If you ask me the advertising and promotion for the Big Day Out seems to have gone considerably more low-key this year as opposed to previous ones. I didnt buy my ticket but as far as I'm aware the online service was concise and effective, its not all over the place and doesnt really seem to be on the tongue-tips of the people who usually talk about this kind of stuff. Maybe we've all got better things to do but anyway the lineup is announced (apart from occasional local acts that haven't been mentioned yet) and its.. well.. its good. I'll give you a rundown
Neil Young will probably prove to us what Devo proved to all at Splendour (minus the 400 or so that watched them) - Australian festival audiences dont give a shit about the likes of him. I know I wont be there. The Arctic Monkeys make a return to Australia which I'm pretty excited about, Pendulum, The Prodigy, Cut Copy and Hot Chip will keep the boiler room pumping no doubt while Serj Tankian, Black Kids, The Ting Tings and The Grates will provide a vast array of visual and audio experiences.
I'm not having a gripe about anything. Its been handled pretty well this year. Maybe one suggestion, offer, i could (lovely Yoda-speak there). When you're going to keep raising the ticket prices to an event (I know, inflation, global economic crisis, etc) how about providing a few more big INTERNATIONAL acts? $140 is a decent amount, for a one day festival - and while the lineup is grand, its also packed full of Australian bands I've seen (or at least most people have) a hundred times before like Cog, The Living End, Mammal, The Drones, Birds of Tokyo, The Vines (god Im sorry but I fucking HATE this band) and yes EVEN Little Red. Now, I have no problem with any of these bands (except The Vines) but why not replace them with a few more bands I cant see at the Annandale/Metro/Enmore for $15-$45. Then again, I guess alot of it has to do with the decent amount of money they no doubt forked out (or should I say WASTED) on Neil Young. While he once penned the lyric "hey hey/my my/rock'n'roll will never die" we should probably start wondering when this stupid fascination with old acts at festivals marketed to a younger audience will.
