Following the Big Day Out saga that’s unravelled in the last 48 hours – from owner C3 Presents confirming that the even won’t be returning next year, co-promoter AJ Maddah clarifying his financial stake in the festival, and festival co-founder Viv Lees lashing out at Maddah – the question that arises is, ‘what’s happening with Soundwave 2015?’
Unlike the Big Day Out, Maddah’s flagship hard and heavy festival will be going ahead next year, and in fact, the promoter sold his shares in the Big Day Out in order to raise capital to stage Soundwave, as he revealed in an interview with Triple J’s Hack yesterday afternoon.
Whereas Big Day Out was shelved for the first time since 1998 due to a lack of fitting headliners, Maddah has already boasted that Soundwave 2015 has more than headline-worthy bands to satisfy fans.
“Soundwave has four headliners next year. It’s looking pretty good,” Maddah told the Full Metal Lockdown podcast last week, in the same interview in which he revealed that Rage Against The Machine were to blame for the cancellation of the ill-fated Soundwave Revolution of 2011.
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So who could be headlining next year’s edition? Well, three of metal’s ‘Big Four’ are already ruled out – with Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax all having played Soundwave 2012, while Megadeth pulled out of this year’s edition at the 11th hour (one of several bands to cancel on the event).
“Enjoy your memories of Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax, and if Mega[death] ever come down then patch that into your memory bank,” Maddah told podcast host Tom Roberts when asked about the return of the ‘Big Four’; “I don’t think it’ll ever happen.”
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Maddah did drop other Soundwave 2015 lineup hints, re-iterating previous reports that Fear Factory will be on the bill; “We’re keen to have them so I think it’ll happen… They’ve wanted to do Soundwave for a long time,” he says. Aussie metal band King Parrot are also “likely” for a national slot, as well as American rock group Conditions, while Maddah also discussed the potential of a Pantera reunion.
Previous reports have confirmed Melbourne prog-metal band Ne Obliviscaris, who were “welcomed” to the bill by Maddah after the six-piece tweeted the promoter about being part of the festival last week.
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The full Soundwave 2015 lineup announcement is set to land in August, but there’s already plenty of bands rumoured for the 2015 lineup, thanks to Maddah’s fertile twitter feed.
Agit-punk rockers Rise Against could be one of the four headliners, Maddah responding “maybe” to a fan query of his involvement in the band’s plans to tour Australia early 2015. The Laura Jean Grace-fronted Against Me! are also very likely for top billing after Maddah engaged the singer directly over twitter (“well this festival is practically booking itself“), while the promoter has previously named Lamb Of God, Social Distortion, and a reunited Disturbed as likely Soundwave 2015 acts.
Other 2015 bookings put Smashing Pumpkins potentially being on the cards, with Maddah “seeing their agent on Sat. Will let you know“; Opeth are “just about due for a SW. As long as I can give them a long set … around 80 min”; Melvins are on the wish list; Marilyn Manson could be part of the bill if he doesn’t do his own headline tour (“one or the other will happen in next 12 months“); Papa Roach (“Yep… quite confident“) and Anvil (“almost definite“). “Soundwave has four headliners next year. It’s looking pretty good,”
Bands that are “maybes” according to Maddah include Dragonforce, Flogging Molly, The Pretty Reckless, Asking Alexandria, Motionless In White, Bayside, Four Year Strong, Yellowcard, and Stone Temple Pilots, fulfilling plans to return after pulling out of Soundwave this year due to recording their first album with Linkin Parks’ Chester Bennington.
Plus, don’t hold your breath for Germanic manics Rammstein, leather metal veterans Judas Priest, or Canadian power trio Rush. Rammstein are “off the road ’til new album which will not be out til late 2015,” Maddah said last May. Judas Priest “want arena money and pull club numbers,” while Rush – who have never toured Down Under – are “not feasible in Aus” in the Soundwave boss’s opinon.
The dates for Soundwave 2015 should be announced in the following weeks, with Maddah saying last month that the tour is likely to kick off in Adelaide (rather than its usual start in Brisbane) and changing venues in Sydney in order to avoid clashes with the Clipsal 500 Race and the “Gift Show” respectively. The changes should also allow for more of the annual Sidewaves concerts to take place in Brisbane and Adelaide.
Perth of course, won’t be getting a Soundwave next year after a disastrous run in the WA capital this past March, while the festival’s Western Australia promoters, Altered State, were recently declared insolvent.
