Love it or hate it, the Big Day Out has been a staple of the Australian summer for over 15 years. Once again for Melbourne, it rolled around to share its date with Australia Day, surrounded by bodies emblazoned with our nation’s flag and green and gold attire, I made my way down to Flemington Racecourse; the home of Melbourne’s Big Day Out for the last three years.

Starting my day on the main Orange stage was Perth’s Sugar Army, the perfect wake up call for those who stumbled into the festival still half asleep. Though their set began with the more slowly paced numbers, it was loud and bold, their sound and the crowd it drew, growing. Third song in was their single ‘Tongues in Cheeks’, the repetitive chorus echoing out across the showgrounds and the quartet managed t o bring their hectic pop sound to the bigger stage

Over on the smaller Green stage was Miami Horror and their effeminate dance pop songs. Though they did manage to rustle up an enthusiastic crowd, the open space did not do wonders for their live sound, it just resonated into nothing, quite clearly more suited to the smaller clubs than open spaces. Though they did look spectacular, all trussed up in black fringe and fur ensembles.    

If I wasn’t feeling good already, after Crayon Fields (pictured above) I surely was because there is no way you could feel anything but fantastic after watching their set on the Converse Essential stage. As the day heated up, it was a relaxing moment sitting on the grass and listening to the gentle, warm folky tunes of this local quartet. Amongst their tunes was a cover of Harry Nilsson’s ‘Everybody’s Talking’, their own quirky rendering slipping in perfectly amongst the other songs played. Crayon Fields are subtly, but were radiant on this Big Day Out afternoon.

Next up were Tame Impala, the trio sporting an extra axeman to help them with their psychedelic tunes.  It had been close to a year since I had last seen these boys play live, and I am pretty sure the only thing to have changed is the size of the crowd. It really is amazing what one ep can do! They opened with ‘Desire Be, Desire Go’, sounding spacious, a mix of an older rock groove and contemporary pop sensibilities to grab your attention.

Underneath the giant Boiler Room top played Decoder Ring, a band I have heard much about and was keen to catch playing live. I was completely floored by what I saw and heard. As giant wall glittered away behind them, they payed their electronic infused rock sings, reminiscent of some act Tony Wilson would have billed at the Hacienda! From scoring a soundtrack to playing in a giant tent at Big Day Out shows the versatility and musicianship of this band and today they truly wowed me, getting their audience moving despite the early time slot.

Playing on the Hot Produce stage was St Helens, and though the depleted crowd, the tent made their songs resonate, sounding atmospheric and calming. St Helens’ 2009 debut Heavy Profession was a favourite of mine, but live is how I like to listen to this band, and today even in the bigger settings they still managed to create that gentle resonance from their folky tracks.

I was then taken off to Mastodon, a band who I knew very little about and to be honest, had very little interest in seeing. But when I was standing at the main stage watching them perform, I didn’t completely hate it! They created this giant and thunderous sound, that unfortunately the crowd seemed rather nonchalant about, just polite applause between songs. Rather than being some hell-bound metal explosion, there was this weird feeling of intelligence to their music that made it bearable for me to watch and listen to, even maybe enjoy it a little.

Then next up on the Orange stage right next door was Kasabian (pictured above, sort of...), behind them a giant banner to let the world know who they are. Opening with ‘Vlad the Impaler’ from their most recent lp, the crowd extended far beyond the barriers of the D, a giant mass writhing to the British band’s dance-permeated and synth-laden rock songs. Their sound didn’t hold all its strength the further back you were as it sort of petered out, but it was audible enough to still feel the party vibe as they swopped into ‘Underdog’, ‘Where Did All the Love Go’ and the crowd pleaser from their sophomore release, ‘Shoot the Runner’. It was exciting to see this band, and to see the, appear genuinely enthusiastic about the day, clearly transferring it to the crowd laid out for kilometres before them.

I skipped out on the end of Kasabian’s set to head back to the Hot Produce tent to see The Scare. I don’t feel there is much more I can say about this band. Every time I see them, they deliver a set of blistering punk songs unabashed and full of bravado. Their crowd was small but fervent to hear their dark, gritty pop songs. Playing up was Kiss Reid’s stage persona (or ego, maybe both), telling stories of probably his own pornographic misfortunes, revelling in the sea of coins being thrown at him as the band played the first single, ‘No Money’, from their new album Oozevoodoo . No steel barricade can get between Mr Reid and his adoring audience, that’s for sure, as the both charming and obnoxious frontman spent time rummaging amongst the punters.

I hung around for Wagons, with his deep baritone vocals and jangly guitar, it was a great contrast to the act just before.  Second song in was a number called ‘Love Me Like I Love You’, and though it was infused with that Henry Wagons’ country sound, it had this catchy appeal that left the song playing in my head for a lot of the day.

I wandered past the Decemberists on the Green stage. Their sings are peculiar, covering some taboo subjects in their own folk rock way.  Colin Meloy’s nasally vocals carried clearly and matched with his acoustic guitar, it sounded delicate but with still so much happening amongst the other musicians on stage.

Then over on the Converse stage, it was the band I have been waiting an excruciatingly long time to see, The Horrors. Opening with ‘Mirror’s Image’, they played a set of songs from their 2009 album Primary Colours . The songs became these giant monsters, abrasive yet mature. One standout number was ‘Who Can Say’, frontman Faris standing tall and looming as he spoke the words borrowed from Jay and the Americans’ tune, ‘She Cried’. His dark vocals haunted out across the crowd, mixing with the mess of synthesiser and hectic guitar.

I then stuck around for Devendra Banhart, backed by his band the Grogs (pictured below). It was really the Devendra I was expecting, but a lovely Devendra none-the-less, performing his reggae-esque folk songs with enthusiasm and a light-hearted humour. Everything about Devendra is distinctive, particularly his vocals, with a quirky vibrato you could recognise a mile away. As he and his band played their do-whop tunes, it was the perfect soundtrack to the breezy summer night.

I caught the last song of Lily Allen, her most recent little ditty about a lover not so good at loving, ‘Not Fair’. Scantily clad in an Australian flag, she reminded everyone that this would be the last we saw of her as a singer. She sounded cute, just as you would expect the British songstress to!

Opening with ‘Intertiatic ESP’ was Texas’ finest, The Mars Volta. Frontman Cedric and his famous ‘fro jumped and bounded around the stage like a man possessed, spitting and hissing out his Spanish-inspired lyrics. Even with the new drummer, the band tore up the Big Day Out stage for their third festival appearance. They finished with crowd favourite ‘Roulette Dares’, from the band’s very first album, still inciting the same exhilaration as it has in the past.

Peaches, no one divides a crowd like Peaches can! You can either love her, hate her or feel completely confused by her. Nevertheless, she is a pioneer at what she does. Donning some giant black fringed, Star Wars-esque costume and flanked by two hairy dancers, Peaches high-kicked, strutted and even audience-walked her way through a set of her songs from right across her four albums, giving her hyperactive crowd a taste of the new songs live, such as ‘Billionaire’ and pleasing older fans with the favourites like ‘Shake Yer Dix’ and ‘Boys Wanna be Her’, backed by her most recent band of deviants, Sweet Machine and keeping the punters on their toes with each costume change.

Back under the giant Boiler Room tent again was Groove Armada (pictured below), and act I wasn’t intending to see, but all the elaborate strobes and lasers caught my eye, and like a moth to the flame, I found myself caught up dancing amongst the giant mass of twisting festival goers. Groove Armada gave everybody the chance to dance as though no one was watching!

On my dawdle out, I saw Muse sounding BIG like some corny 80’s hair metal band cross a 1970’s Rock Opera. Frontman Matt Bellamy making a different, over-theatrical guitar face every minute as he ‘shredded’ away. They did sound epic, but in the position they were in, they didn’t really have an excuse to sound anything but. As the giant crowd-pulling headliner act, they were perfect for Big Day Out, but definitely not my drawing card.

Another Melbourne Big Day Out over for the year. There were some hits and misses, and as much as you swear the year before that you were never going back, the day rolls around and you have a ball, watching bands you love and maybe discovering some new ones along the way. Here’s to hoping 2011 Big Day Out has some tricks up their sleeve.