1997.01.17 – Big Day Out Festival, Auckland, New Zealand

Date: 17th January 1997
Event: Big Day Out Festival
Venue: Ericsson Stadium
City: Auckland
Country: New Zealand
Support: see timetable

Tracklist:
n/a

Extra info:
Notes by Simon Sweetman:
I’ve only been to a few of the Big Day Out festivals; never been that much of a fan – but, at the time, I liked the first couple I guess This one, the ’97 one, was the first time I attended. I’m not quite sure what the big pull was for me – probably Soundgarden. I remember they were disappointing, and a couple of months later they were done. All over. You could sense some tension during their set.
The Prodigy was a bit of a spectacle, that feeling of seeing a band at their peak – huge singles dominating, and intrigue from the audience.stubbox
But the highlight for me was seeing Dave Graney and The Coral Snakes, a band I knew about but wasn’t going to see. A really great performance that – I thought Graney was a wizard, something really special.
Same, actually, with Fear Factory. I knew about them, hadn’t followed them closely at all and not normally my thing, but a pretty astonishing performance from them in the middle of the day. I became a fan for a few years and saw an incredible gig from them in Wellington a few years on.
Thinking back now though, the 1997 BDO is actually very weak. Not a lot of magic. It was a long day, lots of waiting, and being a bit bored, but hopeful. The rot would only really set in after a couple more visits…

Poster: