Days after organisers officially confirmed the first act set to rock crowds at Soundwave 2016, festival chief AJ Maddah has revealed a few interesting and crucial tidbits about what fans can expect from next year’s instalment.
Before we get to that, however, let’s reassess what we already know. We know the first band to be added to the lineup is Welsh metal outfit Bullet For My Valentine and we also know that there’ll be slightly less Soundwave next year.
After experimenting with a two-day format this year, organisers have decided to go back to just one day for 2016 and the festival will be sticking to the East Cost following the omission of Adelaide and Perth from the tour route.
So, what else can we expect? Well, according to AJ, there will no longer be any 30-minute length sets during the festival. Instead, he wants to put together a smaller lineup made up of bigger bands playing longer sets.
However, just because there won’t be as many names on the lineup, doesn’t the lineup is getting smaller. The bill will be a tight package boasting plenty of big names, with the dollar spend on artists remaining the same.
Maddah has also confirmed that the Soundwave 2016 lineup is more or less finalised, though there’s a few slots open for smaller acts to hop on board. According to AJ, organisers are waiting on “headliners and stage headliners to tell us how long they want to play for”.
For everyone asking, we will no longer to 30 min sets at SW. It's all about better bands and longer sets. #SW16
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) August 15, 2015
@JackTheRipper87 In. Terms of number. Of bands, yes. In terms of what we spend getting the bands, no.
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) August 15, 2015
@ROC_Captures we're waiting on headliners and stage headliners to tell us how long they want to play for. That'll determine if spots left
— AJ (@iamnotshouting) August 15, 2015
@iamnotshouting … last question I promise :) estimated lineup announcement date?
— Krystie (@k_r_y_s_t_i_e) August 13, 2015
So when can we actually expect to see the lineup? After a curious Twitter follower asked the founder what the “estimated lineup announcement date” would be, he claimed we can expect the bill to drop in roughly three week’s time making it the first week of September.
Meanwhile, the rumour mill has been spitting out potential lineup names for months now. Most recently there was talk that Swedish hard rockers Ghost could make the roster after a member revealed they’re planning an Oz tour for early 2016.
We’ve also got local legends Violent Soho and Northlane pretty much confirmed and the slowly expanding roster was given some international muscle when AJ welcomed hard rock supergroup We Are Harlot, which features former Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop, to the fold.
