They don’t call it Big for nothing. After what seemed a lifetime of waiting since the tickets went on sale (two hours earlier than they should have for some, thanks for the heads up Facebook!), Friday the 22nd of January  was upon us. And boy, was it upon us.

Unfortunately this time Tim Bailey and the weather team got it right with the forecast for Friday being in the  “mid 30’s” and “sunny”. Although to make it a little more true to the day, I would have reported “mid-300000000’s” and “sunny, with a chance of hell fire”. Homebush Bay became the burning bush as we all sweltered in the sun. But, what would a summer festival be without sunglasses, sunscreen, sweating off that sunscreen,  and sunburn from the lack of sunscreen?

After gorging on a plentitude of Yum Cha to gear up for the day, we first headed to the Green Stage to see The Temper Trap, along with almost every other person at the show. The sun beat its angry rays down upon us as we danced (as well as one can in hot times) to their very crowd satisfying set. Their oh so massive singles “Sweet Dispostion” and “Science of Fear” being the obvious favourites. Man, that Dougie has  a high voice!

Speaking of Soprano-esque vocals, next to step up to the musical plate was Boston band Passion Pit, at the neighbouring Converse Essential Stage. Being a massive fan of their EP “Chunk of Change” and the album “Manners“, I was quite anticipating this set, and was rewarded accordingly. Although the crowd was not so large, the people watching were keen as mustard about the band and as “Sleepyhead” ‘s infectious, thumping beat pulsed through the tiny masses, we were whipped into a dancing tiny mass. I’d like to personally thank you Passion Pit for your stellar performance of all my favourites (except Cuddle Fuddle) and I hope you enjoyed your Big Day Out experience.

After two hours and about 20 applications and re-applications of sunscreen later, we decided to re-hydrate and re-locate into the main arena. Only to find we were all sunburnt. Bummer. But at least there was shade from the ominous looking clouds that had rolled in and mist. Oh, that sweet, sweet mist.

The Hilltop Hoods were currently gracing the Orange Stage with their presence and bringing out the arena’s inner gangster. We admired the amount of garbage on the ground, all the scantily clad men and women, the special people who wore black (idiots) and the sheer amount of people there were at 2010’s biggest of big days. They weren’t lying when they said it sold out.

And what better way to rev up the thousands of attendees than with the commencement of Mr. Dizzee Rascal. Suddenly, everyone around us was a FANTASTIC dancer and there were moves being busted all over the place. Booties were shook, and knuckles were waved as Dizzee’s dulcet English verses were belted out by the shirtless star. Now was the time to enter the D bar, and really enjoy the Blue Stage show. “Flex”, “Dance With Me” and “Holiday” all went down an absolute treat, but the crème de la crème of the performance was yes, you guessed it, “Bonkers”. The song started, and there was an almighty surge of Dizzee fans towards the stage. Being a mature 22 year old, I decided to hang back and enjoy the concert from my perfect vantage point, by dancing like an effing lunatic in all my extra space! Much to the enjoyment (or disgust) of those on the other side of the D Bar. Incredible.

After all that exuberance and exercise. It was definitely time for a pause and a rest. Thankfully, it was Lily Allen’s turn to take the Orange Stage in a multicoloured mu-mu dress. Unfortunately the ominous clouds had parted momentarily and the sun belted in on the sassy songstress’ English skin, causing her to reach for an oxygen mask. Gasp! Will she be able to continue her set? Is she going to faint? No, she just reached for another cigarette. Oh. Another crowd pleasing performer, she entertained her fans with songs from her latest album “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and all the favourites from “Alright Still” as well as a surprising cover of Britney Spears’ “Womanizer”.

Time to stand up again. Harder and harder to do as they day wore on. The Mars Volta’s psychedelic coloured backdrop put Lily’s moo-moo to shame. As well as Omar’s brown vest and pants combo. Hero. Cedric’s shrill vocals and the scattered tempos so recognizable of the Volta rang out across the arena, whilst Cedric pulsed and convulsed across the stage, hurling mic stands and cymbal stands everywhere he went. A Spanish tornado with MASSIVE hair.

And sit down. Aaaaahhhhh. The 2005 Triple J Hottest 100 winner Bernard Fanning and the band that made him famous Powderfinger were on to fill the Waiting for Muse slot (I mean the 8:00-9:00pm slot) and didn’t disappoint. All the classics, “My Happiness” “On My Mind” and “I Love Your Way” gave the arena a relaxed and content feel as people swayed, clung to their mates and sung along. A tough pair of shoes to fill, being “the band before Muse”, but being experienced players of the music stage, I felt they delivered a quality, polished performance. Well done, Powderfinger. Bravo.

Ok. It was time. Time to become part of one of the greatest band on the planet’s outstanding atmospheres. Three LED light curtains draped the back drop of a city scape in black and white, with three large white projection surfaces on either side of the stage, the third being on the Orange stage side.

Beginning with “Uprising”, Muse did what they do best, epic bass, guitar and drums paired with an epic array of lights and effects, all punched out to an eager, epic crowd. Mixing only a few songs off their 2009 album release “The Resistance“, with their classics from their previous albums, “Time is Running Out”, “Plug In Baby”, and “Starlight” just to name a few they rocked the arena to its very solid concrete foundations. A guest appearance from Jet’s Nick Cester brought the band to then cover an Aussie rock classic, “Back In Black” by none other than the gods of greatness themselves AC/DC. Personally I would have loved to have to have heard Bellamy croon the screeching vocals of Brian Johnson, I think that might have been quite a treat, but his shredding of the guitar solo made up for it in so many ways. The band’s music of course matched only by the optically orgasmic light and visual effects of video, tweaked live shots of each member, smoke and of course, LASERS! What a fucking performance Muse. I am now carrying each one of your babies.

The crowd started to slowly, ever, ever so slowly trudge out of the D bar in somewhat  of a musical post-coital glow. Just when we thought nothing could top what we all had just experienced, the FIRE started! Jets of the hot stuff plumed from the top of the stages and various other points around the arena. Red sparks shot out in other points. Then the FIREWORKS! In our dizzying Muse-phoria, these were quite possibly the most amazing display of fireworks we had ever seen, each snap, crackle and incredibly loud pop of them timed to classical music being played over the grassy, garbage-covered expanse. A final burst of fireworks all at once was loud enough so send me cowering to the ground covering my ears in fear of terrorism.  Woooooooow.

The time came for us to depart the BDO for another year, plodding off to our semi-secret free parking spot (win!). We bade the past Olympics site farewell and were thanking goodness that we didn’t have to do it all again the next day at the 100th Big Day Out show. Another solid effort Sydney, and Happy Birthday Big Day Out! You old festival fart, you!