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Young New Zealanders will be raiding their parents' record collections today, preparing to see a folk rock legend whose best-known songs came out a decade before some were born.
Neil Young, known as the godfather of grunge, is rumoured to have promised organisers of tomorrow's Big Day Out he will play some hits from the 1970s - a decade he book-ended with legendary tracks Heart of Gold and Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black).
A spokeswoman for Auckland music store Real Groovy said tickets were selling quickly yesterday. "At the rate we're selling them now, it might [sell out]," said Sarah Williamson.
For 21-year-old Gypsy Hyde, one of many queuing in the sun for tickets yesterday, the fact that she was not born when the 63-year-old was in his heyday was no obstacle to her excitement.
She said she was expecting great things from his headline act, which she plans to watch before racing to see her electro-rock idols The Prodigy round off the day in the Boiler Room.
Andrew Gilmore, 28, reckoned everyone in the youthful-looking queue was keen to see Young's set. "He's a massive international artist."
Ms Williamson said concerns that young punters would not buy tickets for a festival headlined by the veteran rocker had been proved wrong.
"I think kids these days are searching backwards for music more. Classic is more trendy."
Promoter Campbell Smith said he expected to sell all 42,000 tickets to the Mt Smart Stadium event. Conditions should be less crowded than the past two years, when the stadium's capacity was stretched to 47,000 people.
