Brisbane's Big Day Out Sideshows

A recurring issue on my blog is the lack of festival sideshows in Brisbane. Big Day Out this year are doing an alright effort to overcome that. Sure we don't get the massive amount of sideshows Melbourne and Sydney gets, and we even miss the big ones (no Soundgarden and the Bronx... *cries*).

However, we are getting these:

Hip-hop guys Das Rascist at the Zoo January 24. 18+  (This song reminds me of my younger, more confused days were I spent a lot of time at that store).
My Chemical Romance at Eatons Hill Hotel January 24 (I was obsessed with this album when it came out. They lost me quickly after it). And if you're wondering, Eatons Hill Hotel is north of Brisbane, even further out then the Entertainment Centre.
Former Sepultura and Soulfly boys in the Cavalera Conspiracy will play the HiFi February 6.
Foster the People play the Tivoli January 23 (my vote for the song most likely to get stuck in my head and annoy the crap out of me 2011).

Big Day Out first announcement: as it happened

For 2012's Big Day Out, the promoters took a leaf from the Soundwave festival school of promotion: they leaked the artists one at a time over Twitter. However, unlike Soundwave, they did it over 2 nights, instead of just whenever they hell the feel like it for months at a time. And now, here's the list, with my initial reactions as I sat at my computer:

But before we start, let us not forget what you will see a lot of during your day if you do decide to go: bad patriotism tattoos.

Why yes, that is the map of Australia. And yes, the interior is the Australian flag over a bunch of $100 bills. And yes, apparently Tasmania isn't part of Australia. (I took this picture during Matt and Kim this year. Couldn't stop laughing).

Anyway, the first announcement, with my reactions:

• Best Coast "huh.. first band announced, and I'll probably want to see them. This could be a good year... maybe..."
• Foster the People "Triple J listener's cliche band of the moment at the festival."
• Cage the Elephant "Yes, I'll see them. They're good and a lot of people won't see them! They'll be on a side stage outside of the crowds"
• The Getaway Plan "Christ I saw this band like 100 times in 2004-2008. Pass"
• Girl Talk "An artist that will get me to the boiler room this year!"
• Frenzal Rhomb "Already seen them twice in the last year, they must be desperate for money now!"
• OFWGKTA "Weren't they here a few months back? Probably still trying to cash in their short-lived earning potential. Don't want to see them though"
• The Jezabels "They are becoming one of those Australian bands that play every festival now!"
• Battles "YES! Highlight of a Big Day Out a few years ago... But are they as good without their old frontman now?"
• Architecture in Helsinki "They wrapped up a tour only a few days ago. Back on it already?!"
• Mariachi El Bronx "OH HELL YES. I hope that means the Bronx does a sideshow too!"
• Parkway Drive "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
• Boy And Bear "More Australian music content filler. Should not be as high up over some of these great overseas bands"
• Hilltop Hoods "well it's not a Big Day Out unless the Hilltop Hoods play... is it?"
• Royskopp "Was not expecting this... More of a V-Fest or Laneway band, but could be excellent late in the afternoon"
• The Living End "It's not an Australian music festival unless they play it"
• My Chemical Romance "They've never been the same since their first album. Glad I saw them in lots of small club shows when I was younger"
• Kasabian "ohhhhhhhhhhh yes. Excellent festival band"
• Soundgarden "wait.. Back up. WHAT?! They're back together? HECK YES"
• Kanye West "not a logical choice. He was too expensive for Splendour (yet still played it) and they didn't even get close to selling out. Just gives me a reason to leave early"

So will I go? At the start it was a definite no. Now it's a maybe. Soundgarden together again will probably be the one band that tips me over the edge into "fuck it, I'm going." But we'll wait for the second announcement.

January 22. Gold Coast Parklands

One sentence album reviews (#6)

Ólafur Arnalds - ...and they have escaped the weight of darkness (2010): modern classical music, much less brooding than his debut album, more happy 3.5/5

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz (2010): It's as if Sufjan had a late night encounter with Animal Collective and spawned this album. 4/5

Small Black - New Chain (2010): Very relaxed lo-fi, slightly electronic album. Perfect rainy day music 3/5

Sirens - The Gates (2010): First metalcore album I've enjoyed listening to in years. Probably because there's no cliche electronica. 3.5/5

Buckethead - Spinal Clock (2010): Avant garde, almost minimalist guitar album. Half of the tracks are guitar sounding like a shamisen. 4/5

Buckethead - Captain Eo's Voyage (2010): A more sombre and somewhat dreamy instrumental guitar album than his earlier blistering shredding days. 4/5

She Likes Todd- A Story Still Untold (2010): Fun pop-punk, in a bit of a late 90s style. 2.5/5

The State Lottery - When The Night Comes (2010): Very folky punk, with lots of random instruments; just what I like. 3.5/5

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days (2010): Better than the Black Parade. Story is confusing and half the songs rip off famous riffs. 1.5/5

Terror - Keepers Of The Faith (2010): Quality hardcore album, but funny, because there's a serious hardcore love song on it. 4/5

Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History (2010): Upbeat dance indie, as if Death Cab for Cutie decided to get his groove on 4/5

The Walkmen - Lisbon (2010): The vintage-sounding indie of this album is how they should've sounded over the last 3 albums. 4.5/5

Ke$ha - Cannibal (2010): Autotune + cute girl = profit, but not good music. 1/5 (half a point is for her knowing and capturing her market)

Useless Children - EP (2008): Indie, screamo from Melbourne with a female singer. I'm in love. Reminds me of a better Young and Restless 4.5/5

The Black Pacific - The Black Pacific (2010): New band from former Pennywise lead singer stays rooted in 90s punk, sounds just like Unwritten Law. 3/5

Wolf Parade - Expo 86 (2010): I like thier music, but his wavering vocals still drive me insane on this album. 3/5

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt (2010): I've yet to see a review not compare him to a young Bob Dylan. That's why this is good. 4/5

Weezer - Death to False Metal (2010): ...Wait, they released 2 albums this year? I could've sworn it was the same album. 1.5/5

New My Chemical Romance Song

I Brought you My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was a huge album for me. It introduced me to post-hardcore with it's fast guitars, progressive drumming and insane live shows. I saw My Chemical Romance play some amazing live shows on the back of this album (with some amazing tour mates such as From Autumn to Ashes, Taking Back Sunday, Recover, Murder by Death and Vaux) for some ridiculously cheap prices. I don't think I paid more that $15.


They were insane, one of the highlights for me was at Gabe's Oasis in Iowa City back in high school days. In one song, I think it was Drowning Lessons, the guitarist was jumping around like a madman, eventually running across the stage, jumping feet first into the wall, pushing off it, landing on his back, all without missing a beat.

If you had talked to me before the release of the Black Parade, I would have mentioned this band. Hell, I used to wear their shirts to uni almost weekly. And then the Black Parade came out, pretty much ruining their music much in the same vein as American Idiot did to Green Day (shit, it turns out both albums were produced by the same man. Thanks Wikipedia for confirming how jointly shit they were). When I saw them at Big Day Out they just stood there playing their instruments. It seems their energy went away with their good songs.

Well anyway, enough reminiscing. They have a new album coming out soon with a horrible name: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Bleh. There's a song leak on soundcloud too http://soundcloud.com/attentiondrain/mcr-na-na-na/s-m3qv7. And it sounds just as horrible and modern-rock-pop as the Black Parade. I've given them one more album until I write them off, so I have a feeling this may be the parting of ways for me and this band. We've had some fun and I will still continue to play songs from I brought you my bullets on my guitar.