Live Review: Still Golden: All The Highlights From This Year's Golden Plains

There is no better place to spend the long weekend than down in the 'Sup with Aunty Meredith's younger sister Goldy, plain and simple. If you made it down for the fest's 14th event, then this is already fresh and fixed in your mind. If you didn't, here's just a few things we loved from this year's standout Golden Plains.

Day one

Words by Pat Boxall

The vibe

Honestly, how good is GP. That’s the consensus and the festival proper hasn’t even begun. We’ve been rolling in all morning – with some having left home as early as 3 am – and while there may not be any red carpets at Golden Plains, there’s just about every other decorative accessory you could imagine. Couches, portable bars, a giant Shrek doll, a baby doll’s head on a doof stick and, behind the Arch of Love, the same white picket fence that’s set up every single year. And we all know what’s behind a white picket fence, right? The most perfect neighbours you could ask for.

Saturday is an interesting day. The general feeling seems to be that the line-up doesn’t even compare to that of Sunday, but we’ve learnt by now to put our faith in the festival. Though none of the names today have the same clout as, say, Pixies or Hot Chip, it quickly becomes obvious that each act knows how to work a crowd in their own unique way.

Crowd @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Welcome to Country

The amphitheatre is packed out for what is always an emotional Welcome to Country with proud Wathaurung man Uncle Barry James Gilson. He tells stories about growing up on the land – he’s lived on country all his life – and tells us to ‘"come together and believe in one another", and that "it’s been my privilege – my black privilege", to live on this land. He brings his sister Tammy Gilson out on the microphone in honour of International Women’s Day, before performing a call and response with the crowd. We struggle with this, admittedly, but it’s good practice because by 5pm most of the punters struggle to do anything other than stay upright.

The Nolans take centre stage for the opening ceremony and, with the customary blink of approval given by Chris, Golden Plains 14 is open for business – "Have a bloody beaut Golden Plains," we’re told, and the beaming faces in the crowd confirm that that’s exactly what will be happening.

Welcome to Country @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Simona Castricum 

Ok. Simona Castricum. What a performance. What is even happening? Her 4pm set would’ve absolutely killed it at a later time slot, but even in the mid-afternoon she has the crowd moving to sex-infused synth bangers. It sounds like The Presets x Depeche Mode x the thumping bass of a Berlin club. Actually, it sounds like an orgy. The band appear in leather and G-strings, with Castricum telling the crowd that "I’m so covered in lube I can’t hold onto my drumstick." But forget the drumsticks – when tracks like Supertouch, a pulsating synth-laden number, echo around the ‘Sup, the punters can hardly hold onto their shit, let alone a drumstick.

Simona Castricum @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Ezra Collective

Effortlessly oozing cool, Ezra Collective bring their jazz afrobeat to an appreciative crowd during that all-important sunset slot. Those that had heard of Ezra Collective before were adamant that they’re a band not to be missed, and those of us that listened are handsomely rewarded. We're the first to admit that we had no idea what we were getting into, let alone what we'd get out of this performance, but it is something else. The track names are lost on us as the beats take hold – an epic display of musical talent and the perfect soundtrack to get those hips swinging as the night approaches.

Ezra Collective @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Bobby, Des and the rest of the crew

Next time you’re leaving the Amphitheatre, head up the hill past the Arch of Love and turn right. You’ll see two campsites – they’re there every year – and, if it happens to be about 6pm, you’ll see the occupants set up on the road with a charcuterie on Saturday or a fruit platter on Sunday. It’s their offering to the party people walking past and if you make eye contact you’ll struggle to get away. It’s funny how a small selfless act, like slicing fruit for an afternoon, can make so many people so genuinely stoked, but it’s this kind of spirit that’s such a defining feature of a festival like Golden Plains. So do yourself a favour and go see Bobby, Des, Chook and the rest of them – it’s hearts like theirs that put the gold in Golden Plains. 

Electric Fields

Electric Fields have got to be one of the most underrated Australian bands going around. Michael Ross’ production is tighter than the front row of the ‘Sup and Zaachariaha Fielding’s voice seems to channel every deity that ever existed. If a voice could cure coronavirus, his would be it. Switching between English and the traditional languages of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara people, they put on a soul-stirring performance that’s perfect for midnight, featuring some huge tracks from their 2016 EP Inma. Don’t You Worry should be voted in as the theme song for the entire festival – seeing friends arm-in-arm singing "Don’t you worry baby/It’s all in good time, no need to hurry," encapsulates every feeling felt that day – and trust us, the feels are everywhere.

Electric Fields @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

The crowd

Yeah, you, you beautiful legends. The ‘No Dickheads Policy’ isn’t taken lightly by organisers and, once again, the crowd was filled with some of the best people in the Southern Hemisphere (a big call, but we'll back it in). It’s impossible to list all the laughs shared with strangers, but a huge shoutout has to go to the left-hand-side of the ‘Sup, who coordinate a flawless rescue operation when a woman collapses in the middle of the mosh. Unbelievable teamwork from the punters, a lot of whom are struggling to operate, let alone co-operate.

Crowd @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Day Two

Words by Joe Dolan

Mwanje

It’s a rare thing to see the familial bond play out hours apart on the same stage, but Golden Plains is never one for the standard festival affair. Before her big sister Sampa The Great headlines day two, Mwanje Tembo takes the stage at midday to floor the crowd with incredible neo-soul vocals and beautifully insightful lyricism. Tembo will hit the stage once again today to provide backing vocals for Sampa, but for now she a shining beacon all her own. With just a single release to her name as of GP 2020, the singer tantalises her crowd with a stage presence usually reserved for those with decades of gigs under their belt. She blends traditional African sounds with hip hop beats, R&B basslines and a voice that simply screams to be heard live. Boots are up in their hundreds for the singer, but when special guest Remi Kolawole jumps out for a guest verse in the final tune, the raised footwear becomes countless. What a way to kick off an afternoon.

Mwanje @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Cosplay the hits

While dress-up is a regular feature on the festival circuit, the folks down at the ‘Sup tend to take it to another level. While some use it to stand out, others adopt team outfits in order to find their crew when the crowds get a little too lively. Special shoutout to the Golden Plaids team - from Braveheart to Bay City Rollers, every imaginable version of the checkered print was utilised to ensure their folk would always find one another.

Cowboy chic was very much in vogue this time round, with ten-gallon hats adorning the heads of a massive portion of the punters this year. Even day two MC Nevena Spirovska got in on the action, rousing a massive “yeehaw!” from the crowd in her red boots, sequins and frills. Fashion was well and truly inventive for many, but none can hold a candle to Pixies’ Joey Santiago. While the legendary guitarist may not have gone the costume route, no one else at GP 14 can say they played a guitar solo with a beret. That’s fashion with a purpose, right there.

Crowd @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Under the covers

Music lovers are just as present on the stage as those watching it. For all the time that goes into planning a well-balanced setlist of original tunes, sometimes it can’t be helped but to chuck in a cheeky cover version for good measure. There are plenty to love across all generations and genres this year, beginning in style with the laid-back Weyes Blood. Stopping down towards the end of her gig with a track she lovingly refers to as the “Ok Boomer anthem”, the indie-rock singer (known offstage as Natalie Mering) saunters into a superb rendition of Procol Harum’s A Whiter Shade Of Pale, belting the high notes over that iconic organ line. The Pennsylvanian proves a mid-arvo favourite, taking a classic ’60s tune and making it all her own.

Leaning more into the remix world is the godfather of jungle-house, General Levy. The pioneer of ragga drum'n'bass injected his high-octane bar spitting into a stellar rendition of Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You, before paying tribute to his late friend and Prodigy frontman Keith Flint, setting the ‘Sup on fire with his version of Voodoo People.

Finally, the legendary Evelyn Champagne King showed off her phenomenal voice with a couple cover tracks thrown in to her set. With her incredible backing band Mondo Freaks on board, King ripped into a full verse of Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight, before diving into a jaw-dropping rendition of Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Gonna Come. King admits her voice is not at 100 percent right now, which begs the question of just how great she must be at full capacity.

General Levy @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Astral projections

The stars are out for the fest, with fair weather and clear skies blessing the people of the Supernatural Amphitheatre. As night falls, it’s a chance to watch the sky in all its unadulterated glory - free from the interference of an industrial urban landscape. From the moment the sun begins to dip behind the mountains, festival-goers can catch a natural beauty from the aptly named Sunset Strip. Overlooking the adjoining fields and farmlands, the sun sets perfectly from this vantage point and offers a serene moment of seclusion from the crowds. From there, the option to go stargazing out on the top paddock presents itself, with one of the more unique traditions of the fest being a telescopic, professionally guided tour of the stratosphere. However, screen time is also actively encouraged down at the Ecoplex Cinema. A nightlong showing of found footage style shorts and obscure foreign gems, everything and anything can be seen. This year was just as weird and wonderful as ever, with such offerings as a 1960s Ukrainian children’s cartoon, and a stop-motion tale of a closeted beetle exploring his sexuality in the big city.

Sampa The Great

After an unfortunate tech disruption delayed her performance by half an hour, Sampa The Great finally took to the stage and immediately went to work. “Can we try this shit again?” she bellows out from the front of the stage, before a black curtain backdrop falls to reveal her incredible band in full swing. Decked out in matching red and black outfits, Sampa Tembo and her crew make little work of the crowd’s antsy anticipation. From second one she is at full blast, rapping with pure energy that courses straight from her words directly into her audience. Tembo is on another level - having just received the 2019 Australian Music Prize, making her the first artist to ever win it twice, she shows immediately why she is such a worthy recipient. Her poetry pulses in those who can so wholly resonate with her story. A young woman moving countries and having to start over with her own identity, she emblazons every aspect of her true self on stage and in her music. Black Girl Magik is a beautiful tribute to who she is and who she inspires, with tracks like OMG acting as an in-your-face reminder that she has every right to own that stage as she does. As the last bars of Final Form ring out to the packed out amphitheatre, Tembo has well and truly marked herself into the Golden Plains history books. An undisputed highlight of the festival.

Sampa The Great @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.

Takes all sorts

While many festivals tend to attract their own certain crowds, Golden Plains is truly a melting pot of every type of person imaginable. From the joggers who packed their running gear for a 7am jaunt around the campsite, to the feather-clad partiers heading to bed at the same time, to those who never went to bed at all. Parents bring their kids, older kids bring their older parents, and every one in between comes along for the ride. It’s a big old love-in where everyone is here to have a good time, not to cause trouble, and to have a bit of bloody respect for the people around them.

Crowds @ Golden Plains. Photo by Joshua Braybrook.