Big Day Out East Coast wrap-up

Thu 2nd Feb, 2012 in Features

With Kanye West, Soundgarden, Noel Gallagher and Kasabian leading the charge the Big Day Out has crashed its way down the East Coast leaving controversy, sunburnt kids and ringing ears in its wake.

The tour rumbles on towards Adelaide and Perth (with a slightly trimmer lineup) but the festival has already delivered its fair share of memorable moments and FasterLouder was there to cover it all.

Big Day Out

Gold Coast – The atmosphere might have been lacking, but the passion that defines Big Day Out was ever-present.

Sydney -Is the Big Day Out done for? Who knows? All that can be said is that if this, the twentieth year of the festival, turns out to be the last, let it go on record that the Sydney leg went down with a fighting spirit. A great showcase of outstanding local talents and a few international gems for good measure, this was a worthwhile and fun day. All it needed was a chance.

Melbourne – Despite what a load of naysayers thought, people really enjoyed it all, the acts all delivered and the festival showed every sign of staying strong in Melbourne next year.

Kanye West

Melbourne – What really sets Kanye West apart is charisma. He’s arrogant, self-aware, pretentious, funny as hell, able to play the diva like no-one else right now bar Lady Gaga.
Sydney – Generous in length and packed with hits, what this show lacked in spontaneity it made up for in sheer spectacle.

Soundgarden

Sydney -Soundgarden and their music rose above the distractions and proved they are still a devastating and visceral band who seem to get just as much of a kick out of revisiting their music as their fans do.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Sydney -The real highs of the show came from the moments where Noel was the centre of attention. Whether it’s when he’s offering the crowd drugs and asking for beauty tips while someone is tuning up or under the spotlight with a guitar solo, he was a gregarious and gracious performer.

Kasabian

Melbourne – While The Vaccines were fallible and a little patchy, they were at least satisfying. The accomplished Kasabian, meanwhile, shone, commanding fits of wild abandon and staging a fun, frenzied and entertaining indie-rock spectacle.
Sydney -The encore provided the best moments of the night, with Vlad The Impaler simply a blockbuster as Pizzorno delayed his refain of ‘get loose! get loose!’ until a late crescendo in which the crowd erupted in ecstasy, hanging off his every word.

Read on for the reviews and photos from the My Chemical Romance, Foster the People, Royskopp, Cage The Elephant, Mariachi El Bronx, Odd Future, Battles, Best Coast, Kitty, Daisy and Lewis, Cavalera Conspiracy, Girl Talk and Das Racist.