Fans share their Big Day Out memories online

Dizzee Rascal performs at the 2008 Big Day Out. Photo / Richard Robinson

Fans have gone online to lament the demise of the Big Day Out after the Auckland leg of the Australasian music festival was axed for 2013.

A petition has already been launched to keep the music festival in New Zealand after promoter Ken West decided the Auckland show was too expensive and risky to continue.

This Friday's show - featuring Soundgarden, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Das Racist and Foster the People - might be the last, but fans have been sharing their memories from the past 18 years of the festival online.

A Henderson commentator seemed to sum things up when he said the New Zealand Big Day Out was about more than just music.

"It's been a huge part of the summer for me since 1995. I've had some amazing times there. I think that complaining about this band or that artist being there or not being there misses a large part of the point. It stopped being about that a long time ago for me, even though I have seen some amazing performances there over the years.

"It was about the whole day, and I for one will mourn it's passing," he said in a nzherald.co.nz forum.

Mel said: "Everyone I know has one or two BDO stories to tell, and they are always good ones!"

On nzherald.co.nz's Facebook page, fans debated the worth of this year's line-up, the festival's location and also shared their favourite memories.

Jason Milich: "So many memories. Marilyn manson, fear factory, dizzy rascal, korn, limp bizkit, RATM, Metallica, Drowning Pool, Chemical Bros, Soulfly, Shihad, Prodigy and ofcourse the flying fox. RIP BDO."

Others hoped Australian metal festival Soundwave - this year featuring Limp Bizkit, System of a Down, Marilyn Manson and Slipknot - would come to New Zealand in 2013.

On Twitter, commentators used the hashtag #BDOmemories to share their thoughts.

"Overheated & being a band t-shirt nerd, peeling off Garageland, Bailter Space and Elastica shirts after each band had played #bdomemories," said Glenn Williams.

Former music TV presenter Jacqui Brown said: "Plucking up the courage back stage to ask Jack Black for an impromptu IV on C4 and him rejecting me. Stink buzz. #BDOmemories"

Former bFM DJ Hugh Sundae: "Taking off my pants at Mikey Havoc's request #BDOmemories."

Nick Dwyer: "stealing TISM's rider and getting caught because i didn't know what they looked like in person :( #BDOmemories."

Simon Pound: "After @95bFM iv I asked Wayne of The Flaming Lips if they were planning on playing my fav song. They then did and dedicated it! #BDOmemories."

Glen Barnes: "The couple shagging under the temporary stadium at the end of the field to massive applause #bdomemories."

* Have your say on the demise of the Big Day Out here and here.

- Herald online