The Big Day Out was more than a festival, it was a legendary Aussie institution with a knack for picking the next big thing. In 1999, when the Big Day Out festival was in its seventh year, organisers made the brave decision to host Courtney Love and Marylin Manson on the same bill (a precursor to their doomed Beautiful Monsters co-headline tour). It was also a triumph of Aussie rock with a cast of homegrown indie sweethearts, including The Living End, The Superjesus, Powderfinger, Jebediah and Regurgitator.
Take yourself back to a time when rock reigned supreme and attitude was everything with our highlights from the 1999 Big Day Out festival.
Hole | “Miss World” [Big Day Out 1999]
Hole were one of the headline bands for the year and Courtney Love did not disappoint! She explodes onto sage like she’s ready for a boxing match, launches straight into an enlightening monologue about religion (that feels suspiciously like a continuation of a backstage argument with Marilyn Manson that we all missed the beginning of) and delivers each song with the perfect amount of punk mayhem that makes a Hole concert impossible to look away from.
Hole | Big Day Out 1999 [Full Concert]
If you have the time, Hole’s full performance at the Sydney BDO makes for some truly inspired viewing. Between songs, Courtney confides in the audience as though they’re a room full of her closest friends and dishes the dirt on her tour mates and herself with alarming honesty. It doesn’t matter that she sometimes forgets to play the guitar or is miles away from the microphone when the chorus hits. Anyone can strive for perfection – this style of command is entirely unique.
Hole | Channel [V] Interview [Big Day Out 1999]
In this backstage interview with Channel V, Courtney declares us Aussies to be the “most handsome audiences” (and English the least), busts out some acapella Hoodoo Gurus and reveals her secret desire to be Rick Rubin’s clone for a day.
Korn | Big Day Out 1999
Korn make an ominous entrance with swirling delays while Jonathan Davis stares down the crowd in his uniform kilt before the whole band bust out in an infectious full-scale 90s mosh that spreads through the sea of thousands in seconds. What all those bicycles are for is anyone’s guess!
The Superjesus | “Shut My Eyes” [Big Day Out 1999]
The Superjesus were festival favourites, scoring a coveted spot on the bill three years running. Anyone who caught their 1999 BDO performance was treated to a snapshot of the band in their prime, riding high on the relatively recent success of 1998’s Sumo album that won them a stack of Aria Awards. Check out the limited edition white vinyl anniversary reissue here.
Happyland | “Hello” + Channel V Interview [Big Day Out 1999]
At the peak of the Aussie indie rock scene, Regurgitator’s Quan managed to snag TWO spots on the same bill when he also appeared with Janet from Spiderbait and their side band Happyland. It was also the year that Leah McLeod (sister of Superjesus singer Sarah Mcleod) was roaming around backstage hosting the Channel V coverage and conducting interviews, confronting bands with the hard-hitting questions, such as – what happens if the backing track breaks?
Regurgitator | Channel [V] Interview [Big Day Out 1999]
Regurgitator’s 1998 album Unit was a massive success that rocketed them from alt-cult heroes to surreal mainstream players. The 3x platinum release also scored the trio five Aria Awards. Just four months later, at the peak of their success, Regurgitator appeared at the 1999 Big Day Out, playing to an absolutely packed mainstage crowd all psyched for the onslaught of genre-bending, tongue in cheek party anthems coming their way.
Regurgitator | Big Day Out 1999 [Full Concert]
This year, the boys from Regurgitator are celebrating 25 years together and have marked the occasion with a limited-edition release featuring a career spanning list of their biggest tracks. The aptly titled Quarter Pounder - 25 Years Of Being Consumed is the perfect meal deal for those who like their old stuff better than the new stuff! The album is available as a 13-track silver vinyl edition and 19-track CD and digital title. Check it out here.
Listen to Regurgitator’s Quarter Pounder – 25 Years Of Being Consumed on Spotify:
Listen to Quarter Pounder - 25 Years Of Being Consumed on Apple Music:
