Sadly now defunct, the Big Day Out was a superb travelling festival in the style of the early Lollapalooza. The BDO was often nick-named by bands and crew ‘the big day off”. This was due partly to the many days off required to get the stages and production around such a huge country – but it was also because of the idyllic holiday-like nature of the experience.
Most of the bands were leaving deep winters in the northern hemisphere for summer in one of the most beautiful countries on earth.
Coldplay, somewhat predictably, approached the numerous gaps in the schedule by cramming extra work in. Time was soon swallowed up booking small gigs of their own as well as numerous TV and press engagements. That said, they still found time for Chris to surf most days and for a good deal of socialising with other bands from the bill. Will and Dave Grohl first struck up a friendship on this trip (resulting in more than one spectacular hangover, by all accounts).
Also on the bill and becoming buddies were At The Drive In and PJ Harvey. Headliners were Limp Bizkit and Rammstein.
