The second Big Day Out 2014 lineup is scheduled to drop this week, but a band already announced for the lineup of next year’s edition of the annual touring festival are the first to confirm sideshows to the one-day event.
Among the likes of triple headliners Arcade Fire, Blur, Pearl Jam, and Snoop Dogg, Major Lazer, Flume and Tame Impala on the Big Day Out 2014 lineup is grunge-era survivors, Mudhoney.
The four-piece, who return to the Big Day Out lineup for the first time since playing the festival’s 1993 edition, have announced headline sideshows, with the tour dates ‘leaked’ early by the band’s label Sub Pop records on their official website, as FasterLouder points out.
Following a date in Auckland, New Zealand, Mudhoney will tour Australia through January, with performances at venues in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
Mudhoney were last in the country for last year’s Splendour In The Grass festival, playing a single sideshow in Melbourne, and return for the Big Day Out 2014 off the back of their ninth and latest studio album, Vanishing Point.
The album, the band’s first in over half a decade, was released in April and coincided with the 25th anniversary of the band as well as Sub Pop, the indie label that played an integral part in shaping Seattle’s grunge scene and bringing it to the wider world, including fellow bands (and Big Day Out alumni) Dinosaur Jr and Nirvana.
The news of Mudhoney’s Big Day Out 2014 sideshows precedes the official reveal of a second round of bands to be added to the festival bill, scheduled for this Thursday (19th November) via the Triple J airwaves during the Breakfast slot with Tom and Alex.
As for who to expect to be added to the bill, it’s highly likely that Brazilian indie outfit CSS – a refugee from AJ Maddah’s Harvest 2013 lineup following its cancellation – could end up on the bill given that the promoter has since bought a stake into the Big Day Out.
Don’t expect any ‘white whales’ the scale of Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, or Blur though, given that Maddah – who has just announced a massive second lineup for his own Soundwave – has already downplayed the second Big Day Out 2014 lineup, describing it as a “supplementary announcement.” Fellow festival co-promoter Ken West has also said not to expect “massive” bands, while indicating that the current lineup of 32 artists will grow to a final tally of around 45 acts.
Mudhoney Big Day Out 2014 Sideshows
Thursday 16th January – King’s Arms, Auckland NZ
Saturday 18th January – The Zoo, Brisbane QLD
Wednesday 22nd January – Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC
Wednesday 29th January – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW
Big Day Out 2014 Lineup
Pearl Jam * Arcade Fire * Blur
Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion * Major Lazer * Steve Angello (Swedish House Mafia) * Flume * The Lumineers * Tame Impala * Dillon Francis * Mac Miller * Ghost * Grouplove * Flosstradamus * Portugal. The Man * Toro Y Moi * DIIV * The Naked And Famous * Big Gigantic * PEZ * Mudhoney * Cosmic Psychos * Northlane * The 1975 * Loon Lake * Kingswood * Bo Ningen * The Algorithm * DZ Deathrays * Peking Duk * Ben Morris * Rüfüs
2nd Big Day Out 2014 lineup announcement on Tuesday 19th November.
Big Day Out 2014 Dates & Venues
Friday 17th January ~ Western Springs, Auckland*
Sunday 19th January ~ Metricon Stadium & Carrara Parklands, Gold Coast
Friday 24th January ~ Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
Sunday 26th January ~ Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney
Friday 31st January ~ Bonython Park, Adelaide**
Sunday 2nd February ~ Claremont Showgrounds, Perth**
*For New Zealand Big Day Out 2014 lineup and ticketing details, please refer towww.bigdayout.com and choose AUCKLAND
**Subject to council approval
