AJ Maddah working on Big Day Out’s 2016 lineup

Yesterday morning C3 Presents confirmed the cancellation of BDO for 2015 and last night Tom Tilley of triple j’s Hack spoke with AJ Maddah – who unveiled Big Day Out’s finances – and ex co-owner Vivian Lees.

Tilley brought up Maddah’s buy-in of $400,000 last September and his selling of his shares earlier this month for $1. Maddah calmly interjected that this wasn’t quite true.

“The capital requirements are completely different,” said Maddah last night, “where the shares are traded for whatever they’re traded for, but I still had to provide a certain amount of capitol to stop the festival from falling over. C3 was gracious enough to provide me with a situation where the capital wasn’t needed immediately.”

Maddah revealed he lost 5.5 million but that it was less than what C3 lost, because of his late involvement. He also revealed C3 had given him the chance to buy back his 50% for the 2016 edition and that he and the Austin-based company have already set to work on a lineup for Big Day Out’s comeback.

In an interview recorded yesterday afternoon with Vivian Lees, Tilley asked the co-Founder whether he stood by comments he made last year. “I just think it’s even more so, he’s a mega dickhead and it’s proven the case. It’s blown up in his face.”

While Lees agreed the festival is in safer hands with C3, he said the schism between Maddah and C3 allowed AJ to have the best of both worlds. “When I got involved it was an absolute cluster fuck, there was no point of financial recovery […]” Maddah told Tilley. “He [Lees] ran for the hills the minute he thought he would lose any money.”

Tilley made the point that if rebranded to Lollapalooza, Big Day Out may leave a cultural hole in our music industry. Maddah recounted with “It doesn’t mean there will be a lack of headliner […] It’s not the name you put on the festival, it’s what you provide.”

In the latter part of the interview, Tilley opened up the forum to the public. Northlane guitarist Josh Smith, who has played at both Soundwave and Big Day Out with the hardcore band, said the band was greeted with more enthusiasm at Soundwave. Maddah responded, “Look, it’s definitely true. If you’re a metal fan and you’ve got the option of full metal programming […] You will see a change at what goes on at Big Day Out and how it broadens it’s appeal.”

The final question Maddah took was from a festival-goer who hit out at the growing trend of punters attending to appease an image. He said, “you’ve got blokes working out to go to a festival […] half of them don’t even turn up with shirts!” To which Maddah said, “Obviously there’s a cross-section for whom it’s an attraction. But on the most part I like to think people are coming for the music whether it’s visual art, the music or the experience.”