5 episodes

Double J presents the rise and fall of the world’s biggest touring music festival.



Host: Gemma Pike

Producer: Gab Burke

Supervising Producer: Mike Williams

Executive Producer: Meagan Loader

Sound Engineers: John Jacobs, Tim Jenkins

Theme music: Lindsay McDougall

Music: Hamish Camilleri

Artwork: Brad Cook

Digital Team: Dan Condon, Luanne Shneier

Inside the Big Day Out ABC listen

    • Music
    • 4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

Double J presents the rise and fall of the world’s biggest touring music festival.



Host: Gemma Pike

Producer: Gab Burke

Supervising Producer: Mike Williams

Executive Producer: Meagan Loader

Sound Engineers: John Jacobs, Tim Jenkins

Theme music: Lindsay McDougall

Music: Hamish Camilleri

Artwork: Brad Cook

Digital Team: Dan Condon, Luanne Shneier

    EPISODE 5 - Give It Away Now

    EPISODE 5 - Give It Away Now

    Not able to agree on two headliners for the 2014 show, the duelling owners book three. To break even, the festival will need to break records. The original founder is about to lose everything. Hasty decisions are made to salvage a cultural icon, but the ship is sinking.

    • 28 min
    EPISODE 4 - Art Vs. Commerce

    EPISODE 4 - Art Vs. Commerce

    While ticket sales soar to hundreds of thousands in the 2000s, artistic differences see the founder’s relationship reach breaking point. The manager holding everything together ends up in rehab and the festival starts to unravel.

    • 29 min
    EPISODE 3 - The Age of Innocence is Over

    EPISODE 3 - The Age of Innocence is Over

    The 2001 Big Day Out ends in tragedy with the death of Jessica Michalik during Limp Bizkit’s Sydney set. Jessica’s best friend Liza Ryan was with her and shares the emotional story of the music fan behind the headline. Phil Jamieson from Grinspoon recalls performing at her memorial.

    • 34 min
    EPISODE 2 – The Big Day Off

    EPISODE 2 – The Big Day Off

    The Big Day Out expands quickly and becomes a national touring circus. Every music fan wants to go and every artist wants to play, with many bands treating the tour like a holiday.

    • 28 min
    EPISODE ONE — A Vision Of Nirvana

    EPISODE ONE — A Vision Of Nirvana

    In 1991 Australian music promoter Ken West had an idea for a one-day music festival. He called it the Big Day Out.

    • 27 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
1.3K Ratings

1.3K Ratings

Burtie13 ,

Taking me back

Loved it!!

Bridget Fahey ,

ALL the feelings

It was like sitting through a memorial of an old friend. Big Day Out 2005 was my first festival and first concert. Miss you buddy

jayelkayem ,

B R I L L I A N T

Can’t wait to listen to this series all over again. Magnificent.

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