Big Day Out 2010 Preview

The Mars Volta

Fresh off of last year’s Octahedron (QRO review) & a Grammy win for Best Hard Rock Performance, The Rio Grande’s Mars Volta head very far south, bringing their rock mix of experimental, hard, Latin & more down under for their third year at Big Day Out.

Muse

Another Big Day Out third-timer, in 2009, Devon’s Muse reached for true stadium glory with The Resistance (QRO review), as their electric bombast, which had already conquered Europe, set its sights on the States, touring with U2 (QRO album review) & playing Saturday Night Live (QRO Indie on Late Night TV).  And now that glory comes to stadiums across Australia & New Zealand.

Fear Factory

Pretty much any type of metal – industrial metal, groove metal, alternative metal, death metal, thrash metal, etc. – owe a debt to Fear Factory.  They’re now entering their third decade – sort of; there’s been two break-ups and numerous line-up changes, including the departure of guitarist Dino Cazares in 2003, singer Burton C. Bell dismissing the remaining ‘charter Factory’ in 2008 & reuniting with Cazares, not to mention legal complications over the name with former members forcing the cancellation of this Fear Factory’s live return at Metalway Festival in Spain last summer – but they’re pushing through, with the new Mechanize scheduled for release this year, so expect new & old.  This will also be a special Big Day Out for the act – unlike in 1997 & 2004, where they filled in for dropouts Sepultura & A Perfect Circle, respectively, in 2010, they’ve been booked just for themselves.

Dead Prez

Bringing hip-hop down under (though not to Southern or Western Australia…) is Dead Prez.  Forget about whether hip-hop translates halfway across the world (is there anywhere it doesn’t?…) – what about stic.man & M-1’s political-charge, "somewhere between N.W.A. & Public Enemy" – can a song like "I’m an African" carry a Pacific Ocean away from America (and an Indian Ocean – and Australian Outback – away from Africa?)?

Groove Armada

Bigger beats come to Big Day Out thanks to London duo Andy Cato & Tom Findlay, a.k.a. Groove Armada.  Following releases of an updated Greatest Hits and GA10: 10 Year Story rarities collection, in 2010 the pair is putting out their first studio album since 2007, Black Light, so look for it to shine.

Dizzee Rascal

Mercury Prize winner Dizzee Rascal is fresh off his fourth studio release, Tongue N’ Cheek, and it’s number one hit "Dance Wiv Me".  And now, for his second time at Big Day Out, the grime rapper is back wiv "Dance" collaborator Calvin Harris (see below).

Lily Allen

The internet giveth & the internet taketh away: London’s Lily Allen was one of the first musicians to garner a following solely through her MySpace page, leading to a major label contract, worldwide tours (including Big Day Out 2007), and the massively successful debut Alright, Still & last year’s It’s Not Me, It’s You.  But last fall she closed down her MySpace account and announced that, while she has no plans for another album, she does on launching her own record label & fashion shop, in a planned two-year hiatus from performing, starting in March.  So catch her live while you still can…

Rise Against

Chicago punks Rise Against may have moved to major label status over five years ago, but they’ve kept up their output, including their most successful record yet, 2008’s Appeal to Reason, and political agitation, from the straight edge lifestyle to endorsing vegan-friendly Vans shoes.  They’ll be heading back into the studio after Big Day Out (their second appearance at the festival), so look for new material getting a live try-out.

Simian Mobile Disco

The Disco gets very Mobile when ‘The James’ -Ford & Shaw – bring the light & sound show that is Simian Mobile Disco (QRO live review) to Big Day Out for the second year in a row (though hopefully they’ll be playing in a tent or a night, where their lights can really shine – QRO photos).  But when coming back, James Ford should be wary of any flights out of Sydney to Los Angeles – at least don’t fly Oceanic!…

Powderfinger

It’s not all foreigners!  Brisbane’s Powderfinger have been one of the continent’s most successful rock groups, reaching #1 with their last five records, from 1998’s The Internationalist to last fall’s Golden Rule (only the second Australian artist to do so), and can hold their own with any of the other headliners at this, their seventh Big Day Out.

The Decemberists

Portland, Oregon’s The Decemberists have been booming in recent years, from their showdown with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report (QRO Indie on Late Night TV) to 2009’s excellent magnum opus, The Hazards of Love (QRO review), making them now one of the biggest bands in indie-rock.

Devendra Banhart

Alt-folk singer/songwriter Devendra Banhart (QRO photos) has just been getting bigger & bigger, from dating Natalie Portman in 2008 to signing to major label WB/Reprise last year & putting out What Will Be Will Be (QRO review) – so who knows what’s in store for 2010…

Calvin Harris

Scottish electropop maven Calvin Harris followed up his gold-selling debut, I Created Disco (QRO review), with Ready For the Weekend in 2009, and will reunite with Dizzee Rascal (see above) – together they created #1 hit "Dance Wiv Me" – on Big Day Out.

Ladyhawke

How could the New Zealand-born, Melbourne-relocated Ladyhawke not play Big Day Out?  Winner of multiple ARIAs (Australian Grammys) last year, she blew up in the Old World with her self-titled debut (QRO review) & singles "My Delirium" (QRO video) and "Paris Is Burning" (QRO video), before she heading to the States (and the other Hilton) to headline the Perez Hilton Presents Tour (QRO live review) – and now crosses another ocean to come back home(s).

Peaches

The home of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert welcomes the gender-bending extravagance of Peaches, for her fourth Big Day Out.  ‘Sexually explicit’ doesn’t begin to cover the artist, from albums like Fatherfucker, Impeach My Bush and last year’s I Feel Cream to her backing band, The Herms (short for hermaphrodites); her stage show – including attire – is even more extreme.

Kasabian

Indie-rock crossed with the ‘Madchester’ scene in Kasabian.  Already a favorite of festivals in their native U.K., the band brings their West Ryder Lunatic Asylum tour to the antipodes on their second Big Day Out.

Girl Talk

Greg Gillis (Girl Talk – QRO photos at a festival) moved from biomedical tissue engineering to DJ mash-up engineering, taking samples from across the spectrum and making something very new.  While he started out playing clubs, he’s graduated to ballroom & even the great outdoors (QRO photos outdoors).

Jet

Some more hard-rocking Aussie natives, Melbourne’s Jet have exported their garage-rock revival (please, no airplane puns…) to American & beyond, most recently with 2009’s Shaka Rock.  They’ve also moved up at home, from little-known locals at Big Day Out 2004 to big names at this, their third appearance.

The Horrors

Southend’s The Horrors followed up 2007 debut Strange House with last year’s Primary Colours (QRO review), as their once-called ‘zombie death punk’ brings new power live (QRO live review).

Karnivool

From Western Australia comes genre-mashing Karnivool.  Their mix of prog-rock, alternative and metal has found a home on the entire continent, with the Perth act’s sophomore release Sound Awake making it to #2, and the band returning to Big Day Out for the second time.

Mastodon

The New Wave of American Heavy Metal gave birth to Atlanta’s Mastodon, most recently in 2009 with Crack the Skye, as they toured with the likes of Metallica (QRO photos).

Passion Pit

Blowing up very fast has been Cambridge, Mass’ Passion Pit (QRO photos).  Single "Sleepyhead" (QRO video) found its way to MTV nominations, while debut Manners (QRO review) found its way onto the charts.   So catch the burgeoning indietronica stars outdoors (QRO photos outdoors) at Big Day Out (QRO photos at a festival), ‘cause they’ve moved up to the big-time (QRO photos), and aren’t playing small places – or even medium-sized (QRO photos) anymore…

Eskimo Joe

East Fremantle, Western Australia’s Eskimo Joe have been kicking for over a decade now, most recently with last year’s Inshalla, topping charts & winning awards along the way – as well as playing Big Day Out now for the fourth time.

The Temper Trap

Somewhere between the big-name foreigners and the local flavors at Big Day Out lie the ANZAC artists breaking through on both hemispheres, like Melbourne’s The Temper Trap (QRO photos at a festival), thanks to last year’s Conditions (QRO review).

Midnight Juggernauts

But the Melbourne act most breaking through has to Midnight Juggernauts (QRO spotlight on).  The trio (QRO interview) made their name known with 2007’s Dystopia (QRO review) and a live show (QRO live review) – including at Big Day Out 2008 – far more electric than most electronica.  After dominating New York’s CMJ in the fall (QRO photos at the festival), previewing new material, down under will get their chance to hear what’s new from the Juggs (QRO photos).

Miami Horror

Not to be confused with The Horrors (see above), Benjamin Plant’s disco-house throwback four-piece Miami Horror actually originates from Australia – but if Florida could steal the name of their hometown, Melbourne, then fair’s fair in payback (or ‘theftback’…).

Peaches

Transmission Room, 1/14/10

The Hi-Fi, 1/18/10

Home, 1/24/10

The Hi-Fi, 1/27/10

Astor, 2/1/10

Groove Armada

Powerstation, 1/14/10

The Hordern Pavilion*, 1/25/10

The Palace, 1/27/10

Dizzee Rascal

River Stage#, 1/19/10

The Enmore Theatre@, 1/24/10

The Forum@, 1/28/10

Lily Allen

River Stage#, 1/19/10

The Hordern Pavilion#, 1/21/10

Festival Hall#, 1/28/10

The Mars Volta

Tivoli, 1/18/10

The Hordern Pavilion, 1/20/10

Festival Hall, 1/25/10

Calvin Harris

River Stage#, 1/19/10

The Metro, 1/21/10

The Prince Bandroom, 1/25/10

Devendra Banhart

The Metro, 1/24/10

Billboard, 1/27/10

Mastodon

The Roundhouse, 1/21/10

The Palace, 1/28/10

Passion Pit

The Metro^, 1/20/10

The Corner Hotel^, 1/25/10

Rise Against

The Enmore Theatre&, 1/19/10

The Hi-Fi&, 1/24/10

Fear Factory

The Manning Bar, 1/18/10

The Prince Bandroom, 1/27/10