It was always going to be tricky living up to the sky highs of the 2010 Big Day Out lineup, but 2011 looks mean to compete with a lineup to knock your socks off.

The epic Tool will be making a grand return to the BDO stage in followup to their 2006 show for the release of 10,000 Days. Punters will need to have their jaws reset if their previous shows are anything to consider. With intense visual displays and laser lighting, Tool is the kind of performance you don't miss for anything. After 20 years of pumping out their dark, heavy rock, the California group fronted by Maynard James has had a hard slug trying to bring us new albums between the band members various other exploits. 2011 looks to be bringing us their first new release in four years, not a bad space of time when we consider the last gap took 10 years.

Sometimes you look at a lineup and have to shake your head to believe what you're seeing. It's not your eyesight this time; Rammstein is heading to a town near you following a decade of absence from the BDO lineup. The hard rocking band is known for its savage shows rife with pyrotechnics and heavy guitar work. Rammstein will be taking to the stage with their sixth studio album Liebe ist fur Alle da. organise your chiropractors now, because you'll be head banging all night with the German techno metal masters.

The origins of punk rock will be stepping out on stage along with Iggy and The Stooges this summer. We saw the iconic front man only a few years ago at BSO along the White Stripes and now he's returned in full force to bring a little nostalgia to the fore. Ready to perform their biggest hits from their back catalogue, this will be one act not to miss.

Sri Lankan-British songstress cross rapper MIA has been shocking crowds for some time now with her disregard for musical precincts and her daring stage presence. We've quietly dropped our jaws listening to her lyrical mastery in her latest tracks Born Free and XXXO, now it's time to see the girl in the flesh and cop a load of her compelling live show.


There aren't many independent artists that remain on the radar. Most will bring us a couple of good albums that circulate the airwaves and disappear into old news. John Butler Trio remains the exception to this. Maybe it's because of frontman John Butler's ridiculous talent on the guitar, or maybe it's his charming character. Whatever his appeal, we can yet again get excited for the John Butler Trio, joining the list of headliners for Big Day Out 2011. Touring his latest album April Uprising, the trio will be putting out their ideas of evolution and new beginnings in among their rich tapestry of acoustic rock.

It's always exciting when you see Wolfmother on the lineup of a festival. They sure do get around and it's likely you won't go too long without your fix of Andrew Stockdale's sky-high voice. But there's something about Wolfmother that makes you realise you're in for a wild festival ride. Their 2009 release Cosmic Egg is still going as strong and ever and we're delighted to be seeing them take to the stage again.

With an already stellar lineup, Big Day Out 2011 can only get hotter from here. Check out the rest of the lineup below.

TOOL, RAMMSTEIN, IGGY AND THE STOOGES, M.I.A, JOHN BUTLER TRIO, GRINDERMAN, WOLFMOTHER, LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, BLOODY BEETROOTS DEATH CREW 77, CRYSTAL CASTLES, LUPE FIASCO, PRIMAL SCREAM SCREAMADELICA LIVE, THE BLACK KEYS, DEFTONES, BLISS N ESO, ANGUS & JULIA STONE, PLAN B, PNAU, DIE ANTWOORD, EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, BOOKA SHADE DJs, ANDREW W.K., THE JIM JONES REVUE, BIRDS OF TOKYO, LITTLE RED, GYROSCOPE, VITALIC, CSS, RATATAT, AIRBOURNE, DEAD LETTER CIRCUS, BLUE KING BROWN, THE NAKED & FAMOUS, OPERATOR PLEASE, CHILDREN COLLIDE, GYPSY AND THE CAT, WILL STYLES, LOWRIDER, SAMPOLOGY, KIDS OF 88, KID KENOBI & MC SHURESHOCK.

Big Day Out 2011 will head to the following venues:

January 21 - Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland

January 23 - Parklands, Gold Coast

January 26-27 - Sydney Showground, Sydney

January 30 - Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne

February 4 - Adelaide Showground, Adelaide

February 6 - Claremont Showgrounds, Perth