Big One proves as big as ever

By GRAHAM REID

It happens every year at the Big Day Out. In the weeks before, opinion shifts from the lineup being "not as good as last year" to the recognition that this is another Big One.

But this year was different. In a word: Metallica.

These heavy-hitters pulled thousands of extra punters to make this year an uncomfortable sellout. Just trying to get between stages became a sweaty mission. But miraculously, this year had to be one of the BDO's best yet.

With Black Eyed Peas, The Darkness, the Strokes and Muse - plus locals such as the D4, Datsuns, Mareko and others - this was one of the strongest and most diverse lineups for years.

Early up, locals 8 Foot Sativa were in typically intimidating, stadium-shaking form. And that set the tone for the day. Later, local drum'n'bass duo Concord Dawn, who have been thrilling in the past, were again in devastating form. They looked to be the band to take up the old Shihad mantle, rising to the occasion and claiming the BDO as their own.

Equally impressive were Black Eyed Peas, whose skunky-funk hip-hop pulled the first huge crowd into the main arena.

Other bands were clearly punching above their weight. On first impressions, Lostprophets were an utterly ordinary nu-metal outfit, but became persuasively awful. They handed over to Kings of Leon, who promised much and were fine.

The Mint Chicks, who take themselves very seriously, came off more like a new Mi-Sex than a threat to civilised society. On the hip-hop stage, the gap between enthusiastic amateurs and disciplined professionals has never seemed wider. Exciting sets by Ill Semantics, P-Money with Scribe, and the Dawn Raid crew (Deceptikonz with Mareko) made the others look, well, lousy.

Salmonella Dub pulled such a huge crowd that it was impossible for latecomers to get in, so hundreds sat outside and listened to a great set while watching the tent wobble.

The Strokes weighed in with a disciplined set of NYC rock'n'roll.

Every year there are surprises and this year it was Peaches, whose exceptional performance was located somewhere between a decadent art statement and an Amsterdam strip bar. With minimal guitar, beats and lyrics, she was certainly memorable.

She was one of the best - along with Metallica of course whose high-drama set was what most had come for. But even after Metallica it wasn't over.

The Flaming Lips played a glorious set of gorgeous melodies, irony, and with people dancing in fluffy animal suits. If Metallica were the hardnosed Led Zeppelin on the night, they were the more witty Pink Floyd.

So a musical treat with discomforts taken with tolerance.