Golden Plains 2024 lineup and set times: The Streets, Yussef Dayes lead festival’s sweet 16th

The Golden Plains full lineup for the 2024 festival has been revealed, which means the space-time continuum has wobbled our way once again. Golden Plains Sweet 16th iteration goes down on March 9, 10 and 11 at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre.

Golden Plains 2024 lineup

• The Streets
• Yussef Dayes
• King Stingray
• Black Country, New Road
• Cymande
• Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul
• Wednesday
• Regurgitator
• Boris
• RVG
• Kutcha Edwards
• WITCH (We Intend To Cause Havoc)
• Braxe + Falcon
• MAVI
• Anz
• MJ Lenderman
• DJ Koco
• Sarah Mary Chadwick
• Elsy Wameyo
• Soju Gang
• Split System
• The Belair Lip Bombs
• Storytelling with Uncle Barry

Second Golden Plains lineup announcement

• Jeff Mills Presents Tomorrow Comes The Harvest
• Sneaks
• The Slingers
• Sunshine And Disco Faith Choir
• Kia
• VV Pete
• Ben Fester

Golden Plains dates and location

• Golden Plains happens on the Labour Day long weekend each March.
• For Golden Plains Sweet Sixteen, gates open 8am Saturday 9 March, 2024.
• The stage runs thus: Saturday 1:15pm – 5am Sunday, and Sunday 10am – 7am Monday. 

Interstitial DJs

Golden Plains MCs will be Daniel James and Mulalo, while making the spaces between the levitating points of Sixteen will be:

• Tess Monaghan & Mia Richter
• Steely Anne
• Kasun
• Lauren and Simon
• Joey Lightbulb

Golden Plains set times

Saturday playing times

• 1:10-1:40 Pm Smoking Ceremony
• 1:40-1:45 Nolesy’s Long Blink
• 1:45-2:00 Welcome To Country
• 2:00-2:40 Split System
• 3:00-3:35 Sneaks
• 4:00-4:40 Mavi
• 4:40 Housekeeping
• 5:05-5:50 Wednesday
• 6:15-7:05 Witch
• 7:30-8:15 Rvg
• 8:20 Housekeeping
• 8:45-9:30 Boris
• 10:00-11:00 Yussef Dayes
• 11:25 – 12:20Am Regurgitator
• 12:45-1:30 Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
• 1:50-2:10 Vv Pete
• 2:20-3:20 Soju Gang
• 3:30-5:00 Kia
• 5:00-10:00am Silence Is Golden
• Special Guest Mc Daniel James
• Interstitial Soundtrack By: Tess Monaghan & Mia Richter, Steely Anne, Kasun

Sunday playing times

• 10:00-10:40 Am Sarah Mary Chadwick
• 11:00-11:40 The Slingers
• 11:50 – 12:05Pm Storytelling With Uncle Barry
• 12:15-12:55 The Belair Lip Bombs
• 1:15-1:55 Kutcha Edwards
• 2:00 Housekeeping
• 2:20-3:00 Mj Lenderman
• 3:20-4:00 Elsy Wameyo
• 4:20-5:20 Dj Koco
• 5:45-6:45 Jeff Mills Presents Tomorrow Comes The Harvest
• 7:10-8:00 Black Country, New Road
• 8:05 Housekeeping
• 8:30-9:20 King Stingray
• 9:50-10:50 Cymande
• 11:20 – 12:30 Am The Streets
• 12:55-1:45 Sunshine And Disco Faith Choir
• 1:50-3:30 Braxe + Falcon
• 3:30-5:15 Anz
• 5:15-7:00 Ben Fester
• 7:00am Silence Is Golden
• Monday 1:00pm Gates Close

Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

The Streets

• UK garage, hip-hop, and electronica
• Sunday night

The Streets, formed by the talented Mike Skinner, are well known for their distinctive blend of UK garage, hip-hop, and electronica. Skinner’s witty and often gritty lyrics, delivered in his distinctive spoken word style, quickly garnered attention and acclaim.

The Streets’ debut album, Original Pirate Material (2002), was a groundbreaking release that explored the everyday life and experiences of urban youth in the UK. The album’s clever social commentary, set against a backdrop of electronic beats, established The Streets as a voice of a generation.

Their follow-up album, A Grand Don’t Come for Free (2004), continued to explore themes of everyday life, relationships, and the challenges faced by young people. The album’s narrative structure was a departure from traditional songwriting, as it told a cohesive story throughout its tracks.

Over the years, The Streets continued to release critically acclaimed albums, with standout tracks like Dry Your Eyes and Fit But You Know It. While The Streets went on hiatus for a period, they returned with The Darker The Shadow The Brighter The Light in 2022, marking their first album in a decade. This return generated excitement and anticipation among fans and critics, reaffirming their enduring influence and significance in British music.

Yussef Dayes

• Jazz, funk, and electronic
• Saturday night

Yussef Dayes, London-based drummer and composer, stands at the vanguard of contemporary music, redefining the boundaries of jazz and instrumental music.

Dayes initially gained acclaim as one-half of the duo Yussef Kamaal, where he showcased his drumming prowess and mastery of groove-based compositions. Their album, Black Focus, was a seminal work that seamlessly fused jazz, funk, and electronic elements, igniting a new wave of interest in jazz among younger audiences.

Dayes is known for his unique drumming style, characterized by intricate polyrhythms, rapid-fire hi-hats, and an uncanny ability to blur the lines between genres. His work extends beyond the traditional boundaries of jazz, often delving into experimental territories, incorporating elements of hip-hop, electronic music, and more.

In addition to his solo career, Dayes has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians, further expanding his musical horizons. His improvisational skills and virtuosity behind the drum kit have made him a sought-after artist for live performances and recording sessions.

King Stingray

• Contemporary rock
• Sunday night

Winning awards, showcasing at SxSW, selling out two all-ages shows at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, performing (and having yarns with) Colin Hay, King Stingray is composed of six Yolŋu (First Nations) and balanda (non-Indigenous) mates.

They sing in both English and Yolŋu Matha, the native language of the band’s Yolŋu contingent. King Stingray’s guitarist Roy Kellaway and frontman Yirrŋa Yunupingu, whose name translates to ‘place of stingray’, are descendants of the ground-breaking musical collective Yothu Yindi: Roy is the son of bassist, Stu Kellaway, and Yirrnga is the late frontman Dr M Yunupiŋu’s nephew – both of these boys have been jamming onstage with Yothu Yindi since they were toddlers and became official touring members in 2017.

Black Country, New Road

• Art-rock, post-punk
• Sunday

Black Country, New Road is an innovative British art-rock group known for their genre-bending music. They fuse elements of post-punk, rock, and experimental sounds, creating a distinctive and boundary-pushing sonic landscape.

Cymande

• Funk, reggae, soul, and afrobeat

Cymande, a Caribbean-British funk group, emerged in the 1970s, leaving an indelible mark on the music landscape. Known for their groovy and innovative sound, Cymande masterfully blended elements of funk, reggae, soul, and afrobeat. Songs like Bra and The Message became iconic and influential in the world of funk music.

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul

• Electronic, pop, and world

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, a Belgian-Caribbean duo, have carved their own unique niche in the music world. Their genre-defying sound melds elements of electronic, pop, and world music, resulting in a vibrant sonic tapestry. Adigéry’s captivating vocals and Pupul’s production skills blend seamlessly to create entrancing tracks like Thank You and HAHA. With lyrics in multiple languages, they celebrate diversity and explore cultural nuances in their music and offer fresh perspective on the possibilities of cross-cultural musical collaboration.

Wednesday

• Grunge and twang
• Saturday arvo

Wednesday is a captivating North Carolina-based rock band known for their distinctive fusion of grunge and twang. Their music carries the spirit of alternative rock while delving into a unique territory with a country-inspired twist. Led by the charismatic and versatile vocalist Karly Hartzman, the band’s compositions reflect a raw and emotional authenticity, with tracks like Fate Is and I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone.

MJ Lenderman

• Alt / indie
• Sunday

MJ Lenderman, a talented guitarist and musician, is known for his work with Wednesday, but his solo performances, featuring fuzz-stacked tracks related to Michael Jordan, WWE wrestlers, and the Jackass franchise, demonstrate his versatility and creativity as a musician.

Regurgitator

• Synth pop with metal influences
• Saturday night at Sixteen

Never restricted by genre and unafraid to corrupt synth pop with metal influences, the ‘Gurg are the type of band that can call their lead track on their debut album I Sucked A Lot Of Cock To Get Where I Am and then, a quarter of a century later, release a children’s album called Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show: The Really Really Really Really Boring Album, and straight-face tell the media: “Doing a kids album really feels true to our nature.”

It really does. “When we started playing music, we were playing with really heavy intense bands and heavy lyrics,” Regurgitator bassist, Ben Ely, told us recently. “[Frontman Quan Yeomans] transposed those heavy lyrics to an early ‘90s pop guitar format. We realised the juxtaposition was quite funny; having intense sexual content and swear words in a song that sounded really happy and poppy.”

Boris

• Noise, drone, doom, and shoegaze
• Saturday night

Boris, a Japanese experimental music band formed in 1992, defies easy categorisation with their ever-evolving sound. Known for traversing genres such as noise, drone, doom, and shoegaze, their discography features a wide spectrum of sonic experiences, from the crushing heaviness of albums like Amplifier Worship to the ethereal textures of Flood. With a penchant for sonic experimentation and a disregard for musical boundaries, Boris has earned a cult following and remains influential in the world of avant-garde and alternative music.

RVG

• Post-punk and alternative rock
• Saturday, last rays

RVG are fresh off the release of their latest album, Brain Worms, which was Beat’s feature for June 2023. Moody and relentless, it’s a fusion of post-punk and alternative rock with a vintage twang. Singer Romy Vager carries us through with her signature raspy drawl and heartfelt lyrics. The release follows the band’s two prior albums, 2017’s A Quality of Mercy and 2020’s Feral, both of which captured the attention of fans throughout Australia and internationally.

Kutcha Edwards

• Folk, acoustic
• Sunday

Kutcha Edwards, an Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter, is a celebrated figure in the world of music. Hailing from the Mutti Mutti and Gunnai communities, Edwards has used his powerful voice and evocative songwriting to convey stories of identity, resilience, and cultural pride. His folk and rock-infused sound, often accompanied by acoustic guitar, resonates with audiences across Australia and beyond. Edwards’ music is a poignant blend of Indigenous storytelling and social commentary, creating a deep connection with listeners. Beyond his musical talents, Edwards is an advocate for Indigenous rights, making him a prominent and respected voice in both the music industry and the broader Indigenous community.

WITCH (We Intend To Cause Havoc)

• Psychedelic rock

Zambia’s greatest rock band WITCH is inseparably linked to the history of Zamrock itself.  Since the ’70s, WITCH has been bringing together the sounds of garage, blues and psych rock with African rhythms and grooves. After disappearing from the public eye for four decades, the iconic band has been revitalized. Their new album, Zango, is WITCH’s first record since 1984 and has all the energy of their classic releases with a fresh sound.

Braxe and Falcon

• French house

Braxe and Falcon, a dynamic French house duo, have made indelible contributions to the electronic music landscape. Their music is characterized by infectious grooves, captivating melodies, and a commitment to creating an immersive dance experience. Their collective credits include Stardust’s iconic Music Sounds Better with You and Together, with Thomas Bangalter. Braxe and Falcon’s timeless tracks continue to grace dance floors around the world, solidifying their legacy as pioneers in the realm of French house music, celebrated for their enduring impact on electronic dance music.

MAVI

• Hip-hop
• Saturday

Mavi is an emerging American rapper and lyricist known for his introspective and poetic style. His emotionally charged lyrics and intricate wordplay have garnered attention in the hip-hop scene. Mavi’s debut album Let The Sun Talk showcases his deep introspection and storytelling abilities, establishing him as a promising talent in contemporary rap.

ANZ

• House, techno, and breakbeat
• Late late Sunday night

Anz is a British electronic music producer and DJ celebrated for her genre-blurring tracks and dynamic DJ sets. She’s a prominent figure in the UK’s electronic music scene, known for pushing boundaries with her unique fusion of house, techno, and breakbeat.

DJ Koco

• Classic hip-hop, soul, funk, and electronic
• Late-afternoon

DJ Koco, also known as Shimokita, is a renowned Japanese DJ and turntablist celebrated for his exceptional skills on the wheels of steel. With a career spanning several decades, Koco has made a significant impact on the global hip-hop and DJ scene. His meticulously crafted sets blend various musical genres, seamlessly transitioning between classic hip-hop, soul, funk, and electronic music. Koco’s performances are characterized by a deep appreciation for vinyl records, showcasing his masterful scratching and beat juggling techniques. He continues to influence and inspire turntablists and music enthusiasts worldwide.

Sarah Mary Chadwick

• Indie and alternative
• Sunday AM

Eight albums and over 20 years into her career, Sarah has songwriting down to a fine-tuned art. The precision with which she melds dynamic chord progressions with poetic lyricism – heart-wrenching in its vulnerability yet cut with moments of humour – shines particularly bright in her latest work, Messages To God. Sarah likes to make one album a year. She’s done so since 2015, with just a few gaps in between. She says it helps give structure to her year to have something to build it around.

Elsy Wameyo

• R&B, jazz, and electronic
• Sunday arvo

Elsy Wameyo is a Kenyan-born, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter who has been making waves in the Australian music scene. Her soulful, genre-defying sound combines elements of R&B, jazz, and electronic music. Wameyo’s captivating vocals and emotionally charged lyrics are at the core of her music. Her debut EP, Vibe With Me, showcased her talent for storytelling and creating immersive sonic experiences.

Soju Gang

• Hip hop
• Saturday night

Renowned across the city and beyond for her energetic party mixes and equally energetic style and personality, Soju Gang AKA Sky Thomas is a fashion designer and Melbourne nightlife mainstay. As a streetwear designer with her own label called Sawft Wear, a radio host for CADA radio, a DJ, and a show organiser, she has a finger in nearly every pie.

Split System

• High voltage rock’n’roll
• Saturday

A band that formed in lockdown when members of Stiff Richards, No Zu, Bad//Dreems and Speed Week got all coiled-up with a proto-punk plan. Now they’re on the loose, skipping stones down drains, and demolishing venues. It’s all mean riffs, clean tones and raspy swagger on the Golden Plains lineup.

The Belair Lip Bombs

• Indie rock
• TBA

Named after a set of vintage Cali skate wheels, The Belair Lip Bombs were formed in 2017 by Everett and her high school friend, guitarist Mike Bradvica. The two were soon joined by Liam De Bruin on drums and eventually Jimmy Droughton on bass. Support positions for Tired Lion and British India early into their lifespan established them as one of Frankston’s most notable rising stars.

Their latest record, Lush Life explores themes of escapism and self-discovery, combining catchy indie riffs with contemplative lyrics. Droughton’s bass lines weave through the progressions, pairing well alongside Everett’s emotionally powerful vocal harmonies. Its fourth track, Stay Or Go, exemplifies the album’s contents perfectly; rhythmic pulses of guitar lock in an unbridled bass riff, lathered in words of uncertainty and longing. A great addition to the Golden Plains lineup.

Storytelling with Uncle Barry

• Dreamtime ancestral heroes
• Late morning, Sunday

Storytelling with Uncle Barry is a cherished tradition at the Golden Plains Music Festival, offering festivalgoers a unique and intimate experience. Uncle Barry, a captivating storyteller, weaves tales that transcend time and culture, engaging audiences of all ages. His narratives, often infused with indigenous wisdom, connect people through the power of oral tradition. This interactive and enlightening session is an opportunity to learn, share, and be transported to different worlds through the magic of storytelling. Storytelling with Uncle Barry embodies the festival’s commitment to inclusivity, cultural richness, and community building, making it a beloved and enduring feature at Golden Plains.

Jeff Mills Presents Tomorrow Comes The Harvest

• Proto-techno, Afrobeat
• Party hour. Sunday

A pioneer on Supernatural debut on the Golden Plains lineup. Few have shifted the needle quite like Jeff Mills. Laying the blueprint for techno as one of The Belleville Three, Underground Resistance and later with his iconic Detroit-imprint, Axis, Mills is a master of his craft. A restless visionary and cultural icon.

With Tomorrow Comes The Harvest he has manifested something truly levitational. First conceived with the late Afrobeat legend Tony Allen and keyboardist Jean-Phi Dary, the intention of this star-crossed collab was crystal: Transcend genre through improvisation. Explore the unknown. Lift-off.

“We’re exhausting feelings through sound. There are no mistakes or errors, just honesty.” Following Allen’s passing in 2020, Mills lent into the spirit of this creation, expanding and resetting. Tabla virtuoso Prabhu Edouard entered the fold. A new alchemy emerging from music’s infinite frontier. This is gonna be a one-of-a-kind, one-off, once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing.

Sneaks

• Punk rock poet
• Setting the scene, Saturday

Riot grrrl by way of Ginsberg. A DIY dissident with a map all her own.

Zine-maker, songwriter, punk rock poet: Sneaks thinks deep and makes music to match. Cutting her teeth in DCs underground, Eva Moolchan’s first solo flex arrived on cassette in 2014. Her sonic singularity caught the attention of Merge, and she’s been on an evolving creative tip ever since. Sharp bursts of hypnotic electro-punk and stuttering serpentine beats shapeshift with effortless ingenuity across six records, each a swaggering trove of metamorphic mood and metrical pace.

The Slingers

• Country-dusted indie gems
• Sunday

The Slingers’ country-dusted indie gems have stuck like silly-putty to the hearts of their hometown. Restlessly navigating music’s every nook and cranny, their songbook is as vast as it is moving. Never sitting in one place for too long, this is a band that just Goes With It.

Their debut record Sentimentality is a tenderised delight. Motel pop awash with sepia‑stained heartbreak and twin-share existential ennui. It was only a matter of time until they made the Golden Plains lineup.

Sunshine and Disco Faith Choir

• Gospel house
• Saturday midnight

A Sunday Service for the Midnight Massive. Sunshine and her Disco Faith Choir bring a Joyful Noise unto The Sup’.

It’s satins, sequins and gospel house glory. Beginning in Melbourne in 2016, and helmed by one of the city’s most renowned DJs (particularly notorious in the Revolver cage), Sunshine sets out to unite her club sets and productions with the exalted voices of a lavish choir. From the disco inferno, an ode to dancefloor salvation – drawing inspiration from The Staple Sisters to Aretha to Floorplan. Their sets span original productions, house anthems, and Fleetwood Mac, in search of A Deeper Love.

Set Me Free, why don’t cha. And buckle up for The Ride.

Kia

• Deep techno, IDM
• Wee hours Sunday

Soundtracking the Saturday night wee hours on the Golden Plains lineup to the vast Animalia that gather: local star on the rise, Kia.

With a keen ear for bass heavy rhythms, IDM and the deeper shades of techno and trance, and a bubbly presence behind the decks, Kia plays with the confidence and experience expected of a DJ with decades under their belt.

Gliding through genres and emotions in exciting and often unexpected ways, Kia’s talent for weaving musical narratives has seen her construct revered mixes for Nous’klaer and Truants, and become a regular in booths across the globe, from De School to Miscellania to Sustain‑Release. Not to mention the hot streak of releases on her label, Animalia, and its ambient offshoot, Cirrus.

Fine tune your freakwencies.

Vv Pete

• Hip hop, reggaeton
• Late Saturday night

No one whips a crowd like Mount Druitt’s Badeśt.

Splish splash heavy rain
Ice drip on my fang
Buss down on the gang
See you watching my game
You and I are not the same

Vv Pete is dropping jaws with her next-gen strip club anthems and Bacardi Papi flexes. With flow so sharp it grinds, and beats so heavy they thunk – Vv is turning heads from Hot 97 to Helper Hut V7.

Jordan 1s in the air, late Saturday nite on the Golden Plains lineup.

Ben Fester

• Twisted house
• Closing set, Sunday

He may well be Sydney’s finest selector. And he’s heading down the Hume for the Golden Plains lineup. Heavenly.

Ben Fester is a DJ, producer and tastemaker of the highest order. From his long-running Heavenly parties, FBi shows, wax-peddling at Darlinghurst’s Record Store, to his latest venture – an ethically-sauced pizza bar at Central Station.

His productions have seen recent releases on Paper-Cuts, Butter Sessions, and Moonshoe– both solo, and as Unsolicited Joints, a project with his brother, known as Cousin (naturally).

But most of all, it’s his deejay sets that are spoken of in hushed reverential tones. From subterranean electronix to twisted house to whatever the home stretch calls for, the oven will be hot as Ben Fester closes out Sweet Sixteen.

Tickets now on sale here.