Meredith Music Festival

The 21st Meredith, held December 9 to 11, 2011, at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre. A raucous birthday year, coinciding with the site being covered in Monarch butterflies, with just enough rain on the second day to keep the dust down. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, then relatively unknown, kicked things off at 4pm on the first day and won plenty of new fans. Future of the Left went big to close the Friday night, following a legendary pyrotechnic set from Barbarion. Saturday brought a very special, emotional set from Adalita, before Grinderman played what would be their final ever show, Nick Cave heading straight to the barrier to provoke the faithful. Straight after came the somewhat ill-fated total lunar eclipse, clouded over, with Angus Sampson raised in a crane dressed as an astronaut to lead the crowd through Total Eclipse of the Heart. Cut Copy launched into Lights and Music as the rain began, Big Freedia arrived in the early hours as a blast from left field, and the weekend also took in Icehouse, Mudhoney, Explosions in the Sky, Ladyhawke, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Gang Gang Dance, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and OFF!. Dennis Cometti warmed hearts MCing the final day and commentating the Meredith Gift, with the Silence Wedge and Master Song Tai Chi keeping the weekend's traditions alive.