Big Day Out 2012 will be the festivals last year in New Zealand

[the_flight_of_the_magpie]

This year’s event will be the last time the Big Day Out happened in New Zealand, according to the NZ Herald. year’s event will be the last time the Big Day Out happened in New Zealand, according to the NZ Herald.
Promoter Ken West tweeted from the event’s official feed this afternoon: “This year will be New Zealand’s last Big Day Out. Come party with us this Friday. It’s been an amazing 18 years here in Auckland.”
West had previously spoken candidly with the Herald about the problems the festival had face this year, and also vocalised his issues with competing festivals such as Soundwave in Australia.
http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/news...ill-be-the-festivals-last-year-in-New-Zealand

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Love the attached side article

“I’ll say it to his face — I don’t think AJ’s got any interest in anything but his own agenda. He hasn’t got any interest in the Australian music scene whatsoever. He should go to another country. He’s done more harm to what was a reasonably stable business here by being a financial anarchist. And it’s a bit of a shame really. ‘Cause having 90 international acts come in on one show—I don’t even know how that’s legal. There’s no financial logic to what he’s doing, and I’ve just got to ride that out. That’s all it really comes down to.”

Because the operator of the BDO has the interests of australian music as his number 1 priority :lol:
Talk about sour grapes and getting beat at your own game, maybe people are slowly moving away from Big Day Out because it's overpriced for the headliners they get, changed from what was essentially a rock festival to having Kanye West headlining, and having so many filler acts it hardly makes the day worthwhile.

BDO as we know it will be dead within 3 years, the fact that tickets are still on sale now, when they used to sell out in an hour is proof of that.

 

[redvscotty]

I heard last night they were going to can the Australian shows at the same time. My mate (who is in the business) posted it on his facey, I'll see if i can dig it up.

 

[IanG]

The only use Mt Smart Stadium gets over summer anyway

 

[Firey_Dragon]

I heard last night they were going to can the Australian shows at the same time. My mate (who is in the business) posted it on his facey, I'll see if i can dig it up.

Wouldn't surprise me if they did. Too many other festivals are getting way too much momentum, BDO only attracts the casual fan or someone wanting to get wasted these days.

 

[azzah72]

they wont be closing the oz shows, maybe culling back but definently not cancelling.

they just signed up a merger deal with one of the big U.S companies to get more international talents out here.

Pretty sure it was with the guys that do Lollapalooza. Parkways or something.

 

[natheel]

this is a pic for Auckland big day out at 2:30 NZ time. so approx 2-3 hrs into the day. I remember rocking up last year to Sydney and there was so many more people in the main arena for the 1st 3 acts on the main stage....

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I know it's still pretty early, but there used to be a LOT more people at the Auckland BDO at that time of day a decade or so ago- dunno what's happened to it in recent years. How close to a sell-out does it get in total?

 

[CC_Eagle]

I don't know if that's woeful, or just plain embarrassing?

 

[melon....]

I know it's still pretty early, but there used to be a LOT more people at the Auckland BDO at that time of day a decade or so ago- dunno what's happened to it in recent years. How close to a sell-out does it get in total?

Maybe the quality of performers has gone downhill like music has over the past decade?

 

[natheel]

problem is...Soundwave listens to its fans big day out does what they want.

so many people have gone onto BDO forums or facebook asking for certain bands for headliner for example System of a Down since they reformed, Slipknot, Linmp Bizkit, Soundgarden the list goes on...but does BDO actually get these artists? NO they don't, AJ as much of a dick he can be is doing the fans in australia a favour by getting such a massive lineup out here. yes he snags them under bdo outs nose (i have no doubt he does) but the fact is, bands want to work with him and not West from BDO.

i remember a quote from the big day out camp in relation to a band (big at the time of the release) wanting to play on the festival and fans wanting them to come down too (band in question is good charlotte) they said something along the lines of "We don't want to bring out a band who WE think are shit, we want the fans to listen to music we think they should listen too" now to me that seems pretty bad. whats going to get fans through the gates? signing bands to come over who fans are demanding to see? or bands the festival thinks we should be listening too?

i'll find the link if i can

 

[natheel]

http://www.goodcharlotte.com/forum/topics/good-charlotte-ignored-by?xg_browser=iphone

 

[franklin2323]

You only need to look at the lineups of recent years. Gone are the big Rock/Metal bands. It's average bands & more dance/pop acts. Even 5 years ago there is no way Kaye West, Noel Gallagher or Kasiaban would close BDO.

Soundwave on the other hand is what BDO used to be plenty of heavy music. Does anyone here go to festivals for the Aussie bands?? Lets see one of the crowd pullers Living End just played at Panthers the end of Oct. They are great to compliament the other bands.

So AJ has it spot on. If he was to go Australian it should be a hard band to see eg AC/DC or sick puppies.

 

[Pete Cash]

Thanks to the mp3 people are far less focused on the one genre. Plenty of US festivals have different types of acts such as the above mentioned Kanye West headline shows.

The BDO has consistently moved with the mainstream tastes of the time. Now correct me if I am wrong but 2006 was closed by The White Stripes, Iggy Pop and Franz Ferdinand and the 2007 show was closed by Tool, Muse and Jet.

So even five years ago if you added Kanye West (at the current point in his career) and replaced say the lesser acts on the headline of Jet and Franz Ferdinand you wouldn't notice a lot of difference. Lets also keep in mind that over those years there was (once again I am not 100 percent sure just going off memory of the event) Spank Rock, The Presets, Lilly Allen, Lupe Fiasco, Cut Copy, The Streets and Diplo. Its not like the Big Day out just snuck some dance acts in this year. Hell MIA was a headliner last year wasn't she and Kanye is way better than she is.

This year has a fairly week line up across the board but if you replaced say Kasabian with a decent rock band it would be a decent headline set that covered all tastes.

The issue with the BDO is its now in competition with a million other festivals so weaker cards like they have but together this year people will just say pass because the BDO is f**king expensive. I have gone every year for ages now and its a lot of money to fork out on tickets for a show that seems a bit flimsy. I think Kanye will put on an interesting show but there isn't a lot thats exciting down the card. There is no real standouts that make me go MUST SEE. My girlfriend will pretty much dictate where we go. I compare this card to 2009 which I found a bit flimsy too

 

[franklin2323]

Some good points Pete. The problem is they have a heap of competition that wasn't there 5 years ago. If they want an rnb/dance band they are bidding with v, future music, parklife and stereosonic.

If they want rock they are bidding against soundwave. If they go after some big acts and fail to get them (West said Blink & Prince they thought they had). the next 5 they want go to a competitor (rumours have them losing Bush and a few others). They end up with an average lineup. The reason the only festival to sell out is Soundwave is they have no competition other then BDO.

 

[azzah72]

I don't know why everyone is dissing the line up, it's got some great aussie bands old and new, 4 great headliners and a good blend of all genres, the biggest thing is I feel this live up is a fan service of the last 20 years (as best they could) and no-one seems to be appreciating it.

I love the fact that i'm going to be able to see the living end, gurge, grinners and frenzal in the same day, a bit of MCR, galagher, kanye and soundgarden.

Bluejuice are fun, girl talk is cool, odd future, das racist, foster the people

Top Line up!

 

[Pete Cash]

You make a good point. Maybe I am being harsh. It is a consistent line up. I don't think there are many acts who you can feel in your bones will absolutely suck. I guess its really only the hard rock fans who have not a lot to cheer about. You have hiphop ranging from superstars like Kanye to up and coming acts like Odd Future and less mainstream ones like Das Racist.

You have dance music from every end of the spectrum. From mashups like Girl talk. Dubstep like Nero, to the funk style of Art V Science.

Loads of different types of Indie.

I think its just the rock acts that are pretty average. Noel will be fun because I checked online and he has been putting Oasis covers into his sets which will be quite fun.

So maybe the line up is too diverse. I don't know. It will be a fun day though. It always is.

 

[Danish]

We sold our tickets and are just going to soundwave this year. First big day out I've missed in a LOOONG time.

Speaks volumes about the line up that it's it sold out in Sydney really. To me the problem is they have not picked a theme, shown by an extremely eclectic mix of headliners. The best BDOs are the ones which have an underlying genre tying it it all together. Building the day up with a good mix ending in the climax of the headlining act. Looking at the set list there is just no flow at all in the main arena.

I still would have liked to go, as my musical taste is ridiculously varied so I still wild have enjoyed myself, but not much point when all your mates have ditched it.

 

[Pete Cash]

Yeah that was pretty much the point I was making but summed up better than I did. I love lots of different music so its not a huge deal for me but I can see why it would be a turn off if you didn't because there is no real theme to it all. You are going to probably have to deal with a lot of music you wouldn't be into to see a few acts you would.

However if done well that could be a strength but there needs to be consistency with all the genres they show. Someone who likes hiphop will buy a ticket just to see Kanye, someone might buy a ticket just to see Nero but who the f**k is buying a ticket to see Kasabian. If they had some massive group like a Radiohead it would sell much better.

If they are going to make the event a huge mix of stuff they need to have headliners that will sell tickets across genres. Like the theoretical hiphop fan would go you know what I love Kanye and Odd Future are pretty cool and I am sure I will see something I like over the rest of the show but there isn't that hook to get fans of more traditional rock music imo.

 

[Big Pete]

My main gripe with this year's line up is Kasabian being a headliner. They're a band that helps you get through the day, not a band you particularly wait to see. Also, as much as I don't actually mind Kanye I don't think he's somebody you can have headline a Big Day Out. Maybe he might go out and shock me but Big Day Out hasn't been about the big egos, it's always been about going out there and putting on a fun show and f**k you if you don't appreciate it.

I actually like that the Big Day Out includes a lot of local acts. I know they might not be as valuable as generic pop/punk band #3 but they always tend to be one of the more lively acts on the day and I think mesh well with the International talent.

However, I definitely have a gripe with The Living End & Hilltop Hoods featuring on the line-up again. Both solid acts in their own right but they don't have anything new to bring to the table. To me, it just exposes West and the gangs inability to secure an International act so they went back to ol' faithful to fill the gap. If they're going to attract crowds, these are the sorts of problems they've got to address.

EDIT: With that said, I'm 'fine' with them being there on an anniversary show. The problem I have is all the other shows they filled in for undermined this nostalgia value.