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Big Day Out 2010 has been and gone and now all we have are the memories of some great individual performances. It is quite easily arguable that this year’s line up is not the strongest fielded but I think that there were a few surprises that would have made the day memorable.

For 2010 there was plenty there to make a day of it and the way the schedule fell I was tearing around like a blue arse fly. The day kicked off seeing local band and Triple J Unearthed winners Hawks Of Alba on the Hot Produce stage. These indie kids are definitely a local act to keep an eye out on this year.

Bluejuice were rewarded for a solid year and proved to be entertaining on the main stage with Vitriol and Broken Leg being amongst the crowd favourites. Karnivool were solid on the main stage with a set that included Set Fire To The Hive, All I Know and Themata.

Kasabian were right up there as one the day’s best performers with plenty to like about these larrikins. Opting not to let the talking dominate performance they played all the hits including the likes of Where Did All The Love Go?, Empire, Fire, Club Foot and L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever), which ended their set. It would have been great to see play longer but we can hope in anticipation for a club show somewhere, sometime soon.

Eskimo Joe was up next (minus the silly tank tops from a few Big Day Out’s ago) lapping it up in front of a die hard and loyal contingent of fans. Their set list wasn’t that much different compared their show at Thebarton Theatre not that long ago but nevertheless still great. Opening with Foreign Land followed by Inshalla and Sarah. Interestingly enough only one track from Girl made the set with Wake Up to appease the fans. It was predictable but Black Fingernails, Red Wine was a great closer.

It was a tough choice what to see next either The Decemberists or Passion Pit. Having heard so much about both bands I settled on seeing half and half. It wasn’t a huge crowd that assembled for The Decemberists but they were impressive with their brand of indie-folk rock. Passion Pit on the other hand, I feel, didn’t really live up to the high expectations placed on them. Starting a fraction late I don’t really think the acoustics of the Converse Essential stage really helped them though. Having said that Sleepyhead is a great tune and it seemed like that’s all the crowd were hanging out for.

If Muse weren’t playing I would say without any shadow of a doubt that The Horrors would have been best on ground. I have been waiting so long to see these lads play and on this occasion they did not disappoint. I would have thought that it would have been packed at the Converse Essential stage but not to be. Despite a awesome debut Strange House it didn’t really get much of a look in with their set dominated by their relatively new album Primary Colours. Favourites for me were Mirror’s Image, Scarlet Fields and Sea Within A Sea.

Lily Allen would have won a few fans over with her festival set including myself. The set was a little scratchy early and it was clear that Lily was not well going for the pills to help with her throat. With temper tantrums and run ins with the paparazzi aside her set was entertaining appeal to the more – œcommercial’ cross-over crowd. It was good hearing the likes of Smile, The Fear, Not Fair as well as the Britney Spear’s cover Womanizer. Fuck You was a bit of fun as well with Lily conceding this was the most people you could have giving her the bird at one time. Will we see her again? Who knows!

After a quick dash for cash I was able to catch the last couple of songs from Jet and in particular Black Hearts (On Fire) and the big single Are You Gonna Be My Girl? Regrets for me were not being able to see Ladyhawke or Devendra Banhart and The Mars Volta. Grinspoon looked fired up for a big one launching in to Ready One straight off.

It was time to fly and get down the front to be in prime position for Muse and catch the majority of Powderfinger’s set. The more I hear from Golden Rule the more I dig that album. Comparing Powderfinger now to my first Big Day Out in 1997 a lot has changed in terms of style and direction for this band. Bernard Fanning did plenty to fire up and egg on the crowd and the story about their new found jewellery was interesting whether that was from a shark or seal pup. Their set is far more mature and with a stronger message with the likes of Who Really Cares and A Fight About Money shining. These Days and My Happiness were popular inclusions but the rock ending was left with On My Mind.

The end was near as there was a brief ten minute break before Muse hit the stage allowing crew to scurry and put the final touches on the impressive light show. There’s no disputing how great Muse are and are worthy of top billing with a twenty thousand odd crowd in the main arena cheering their entrance. Opening with Uprising followed by Supermassive Black Hole and Stockholm Syndrome I was literally standing there in ore. For a three-piece they seem to be well ahead of the game with the music they play and there is no one like them. United States of Eurasia, Starlight and Plug In Baby were fantastic and just when it couldn’t get any better a few surprises were left for the encore. Nic Cester made a return to the stage joining Muse for a cover of AC/DC’s Back In Black before wrapping it up with Knights Of Cydonia.

It was at this point where I was done for the day and it wasn’t until the day after until I realised how much fun I did have. Some of the uncool things were $25 for a car park, $4.50 for a Coke and $6 for a hot dog but market forces don’t apply to the Big Day Out. As for 2011, let’s start speculating!

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