AJ Maddah Outlines Plan To Revitalise Big Day Out

Soundwave and Harvest promoter AJ Maddah has outlined his plans to revitalise Australia's best known national touring festival, the Big Day Out, after it emerged he become a major stakeholder in the event earlier this week.

Maddah appears to have purchased part – or all – of West's stake in the company, with industry sources confirming to theMusic.com.au that it was a “done deal”. West is set to remain involved with the event – albeit in a reduced role – as Maddah looks toward logistical improvements.

In a statement sent to Fairfax – via Maddah – West said, “I need everyone to calm down. The world is not collapsing. In short AJ is joining the BDO circus and I am staying. So the BDO team will now be [American partners] C3, AJ Maddah and yours truly.”

Maddah said that he was approached by West to become involved in the festival and that he now holds an “equal” financial interest in the business. He did not divulge specifics.

There are currently no plans for West – who has been at the helm of the festival for 22 years – to retire, but Maddah said it was inevitable.

“I will hand over the reigns of Soundwave one day. None of us are immortal. Well maybe [promoter Michael] Chugg.”

Maddah said he intends to bring “a bit of energy and vitality” to the festival when outlining his plans to rebuild the brand.

“Part of the problem at the Big Day Out was they had gone so far away from where the event started,” he said. “You could say it had been a bit bloated and bureaucratic… The percentage of Aussie bands at the Big Day Out will not change. There will be no change to the spirit of the Big Day Out. It's Ken's vision and I'm working for him. For 20 years it's been my ambition to work for the Big Day Out.

“It's been a great festival for 22 years. I don't need to fuck with that.”

More toilets, shorter food and beverage queues and general site design were identified as key areas that needed improvement.

“We are asking people to invest in 11 hours of entertainment,” Maddah said, “if they have to spend an hour queuing that devalues the ticket by ten percent.”

He also indicated he would look to book Soundwave and Big Day Out acts concurrently in an attempt to reduce headliner costs.

“If the festivals aren't played off against each other hopefully we can make our artists' budgets go further which means better line-ups and better value.”

West had promoted the festival with business partner Viv Lees for 20 years before the two split in 2011, allowing C3 Presents – promoters of US festivals Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits – to purchase what was believed to be a majority stake.

In his statement West described Maddah as the festival's “logical choice" and that, “I feel AJ is a kindred spirit. Crazy in a good way... He knows this event better than anyone and has always been its greatest supporter, even as a competitor... I know him and I trust him.”

He added, “I will always be with BDO through thick and thin, I love this show and all the passionate people that make it happen... especially... the music fans who allowed me to have the greatest job in the world.”

Former partner Lees was less glowing in his assessment of Maddah earlier this week, when speaking to triple j's Hack.

“I'm a little dismayed that AJ has come into the picture,” he said. “When I see the amount of work that has gone into building up the event over a 22-year period, and then to see [Maddah] come in to take it over really does alarm me. He plays fast and loose and he's quite an odious character…

“This event has been so instrumental to the careers of many Australian artists… and AJ's got no commitment to that.”

He added, “I've seen him in action. If he doesn't like the way something's going, he'll cancel it. He'll get halfway along in one direction and turn 180 degrees in the other direction and think that nobody notices. He has skin as thick as a rhino, and he's a gambler. It's an amazing turn of events.”

Both Maddah and Big Day Out's CEO Adam Zammit declined to comment further to theMusic.com.au today.

Next year's event will be headlined by Arcade Fire, Blur and Pearl Jam.

Yesterday Maddah confirmed that he was cancelling his Harvest Festival tour.