Big Day Out to be no more in NZ after this Friday

Big Day Out to be no more in NZ after this Friday
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Tuesday 17 January 6:17 p.m.

This year's Big Day Out will be the last time the musical festival will be held in New Zealand.

Festival organiser Ken West says it is no longer financially viable to hold the festival in New Zealand as well as Australia.

Mr West says it is fitting that this year's headliners Soundgarden were one of the major overseas acts in 1994 - the first time the festival came to New Zealand.

This year's festival was slimmed down for financial reasons with hip hop star Kanye West removed from the bill.

“We found ourselves looking back at the Big Day Out and over the last few years it’s grown a bit and it’s become a bit out of control and it’s become a bit, honestly a bit too expensive, so we have looked at I guess going back to the beginning and rebuilding it,” said the Big Day Out’s New Zealand promoter Campbell Smith in November.

Mr Smith said future Big Day Outs would only have one main stage - which meant only room for one headline act.

There was some room for optimism earlier in the month with Big Day Out partnering with C3 Presents, the organisation behind US alternative music festival Lollapalooza.

The new deal was set to see artists from Australia and New Zealand get more opportunities to play in North and South America.

"I am really happy to be able to announce this new partnership," said Mr West on January 4.

"I could not have found more creatively sympathetic, commercially dynamic and like-minded partners than the guys at C3. We remain a locally passionate music business but can revel and excel in what this new global relationship and its combined wealth of knowledge and experience can bring for Australian and New Zealand audiences and Australian, New Zealand and international artists."

But this year's festival had also been marred by slow ticket sales, Mr Smith telling the New Zealand Herald the event was unlikely to sell out.

Fans are able to buy four tickets and get one free or buy a single ticket for $160 without any booking charges.

Big Day Out has been running for 20 years, but only started in New Zealand from 1994.

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Your Comments

  • 1 comment(s) so far
  • Claudia
    no way! they cant stop big day out from coming to nz! ive never been and i planned to go next time! i AM SO pissed! so RUUUDE :o
    17-Jan-2012 07:26 p.m.

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