Big Day Out Sydney 2011

Here’s some of my snaps of the Sydney Big Day Out last Thursday.

I spent the bulk of my time backstage shooting portraits for FasterLouder but ducked out a few times to catch some performances for Time Out.

Like five years ago when Iggy Pop’s performance blew my mind at the 2006 Big Day Out, he did it again this year.

From the very moment he pounced onto the stage he was mesmerising. Shirtless and with more boundless energy than frontmen a third of his age, Iggy and the Stooges stole the show without needing the theatrics of acts like Rammstein.




Kim from Matt and Kim surfs the Lilyworld crowd

Die Antwoord

The act that most fascinated me on the Big Day Out bill was Die Antwoord. I tried my darnedest to get them into my studio, asking every publicist and record label rep who’d listen, but to no avail. So i wasn’t going to miss their live show.


Andrew WK

I did get to shoot Andrew WK in my studio set-up, and he was so awesome there that i just had to see his performance too. I missed his mainstage act, but he did a little solo set at the Lilyworld stage, just him and a keyboard, playing cover songs, telling stories and chatting with the audience.

Nick Cave with Grinderman at the Enmore Theatre

Like Iggy Pop, Nick Cave provided a lesson to every other younger act on the Big Day Out tour on what it is to be a frontman of a rock’n’roll band.

I shot Grinderman at their Big Day Out sideshow, and only got permission to shoot one song, but it was all you needed. Nick Cave performs like a man possessed.

9 Comments

  1. I have to agree – Die Antwoord was one of the highlight acts for me too. IMO Rammstein should have been the headliner, with all their theatrics – they just walked all over Tool in terms of performance punch. Will always make time to see Grinderman – awesome shot at the Enmore there.

  2. I adore Andrew WK, his show at the Art Factory was the most fun I’ve had in ages.

    Awesome work as always Dan.

  3. Hey Dan, Another amazing set of shots. Having seen many of the shots in press this week its refreshing to see your take and the varied array of angles and compositional elements. I agree that the Ellis/Cave shot at the bottom is spectacular.

  4. Have to agree with you about Nick Cave’s frontman performance. I’ve seen him with Grinderman and The Bad Seeds and he’s SO passionate about his music and performance. It makes a huge difference to me. Can’t wait to see him again in Adelaide this Friday.

  5. Didn’t get to the Big Day Out, but did go to the Stephen Walker Benefit at the Forum on Monday where the Dirty Three did a set joined by Nick Cave along with others, was a fun night.

  6. We frenchie were at the BDO. Wonderful shootings, thanks!

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