Cancel your next haircut, because after a two-year live music drought, heavy music festivals are popping up all over the summer calendar like flies at a backyard barbie.
And assuming this Omicron fuckwit doesn’t rain on our marinade, there’ll be plenty of rock, punk & metal-themed events for mosh-fiends of all ages to get pumped for as we fire into 2022.
Sadly, we haven’t received any word on whether the ill-fated Download festival might get a resurrection post-COVID, but there’s still plenty of festival action to fill the Download-shaped hole in your hearts.
So without further ado, please enjoy this handy guide to all the headbanging, circle pitting, wall-of-deathing days out happening this summer and beyond (in chorological order).
Full Tilt
When:
Saturday, 8th January (Brisbane)
Saturday, 26th February (Sydney)
Saturday, 23rd March (Melbourne)
Where:
Eatons Hill Outdoor & Ballroom, Brisbane
Bella Vista Farm, Sydney
Reunion Park, Melbourne
Who:
Northlane, Thy Art Is Murder, Frenzal Rhomb, Luca Brasi, Slowly Slowly & more
The Lowdown:
The many time covid-postponed festival is finally getting its debut in Sydney & Melbourne this year! With a stellar lineup of some of the biggest & brightest rock, punk & metal acts in the country, this new fest on the block is set to fire the alternative music scene back up in a big way!
Tickets:
UNIFY Forever
When:
Thursday, 20th to Sunday 23rd January
Where:
Tarwin Lower
Who:
The Amity Affliction, Violent Soho, Ocean Grove, WAAX, Yours Truly & more
The Lowdown:
UNIFY returns with a comeback event celebrating the Australian heavy music community in all its glory. Serving up an All-Aussie lineup for the first time since its 2015 debut, including a one-off reunion set from Sydney post-hardcore outfit Stories, the regional Victorian event is worth road-tripping for.
Tickets:
Wallapalooza
When:
Saturday, 26th February
Where:
Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, Gold Coast
Who:
Grinspoon, The Butterfly Effect, Dead Letter Circus & more
The Lowdown:
The Gold Coast’s longest independent festival, lining up a bunch of Aussie rock & metal veterans along with some local up & comers
Tickets:
Monolith Festival
When:
March – April
Where:
Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne & Perth
Who:
Karnivool, cog, Ocean Grove, Plini & more
The Lowdown:
A brand new festival for prog fans! Making its debut around the country this autumn.
Tickets:
Uncaged Festival
When:
March – April
Where:
Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
Who:
Wolfmother, Twelve Foot Ninja, The Superjesus, Bodyjar, End Of Fashion, Kingswood & more
The Lowdown:
Another brand new festival on the Aussie calendar! Uncaged is hitting three dates on the East Coast with a lineup stacked with veteran rockers and new up & comers in the alternative scene.
Tickets:
Halloween Hysteria III
When:
Saturday, 2nd April
Where:
Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane
Who:
Spiderbait, Mammal, Clowns, King Parrot & more!
The Lowdown:
Brisbane spooktacular Halloween Hysteria may have been rescheduled from its original October 31st date, but the lineup for the one-day Aprilween rager is no less terrifyingly good!
Tickets:
Good Things
When/Where:
Friday, 2nd December
Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
Saturday, 3rd December
Centennial Park, Sydney
Sunday, 4th December
Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane
Who:
TBA
The Lowdown:
The punk rock festie fave announcing the official dates and venues announced for its 2022 comeback, teasing its “biggest lineup yet”.
