WHO'S PLAYING
Probably the most wonderful menagerie ever assembled at The Supernatural, and most other places too, that’s who. Birds on a wire, birds of paradise, birds of prey. With a loose, unraveling thread of staunch maverick quality tying them together to somehow make them all birds of a feather.
PLAYING TIMES The lineup is now complete, and Playing Times are now available here.
Note that gates open 8am Saturday, the Opening Ceremony happens at 2pm that day, followed by live performances until 5am Sunday. On Sunday live performances start again at 10:20am and run through to 6am Monday (a Public holiday in some States). Monday is breakfast and a late check-out with gates closing at 1pm.
Golden Plains goes all day and night (twice) and everything takes place from the one stage, so you can experience every minute of all this if you so desire.
The compleat lineup is: WEEN, SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS, THE VINES, IRON AND WINE, BEIRUT, OPTIMO, THE BANG GANG DEEJAYS, THE DIRTBOMBS, THE PANICS, JENS LEKMAN, KID KOALA, BRITISH INDIA, THE BAMBOOS, SOUTH RAKKAS CREW, BUFFALO TOM, JAY REATARD, SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC, FUTURE OF THE LEFT, JANE BADLER AND SIR, KAMIKAZE TRIO, PIKELET, QUA, THE FROWNING CLOUDS, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THE SEA AND CAKE.
In more detail:
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS
Prepare yourself for an epic danceathon. If the world had a backing band, this would be it. If the world’s backing band required the ultimate frontperson, they got it. All the way from Brooklyn New York City, via 1964, it’s the thick thick funk and soaring soul of SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS. Party machines don’t get built any better than this.
Myspace, watch.
WEEN
It’s finally come true. More than a decade after the idea was first rumoured (and how that rumour grew), we can confirm that the world’s most admired cult band WEEN is coming to the Supernatural Amphitheatre. There aren’t that many bands in the history of music that could lay their catalogue end to end and have it cover the sonic terrain that WEEN can, and even fewer that can do it with such dexterity and integrity. That’s one reason why WEEN is a freak band; apart from having a seemingly never-ending well-spring of ideas, the songs get realized with unbelievable sincerity and panache. It’s just so thoroughly, deeply entertaining. WEEN just don’t let you down. Dean and Gene Ween. Chocolate and Cheese. Every type of food group. They’ll be playing a two hour set. Unbelievable, yet absolutely true.
Myspace, Watch Ween videos
THE VINES
Looking back on the past decade of music, it’s not easy to determine the classic from the disposable. History often tells a different story than the popular tale of the day, and one simple event might inspire a million more. For all the hype that came with the arrival of THE VINES, their legacy lives beyond it - partly in the bands they inspired, from Little Red to Arctic Monkeys, who credit the Sydney band with the inspiration for their own adventures in rock n roll. And partly in the epiphany that is the current chapter of the band itself. It’s been a rollercoaster for the Vines; it seemed as though life as a touring band was about to end, but then came a true new dawn and a triumphant return to stage in 2006 for a run of career-best shows. Music is its own reward.
Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to fully enjoy the magic of THE VINES.
Myspace, Live
IRON AND WINE
If you attended The First Golden Plains you’ll probably agree the dual sunsets, fresh green grass and calming weather would have made it the perfect environment for the easing sounds of Sam Beam, the bearded voice behind Iron and Wine. So naturally when Beam released his latest and possibly greatest album The Shepherd’s Dog we just had to invite him and his elaborate new band to lull the sun to sleep at The Second Golden Plains. His two previous LP’s, and that collaboration with Calexico, are of a rather soothing and gentle nature, two words you could use to describe the new album… but you might also add that it has some subtle funk and dubbed out goodness in amongst the folky strumming and harmonies.
Myspace
THE DIRTBOMBS
“I’m not the only black guy in a rock band in Detroit, I’m just the only one still in one after twenty years” says Mick Collins, Motor City great and Dirtbombs frontman. The garage rock kingpin of post-Stooges/MC5 Detroit, Collins got his start in seminal trio The Gories, a band that redefined the idea of primitive rock and inspired legions of followers including The White Stripes and countless others. A reaction of sorts to the basic set up of the Gories, Collins put together a five piece with two drummers up the back, two bass players down below and himself out front. The heaviest rhythm section in rock became The Dirtbombs and their sound is only comparable to the sound of a 707 taking off. Their 2001 classic LP of soul tunes Ultraglide In Black hasn’t left our car stereo since we got it and damn if there if there was ever a band made for the Amphitheatre it is the mighty mighty Dirtbombs from Detroit Michigan.
Myspace, Watch
BEIRUT
One of the world’s natural resources, pure joyous musical freedom with a whirling Balkan beat and a ragtag virtuoso orkestar: all the way from The Source Of It, for the first time to our shores, it’s BEIRUT. At age 16, Zach Condon (aka Beirut) had already released two records and left his Santa Fe high school to travel throughout Eastern Europe. There he fell in love with the Balkan gypsy music that would become a defining ingredient of his own music. He has since created a modern antique musical fantasy world that has attracted people in droves the globe over like an aural magnet. BEIRUT is beautiful.
Myspace, Video
THE BANG GANG DEEJAYS
Myspace, Light, Sound, Dance.
OPTIMO
How many DJ’s can mix 50’s Rockabilly, Detroit Techno, 77 Punk, Electro, Psych Rock, Soul and actually make it work? OPTIMO, from Glasgow, Scotland, would be part of that minute club. We won’t use the word eclectic because it undersells just how far these two will go to get you dancing. They run thee night in Glasgow and have been doing so for a decade. Their mix “Kill The DJ” is one of the classic mix albums of the current era. Their remix credits include The Gossip, Franz Ferdinand and Wolfmother. From what we know of the Optimo lads, we’d expect this to be like no other DJ show on the planet.
Myspace
THE PANICS
Don’t fight it, don’t fight it, don’t fight it, if you don’t know what it is: exactly… it’s THE PANICS. Owners of some of the best songs in the modern Australian era, and with a series of classy releases under their belts, THE PANICS are once again proving that cream rises to the top. This will be their first time in the Supernatural and its something to look forward to. If you don’t have their latest “Cruel Guards” then we recommend you push The Panics Button.
Myspace, Watch
JENS LEKMAN
Chart topping pop idol in his homeland of Sweden, indie pop idol to the rest of the world, Jens Lekman should be the soundtrack to your summer. Imagine a Jonathan Richman-like storyteller produced by The Avalanches and you're getting close to the Jens distinctive style. We guarantee even if you don't know one Jens Lekman song now, you will by humming at least three over the weekend at Golden Plains.
Look, Watch
KID KOALA
The extreme heat at Meredith the year before last made it tough for the performers and punters alike, but in the sweltering ampitheatre, Master Turntablist and his crowd seemed completely unphased and went totally nuts.
The Kid came late to the Meredith bill and got the arvo spot, nailed it, and with a DJ that good: inviting him back was a must. Rarely do we repeat international performers in the Ampitheatre but the idea of him holding down a late night shift seemed like something that just had to happen
Watch, Myspace
BRITISH INDIA
The sound of the time of your life, the sound of the charge you get as the front door slams behind you on Friday night.
Myspace, Watch Tie Up My Hands, watch Run The Red Light
BUFFALO TOM
Well. What can you say? This will mean A LOT to A LOT of people. From Boston, this thunderous, ponderous three-piece has albums and albums in the most-played piles of music fans throughout the US, Europe and Down Under. Timeless, classic albums, bearing fruit like Sodajerk, Velvet Roof, the seamless Taillights Fade, and of course Summer, with its almost unbearable nostalgia. Their new album “Three Easy Pieces” is all trademark BT: soaring vocals, sometimes punky, warm, occasionally weird, with cinematic sweep and real beauty all in there. Buffalo Tom came from indie cool but the everyman could relate to them and they got REAL big there for a while. For us, they’ve always been one of the very best. “Summer’s gone a summer song you’ve wasted every day…every day.”
Myspace, Watch Sodajerk, Taillights Fade, Summer
THE BAMBOOS
THE BAMBOOS are Australia’s premier deep funk outfit. The undisputed masters of super-heavy, raw and up-front drum-break driven grooves. Their live shows are a non-stop mix-tape-style throwdown that draws the links between hip-hop, funk and old-school breaks. If you’ve seen ‘em before, then you know the score! If not, prepare yourself for a non-stop 100% super-heavy gut-busting soul funk workout.
Myspace
FUTURE OF THE LEFT
From the ashes of Welsh no-wave no frills deep-drillers McLusky comes the new band from chief McLusky Andy ‘Falco’ Falkous: FUTURE OF THE LEFT. Uncompromising rock and roll, with brilliant wit and right turns outta nowhere. Somehow an element of the absurd seems perfectly matched to some brutal, heavy riffage. FUTURE OF THE LEFT is bloody good.
Myspace, Watch
SOUTH RAKKAS CREW
In Jamaica the beat of a song is called a ‘riddim’ (nee rhythm), in reggae music dozens of vocalists may record their own version’s of these ‘riddims’. South Rakkas are a duo who have produced some of the hottest dancehall riddims in recent years (riddims with names like Clappas, Chinkuzi and Red Alert). Their friendship with Diplo is about to result in an EP on his label Mad Decent. They’ve previously done official remixes for Beck, Lily Allen, Bob Marley and DJ Shadow. It’ll be a sweaty-wet late night party when South Rakkas bring the biggest back-to-back dancehall bangers to the amphitheatre.
Myspace
THE SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC
“Tron Rock. It's like Nuclear Fusion, where two particles join together to create a massive amount of energy.” The Scientists of Modern Music (TSOMM) are Cal Young and Simon McIntosh. Born in 1987 into two seemingly disparate backgrounds (Rock Guitar and Classical Piano), these two Taswegians fell in step with a mutual appreciation of electronic and dance music. With the money from their paper rounds they haunted eBay and bought a selection of synthesizers and drum machines as well as cutting edge keyboards and vocoders to construct a platform of sound generators. They put together a live show and BANG! Instant gold-plated party-starty reputation! These guys are going OFF.
Myspace, Watch, Watch
JANE BADLER AND SIR
Once known to "eat mouses and kill humans" as the Visitors leader Diana in the 80’s sci-fi TV series V, former Miss New Hampshire Jane Badler is now the frontwoman for her own warped musical experience known as JANE BADLER AND SIR. Sexy and truly bizarre, we couldn't be more excited to be presenting their festival debut.
Read, Jane Badler Myspace, Sir Myspace
JAY REATARD
From the birthplace of rock n roll, Memphis TN, comes a true punk rock original. Inspired by seeing hometown heroes The Oblivians, Jay Reatard began his extensive discography at age 15, making countless albums and singles in a myriad of groups and monikers with names like The Reatards, Lost Sounds and Terror Visions. His live shows became some of America’s most notorious, performing with his band the Boston Chinks, their live show a furious display of rock n roll passion performed at a breakneck 15 songs in 15 minutes sorta way. If you think the modern world of music lacks the sort of energy of insert-favourite-era-here, the music that made you wanna go crazy dumb and get loose, jump around or repeatedly bang your head against the nearest wall, then maybe this kid is for you.
Myspace, Watch, Read
PIKELET
“There's this girl with a boyish haircut and cute, black-rimmed glasses, and she plays an accordion and a guitar and bits and bobs of percussion.
She's from Melbourne, she's 24, she sometimes works in a bar. Her name is Evelyn Morris and she calls herself Pikelet, and although she hits the drums for two experimental hardcore bands, her debut solo record is the stuff of charmingly arcane and cryptically beautiful pop.
She sings her own harmonies; she loops and layers her songs into stunningly melodic vignettes; she writes songs about eating bugs in her sleep.” – Dan Rule, The Age
Myspace
KAMIKAZE TRIO
Straight outta Melbourne’s endless incubatory live rock’n’roll scene comes this wild, noisy trio who have found a sound made from punk, rock, post-rock, pop and, yes, noise. Forget constructed riffs and clever organization, this band is about the sonic expression of natural urges. Restraint when it’s due, fury when it’s deserved, and glorious aftermath to luxuriate in. Rock and roll, right? Showcasing the engine room drumming of Andy Moore, fuzzy bass of Snoop Mitchell and guitar noise of Sam Agostino, these guys are one of the best live tickets going around at the moment.
Mypace
THE SEA AND CAKE
What about some pop? Hot buttered, dreamlike pop? With elements of jazz, rock, blue-eyed soul and Krautrock? Sure. The Sea and Cake are touring, do we want them to play at Golden Plains? Yes please, new album sounds great, and the old ones are Greats. The Sea and Cake is a post-rock supergroup of sorts comprised of luminaries from the Chicago independent scene. The band is led by singer/guitarist Sam Prekop, and includes Tortoise drummer John McEntire. Blue chip music.
Myspace
FROWNING CLOUDS
They don't dress like em, sound like them or dance like em, but they are in fact five live Australian teenagers of the 21st century, they are called The Frowning Clouds and they come straight out of some garage in Geelong. We wanted to start The Second Golden Plains with a bang and what better way than with these local primitives.
Myspace
RESEARCH AND DEVLOPMENT
Rambl and Declan Kelly have been staples on the Melbourne DJ scene for sometime now (although it's rare we see them get together as Research & Development). As punters themselves, they've been hanging out to rock the amphitheatre with their mass of music that ranges from hip hop anthems to gypsy jazz, and soulful techno through to Latin.
QUA
Universally revered, Melbourne's Qua is essentially one man, Cornel Wilczek. His music began as dreamy electronic soundscapes in Adelaide sometime last century. Fast forward to 2008 and we present the new Qua, the most cosmic act at Golden Plains.
Listen
WEEN, SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS, THE VINES, IRON AND WINE, BEIRUT, OPTIMO, THE BANG GANG DEEJAYS, THE DIRTBOMBS, THE PANICS, JENS LEKMAN, KID KOALA, BRITISH INDIA, THE BAMBOOS, SOUTH RAKKAS CREW, BUFFALO TOM, JAY REATARD, SCIENTISTS OF MODERN MUSIC, FUTURE OF THE LEFT, JANE BADLER AND SIR, KAMIKAZE TRIO, PIKELET, QUA, THE FROWNING CLOUDS, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THE SEA AND CAKE.