AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL promoter Big Day Out has announced a partnership with US-based C3 Presents, promoters of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival.

This is a massive market leading move by Big Day Out founder Ken West to establish greater artist buying power, and a genuine platform for expansion. In light of the evolving festival market, this is a potential game changer for international artists dealing with the Australian market.

Big Day Out’s partnership with C3 will offer many opportunities for Australian and international artists across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The result is a boon for BDO; in what was considered to be a highly competitive few months of discussions with local and international promoters, it appears Big Day Out have landed the best possible outcome, with C3 considered to be the ‘good guys” of the big US music players.

Lollapalooza and Big Day Out seem to be kindred spirits, with both festivals launching in 1991 featuring a lineup geared at the more ‘alternative’ end of the music spectrum. In the subsequent 20 year period both have grown to sit among the world’s longest standing and most successful festival brands.

Ken West, Big Day Out founder is “really happy” with the partnership, stating: “I could not have found more creatively sympathetic, commercially dynamic and like-minded partners than the guys at C3. We remain a locally passionate music business but can revel and excel in what this new global relationship and its combined wealth of knowledge and experience can bring for Australian audiences and Australian and international artists.”

C3 Presents Partner, Charlie Walker says of the partnership: “C3 is thrilled to be entering this creative partnership with Big Day Out and are honored to become a part of the outstanding 20 year legacy that the festival has created.”

Austin City Limits Music Festival and Lollapalooza each draw over 200,000 people annually, with Lollapalooza recently expanding into Latin America. In addition, C3’s talent division books and promotes more than 1,000 concerts across the US and are pioneering the South American festival and touring industry.