As you may have guessed by their name, Meatstock specialise in some of the finest cuts of meat this city has to offer. Juicy, tender, glorious meat.
“It’s basically a barbecue festival wrapped around a lot of events and cool bands,” says Beaumont. “The first event was two years ago in Sydney. This year we did the first event in Melbourne with just shy of 10,000 people attending. Meatstock is not just a barbeque festival. Twenty butchers from around the country compete in competitive butchery. We have a barbeque expo, and we have a really good lineup of bands that creates a great atmosphere.”
The people who attend Meatstock are certainly drawn by more than an insatiable hunger and interest in meat. “I think it’s about the spectacle,” says Beaumont. “It’s not just a barbeque festival – I would call it like the Easter show for carnivores.
“A lot of people enjoy their burgers and wings; the bacon and barbeque at Meatstock is just one big celebration of that. We have lots of demonstrations and there’s a lot of energy around the whole event. It’s quite an experience.”
Not only will there be a huge range of great food, exciting competitions and excellent bands on show, the budding barbeque enthusiast can also get the opportunity to have a go and learn more about the art of meat.
“There’s three live stages – one is a demo stage there for the entire event; the best burger, how to trim chicken wings; someone there all day teaching you what makes a good barbeque.
“The second stage is the butcher stage, people featured showing you how to break down a body of beef, they’re competing in butchery, butchers with 30 minutes to break down half a lamb and half a subtle of pork in front of a live crowd. The third stage is live bands, all day. It’s a great vibe, three big stages, there’s always something to see.”
If the prospect of succulent meats, finely cooked and prepared in an impressive fashion still isn’t enough to entice you – then undoubtedly the music will get you across the line. Beaumont says the live entertainment will appeal to anyone who’s interested in Americana, roots, blues and country.
Offering a mix of authentic barbeque and the tunes to match, Meatstock is a must-try experience for anyone who wants to enjoy a full day of meats and beats.
