Though the last instalment of Big Day Out suffered an unfair amount of hurdles, promoter Ken West has discussed in a recent interview how, despite all that’s happened, the institution is now back on its feet, and well on its way to a cracker of a 2013.
“The only way from straight sell-outs is down, isn’t it? So the only way now is back up,” he explained in the interview with Scenestr. “In the past, it hasn’t been that enjoyable, even though it’s been financially rewarding,” he continued.
The recent partnership with C3 promotions is starting to pay off, with a stellar lineup, which is testament to C3’s reach as promoters, as well as Big Day Out’s reputation.
It’s not just the lineup that is reflective of BDO in its glory years, but also the new features such as Chow Town (food stalls operated by gourmet chefs) and the ‘Like a Boss’ ticket, which provides all sorts of perks but avoids that ‘VIP’ label. I agree with West, who commented, “I can’t stand that shit,” he says. “People who pay more aren’t VIPs, they’re just people who pay more.”
In terms of ticket sales, things are plodding along nicely: “We’re all pretty happy with it. We’ve passed last year’s sales, in total, and we’re still a week out [from when tickets went on sale last year]” adding that the Sydney leg of the festival is around 6 weeks away from selling out, with the Gold Coast probably not selling out but cutting it close.
Everything is falling into place for the festival to be in a good position to be able to book a killer 2014 lineup, which is already on their horizon. “It’s a period of adjustment. It’s fascinating,” says West, finishing up with: “As long as we don’t go broke in the meantime, it’ll be great!”
