Sydney BIG DAY OUT 2010 (Day 1 wrap)

The summer heat was in full swing, but that didn’t stop punters from soaking up killer sets today, enjoying the first of two sold out Sydney BIG DAY OUTs. Capping off the show with an absolutely spectacular fireworks and fire cannon finale, the entire arena of Sydney Showground was lit up, as the BDO celebrated the eve of our 100th show.

With seven BDO’s taking place across the nation (today’s show following on from successful events in Auckland on Friday 15th January, and the Gold Coast on Sunday 17th January), a sold-out crowd of 53,000 music fans kept their cool despite the soaring temperature. Making the most of the free water fountains and water stations across the BDO site, festival-goers took in 70+ acts hailing from both Australia and beyond, proving yet again why the BDO is Australia’s premier live music festival.

UK trio MUSE headlined with an amazing set that had to be seen to believed – even inviting JET’s Nic Cester up onstage for a rendition of AC/DC’s “Back In Black”. LILY ALLEN seduced the crowd on the Orange Stage, while punters headed indoors to keep cool with SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, GIRL TALK and CALVIN HARRIS in the Boiler Room. The Silent Disco also provided a reprieve from the heat.

Aussie artists showcased yet again why they rival the biggest overseas names when it comes to live music. The TEMPER TRAP lit up the Green Stage with a huge singalong to “Sweet Disposition”, while hip-hop kings the HILLTOP HOODS nailed it over on the Orange Stage.

In addition to the music, the BIG DAY OUT showcased a collection of visual art, including: sculpture that comes to life, progressive street art, film, and photography.

The fireworks and fire canon spectacular took place shortly after Muse left the stage. The BDO reaches a mammoth milestone tomorrow, with the second sold-out Sydney event – taking place Saturday 23rd January – marking our 100th BIG DAY OUT show.

St Johns Ambulance Commander, John Merlino reported that the majority of treatments across the day were heat related, including dehydration, exhaustion and sunburn. Despite this, figures were down on last year’s event.

Tomorrow’s show (Saturday 23rd January) is expected to be another scorcher with an early evening storm predicted. Organisers urge everyone attending to take the necessary precautions to ensure they have a happy and safe day.

Please keep hydrated by drinking lots of water, apply sunscreen before you arrive, and keep applying throughout the day. (Free sunscreen is available from the St Johns.) We strongly recommend you wear a hat.

>From Sydney, the BIG DAY OUT travels to Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. The line-up features some of the biggest names in the music world including MUSE, LILY ALLEN, DIZZEE RASCAL, PEACHES, KASABIAN, GROOVE ARMADA and many, many more.

www.bigdayout.com

Dirty Three replace Echo and the Bunnymen at Brisbane Laneway; Sydney Echo gig rescheduled

Due to unforeseen circumstances, UK outfit ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN will be replaced by Melbourne deities THE DIRTY THREE at the Brisbane Laneway Festival event this Friday.
The same circumstances force the band to reschedule tonight’s Sydney performance at the Enmore Theatre to Tuesday 2 February at the Metro Theatre.

Patrons holding tickets for the Enmore Theatre show will be granted access with their current tickets, those requiring a refund can arrange this by contacting their point of purchase.
Tickets for the newly scheduled Metro show are on sale now through Ticketek and the venue box office.
Echo & The Bunnymen [not performing Brisbane], Florence and The Machine, Black Lips, The XX, Daniel Johnston [Performing in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne & Perth], Sarah Blasko, N.AS.A, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Hockey, Dappled Cities, Mumford & Sons , Radioclit, The Very Best, Wild Beasts [Performing in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne & Perth], Whitley, The Middle East, Kid Sam, Dirty Three [Brisbane and Melbourne only] and heaps more…

DATES AND VENUES
Friday 29 January Brisbane Alexandria St off St Paul’s Terrace, Fortitude Valley (Twilight event) – – SOLD OUT
Saturday 30 January Melbourne Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) – SOLD OUT
Sunday 31 January Sydney Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) – SOLD OUT
Monday 1 February Auckland Britomart Station.
Friday 5 February Adelaide Fowler’s Live, North Terrace (Twilight event) – OUTLET TICKETS SOLD OUT, AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY
Saturday 6 February Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge
TICKETING DETAILS
TICKETS TO PERTH AND ADELAIDE AVAILABLE FROM
Web Bookings: www.lanewayfestival.com.au
Phone Bookings: 1300 369 882
Head to www.lanewayfestival.com.au for participating retail outlets and all the information on the line up and new locations.

Live Review: The Mars Volta – The Tivoli – 18th January 2010

Review: Lana Harris

The Mars Volta   The Tivoli is filling with fans and the ambient strains of lounge jazz. Bodies crowd the railings upstairs first, spectators safe behind the iron and wood. As more people push through the doors the floor packs out, the main crowds are drawn towards the stage, towards the backdrop of snake and other eyes, wings and amorphous canine face shapes, lit by blasts of ketchup red from above. Excited chatter now drowns out the background melodies, until The Mars Volta hit the stage.

Continue reading Live Review: The Mars Volta – The Tivoli – 18th January 2010

OK GO return to Australia – February 2010

OK GO   The mind-bending band that gave us what is largely considered the decade’s most viewed music video (even the Simpsons parodied it), the treadmill-manned, Grammy-award winning “Here It Goes Again,” is back. Never content to rest on their laurels, OK Go return with the new album, Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky. The album is the follow up to 2005’s Oh No and was produced by ex-Mercury Rev member David Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT).

Continue reading OK GO return to Australia – February 2010

Interview: Kid Sam – Keiran Ryan

Kid Sam   Interviewer: Hannah Collins

It’s a ridiculously hot summer day in Melbourne. Keiran Ryan (KR) is lying on the couch, drinking tea *not iced tea because he ‘don’t like that stuff’* chatting with Hannah Collins (LMM) on all things ‘Kid Sam‘.

LMM: So whats ‘Kid Sam‘ up to?

KR: ‘We have a couple of weeks off now and then Laneway (Laneway Festival), which should be really awesome, the lineup is fantastic with a really strong Australian contingent! I’m looking forward to Dirty Three, Oh Murphy?, and Philadelphia Grand Jury again. We’ve done a tour with them already. Yeah, so it’s great. Then comes the Daniel Johnston gigs which we’re like, hugely, hugely excited about!
Continue reading Interview: Kid Sam – Keiran Ryan

‘Walking On A Dream’ Hits Double Platinum

Like to roll like Empire Of The Sun royalty?

To celebrate the double platinum sales of the ‘Walking On A Dream’ (Empire of the SunEmpire of the Sun available at iTunes)album this week, Empire Of The Sun are giving one lucky person the chance to win this exclusive ‘hotter than the sun’ customized V8 Holden Sandman.
To win this one-of-a-kind rumbling beast, simply purchase the ARIA Album Of The Year ‘Walking On A Dream’ two-disc Special Edition and enter via this ‘Win the Sun Chariot’ link –
Empire Of The Sun Chariot

Continue reading ‘Walking On A Dream’ Hits Double Platinum

ARIA Chart News – w/c 18 Jan 2010

Owl City and Susan Boyle triumph for another week at the summit of the
ARIA Singles, Digital Track and Album Charts

Owl City continues to dominate the ARIA Singles Chart, claiming a third consecutive week on top with “Fireflies”. The hit single also achieves its fourth week straight at number one on the ARIA Digital Track Chart. Remaining in peak position on the ARIA Album Chart for the eighth week running is Susan Boyle’s monster debut release “I Dreamed A Dream”, which becomes the first album in over a year to hold at the top of chart for eight weeks straight. P!nk‘s mega release “Funhouse” was the last album to do this, riding the top of the chart for nine consecutive weeks in November/December 2008.
Continue reading ARIA Chart News – w/c 18 Jan 2010

The Killers announce headline show at Enmore Theatre, Sydney

Las Vegas rockers The Killers have decided to treat their fans to an exclusive intimate show at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on 12 February 2010 to accompany their headlining slot in this years Good Vibrations Festival.

Comprising of frontman Brandon Flowers, bassist Mark Stoermer, guitarist Dave Keuning and drummer Ronnie Vannucci, The Killers have achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success around the globe. They have received seven Grammy nominations and won a variety of MTV and NME awards, gaining recognition for their ability to command entire arenas with incredible showmanship and musical prowess.
Continue reading The Killers announce headline show at Enmore Theatre, Sydney

CD Review: The Bloodpoets – Polarity

Review by: Lana Harris

The Bloodpoets   When playing poker, it’s not enough to be good at the game. To be the winner takes all, you need to maintain a certain level of unpredictability too. If The Bloodpoets music is anything to go by, these guys would make excellent poker players. The second single (and first track) from Polarity, ‘Just in Time’, bursts forwards with cinematic drama and a dark urgency led by Jake Parker’s bass. The brooding opening of this song then flows into a pop orientated chorus and harmonies, a completely unexpected development on first listen. But as the album thrusts forward, it becomes apparent that blending deep rock guitars with lighter sing along lyrics is what The Bloodpoets do.

Continue reading CD Review: The Bloodpoets – Polarity

Gold Coast Big Day Out wrap up

Kicking off the 2010 Australian leg, the BIG DAY OUT landed in the Gold Coast today – the BDO making its first stop in what will be a seven-leg series across the nation. A sold out crowd of 55,000 music fans headed to the Gold Coast Parklands to enjoy balmy summer conditions and top-notch performances, with over 65 acts from Australia and across the globe showcasing their talents.

Hailing from Devon in the UK, English trio MUSE proved just why they’re one of the best-loved visitors to our shores, headlining with a killer set that included hits such as “Supermassive Black Hole”, “United States Of Eurasia” and “Resistance”. Fellow Brit LILY ALLEN wowed fans with her spicy set, taking to the Orange Stage in the afternoon donning sunglasses and a sequined leotard. Earlier in the day Passion Pit and Kasabian revved up the crowd, while grime star Dizzee Rascal sent everyone bonkers. Over in the Boiler Room, CALVIN HARRIS, SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO and GIRL TALK got punters moving, with GROOVE ARMADA closing the night with a dance-floor frenzy.
Continue reading Gold Coast Big Day Out wrap up

Tour: Hockey headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne 2010

Dance punk/indie rockers Hockey, hailing from Portland, Oregon will make their way to Australia for the first time to perform at the Laneway Festivals and headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne.

Hockey comprises singer Benjamin Grubin, guitarist Brian White, bassist Jeremy Reynolds, drummer Anthony Stassi and touring keyboardist Ryan Dolliver, and have been compared in their sound to bands such as The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem.
Continue reading Tour: Hockey headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne 2010

Laneway Festival 2010 announce final acts and more…

It’s the final countdown. With the first leg of the Laneway Festival kicking off NEXT WEEK, we have a final round of announcements to make.
The Sydney and Melbourne dates sold out some time ago; outlets in Adelaide and Brisbane have sold out but you can buy the last remaining tickets via www.lanewayfestival.com.au; and all cities look to sell out pre-event. Get your tickets now etc.
Continue reading Laneway Festival 2010 announce final acts and more…

Photo Gallery: Sunset Sounds 2010

Photographer: Stuart Blythe

Click image to view photo gallery
Lisa Mitchell @ Sunset SoundsYKB @ Sunset Sounds
Seasick Steve @ Sunset SoundsBertie @ Sunset Sounds

Sunset Sounds 2010 (06 Jan 2010 – 07 Jan 2010) , Brisbane

In a supreme tease to office workers across the CBD, Sunset Sounds opened its gates for a second year to accept the swarm of humanity buzzing around the Botanic Gardens mid-afternoon…

Click here for Photos by Stuart Blythe


Related:
Live Review: Sunset Sounds 2010 – Day 1
Live Review: Sunset Sounds 2010 – Day 2
Photos: Sunset Sounds 2010 – Day 1 by Matt Palmer
Photos: Sunset Sounds 2010 – Day 2 by Matt Palmer
Photos: Sunset Sounds 2010 – by Stuart Blythe

Live Review: Sunset Sounds Day 2, January 7 2010

Review: Duncan McKimm

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Sunset Sounds
[Photo: Matt Palmer]
  With a dominant lineup from start to finish, the Riverstage was heavily populated from early on the second day of Sunset Sounds. Blessed with pleasingly mild weather again, the general affability of the crowd should be commended – as should the prevalence of shirts on male patrons (why is that so hard at other festivals?).

Having recently released what can only be described as a puzzling third album, Editors brought the air-strike riffs and towering vocals of their first two albums, interspersed with tracks from their strange Kulture Klub meets Ian Curtis new album to the Riverstage. Suffice to say their earlier material like ‘Munich’ and ‘Bullets’ moved the crowd and sounded fantastic through the big sound system. The less said about the few new tracks they brought the better.
Continue reading Live Review: Sunset Sounds Day 2, January 7 2010