Big Day Out Not Expected To Return in 2015

Speculation over the future of the Big Day Out has ramped up again overnight with the New Zealand Herald confirming this morning that the festival will not be happening in 2015.

Earlier in the year reports began to surface that the festival had suffered huge losses of up to $15 million Australian dollars after the 2014 outing.   Yesterday, Australian site Music Feeds broke the news that Australian promoter AJ Maddah (Soundwave) -  an unlikely bedfellow who bought out founder Ken West's 50% stake in the festival last September to ensure it would go ahead this year - no longer had an financial interest in the festival making American company C3 Presents (Lollapalooza) sole owners of the iconic brand. 

According to the Herald, C3 Presents have confirmed to them that the festival will not go ahead in 2015 but that they haven't given up on the festival entirely and hope to be able bring it back in the future. There has been no word yet from typically outspoken promoter AJ Maddah or head of the New Zealand leg Campbell Smith.

UPDATE: Friday 27th June

AJ Maddah has now spoken up about the situation, stating in an interview with Triple J:
"Yes I’m still involved, yes, the Big Day Out will come back in 2016 and the festival is alive”. Head over to FasterLouder for more information and to hear the interview.

Similarly, New Zealand promoter Campbell Smith has since spoken out and is equally confident about the return of the Big Day Out in 2016 - read more over at the Herald.