Given Pearl Jam shows can stretch to three hours, festival goers might have to get themselves comfortable.
2. No more watching bands through a wire fence:
In previous incarnations of the Big Day Out, anyone who wanted a drink would have to peer through a fence surrounding the bar to see the bands.
At Western Springs, one of the bars will be on a hillside.
That means punters will be able to have a beer and still enjoy an unobstructed view of the stages below, Smith says.
3. The food will be better
It looks like the usual Big Day Out diet of hot dogs and hot chips will be supplemented with a few more gourmet options.
Smith said organisers had some "amazing" food plans, with several Auckland chefs already signed up to the festival.
The ice-cream is also getting an upgrade, he said.
"I like the ice cream they sell by the Civic Theatre, except they try to add cinnamon dust and some pastry nonsense to the top; don't like that. And I really like Kohu Road golden syrup ice cream. We'll get that too."
4. Which Snoop will show up?
Many were asking which version of Snoop Dogg was appearing at the Big Day Out: The rapper who brought us Gin & Juice or his reggae star alter-ego Snoop Lion.
Smith says all of the above.
"The Lion Dogg. Gin and juice, drop it like it's what my motherf*&^%ng name and the great reggae biz. It's Snoop you know, what the hell is not to like?"
5. The Boiler Room has become a lakeside paradise
The sweaty confines of The Boiler Room are gone, replaced with a picturesque new lakeside stage.
Smith says the the festival's rap and dance acts will now perform in the "nicest part of the new site".
"[It's] got swans as well."
6. The last band on the bill
Pearl Jam will be the last act on mainstage, but Blur will close the festival, Smith said.
That has some concerned the two headliners' sets will overlap, leaving fans to dash away from Pearl Jam early to get prime position for the Britpop pioneers.
Smith said there would be "not much, if any" clash between the bands.
"I am certainly very well aware that fans will want to see both."
He said avoiding big name clashes on a jam-packed festival bill was a huge challenge.
"There ain't no fat on this baby. It's sleek. Like a leopard, racing across the Kalahari."
- nzherald.co.nz
