Golden Plains 2017 was a very special year for the festival
It was an extra long, slow Blink at Golden Plains this year, as the festival opened on the sombre note of Jack Nolan, one of...
It was an extra long, slow Blink at Golden Plains this year, as the festival opened on the sombre note of Jack Nolan, one of the festival founders, passing away just a few weeks prior. However, despite the news, Golden Plains 2017 was set to be one of the brightest, most golden years to date.
The first highlight of the day was Cash Savage & The Last Drinks who slayed the stage with a huge set of country-rock tunes. Old and new fans watched on, impressed by Cash and the band’s dedication to a brooding but hard-hitting performance and we tend to think the Sup’ was the perfect place to highlight the band’s endless talent.
Georgia ‘Maq’ McDonald of Camp Cope notably addressed the audience with her usual humbling nervousness but ended up delivering one of her most gutsy performances to date. Brash, pining vocals and an obviously well-rehearsed band meant it was the first set to give music-goers a proper sing-along
Kurt Vile unfortunately didn’t deliver his finest set with seemingly lazy looping work, whilst The Damned proved their worth to an eager crowd. Then came Jazz Party who fascinated and entertained the crowd, getting everyone moving, swaying, fist-pumping or doing whatever felt right. Loretta Miller’s expertly soulful vocals stunned and resulted in dusty boots being saluted.
Nicholas Jaar started (and nailed) the late evening boogie with big bass, big tunes and a seemless set and just to top it off, Total Giovanni made everyone well and truly loosened up with their brand of calypso dance. Also featured was a healthy dose of dry humping, sl*t dropping and little clothing. Habits closed out the night with a pretty serious power shortage harming their performance, but the show went on.
Olympia wooed her sweethearts with a clean, perfected performance and a shout out to her “layers of spandex” whilst she crooned on to a cover of TV on The Radio’s “Wolf Like Me.” Raised boots ensued. Confidence Man absolutely took the afternoon away with unforeseen athleticism and a memorable down and dirty dance to ‘Boyfriend’. Later on the wacky Chain & The Gang surfed the crowd and exclaimed they wouldn’t be thanking the crowd because it would be condescending. Many left confused.
The Peep Tempel were a standout over the weekend with an unrivalled tightness and intensity. Popular tunes – yes, including ‘Carol’ – featured and the Grand Boot was again raised. However, more thongs, boots, and slippers were raised for the one and only Neil Finn. Close to an hour and a half was dedicated to Crowded House and the Finn Brothers’ hits such as Pineapple Head (with a bridge of the Kinks’ ‘Sunny Afternoon’), ‘Better Be Home Soon’, ‘Fall At Your Feet’ and of course, the greatest sing-along of all, ‘Don’t Dream it’s Over.’
Finn made particular comment towards the lyric, “to build a wall between us, we know they won’t win”, exclaiming “Do you hear that Trump?” And finally, just to further satisfy the already admiring crowd, Finn purposefully went over his set time, even asking the stage manager to duct tape over the digital clocks either side of the stage. What a guy.
Under the full moon, late night jaw-crunchers stomped on to the Specials and Wax’o Paradiso, and the festival closed with punters very satisfied. It was a particularly special GP this year, and as usual, it will only get better next year.