By Dylan Moran and Dan Satherley
Organisers of the 2012 Big Day Out have made their first announcement of the lineup for next year's event.
The 2012 festival, likely to be held at Mount Smart though this is yet to be confirmed, will be the BDO's 20th anniversary.
Some of the acts were revealed last night, and three headline acts revealed this morning, despite a 10am embargo.
Big Day Out New Zealand 2012 lineup:
Soundgarden
Kanye West
Foster the People
Kasabian
Cage the Elephant
Gin Wigmore
Girl Talk
David Dallas
Odd Future
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Cut Off Your Hands
Mariachi El Bronx
Ghost Wave
Beastwars
MayaVanya
Royksopp
The Living End
My Chemical Romance
So who are the acts?
Soundgarden
Soundgarden were often called the 'Led Zeppelin of the 1990s', and not without good reason. They broke into the rock mainstream in the early 1990s with hits like 'Outshined' and 'Rusty Cage' from their classic third album Badmotorfinger, and only got bigger and better with 1994's Superunknown. The group split up at the height of their powers after 1996's Down on the Upside, without an embarrassing decline into mediocrity, preserving their legend. The group reformed a few years back, and has a new album in the works.
Kanye West
Kanye West has been one of the most influential recording artists of the last decade, first as a producer then as a rapper in his own right. His last album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, received rave reviews and he's no doubt going to draw a large crowd to the BDO who might not normally be there.
Kasabian
Combining the singalong melodies of Oasis with the electronic power of Primal Scream and the Chemical Brothers, Kasabian are a guaranteed good watch, having been to the Big Day Out before. Their new record Velociraptor! has been called their best yet.
Foster the People
Foster the People formed in 2009 and since then have risen to the top of the alternative pop charts rapidly. Their track 'Pumped up Kicks' is instantly recognisable, and the Los Angeles band's star will only rise higher with the inclusion of 'Call It What You Want' in the FIFA 12 soundtrack.
Cage the Elephant
Cage the Elephant have been trying to equal the success of 2009 single 'Ain't No Rest For The Wicked' for some time, with limited results. The release of their second album Thank You, Happy Birthday earlier this year has seen them continue to fall short of the high benchmark they set for themselves - but who knows, maybe the our circuit can revive their career?
Gin Wigmore
Gin Wigmore seems to be developing a habit of peaking for Big Day Outs, with her debut album Holy Smoke coming out the September before the 2010 BDO, and her second album, Gravel & Wine is due to be released late November this year.
Girl Talk
Girl Talk is the DJ of the internet age. Flaunting copyright laws, he first started turning heads with the release of Night Ripper, an album built entirely off samples. Though it wasn't his first album, it came at the time the mashup genre was beginning to generate heat and attract fans. Since then, he's released two more albums, and this will be his third consecutive Big Day Out appearance.
David Dallas
David Dallas may be New Zealand's first rapper to deliver and cash in on international exposure, after managing to keep up his profile in both America and New Zealand. His appearance at the 2012 festival comes on the back of his release of second album The Rose Tint earlier this year, which earned him several NZ Music Award nominations.
Odd Future
Is there a hotter commodity in rap right now than Odd Future? These guys are only rivalled by Kanye West and Jay-Z in terms of demand right now. With Tyler, the Creator taking home the bacon at the MTV Video Music Awards, they're set to explode even more in 2012.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Unknown Mortal Orchestra launched themselves on the world stage in much the same way Damon Albarn got Gorillaz into the public conciousness all those years ago - through anonymity. Nothing was known about them, and while the veil of mystery no longer remains, the impact of their first EP lingers on.
Cut Off Your Hands
Home-grown indie talent. Cut Off Your Hands bring something refreshing to the table, and that's what they'll do in 2012.
Beastwars
Beastwars are determined to prove metal in New Zealand isn't dead, and they're certainly going the right way about it. The band impresses on every level, and their inclusion in next year's Big Day Out just continues their commitment to live gigs they've shown time and again since they first started to get traction.
Royksopp
While the Norweigan duo behind Royksopp are sometimes compared to Aphex Twin, they are two different acts. Royksopp delight in making nice, easily boppable electronica.
The Living End
The Living End are always happy to cross the ditch and entertain their Kiwi fans, so their appearance in the lineup for next year's show shouldn't be a surprise.
My Chemical Romance
The emo generation are now adults and have been replaced by the indie kids, but that doesn't mean MCR won't attract a large crowd of those keen to relive their high school memories.
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