US Big Day Out Promoter Denies Claims They Won’t Pay Vendors

In a statement released overnight, co-promotors of the Big Day Out, US-based company C3 Presents, have hit back at claims that they didn’t pay vendors working at the summer festivals, saying they are “prepared to deal with” dwindling ticket sales.

“A Sydney newspaper reported that vendors would not be paid and that is simply not the case,” read the statement referring to a recent Fairfax report alleging the festival’s large financial losses left major vendors, who provided infrastructure and staging, without pay.

“C3 Presents always pays the hardworking vendors who help us to create music festivals around the globe,” said the company before emphasising they were adequately equip to handle the struggling ticket sales. “Promoting concerts around the globe is a challenging adventure and sometimes the ticket sales do not preform as expected. This is part of the business and something we are prepared to deal with for each unique festival we produce.”

“We thank all who attended Big Day Out this year and were able to experience all the amazing music at the festival,” it concluded. C3 did not comment on Fairfax’s other cliams that they and fellow festival owner, AJ Maddah are facing profit losses between $8 million and $15 million. Nor did they make mention to the speculation that their relationship with Maddah had soured.

Last week Maddah acknowledged to the Herald that the Big Day Out had struggled in 2014. “The event was a basket-case before I walked in and I did my best to try and make it a success,” he said. However he denied the publication’s claims that he is a 50 per cent owner of the BDO and that his relationship with C3 had become contentious.

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