Resource consent pending, the Big Day Out will be back louder than ever in its new home at Western Springs. I say louder, because plonking the one-day music festival slap bang in the middle of urban Auckland means more people - including many residents who would probably rather not hear the constant dirge of rock 'n' roll and banging oonst for 12 hours - will hear it than when it was in its industrial wasteland home of Mt Smart. And all I can say is, yeehah. Bring it on.
Western Springs is just down the road from my house, and as well as looking forward to the line-up (it had better be good), I'm also quite excited about never having to worry about how to get home from a BDO again. Because every year when it was at Mt Smart, like thousands of others, no matter how prepared I was getting home was a long and arduous nightmare. But on January 17, 2014, which is when it is likely to be held, I guess I will be able to wander home with the rock 'n' roll still ringing in my ears.
It's where the festival should have been all along. But there are a few issues to deal with. The main one will be noise, and a close second, the chaos caused in the area by the day-long event. Though they're not exactly issues unique to the Big Day Out.
I loathe the incessant revving and roaring of the stock cars that waft across our neighbourhood from the speedway. But hey, it's only a handful of nights every summer, so we suck it up. And AC/DC were so loud Angus could have been playing in our lounge. But that's what Western Springs is there for - as an entertainment venue.
As for traffic and commuter chaos, and getting to the gig on time ... catch a train or a bus, park in the surrounding suburbs and walk to the venue, or ride your rickety old Raleigh 20 and lock it up outside (best leave your flash mountain bike at home).
