Co-headliners Blur have pulled out of the 2014 Big Day Out, citing irreconcilable differences with festival organisers.
The band made the surprising announcement via their official Facebook page on Sunday morning.
“We’re very sorry to say that Blur won’t be performing at Big Day Out in 2014,” the band posted.
“Blur are devastated and it’s a shock that it has come to this.
“With only 8 weeks to go, the band feels that with the constantly shifting goalposts and challenging conditions of the organisers, they can’t let it drag on any longer and want to make this announcement, to be clear to Blur fans that they won’t be there.
“The band were really looking forward to coming, it’s a very long time since Blur were last in Australia and New Zealand and they have many happy memories. We’ve all done our very best to work with the organisers and considered every option to make this happen but they’ve let us down and let everyone else down too.”
Blur were set to make their first Australian return in 17 years and were scheduled to close each Big Day Out leg after Pearl Jam’s extensive set.
Big Day Out CEO Adam Zammit took to Twitter shortly after the Blur announcement, saying a replacement would be announced in the near future.
Ticket refunds will be available to fans once a replacement act is announced, suggesting the festival may not bring in another headliner.
“Once we have announced the replacement(s) we will provide option (sic) for refunds to those not satisfied,” said promoter AJ Maddah.
Big Day Out is yet to offer an official statement while co-headliners Pearl Jam and Arcade Fire are also yet to comment.
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