It’s a sad time, the Big Day Out is over, it’s done, it’s left us forever. FOREVER!

 

So all we can do sit in our rocking chairs and reminisce about the good old days. And that’s exactly what we’ve done with this, our first Top 10 list of 2012. Here are our 10 favourite Big Day Out acts that have moved our feet and strained our voices in Auckland over the last 18 years.

 

 

10: Jurassic 5

2002, in the rain. Sure it’s all well and good when the sun comes out and everybody’s happy, but there’s something just so special about when the weather turns to crap and you have to abandon all thoughts of looking good and just enjoy the music.

 

 

9: Basement Jaxx

The kings of the Boiler Room. If you’re lucky enough to wake up the next day remember what the hell went on the night before, Basement Jaxx is also the first (and sometimes only) thing that sticks in your mind after a big night out in the Boiler Room.

 

 

8: Blink 182

You know when the right band comes at the exactly the right time? That was Blink 182 in 2000. Perfect sounding renditions of their songs, and absolutely hilarious stage banter.

 

 

7: Bjork

She’s been a couple of times, including the notorious 2008 when her space was taken up by ravenous Rage Against The Machine fans. But if you saw her perform, you know it was something special. And it highlights one of the things everybody loves about teh Big Day Out: complaining about the scheduling.

 

 

6: Muse

Voted the best live band in the world multiple times for a very good reason. The laser lights, the epic anthems, the attempts to sing along with the big notes. Good times.

 

 

5: Shihad

Because they’re always there. They are always. Just. There. (except for this year, which is really sad) it’s weird having a Big Day Out without Shihad.

 

 

4: The Killers

Rock and Roll done with flair. The Killers know how to command a festival stage, which really isn’t as easy as you’d think.

 

 

3: Rammstein

The biggest and heaviest of all the Big Day Out performers? No need to sing along to the lyrics when you’re thrashing your body around with 40,000 other people. Who knew one band could fill an entire stadium with noise, and that it would be so damn entertaining.

 

 

2: Soundgarden

They were there at the start, and they’re here for the end. It’s almost too perfect. We can only assume that Chris Cornell and his cohorts are going to give the “last headliner of the Big Day Out” the best show it deserves.

 

 

1: Metallica vs The Flaming Lips

2004. Metallica on the mainstage, The Flaming Lips on the back field. The two most quintessential festival performances of the decade happened side by side. Metallica threw down a massive and heavy set, while The Flaming Lips had the most pure fun a Big Day Out stage has ever seen. Moshing and Conffetti. Black T-shirts and Animal costumes. This is what a festival is all about.

 

 

What was your favourite artist to perform? Everybody’s list will be personal, but if you want to hate on ours, feel free to do that, too.