Check out the first reviews from Big Day Out 2008 HERE

When the Big Day Out started, way back in 1992, it was simply a celebration of the crème de la crème of Sydney indie pop, with two international headliners topping things off. When the original BDO was being organised during 1991, organisers Vivian Lees and Ken West had little inclination that one of the two bands they were chasing – Nirvana, who would play second last to headliners Violent Femmes – were going to explode during the latter part of that year, culminating in their slot at the BDO, as well as a series of gigs at Selina’s in Sydney, and the Palais in Melbourne. Sadly, of course, this was the one and only time Nirvana would tour Australia, but they more than made it worthwhile for their legion of fans.

1992
If you believed everyone that reminisced, there were at least 100,000 people at the original Big Day Out, instead of the 10,000 or so ticket holders. Whilst Violent Femmes were possibly at their most popular at the time of the initial BDO, nothing would compare to Nirvana’s show, which was played in the 6000 capacity Hordern Pavilion, whilst 10,000 people tried to cram into it. Meanwhile, on an outside stage, rising local popsters the Clouds played to a few hundred people, coming on after the also-rising Died Pretty. The Hard-Ons and Ratcat suffered similarly, playing against the Femmes. In addition to these rising acts, there was also the Falling Joys, and a swampy act known as Beasts of Bourbon, fronted by wild man Greg ‘Tex’ Perkins.

1993
After the success of the initial festival, Lees and West took a serious risk – they brought the Big Day Out to a national audience, playing to fans in capital cities around the nation. Whilst Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell had had a success with the Lollapalooza touring festival in America, a touring festival of the size of Big Day Out was an untried prospect in Australia, and its success would rise or fall on the level of crowd support.

They were also astute as to who they chose to bring to the festival – whilst Iggy Pop was the undoubted ‘star’ of the festival, there was also bands whose stars were on the rise, including Sonic Youth (already an institution in themselves) and Seattle stalwarts Mudhoney, whom many state were the pioneers of the grunge sound. There was also Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, a different incarnation of Beasts of Bourbon, and the Clouds came back for more. The highlight for many were a then almost unknown act called Helmet, with their brutal guitar assaults and amazing presence enrapturing the crowd. But the real success of the 1993 Big Day Out was that in each city local bands got to play as well, meaning that the fans in each city had something they knew and loved in addition to bands that they’d heard on the now national Triple J. All of a sudden, people expected a Big Day Out in 1994 – it had taken on a life of its own.

1994
For many, the 1994 Big Day Out is still regarded as the best ever. In addition to a new stop being on the Gold Coast and Auckland (New Zealand), the music was sensationally eclectic and left-of-centre – alongside rising superstars Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins, there were stunning shows by Icelandic wonder Björk and ex-Pixies bassist Kim Deal’s band with her sister, the Breeders, alongside the brilliant locals like the Cruel Sea and amazing performances by You Am I, one of the most highly touted Australian bands ever at the time.

In fact, when Russell ‘Rusty’ Hopkinson went to Kim Deal, as a fan, she responded by uttering that famous, oft-quoted statement – “Oh, you’re in that band that everyone is talking about”. You Am I made their presence felt – whilst songs from debut Sound As Ever were familiar to most (thanks to singles like “Berlin Chair” and “Jaimmes’ Got A Gal”), their new songs were even more impressive. They were paid the ultimate compliment after the festivals by having headliners Soundgarden ask them to come back and tour America with them. The Big Day Out was beginning to help Australian bands get international attention, but it was nothing compared to what was going to happen in 1995.

1995
In 1995, the American A&R (artist & repertoire) men came out in droves to watch three bands – You Am I, Magic Dirt and a bunch of young upstarts who were tipped for big things. Their name was silverchair. Whilst You Am I carved it up on the main stage in the early afternoon heat, silverchair’s shows on the side stages were watched by thousands of fans crammed into an area fit for hundreds, playing to kids who were the same age – and older, and younger – as the band themselves.

In addition to this trio of Australian noiseniks, there were also the newly popular American pop-punkers, the Offspring, whose appearance at the Big Day Out would help them become one of the most popular bands in Australia. Hole, fronted by the recently widowed Courtney Love – whose husband Kurt Cobain’s band, Nirvana, had helped launch the Big Day Out in the first place. Interestingly, all three of the big Australian acts on the tour – You Am I, Magic Dirt, silverchair – ended up signing to an American record label, but unfortunately silverchair were the only ones to achieve that much necessary ‘break’, conquering American in 1995 with their debut album frogstomp.

1996
In 1996, the Big Day Out had its first major competitor with Steve Pavlovic’s Summersault Festival, which featured headliners of the calibre of the Beastie Boys, ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl’s new band Foo Fighters – who made a big impression – as well as Kim Deal’s new band, sans sister, The Amps. Also playing were Clash enthusiasts Rancid, and an acoustic Beck, who in Adelaide tried to get some crowd participation happening, and then much to his chagrin found that the person selected had no sense of rhythm!

The Big Day Out hit back with their diversity and a sense of togetherness. In addition to headliners Rage Against the Machine, there was also a revitalised Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with Kylie Minogue a not-such-a-surprise guest in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as fellow Summersault tourists Rancid. But the real winners were on the local front – the Big Day Out had the anarchic trio Regurgitator, complete with Quan Yeomans in a pink frock for most dates. S-e-x-y. In addition to this, in Adelaide, a new quartet going by the name The Superjesus stunned the crowd on the local stage, leading to the band being signed to a major label. In the end, the Big Day Out won out; with Pav being sent broke by Summersault’s disappointing crowd attendance.

1997
Prior to the 1997 Big Day Out, Lees and West stated unequivocally that it would be the last one, citing sheer exhaustion as a reason (although many speculated that the real reason was the lack of a proper sized venue in Sydney). Whatever – it was a resounding success, with a massive 37,000 people attending the Melbourne Big Day Out, to watch such bands as a returning swansong for Soundgarden, punkers the Offspring, as well as up-and-coming punk-electronica group the Prodigy, whose blistering show in the heat of the afternoon stunned all those in attendance – and not only because they managed to make what had been a thriving moshpit before them into a complete dancefest.

Interestingly, this was also the first year of the Boiler Room – a room solely for electronic music. There was also the brutal metaloids Fear Factory, as well as English popsters Supergrass, the rising stars The Superjesus, and the anointed ones – Powderfinger and a fired-up You Am I. It was a fitting finale. Or was it?

1998 felt the effect of not having a musical event to religiously attend each and every Australian summer. It was really, really, really missed. Really.

1999
After the disappointment of there being no Big Day Out in 1998, the return of the festival in 1999 was greeted with cheers nationwide – record crowds were achieved, helped no doubt by the war of words between the two headlining acts – the Dolce & Gabana clad Courtney Love with her band Hole, and the shock-rockers Marilyn Manson, who used stage props to come off as a Hitler figure tearing pages out of the Bible. Ho-hum – as impressive as these two acts were, it was in the Boiler Room that things were heating up – all thanks to Fatboy Slim and Underworld.

The tribal rhythms of Soulfly added something heavier for those so inclined, while a slew of who’s who of Australian bands like Spiderbait, Regurgitator/Spiderbait offshoot Happyland (who played with a lot of flair and fun, and were a highlight for many), and many national Big Day Out ‘virgins’ – including not from there, Jebediah, Warumpi Band, and Fur – added a sense of familiarity to proceedings. There were also the Brit stadium rock stylings of Manic Street Preachers and Irish trio Ash. But perhaps the most shocking sound coming from the main stage was that of angry nu-metal group Korn, which alongside the likes of Soulfly meant there was a far angrier element to the BDO. It would be repeated in coming years…with devastating results.

Part Two of Tales from the Big Day Out will be available for your viewing pleasure from 9am tomorrow (Jan 22, 2008)

Check out the first reviews from Big Day Out 2008 HERE