask in the sun later, the brilliantly talented Fleet Foxes introduced the crowd to a new level of excellence at Falls. Lead singer Robin Pecknold’s vocals created shivers down the spines of many and mesmerized much of the crowd. I don’t doubt that the band now has at least a handful more fans after such a magical performance. Old-timer Tim Finn delivered the classic sing-a-longs before The Kooks showed the Falls Festival audience how it should be done. The well-loved songs such as ‘Seaside’, ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ and ‘Sofa Song’ were scattered throughout the set along with just enough tracks from their most recent albums. Man of the moment, Luke Pritchard performed outstandingly and teased the crowd stupid while we slowly chanted “Naïve, Naïve, Naïve” in unison. Eventually the message got through and the final song was in fact ‘Naïve’, played identically to the record. It was the favourite act for many and for good reason. PNAU concluded my night of music with some dance tunes, but disappointingly, there were no people dressed up as strawberries to really own the stage.
Kim Churchill opened day three on the Grand Stage for those of us who appreciate the extra couple of hours of sleep. Tambourine on one foot, harmonica in mouth, fingers and hands rhythmically making love to his guitar, this guy knows how to jam. After being rather taken aback by the set I had just seen, I continued onto The Valley Stage for Triple J sweethearts, Alpine. A mellow, indie collection of tracks charmed the audience despite temperatures rising rapidly and many resorting to trying to find shade (emphasis on trying). However, this didn’t stop true fans of the band getting sweaty during the indie hit, ‘Villages’. Later on into the afternoon Arj Barker whipped out the harmonica for a hilarious musical number and warned onlookers that the world was actually ending that night and not the 12th December, 2012. Miles Kane was next up – a fellow I knew little about other than that he was touring with Arctic Monkeys. Pleasantly surprised, the British lad and supporting band rocked out hard with some screaming solos, intensely catchy melody lines and general good vibes. Seemed to me at this point that the British were making a decent impression on Falls 2012.
The Kiwi darling we have happily claimed as our own, Kimbra then owned the stage with some eccentric hand and bodily gestures but an incredible vocal spectacular. The only disappointment was that there was no unexpected appearance by Gotye to perform the duo’s worldwide hit we all know too well, ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ but her cover of Bobby Brown’s ‘Every Little Step’ was a crowd hit. Josh Pyke played much of his latest album and ‘Young Blood’ by The Naked and Famous has been said to be the highlight of the entire festival. Then for the man who I think was born with music in his blood, Aloe Blacc presented an unblemished show, spotlighting his ability to keep a crowd jiving. Many of his songs featured reggae influences, which his supporting band grooved to with gusto. After dollar coins had been thrown and dance-off winners had been crowned, the build up towards the New Year countdown began.
The Arctic Monkeys’ lead vocalist Alex Turner approached his mic with an Elvis-like prowl and a matching hairdo, then performed the lengthy set with ease. Although Turner didn’t necessarily bring the house down with his relatively withdrawn presence, the band itself kept beat impeccably – that is, until the countdown. That’s right, second year running, the countdown was missed. The band of the moment walked off stage two minutes before the crucial hour, only to return and explain they weren’t told they had to do a countdown. Well-done organisers. A half-assed countdown later, kisses were shared, hugs were thrown and the band went on with the show, following up the failed countdown with crowd-pleaser ‘Dancing Shoes’. First act into the New Year was the fiercely electronic duo, Crystal Castles who energised the crowd to no end with their bone-shattering bass and intense light show. This is when the party really felt underway.
So along with the good times, crazy dress ups, drunken antics, scorching heat and a few traipses through the world of weird and wacky at The Village, The Falls Festival’s display of top notch music, arts and entertainment served the entry into the New Year almost seamlessly and perhaps with a little more dignity and class than its competitor at Pyramid Rock. Let’s just hope that the past two years worth of countdown tragedy doesn’t make it to a third year running when leading us into 2013.
- Nikki Williams
Meredith’s 21st Birthday – Dec 9 – 11th
Meredith turned 21 in December, and naturally the loyal attendees at the festival threw her a fitting bash, in many ways akin to country 21sts many an Aussie has been to; with bonding through overconsumption of booze in the bush followed by random hook-ups and falling asleep in makeshift accommodation. Lest this sound akin to something like the Deni Ute Muster, however, it’s the music that makes Meredith like no other festival in Australia; not to mention the loyal crowd of attendees who as a whole thoroughly subscribe to the ‘no dickhead’ policy.
Arriving on the Friday arvo, the first truly hot day of Summer belies the forecast of heavy rain for the weekend as local hype magicians King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard kick off the shindig to a crowd pawing the ground like a bull about to attack the weekend’s festivities. Their Cramps meets Thee Oh Sees garage psych rumble sees the seven piece become a highlight of the party with their raucous stage braggadocio, the primal howl of ‘Deadbeat’ and ‘Black Tooth’ kicking the crowd in to a frenzy and showing why they’re one of Australia’s most hotly tipped bands. The prospect of a hard act to follow was trumped by Cash Savage & The Last Drinks as they took to the stage in all nine piece glory, which saw them elevated from being just another Fitzroy and Brunswick bar band singing tales of drunken good times and hangovers to enthralling those settling in at the Supernatural Amphitheatre’s warm embrace.
Kiwi –American lovechild and global psychedelic phenomenon Unknown Mortal Orchestra have been bubbling just under the surface for most of 2011 and as the shadows start boxing at the stage their psychedelic jams arc out over the hill enveloping the crowd in a kaleidoscope of effects drenched guitars. If anything their set is tempered by the lack of boundaries to contain their drive – the intensity of their recorded sound is slightly diffused through having no room to contain it. Kurt Vile was one of the most anticipated visitors of the Summer; girls and boys alike swooning over the troubadour in the lead up to his Meredith performance but perhaps too much – a muffled mix put a dampener on many songs, occasionally evening out to let numbers like ‘Ghost Town’ shine.
Explosions in the Sky were anything but, the epic instrumentals we’d come to expect sending absent, sending many off in search of a late bite to eat or more booze from their campsite. Luckily for those that did, they’d need it for Meredith was about to have unleashed upon it one of the most spectacular performances the amphitheatre had ever been witness too. Was it a much hyped international act they’d booked long before they suddenly got big? Was it the welcome homecoming of an Aussie band done good overseas? No. Nor was it a legendary underground band that Australian had waited fifteen years to see. Instead it was a horde of Viking warriors from the Northern suburbs of Melbourne who arrived on stage to smite the crowd in to submission with their mighty metal squall. All bluster aside, Barbariön were one of the highlights of the festival – if they are a joke, then everyone was in on it by the end of the set, on stage explosions and guitar headstocks shooting flames inspiring widespread fist pumping by normally reserved Thornbury indier than indie kids and leaving former eastern suburbs private school girls with eyes alight and mouths agape.
As such it was perhaps a bit too much for Ladyhawke’s commercial pop to compete as she led a possibly new and less than cohesive band through unfamiliar new songs in addition to radio staples such as ‘My Delirium’ and ‘Paris Is Burning’. The lull in tempo saw some of the crowd dissipate with Future of the Left’s rabid Australian following remaining for their set with its swashbuckling clatter and frontman Andy Falkous’ trademark snarl ringing out through a particularly enthusiastic mob down on the barrier.
Oscar + Martin took the Saturday morning 11am opening slot by the horns, but rather than a pugilistic display of rawk it was their sweet genre hopping that endeared them to the seedy crowd – the refined loops of the duo’s sound meshed with sweet vocals that recall the earlier moments of the Pet Shop Boys. The Rechords find that their rockabilly twang is as fashionable as ever and entice a crowd that is ditching the coffee queues for their first tinnie of the day. Adalita continues her march towards being one of the country’s most acclaimed solo artists, her plaintive vocals over a sparse backing mesmerising. It’s also heartwarming to see her welcome the children of her late Magic Dirt band member Dean Turner on stage.
Graveyard Train are a phenomenon – their horror country bedecked with chains and washboards in addition to more traditional instruments having long moved out of Fitzroy’s Old Bar and in to massive theatres and it would seem almost a residency at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre. It’s with reason too, as the joyous sense of community in the crowd becomes another weekend highlight.
Icehouse made a textbook comeback in 2011, and sure while there was no new groundbreaking album, the mere return to the stage of the Oz pop legends was cause for celebration. While some of the songs in their greatest hits set may have confused or gone over the heads younger members of the crowd who had their formative musical years dictated by Nova FM and then Triple J, more people than not couldn’t help but be caught up in classics such as ‘Electric Blue’, ‘Great Southern Land’ and ‘We Can Get Together’. Frontman Iva Davies is more your uncle with a peroxide hair job than the mulleted 80s star of yore, while guitarist Paul Gildea still struts the stage like a 20 year old discovering the effect of a holding a guitar and playing a hit song in front of a crowd of teenage girls.
Cut Copy returned triumphantly to the amphitheatre they’d first played an early afternoon set at years earlier with three albums in tow. They’re now a slick act and some of the spontaneity of their earlier guitar based sound has been lost with their proclivity for twiddling knobs. Old faves ‘Saturdays’ and ‘Going Nowhere’ are welcome relics of their first incarnation while as the heavens finally open on the weekend the MDMA rush of the standout from 2011’ Zonoscope album, ‘Need You Now’ is a loved up end to the set.
The intensifying rain is almost perfectly timed for the impending Gotterdammerung of Grinderman. It’s almost surreal to see the Dark Lord himself on the confines of the Meredith stage, but age nor a growing penchant for sensible behaviour will dampen this band of mid-life crises tonight, with Cave straddling the foldback to spit out the comic prose of ‘No Pussy Blues’ and ‘Montezuma’. The much vaunted Total Lunar Eclipse pulled out at the last minute when it was err, blown off stage by blanket cloud cover, although the firing of confetti cannons to mark the 21st birthday provoked a humorous reaction amongst the crowd, the more ‘refreshed’ among them appearing confused and bewildered at first, wondering if their trip had taken a bad turn. A psychosexual trip was perhaps the best way to segue into the ‘good lord, what am I watching’ trip of Big Freedia. All you have to know is that a transsexual lovechild of Prince and Beyoncé backed by a troupe of booty shakers ensured that Class A assisted or not – all eyes watching couldn’t help but be saucer-like.
Ten thousand hangovers took their time to begin filling up the ground near the stage, with Abbe May’s astonishing voice rewarding the (relatively) early risers, while Eagle & The Worm’s party tunes washed over the groups of punters tucking into bacon and egg sandwiches and other liquid breakfasts rather than prompting rump shaking. And thus it was time for the Meredith tradition of the Gift, which attracted Sunday’s largest crowd, all ready to cop an eyeful of as much saggy genitalia and tan lines as a hangover can handle. Over several heats called by footy commentator Dennis Commetti, Melbourne identity Jarrad Brown wrestled the golden jocks from the jaws of defeat quite literally, in an on ground wrestle with the runner up. With the thunderous psych rock of Matt Sonic & The High times sound tracking the packing up of tents, Meredith’s 21st saw few if any furtive steps towards ‘adulthood’. For that we are grateful, and may she stay forever young.
- Jim Murray
JOB OF THE MONTH – BAND AID
*Ahem* so some of you might have noticed that there are a swathe of music festivals about to roll through the country and we have it on good advice that quite a number of these bands have sent out smoke signals indicating that they’re looking for band aids. Job Description? Uh, for most part you’ll need to be female and pretty, although that said after a line of coke and a bottle of tequila many of these rock stars aren’t too fussed about gender. You’ll be required to hang out with the band, laugh at their jokes, be catty to any other prospective band aids and be shall we say, open minded in the bedroom.
Most importantly, you must understand that when they say they’ll call and email once they leave town – they never will. They won’t accept your Facebook friend request because it will mean awkward questions from their wives and girlfriends. Up for it? Send us a postcard or CV and experience to howdy@getnotorious.com
