Big Day Out - Live Review
- genevavalek
- Feb 2, 2014
- 4 min read
There's not a whole lot of AA festivals in NSW but out of the small handful, Big Day Out is certainly the most noted and arguably the best. In light of all the negative press around Big Day Out this year with news that they’ve made a pretty big loss and all the line-up hate, AACS as a collective have decided to spread a little love about our Big Days Out. So here it goes, here’s our mini-reviews of Big Day Out 2014.
Geneva Valek:
What I love about the Big Day Out is not hype, it’s not the barely-dressed teenage girls and it’s certainly not the blistering summer heat; it’s the legacy. Every year since 1992 when Nirvana helped BDO to explode, thousands upon thousands of people take to the Sydney Showgrounds, and venues all across Australia to get sunburnt, dance, make friends and most importantly, to hear good music. This year was no exception. Despite the clearly low amount of punters, the general vibe was so positive. The headliners were certainly worth the 20 dollar price-increase, and the amount of fun that was had was plentiful. The lack of Blur didn’t seem to phase too many people and the acts I saw were beyond incredible. I would recommend the Big Day Out experience to anyone, it’s totally unique from all the other music festivals, and is simply something you must do before you die.
Ruben Seaton:
The Big Day Out.
Even just mentioning these harrowing words makes the youth of Australia shudder in uniformed anticipation. These words are solely responsible for the tie-dying of hundreds of t shirts, and stakes in brands manufacturing patriotic bucket hats going through the roof.
Yes, although its place upon the top of the Aussie festival podium is being shaken as we speak, the Big Day Out has earned this reputation. Take, for example, 2014: written off as a flop with not enough content for the youth, a stellar combination from both on and behind the stage combined for an unforgettable experience. Whether it be from those with arms in the air, taking in Arcade Fire’s confetti rain, or soaked in the sweat of thousands of Boiler Room enthusiasts, or consumed in smoke at Snoop Dogg’s set between shouts of ‘Smoke Weed Motherfuckerrrrrr’, Big Day Out, we, the people, salute you. (Ruben also interviewed the likes of Violent Soho and Bliss N Eso)
Serina Molnar:
My first Big Day Out was an absolutely great experience and totally exceeded my expectations. The Hives totally made up for the lack of Blur as did Arcade Fire's short Song 2 gaff. I made so many great memories with great friends even when a drunken middle-aged woman told me about her sex life.
Jessica Syed:
It rained like ‘Wake Up’ by headliners Arcade Fire had awoken God, and he started crying because it was so beautiful. Fuck yeah! – the war cry of “punters” donning Sydney Morning Herald bucket hats and One Teaspoon shorts alike. However if you were in the Snoop Dogg pit, BOW-WOW-WOW -YIPPY-YO-YIPPY-YAY was the angelic chorus of commodified unification. Kevin Parker currently looks like Jesus, and his angel Gabriel (Jay Watson) was spotted at Toro Y Moi’s deliciously jaunty set. Please keep up the influx of highly popular local indie bands if the festival does continue to run, AJ Maddah, sir... I do love wearing floral print and raging in a cute moshpit whilst simultaneously appreciating mainstream electronic music and Violent Soho’s ability to rock out/grow their hair out. Yes, Big Day Out ruled. Not as much as all the dads in Pearl Jam shirts. But definitely more than Liam Gallagher. (Read Jess's interview with The 1975)
Jess Gleeson reviews in the form of a rhetorical question:
How good was Big Day Out?
Carl Gai:
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Big Day Out 2014. The standout act of the festival was Flume in the Boiler room, the ambient electronic beats that echoed through the huge room created a groovy, dancey atmosphere.
Rosie Grady:
My Big Day Out Experience? I walked in, said to myself ‘Man, this is a lot of people’, and then proceeded to find the near-empty media lounge. Ah, that’s better. The rest of the day was spent eating free food and playing twister with musicians I secretly wished I was married to. Oh, there was also that moment when I was getting rowdy at Flume, checked my phone, and one of my favourite up and coming rappers had commented on/liked my photo with Mac Miller. YEP. AND Izm from Bliss n Eso called me ‘sweetie’. (Check out some of Project U’s Twister games here)
Matt Turner:
Big day out was good! Toro y Moi were very good, though small crowd. Jungle Giants were good. Kingswood were under-good. The Hives were very good. Bo Ningen were good. Tane Impala were very good. Beady Eye were under-good. Arcade Fire were #1 good act of day. Snoop was good. Major Lazer was super-good, with Diplo the god of super-good.
Food was good, though I miss Chow Town. Crowds as a whole were very good.
Andreas Damouras:
I didn’t go, but I heard it was rad.
Photo by Geneva Valek view an entire album here
Sideshow coverage:
The Lumineers - photos
Ghost - photos
Vista Chino - photos
Interviews:
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