Music

Just Who Is Splendour’s ‘Oz Mystery Act’? Here Are Our Frontrunners

"MAKE THE MYSTERY OZ ACT RICKI LEE YOU COWARDS."

by Joseph Earp  3 April 2019
Splendour mystery act 2019 lineup photo

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Update: The Splendour in the Grass 2019 ‘Mystery Act’ has now been revealed. 

Well, the most wonderful day of the year is upon us — the Splendour In The Grass line-up is here.

This year, as with pretty much ever year, organisers have outdone themselves. The lineup is bursting with local and international talent, from nu-R&B icon Santigold to Ruby Fields to post-punk supergroup Tropical Fuck Storm.

And that’s not even to mention the three headliners — Tame Impala, Childish Gambino and Chance The Rapper — who represent some of the most awe-inspiring talent in contemporary music.

But, of all the names on the poster, the one attracting the most attention is a name that isn’t even really a name. Shoved inbetween Warpaint and Matt Corby, the line-up promises a “Mystery Oz Act” — and the internet is going wild trying to figure out who it might be.

Answers tend to either focus on legacy acts, in the middle of long-revival tours — some have suggested the mysterious performer (or performers?) could be Midnight Oil, which checks out, tbh — or contemporary cult favourites.

One of the most convincing suggestions is The Middle East. The pop sensations, best-known for their track ‘Blood’, are reuniting as part of the Spunk anniversary celebration booked for Vivid festival, which could be a springboard back into some light 2019 touring.

Of course, because the internet is the internet, serious suggestions have been jumbled in with a bunch of hilarious — but also strangely compelling — predictions.

For our part, we reckon that the act should just be Lee Harding, taking to the stage to perform ‘Wasabi’ seven times in a row with no encore.

But if we’re forced to make a serious prediction, we’d put our money on Ocean Alley. The bass-happy ‘Confidence’ took out the number one spot in the Hottest 100 this year, setting the band on the path to true pop domination, so booking them for one of the biggest festivals in Australian music makes a great deal of sense.

Splendour In The Grass goes down Friday July 19 to July 21.

Photo: Jess Gleeson/Splendour In The Grass