Australia’s biggest touring festival, The Big Day Out has announced a new partnership with C3 Presents, the company behind American juggernaut festivals Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Confused as to what this means? According to a press release, “C3 Presents … will work with Big Day Out to focus particular attention on what their Trans-Pacific relationship can offer to increase opportunities for Australian and international artists across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.”
It seems this deal will essentially put bands to the top of the pile for the various festivals involved, although it seems unlikely to provide any guarantees for an Australian presence on the international festivals. Surely the curators of these festivals would not appreciate outside suggestions?
“I am really happy to be able to announce this new partnership,” Big Day Out founder Ken West said in a statement. “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 audiences and Australian and international artists.”
“C3 is thrilled to be entering this creative partnership with Big Day Out and are honoured to become a part of the outstanding 20 year legacy that the festival has created,” C3 Presents boss Charlie Walker said in a statement.
The Big Day Out 2012 kicks off in a couple of weeks. It features Kanye West, Soundgarden, Girl Talk, Kasabian, My Chemical Romance, The Living End, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Parkway Drive, Hilltop Hoods, Cavalera Conspiracy and more.
Dates are:
JANUARY
20 – Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, NZ
22 – Parklands, Gold Coast, QLD
26 –Showgrounds, Sydney, NSW
29 – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, VIC
FEBRUARY
3 – Showgrounds, Adelaide, SA
5 – McCallum Park, Perth, WA
Follow the author Tim Cashmere on Twitter.
