The Aesthetics take out the Big Day Out prize

Dunedin band The Aesthetics won the bnet competition to be the last band announced to perform at this year’s Big Day Out.

Over the past month, bnet audiences have been voting to put bands forward in a race that has rivaled the US election primaries for intensity and vitriol, if not promotional spending.

“If some bands could be called the Hilary Clinton of this competition, the Aesthetics have powered home with a Mick Huckabee-like performance to take this prize,” said Big Day Out promoter Campbell Smith.

Given the closeness of the vote, rivals chased the last wavering voters in a bid to give their campaigns crucial momentum and take the prize of the coveted slot opening the Big Day Out at Auckland’s Mt Smart stadium in two weeks’ time.

Reports from Radio One suggest that The Aesthetics main man Matt Middleton picked up Barack Obama’s mantra of Walk quick, talk fast, as he urged his supporters out to drum up support for him in the Dunedin cold.

Campbell Smith suggested that if there is any band who sum up the mood of our times, it could be The Aesthetics, who have outlined their motto on their website as “to keep the moronic in vogue, in focus.” “if you can’t see the morons directly in front of you, take a good long look in the mirror,” said Smith.

The finalists from the other BNet Stations are:
BFM THE HOT GRITS
RADIO ACTIVE HOLIDAY WITH FRIENDS
RDU THE DELORIANS
RADIO CONTROL BLACK CHROME
MOST FM BILLY RUBIN & CURSOR

THE BIG DAY OUT 2008: Rage Against the Machine, Bjork, Arcade Fire, Shihad, LCD Soundsystem, Scribe, Unkle, Dizzee Rascal, Supergroove, Battles, The Clean, Katchafire, Carl Cox, Krafty Cuts and MC Dynamite, The Phoenix Foundation, Billy Bragg, SJD, Grinspoon, Hilltop Hoods, Bleeders, Paul Kelly, Anti-Flag, The Nightwatchman, Tiki Taane, Dr Octagon and Kutmaster Kurt, Liam Finn, Cut Off Your Hands, Kate Nash, Op Shop, Pluto, Die! Die! Die!, Havoc, Collapsing Cities, Enter Shikari, Operator Please, Shy Child, Brand New, Spoon, Dam Native, The Checks, Young Sid, Antagonist, Motocade, White Birds and Lemons, Spoon, Aceyalone, The Shocking Pinks, Missing Teeth, Mu, Battle Circus, Surf City, Dick ‘Magik’ Johnson, False Start, All Left Out, The Kingsland Vinyl Appreciation Society, The Electric Confectionaires, Kerretta, The Lookie Loos, Pig Out, Solstate, The Exiles, Lady Saw, Mayall vs Mayall, Eddie ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton with Cool Wise Men, Tucker, The Crock Eisteddfod, The Cynical Brothers, Wanganewi Art School, MC Slave, Turnaround DJ’s, Bump with Ange?, Shake n Pop, The North Shore Pony Club.

THE BIG DAY OUT IN AUCKLAND
FRIDAY JANUARY 18th 2008
MT SMART STADIUM
Maurice Rd Penrose.
Gates open 11a