The logic and unreality of BIGSOUND 2025
BIGSOUND is the death-drive of industry. It is schoolies for the regressed creative precariat, a smoky backroom for Australian music’s deep state. It is Davos for indie rock egotists, the World Economic Forum for moustache-mullet-earring as uniform. Those in their 20s begging to be exploited and those with memories of how cool street press was in the 80s who know how to do the exploiting. But perhaps that is giving both sides too much credit. BIGSOUND is less about the husks who occupy positions of power and more about the totalizing trans-human logic of capital. The core of BIGSOUND is quickly revealed in its refusal to pay artists and opaque, hype-centric criteria as to who is allowed to play. It is a humiliation ritual. There is no room to question whether Spotify, TikTok or multi-billion dollar companies should play a role in local music. Your job as a delegate is to learn the hamstring stretches, touch your fucking toes and post on socials. Metrics = artistic value! Brands > ...