Blur Quits Big Day Out

The traveling festival kicks off in Auckland Jan. 17, then moves to the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

“Devastated to report that Blur won’t be performing at BDO in 2014,” Blur announced on Facebook Nov. 24.

“It’s a shock that it has come to this. Only 8 weeks to go, the band feels that with the constantly shifting goalposts and challenging conditions of the organisers, they can’t let it drag on any longer and want to make this announcement, to be clear to Blur fans that they won’t be there.

“We’ve done our very best to work with the organisers and considered every option to make it happen, but they’ve let us down and let everyone else down too.”

Blur’s co-headlining shows, alongside Pearl Jam and Arcade Fire, were to have been their first downunder in 17 years.

Big Day Out promoters in Australia and New Zealand were stunned by the news.

Sydney-based AJ Maddah, the Soundwave/Warped Australia promoter who in September joined Big Day Out, declared, “Everyone at BDO is absolutely devastated and confused.”

Responding to fan questions on Twitter, he announced, “Am trying to find out myself.

“Far as I know BDO gave into every demand within the possibility of curfews & public safety.”

Maddah added, “Not sure why they would blame festival when all everyone here has done is kiss their ass.”

Organisers say the only refusal Blur got was when they asked to change slots with another headliner Arcade Fire.

The festival’s Auckland promoter, Campbell Smith, also said Blur’s announcement was “a total surprise to me. I had no idea.”

A replacement will be announced “very soon,” and Blur fans can request refunds.

A poll by the New Zealand Herald found that 30 percent of ticket holders said they no longer wanted to attend the event, 16 percent said they were disappointed but still going, while 11 percent were “there for the other acts.”

In other Australian festival news, SFX Totem, the promoters of the Stereosonic dance festival, announced Nov, 25 that Skrillex’s side project, Dog Blood, would not be part of the bill.

The tour begins Nov. 30.

“For the record, I love the Stereosonic team and the One Love crew who puts on these events and this has nothing to do with them on their side,” Skrillex emphasized.

Alex Ridha, the other half of Dog Blood, will perform as scheduled with his other project, Boys Noize, across all five cities.

Miami duo GTA, who opened for Rihanna in Australia earlier this year, will step in.