THE COMPLETE ANGLER’S GUIDE TO THE MEREDITH LINE UP

Aunty Meredith and her wild gang of minions have once again roamed the globe to assemble a crack squad of sonic mavericks to appear in the Supernatural Amphitheatre of Dreams this December.

You will probably know some acts, vaguely know others, love some, maybe hate some, and never heard of many. There might be one or two you’ve heard about and want to see. Most probably one or two you’ve never heard of will become favourites after the event. That’s just the kind of spicy brew we like to cook up. Its hard to beat authentic fresh ingredients, put together with the timing of a master chef, to a recipe handed down from generation to generation. Mind you sometimes a pastie and sauce from 7-Eleven is pretty fucking nice too.

Right. If you want to read all about these people, go further down this page. If you just want to know what the bejesus is going on, on what day, here it is:

In more detail, and in no particular order:

It will be Ten Years and One Day since they first walked up the wonky wooden steps onto the Meredith stage…they are as close to the bosom of the traditional Meredith- goer as any act in the festivals’ fourteen-year history…. I tried to write this for a week, and really, there are no words…ladies and gentlemen, Mick, Jim and Warren…the DIRTY THREE (playing their ONLY Australian show this year) . Yes, DIRTY THREE are playing Meredith this year, and it will be Very Special O’clock as they will be playing at Sunset on Saturday Night. If you were there Ten Years Ago, or at any gig of theirs before or since, well… you know, don’t you. When it comes to live expression, there is no band beyond DIRTY THREE. And everyone knows that Sunset in amongst the giant Ghost Gums is the one of the most perfect possible settings for one of Music History’s more astonishing live bands.

Meredith is PUMPED BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION to announce that DEXTER PRESENTS THE SHOOK DAILY CREW live onstage for a couple of hours in a six-deck extravaganza to sextuple your rumple in the Supernatural AmphiTheatre of Dreams. Dexter has teamed up with Kuya & Ooi and have set out to mashup ideas and record collections in the never-ending pursuit for the original. The brand new SHOOK DAILY CREW was formed to represent future sounds and forgotten classics of Caribbean soul, east west north & dirty south hip hop, African hunting music, grindin R&B, pop, Arabic orchestras, hard n soft D&B, disco, doo wop, house, jazz, electro, gangsta ragga, rock n roll, funk etc, creating a truly original party using anywhere between 4-6 decks, a few mixers and CDJs. All hands on decks enables a set that weaves its way through all genres quick and easy.

From Portland , Oregon , creator of one of the most-loved albums of the modern era, M WARD. Yes, M Ward will be continuing his mutual appreciation with Great Southern Landers, no doubt drawing from his deep well of tunes, including those on 2003's Transfiguration of Vincent. He will take the stage on Saturday mid-afternoon, so if you don't plan on getting a Friday Ticket, then don't dilly dally down the Geelong Road that day.

Also, back by very very popular DEMAND (yes, we got your emails), after his set was cruelly cut short by technical gremlins last year, is the extraordinarily talented XAVIER RUDD. There’s not a lot left to say about how incredible this barefoot multi-instumentalist is, but we’re gonna try anyway. Xavier is at The Source; his music is like a natural resource. When he gets it all going its difficult to detect human intervention – its so wondrous. Theres a lot of stuff parading as soulful, peaceful music around the planet right now but Xavier is the real deal. He will play primetime on the Sunday.

And. Every year there’s one or two smallish/newish bands that Aunty Meredith goes to see for the first time and comes home very very excited that INCREDIBLE original music is being in made in spades in these very streets. My god, my lord, my giddy aunt, my gosh have you seen MY DISCO? No? Well then do. You have? You know what I mean then. CHRIST what a band. So they’re playing. Probably early Saturday. As soon as you hear noise on the Saturday lunchtime, run to the stage. MY DISCO. MY DISCO MY DISCO MY DISCO.

How about THE IMMORTAL LEE COUNTY KILLERS II come over from the US? Yeah, now that’s a fucking great idea. So they’re playing. The blues has never sounded so alive. Get hold of “LOVE IS A CHARM OF POWERFUL TROUBLE” their latest record, or the earlier one “THE ESSENTIAL FUCKED UP BLUES”. That’s one wild, wild live rock and roll band. That fits a Meredith Friday Night hand-in-glove, don’t it. In the tradition of fellow American Bob Log III, this three piece cook up some dirty soul boogie and serve it up greasy. Featuring The Cheetah on guitars and vocals, J.R.R Token on drums and high drama, and Jeff Goodwin on organ, they possess a live energy that dare not speak its name.

Does anyone actually know exactly how Dry Cleaning works?

PLUS! Straight outta Benalla, via Melbourne, five piece 67 SPECIAL, armed with a deserved reputation for a bullet proof live show, will be taking their Rockin’ Soulful Blues Machine for a spin in the Supernatural Amphitheatre. Now there’s a rock and roll band you can dance to. We love that. Recently described by an Australian rock legend as “in the virginity of greatness” (he then completed the analogy, but this is a family show). See ‘em. They’re superbo.

NSW-based trio, the sublime Duskateers the redsunband are making their way down to Meredith Town to play for y’all at Sunset on Friday Night. There’s something quite amazing going on with this band. Two sisters + one young man, and really, right now they own the word ‘sublime’. Soon they will have ‘mercurial’ all wrapped up too. Really really special music. Please watch and listen to them.

STARTING the whole Fourteenth Meredith off with a BING BONG BANG is two piece international supergroup DIGGER AND THE PUSSYCATS. If there are any faults in the sound system, they’ll find them. If you have managed to get yourself in and set up by 6pm Friday then kick back and reward yourself by taking in 40 minutes of these guys. Quite frankly that’s EXACTLY what Aunty Meredith will be doing.

Speaking of which, it is imperative for any self-respecting citizen of the world to witness, either aurally or visually (preferably both, we will provide such facilities) the Adelaidean strangefunk rioters WOLF & CUB. Holy smokes do they make a magic racket. Be front and centre. Do not miss this band. Again, Friday Night at Meredith is the place to be. It’s IN this summer. REPEAT – DO NOT MISS THIS BAND

And…. ALWAYS. Here at Meredith HQ we fell head over heels for ALWAYS when we first saw him play. Always is Alex Vivian. Alex is a 23 year old Melbourne performer originally from Wodonga, Victoria. Using voice, banjo and percussion Alex performs simple, stripped back songs with a rural sensibility. His songs explore filth, food and family. We think there’s a reasonable chance Alex will become a hero to Meredithians. He is a true punk (the ethos not the marketing category). He is incredible.

CURENTLY there are so many Australian bands trotting the globe. Here at Meredith HQ we will bet that one of those acts, that will still be able to do that same thing in many years time, and have people still play their records, and dig it big time, is ROCKET SCIENCE . Aunty Meredith has invited the band to unleash both their rock AND their roll on the one and only stage on the Saturday Nite . After a well-reported tumultuous year, where and when better to see them?

AND....from somewhere in Canada, storming out of a very murky past, the uber -hip three piece skewed pop-a- matics THE UNICORNS, making their first trip to Orstraya . Current owners of the slice-of-nut-pop heaven, WHO WILL CUT OUR HAIR WHEN WE'RE GONE, featuring "I Was Born (A Unicorn)", they carry a reputation for hijinks and high drama on stage. You can hear them all over Radio Free Australia right now. If I had any self-restraint I would stop myself from saying they are The Sound of This Summer. They will play just after lunchtime on Saturday.

If you want to see something truly wild, a real performance, some real danger, something that only happens once…then get up the front for COBRA KILLER . Two striking German women, maybe some red wine, maybe some costumes, definitely some great music, and unbridled performance. Maybe you have seen them with Peaches? Yes, that’s them. It’s W-I-L-D.

Bound to strike a silver dagger into the heart of the Beast of Lameness…the V5 supercharged Texans YOUNG HEART ATTACK return to our shores to take apart the Supernatural Amphitheatre.

Phenomenon. World class. The real deal. The real thing. Live at Meredith. From Adelaide . Current popular hip-hop heroes HILLTOP HOODS.

Currently Best on Ground and on top of the ladder racking up the K’s in converting the nation, some dirty stinking homegrown Rock and Roll Stars DALLAS CRANE.

If you aren’t familiar with his album Personal Journals then put out an APB for it right now - we fell in love with it, it is wonderful, he is wonderful, tag-teaming his colleague Buck 65 and making his way from the US of A please clap your last record together for the guy known as The Best One Man Hip Hop Band In The World SAGE FRANCIS.

True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live True Live TRUE LIVE Melbourne all live hip hop…a real drummer, upright bass, cello, violin, Rhodes, a coupla primo MCs upfront…incredible party machine you must see.

Not sure what to say about this next band, don’t really want to add to the hype, other than to say, when Team Meredith saw them for the first time they had played about 7 seconds of the first song when it was clear they were something remarkable. Make sure you see these gents play WOLFMOTHER.

Perhaps the most beautiful voice ever recorded…certainly an extraordinary sound, the likes of which you may have never heard…complete with Appalachian songbook, hand-in-glove expert backing band and captivating persona, please welcome all the way from The American South with her new-time old-time spooky folk fairytales the truly captivating JOLIE HOLLAND.

Having had a fine 12 months since they first appeared at Meredith, the wild, kinetic rock and soul party outfit GROUND COMPONENTS return to get everyone’s limbs akimbo, by very very very popular demand.

There’s no show without punch. COMBO LA REVELACION.

A three hour frolic from 4am to 7am Saturday night – yeah, Sunday morning – will be organized by the current party-putter-onerers supreme – BASS BIN LADEN’S GHETTO FABULOUS SHOW. Ghetto Fabulous only lends its name to First Class KneesUps, so we are honoured and privileged Mr Bin Laden and co have accepted our invitation. Joining Binny are DJs Tom Tom, Paz and Ms Butt, hula hoopers, belly dancers, MCs, etcs, taking in 180 minutes and 180 degrees of un-separation. What the hell am I talking about? Just remember what I told you when you are dancing perfectly at 5am. Lets see who’s laughing then huh. GHETTO FABULOUS will also have visual stimulation via giant screen TV from Bulb.

Again, another all time Meredith World Champion Band…. making the Heavyweight Comeback of the Decade….booked to unleash their Gigantic Customized Groove on Saturday night…there wont be a dry eye in the house when they take the stage SPIDERBAIT. Bam-ba-fucken-lam all right.

Sunday morning, be entertained by a true entertainer, a musician who relies on musicianship and stage craft and performance, not on videos and MP3s, a guitarist who evokes the spirit of St Louis, Chicago and New Orleans, of the Depression Era, Prohibition and good times in the face of hardship…the extraordinarily talented Mistah CW STONEKING.

Heir to the throne DAN KELLY AND THE ALPHA MALES will take the stage on Sunday and wind out their current kitbag of remarkably great songs played remarkably well. What a writer he is. What a band he has.

Sunday morning what better way to ease in than with Melbourne big dub band THE RED EYES. These guys are the real deal. They mean it. They live it. And it shows. And sounds. We’ve been waiting a long time to find a live band that do this kind of music really well. Now here they are. Enjoy.

The best possible way to finish The Fourteenth Meredith in true Meredith style is with local horny rock-mouthed lizards DYNAMO. Songs like Shut Up And Dance, All The Beautiful Girls Go To Meredith, Torquay to Rye etc etc…fun, fun, fun in the sun. Thanks to these guys for taking us out on an explosive note.

Plus… its all on the one stage.

Photos by David Quick