It’s the biggest musical event of the summer and the hottest ticket in town – the Big Day Out is back! After wading through months of rumours, organisers of the travelling extravaganza have unveiled the first lot of names heading to our shores in 2009 for what promises to be yet another killer festival.

Heading our way in January 2009 are: Neil Young, The Prodigy, The Living End, Arctic Monkeys, My Morning Jacket, Sneaky Sound System, Pendulum, Bullet For My Valentine, Cut Copy, TV on the Radio, Cog, Simian Mobile Disco, The Grates, Birds of Tokyo, Youth Group, The Ting Tings, TZU, Tiki Taane, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, with more to be announced.

Tickets for the Big Day Out go onsale on Wednesday 8 October (Sydney show), Thursday 9 October (Gold Coast how), and all other cities on Friday 10 October. Dates are:

Friday 16 January – Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ

Sunday 18 January – Parklands, Gold Coast, QLD

Friday 23 January – Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney, NSW

Monday 26 January – Flemington Race Course, Melbourne

Friday 30 January – Adelaide Showground, Adelaide, SA

Sunday 1 February – Claremont Showgrounds, Perth, WA