Meredith Music Festival
Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre
9-11 Dec, 2011
mmf.com.au
So, Meredith, how does it feel to be 21? Did you have a good time? Oh…you don’t remember much? I didn’t think so…you were pretty messy. Let me fill you in.
You were up early (really early) on Friday. You said it was worth it to get a great campsite, but in the end you were pretty spoilt for choice. Would it be the brand new Tom Mankey’s – with its awesome stage views – or the ever dependable, yet potentially mud soaked bush camp?
But who cares where you decided to leave your bags, the action was going on at your, ah what do you like to call it? Oh yes, the ‘Supernatural Amphitheatre’. Supernatural is perhaps a bit rich Meredith, there was nothing paranormal going on just yet – although some mysterious vanishing acts were performed on the contents of my wallet. 7 dollars for a slice of pizza?
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard rocked up first, crashing through the door and greeting you with a loud ‘Cheers!’. Everyone was pleased you invited Kurt Vile along, ‘Jesus Fever’ gave us all a good dance. Someone told me he gave up his job as a forklift driver to play music. That’s pretty cool, Meredith. I’ll tell you what else is cool, those hippies having a piñata party in the bush camp. Do you remember that?
I know you love your costumes, but this year you went all out. Pope Benedict? SCUBA gear? Sumo Wrestler? Hell, I even saw you in an adult diaper at one point. Where the hell did you find that?
You did a little flirting on the first evening. Explosions in the Sky told us that they had ‘heard good things’ about you. That’s pretty flattering Meredith. They kept to themselves after that…didn’t say a word actually. But you had a gift for them, a golden sunset. I think the two of you were meant to be. Oh, and did you see Ladyhawk? She might be a bit tacky sometimes, but she sure turned some heads when she passed by.
Even though you stayed up late, getting filthy with Harmonic 313, you were up early to greet Oscar + Martin – those strange kids that you can’t quite pin down. Are they cool because they are weird? Or weird because they are cool? Who knows.
Man, did you see Mudhoney covering, ‘Fix Me’ by Black Flag with Keith Morris on vocals?! Surely you couldn’t have been behind that little surprise.
Of course, being your 21st, Saturday night had plenty of time for some of the oldies to get up and say some words. Icehouse prompted a few respectful yawns, but Cut/Copy’s youthful exuberance got everyone up and about. You gave us a quick shower to cool off before Grinderman, which was lucky, because Nick Cave seemed to want to be close enough to smell you – getting right up in your grill and yelling ‘give me all your money’. After a set full of gleeful, crowd-grasping insanity, he gave you the shock of your life by saying ‘that’s it’ for Grinderman. Please say it ain’t so Meredith?
The morning after was a little awkward. No one wanted to admit to dancing to Big Freedia, in fact I heard a lot of people wanted to punch him. Luckily, Eagle and the Worm shook off the hangover and got everyone grooving again.
As usual, you had one final gift for us, although this year ‘the gift’ was a little different. Your new friend Dennis Cometti certainly made us laugh, and yet again all those wangs flapping about in the wind made us cry.
Well that’s about it, I think everyone would agree that you were in pretty good form. They say 21sts are all about coming of age, and Meredith, you have aged oh so well.
All images courtesy Chip Mooney
