The 20th Meredith welcomes Dirty Three
There is no more appropriate band than this to be part of The 20th Meredith. A band that made something Happen the first time they let their evocative sonic emotions whirl up amongst the giant Meredith ghost gums wayyyy back in 1994, then transported Us to a whole new sphere altogether in 1997, then played the fabled concert of a lifetime when they let it all out inside The Hundred Year Storm at The Supernatural Amphitheatre in 2004.
They’re from Melbourne, in fact one was born in Ballarat, and they’re loved and respected all over the world.
Yessiree; its Dirty Three.
Their official bio says this:
The Dirty Three’s sound is distinctive, composed of folk melody, rock energy, elements of classical, chamber music, jazz and blues, Celtic, and other European folk styles – a diverse collection of influences, though the style of music the trio play is uniquely their own, born from years of musical experience.
I say this:
There is no more purely-expressed live act on the planet, there is nothing Beyond what they do, there is nobody else on their island. Their music is as natural, seamless, and awe-inspiring as the weather, as atmospheric conditions. It’s hard to fathom that humans made their music up, it seems to be a language that hearts minds souls and bodies can comprehend and respond to on the most direct, primal, unconscious level imaginable – or unimaginable. On listening to it it feels like you are not so much seeing an exhibition as experiencing an innerhibition. If you get In you’ll be Off.
And Warren might say something about going to the shop for a loaf of bread and your head falling off, or being in love with Elliot Gould. Or something. Just so, so great.
Here’s the glorious epic Everything’s Fucked from inside a giant electrical storm at Meredith in 2004: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZNO4JeX5Bk
Here’s a bit about how they started.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERsbxmpx6gs&NR=1
And went overseas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXcNfN-bOiQ
And here’s a long, wild, amazing one we just re-found from Meredith 1994, complete with amusing stage invaders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFAjUcL8UaI
Warren, Mick and Jim have graciously accepted our invitation to be part of The 20th. We thank them.
ONLINE EXHIBITION
To celebrate the fact that Meredith is Twenty, there is a comprehensive and joy-filled Online Exhibition covering the Twenty Weird and Wonderful Years here: twenty.mmf.com.au
Highlights include:
• A roller-coaster 650-photo pictorial history of Meredith called Aunty’s Slide Night
• Bite-sized episodes of Rob McCafferty’s award-winning doco A Weekend In The Country
(with thanks to Madman)
• A vast photo library of Meredith-goers from throughout the years called, self-explanatorily, Find Yourself
• A seven-years-in-the-making compendium of the funniest /rawest/strangest Tell Us Something We Don’t Knows
• Historical Highlights from Stage, Supernatural Amphitheatre and Campgrounds
• A History and Thousand-Photo Gallery covering each and every year, including never-seen-before (in fact some never-developed- before) amazing photos from the 90s and 00s. It’s a trip no Meredith Purist or Tourist should miss.
THE 20TH MEREDITH THE BALLOT
The Subscriber Ticket Ballot is now open.
Old subs should check their email.
New and yet-to-be-subs head to www.mmf.com.au
The 20th Meredith Music Festival
At the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre on the Nolan Farm, Meredith, Victoria, Australia. December 10, 11 and 12, 2010.
Everything You Need To Know is at www.mmf.com.au
