One of Melbourne's most beloved bands, Dirty Three have been live favourites for more than two decades; their 2004 performance at the Meredith Music Festival is the stuff of legend. Blending rock, blues, Mediterranean folk and the dramatic sweep of classical music, their towering instrumentals border on spirituals. In the absence of a vocalist, their frontman is violinist Warren Ellis, whose signature violin playing and wild stage presence—in Dirty Three, and also with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Grinderman—has made him one of Australia's greatest musical exports.