The 2014 Big Day Out has been forced to scale back a planned two-day visit to Sydney, combining the leg of the national tour to a single day over the Australia Day public holiday.
“Perhaps we were a bit ambitious expanding to two dates in Sydney for this year’s Big Day Out,” said promoter Ken West in a statement released Friday. “The Sydney Big Day Out show scheduled for Monday, January 27 will now be merged into one show on Sunday, January 26, Australia Day.”
Those with Big Day Out tickets purchased for the 27th have a few options- they can use their ticket to go on the 26th, receive a full refund before October 30, or exchange the ticket for any of the other legs of the 2014 tour.
Despite a massive lineup featuring headliners Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire and Blur, the cut of the second Sydney show appears to be the result of slow ticket sales. Prices in 2014 have increased to $185 a head, up $20, a move festival organisers claim is due to an overall bigger event that will feature some 45 acts once the second bill is announced.
“You wouldn’t be able to get these three (headliners) on the one day anywhere else in the world,” West has previously said, describing the collaboration of talent as “pretty magical”. “We had an opportunity to put a gangbuster show together, we’ve got that and we’re going to make sure it’s the best experience.”
Sydney has previously held two-day BDO shows in the past- in 2004, 2010 and 2011.
