By Anushka Vineet
Additional reporting by Jenna Durante and Eduardo Caceres-Sandoval
Photography by James Neal
On the eighth of May 2025, the Interhall Arts Committee (IAC) put on another stunning iteration of Big Night Out (BNO). With not an original song in sight, BNO successfully embodied the ‘Triple J Like a Version’ theme and displayed the musical talents of the 11 ANU Residential Colleges.
Observer brings you backstage coverage, with interviews from the bands, volunteers and organisers who make the show shine.
BNO 2025 will be remembered for the wild and crazy signs from the spectators, unexpected mashups, and (maybe) the first ever ‘Juno’ pose performed on Australian soil (thanks to Wamburun Hall).
Arguably the biggest IAC event of the year, BNO draws in the masses. This year’s ticket sales exceeded last year’s, with over 2000 tickets sold for the 2025 show. Spectators were “loving the coordinated outfits this year” and the increase in choreography and hairography by each band that made BNO feel “just like a concert”.
BNO is a favourite for more than just the ANU student population. Veteran judge Professor Kenneth Lampl gave a glowing review, calling BNO 2025 “as good as it’s ever been”.
Before each band enters the stage, they gather in ‘The Green Room’ an hour before to warm up and collect their thoughts. The IAC Green Room Director, Santrix Redston, said the energy backstage was “really chill and everyone [had] been really mutually supportive across halls”.
This year, IAC BNO Director Lara Eastman did an outstanding job organising and leading the event. BNO holds a special place in her heart as “the whole of ANU comes together to celebrate each other and music”.
And the camaraderie extends to the bands as well, with the “tight-knit” community and “friendships” formed being at the forefront of all the bands this year.
Before their performance, the Burton and Garran (B&G) band stated that the crowd should be most excited for “the start and the end” of their setlist: and they were not wrong. B&G opened with a bang with a powerful rendition of “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd, eventually leading to “Bang Bang” by Jessie J.
UniLodge for another year brought out the bagpipes, this time in a dramatic rendition of “Zombie” by The Cranberries. They attributed their successful 2025 performance to a “mixed range of experience levels that added diversity to the mix”.
Ursula Hall came onto stage with the instrumentalists donning recognisable face paint, a hint of their set to come. As foreshadowed, their final song, “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” by Kiss, got the crowd roaring.
Reigning BNO champions, Burgmann, took to the stage with flair, delivering a dazzling performance marked by impeccable choreography, including multiple Michael Jackson-esque spins that captivated the crowd. Their rendition of Maroon 5’s “This Love” had the crowd hanging onto their every move.
Performing to the spaceborne Katy Perry, Wright performed a rowdy rendition of “I Kissed a Girl”. The Wright Crowd was out in full support of the band, and the Wright Band was not slow to mention that Wright “had the highest ticket turnout compared to every hall”.
The most innovative mashup of the night, which caught the crowd by surprise, was Griffin’s “Rasputin/Von Dutch”. A song that most would deem un-coverable due to the heavy production, the BNO Griffin Director stated that it was their vision to incorporate and “build around Von Dutch”.
And their innovation, captivatingly varied setlist, and polished performance paid off, with Griffin claiming victory. The 2024 BNO winners, Burgmann, were demoted to second place.
The top five bands announced on the evening are as follows:
- Griffin Hall
- Burgmann College
- Wright Hall
- UniLodge
- Bruce Hall
With Spilt Milk at the end of the year, the organisers will struggle to replicate the atmosphere and cosmic event that occurred at Willows on May 8, 2025. This was BNO for the ages with a theme that encapsulates the true spirit and definition of BNO, and a surprising lack of Taylor Swift. The full results will be published on the IAC Facebook Page.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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