Golden Plains 'Saved' By Second Day Lineup

This year's Golden Plains festival was saved by it's second day lineup after some lacklustre performances on day one.

That was the verdict of theMusic's Dan Condon, who was on the ground covering the event. Read the rest of his review below:

Conditions are hot and windy for the seventh Golden Plains, uncomfortable for erecting tents but mercifully dry.

Money For Rope and OPOSSOM sound very much together and like they're relishing the chance to play this gig - at least the parts that can be heard over the shouts of "where's the fuckin' guy rope" and "fuck this wind" that come from this scribe's campsite (and, perhaps, mouth).

Greece's Psarandonis hits a groove well appreciated by the afternoon revellers and provides one of the few truly interesting sets of the first day. While no one turns in a bad performance, per se, the first evening sees us take in unexciting performances from the likes of Wild Nothing, The Tallest Man On Earth and Cat Power.

There's a large portion of the crowd excited by these acts - particularly Chan Marshall and co, replete with an incredible light show, but it seems to be one of the least interesting days this festival has put together in its seven years.

Dinosaur Jr are something of a saving grace late in the night, perhaps it's just refreshing to hear a distorted guitarand to hear a great rock band, but they lay waste with a set jammed with songs from all throughout their illustrious career.

Local funk jammers NO ZU and Client Liaison have the home crowd on side and turn in performances as exciting as their international counterparts.

A 2am set from Australia's most loved artist of the moment Flume is witnessed by far few than seem to be attending his forthcoming headline shows, though it's an odd sight to see just about every single person on ground boogie in unison to his dubstep-lite fare.

On the flipside, Sunday appears to offer an embarrassment of riches.

Hangovers are rough in this heat, but not rough enough to prevent a trip to the amphitheatre to catch Dick Diver run through a set of their ramshackle indie fare, with a fair smattering from their new LP aired.

Mulatu Astatke doesn't even need to be here this morning, his Black Jesus Experience backing band are so on point. Plagued with technical difficulties, Astatke can barely be heard but his amazing Ethio- jazz compositions still loom large.

The groovy white man blues of Chris Russell's Chicken Walk and celebratory spirit of Melbourne Ska Orchestra both do their hometown and home crowd proud, eliciting plenty of whoops and hollers But - aside from a brutal return to the live stage from Adelaide's still brilliant The Mark Of Cain - it's the international visitors who shine strongest on this second day.

The energetic power pop of the mighty Redd Kross comes across beautifully; loud, fun and spirited. Toro Y Moi's indie electro is lapped up by an enormous crowd - Chazwick Bradley Bundick and his four-piece band putting on a slick and proficient show for a crowd who seem to have their will to dance back.

Kicking off with 2 Kindsa Love, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are a relentless rock'n'roll tour de force, barely stopping for breath through a set that encompasses just about every nook and cranny of their career in some way.

He might have a great record collection but Keb Darge doesn't exactly thrill anyone with his hour and a half of rockabilly, soul and rock tracks and indecipherable between track banter. But it does keep the dancing going.

The mothership lands twenty minutes late, but George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic waste no time when they're eventually on stage, launching into a funky celebration that lasts a full two hours. The band is hot, Clinton is energetic if not raspy, the vibe is perfect and the set feels truly special. Plenty of classics are aired - (Not Just) Knee Deep, Give Up The Funk, Flash Light and a brilliant Maggot Brain are particularly gripping - and Clinton gets a chance to show off his younger conspirators, his granddaughter Sativa particularly impressive with her graphic, filthy rapping as grandpa hassles the front row to share what they're smoking.

Locals Naysayer & Gilsun confound and thrill people in equal measures with their AV show, teaming passable electro with a slick visual show. The EDM lovers and those too drunk to return to camp appreciate the music of Julio Bashmore, probably the best act in this style of the weekend.

Despite a first day that fails to deliver musically, all in all its another hugely successful event; it runs smoothly, people are friendly and at no point do you feel as if you're being told what to do, something that simply doesn't happen at any other music festival in this country. May it never change.

Read the full review here.