Big Day Out organisers have confirmed that AJ Maddah’s recent claims that there will be no more Big Day Out in Perth after 2014 are completely accurate, with CEO Adam Zammit telling Music Feeds “AJ has our position covered 100%.”
The continuation of the event’s WA leg next year had been in dispute since a last-minute venue change for this year’s event was announced earlier this month, but doubts were raised as to the substance of those rumours after Fairfax reported yesterday that Zammit had denied rumours of a venue change.
At the same time, fellow promotor AJ Maddah was quoted in The West Australian, saying that Sunday’s Big Day Out will be Perth’s last. “Definitely … it’s the end of an area,” he said. Maddah also told the publication that slow ticket sales combined with the high costs of bringing the event west made the Big Day Out financially unfeasible in Perth.
While the two media reports seemed conflicting, Zammit confirmed to Music Feeds today that Maddah’s statements do reflect those of the Big Day Out. The news comes as the final straw in a long-held battle between the city of Perth and the music festival.
Following the much-publicised shift of Perth’s Big Day Out 2014 event from its scheduled venue at the Claremont Showgrounds to Arena Joondalup, Adam Zammit hit out at Perth’s Claremont council and its mayor, saying it used its political leverage and negative media campaigns to force out the event.
“He [mayor Jock Barker] has made it clear publicly he didn’t want our event in HIS Town and done all possible within his control to block the event operating at its best,” Zammit told Music Feeds. “The best being what our audience expects and deserves.”
Now all that remains to question is whether Soundwave, promoted also by AJ Maddah, will follow suit. Maddah has also had a contentious history with the local Perth government and has repeatedly tweeted his dissatisfaction with them. He has yet to confirm the whether Soundwave will tour Perth in 2015.
