UPDATE 17/12/15 5.50pm: Soundwave 2016 has been officially cancelled.
Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah says the fate of the 2016 edition of the festival will be decided later today, as more doubts continue to be cast on whether or not the event will go ahead next year.
After saying yesterday that Soundwave “definitely” won’t be returning in 2017, Maddah refused to give a formal guarantee that the 2016 leg of the festival will still go ahead, and members of Soundwave 2016 act NOFX have since suggested SW16 is on its way to being axed.
Posting to Instagram (below) about an upcoming Australian Christmas appearance, NOFX’s Eric Melvin says, “Soundwave cancelling sw16 isn’t going to stop me from seeing my Australian mates at Xmas…..!!!!!!!”
Referring to Melvin’s post, a Twitter user has asked Maddah to say that the cancellation of Soundwave 2016 isn’t true, to which Maddah has responded with, “Not true yet. We’ll know this afternoon.”
When asked about what the deciding factor in the matter will be, Maddah said, “It is down to some scumbags at Eventopia/Tickete[k].”
Meanwhile, NOFX’s Fat Mike has tweeted, “Shit, I wanted to meet Flav and Chuck D. Come on AJ, make it happen!…. Bring me the Verizon… I don’t need to meet them.”
NOFX’s manager Kent Jamieson has also told a concerned fan on Twitter that it’s “doubtful” whether the band will be paid for their scheduled appearance at Soundwave next year. NOFX are scheduled to play the three legs of Soundwave in January, as well as a trio of sideshows.
Aussie act Frenzal Rhomb have also hinted at doubts over their scheduled SW16 appearance, with drummer Gordy Forman posting an update about his injured arm, saying, “If Soundwave manage to find heaps of money under their mattress and realise they can use that to pay the bands what they agreed upon, I might actually be able to play a song or two by then.”
Despite not being able to guarantee that the 2016 edition of Soundwave will end up happening, Maddah says he’s “doing [his] darnest to make sure shows go ahead”. 38 days out from the festival, the official venues have also yet to be fully announced.
Let’s hope that AJ ends up being able to pull this off and that we can all get together to give Soundwave the big send-off it deserves. Catch the recent posts from Maddah, NOFX and Frenzal Rhomb, below.
UPDATE 16/12/15 6:50pm Soundwave 2016 ticketing company Eventopia has released a statement concerning the fate of the festival.
UPDATE 16/12/15 9:00pm: AJ Maddah has hit back at Eventopia with a statement on Twitter. He has said, “We cannot hold festival without their support.”
Gallery: 11 Unforgettable Soundwave Festival Moments
Soundwave cancelling sw16 isn’t going to stop me from seeing my Australian mates at Xmas…..!!!!!!!
A photo posted by Eric Melvin (@eric_melvin) on
@iamnotshouting Eric Melvin from NOFX put up a post saying SW16 has been canceled. Please say it isn’t true. — Matt (@MattRogueReview) December 16, 2015
@iamnotshouting @MattRogueReview What’s the deciding factor ? Is there a band we all need to beg?
— mama cassi (@mamacassi) December 16, 2015
Shit, I wanted to meet Flav and Chuck D. Come on AJ, make it happen!…. Bring me the Verizon… I don’t need to meet them. — Mike Burkett (@FatMike_of_NOFX) December 16, 2015
Doubtful https://t.co/5N99C7fmlE
— Kent Jamieson (@man_a_ger_nofx) December 15, 2015
Getting closer, motherfuckers.It's been a cunt of a 6 month stitch, but I can actually hit a drum now!If Soundwave... Posted by Frenzal Rhomb on Saturday, 12 December 2015
11 Unforgettable Soundwave Festival Moments
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Gwar - Soundwave 2014
Interstellar gods of metal GWAR well and truly made their mark on Australian audiences at Soundwave 2014 when front-thing Oderus Urungus used his mighty sword to decapitate an effigy of our widely-loathed PM Tony Abbott and soak the cheering crowd in his blood. Not even Napisan Plus could remove those pink stains which, for many, would soon become a sweaty memento from one of the last performances Urungus would ever give. His human alter ego, Dave Brockie, died tragically just weeks later from a heroin overdose. -
Mike Patton - Soundwave 2010
Nothing like a bit of mid-set nudity to make Faith No More’s headlining slot at Brisbane Soundwave in 2010 even more, uh, Epic. Frontman Mike Patton proved he was Just A Man by unleashing Mike Jr. from his trousered hideaway and literally rocking out with his cock out. -
Bloodhound - Soundwave 2009
An honourable mention must go to the Bloodhound Gang, who took the stage in 2009 to effectively reduce the throng of adult metalheads into sexually frustrated 13-year-olds. They did it like they did on the Discovery Channel, with healthy dose of Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo. Nostalgia was everywhere. As were bewbs. -
Alexisonfire - Soundwave 2010
As anyone who was on the scene for Sydney Soundwave 2010 can attest, that was the hottest fucking day in the history of the earth. The festival, then-held out near Eastern Creek Raceway, was one giant dustbowl, and those who withstood the 40+ temperatures were coughing up dirt for the next three days. Alexisonfire must have pre-empted this outcome and decided: fuck it. Frontman George Pettit jumped into the crowd mid-set and gave himself a dirt-bath in the middle of the pit. Who needs sunblock when you’re covered in a 2-inch thick layer of dust anyway? Epic. -
All Time Low - Soundwave 2015
When the sky opened up and unleashed a rainstorm of hell upon Sydney Soundwave earlier this year, right in the middle of All Time Low’s set, the Baltimore pop punk’s gear got wrecked, and the band were unable to play on. However, instead of letting the storm beat them, frontman Alex Gaskarth ploughed onward, leading fans in an a cappella singalong of his band’s track Weightlessas well as some of Queen’s We Will Rock You. Many people became All Time Low fans that day. -
Dallas Green – Soundwave 2008
Dallas Green performed a musical screaming eagle in ’08 when he appeared as the frontman of both Alexisonfire and City + Colour. Crushing skulls and melting hearts. All in a day’s work. -
Fucked Up - Soundwave 2011
The spirit of punk was alive and well at SW11 when Fucked Up gave an expectedly insane performance, complete with hair-ripping, sweaty hugging, and beast frontman Damien force-feeding the mic to members of the crowd. This set will probably go down in Aussie festival history. -
Killer Be Killed – Soundwave 2015
After a hurricane of hype leading up to their global live debut at Soundwave 2015, metal supergroup Killer Be Killed – featuring Max Cavalera, Greg Puciato, Troy Sanders and Ben Koller – did not disappoint, delivering an absolutely pulverising set. -
Blink-182 – Soundwave 2013
A Travis Barker-less Blink-182 shot their love all over the crowd during their headlining set at Soundwave 2013. With Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman filling in on the skins, the pop punk trio capped off their first show in Australia since 2004 by wheeling out a massive confetti canon and opening fire on a sweat-drenched mosh pit, absolutely smothering fans in the coloured stuff. Many shower drains got clogged, that fateful night. -
Slash – Soundwave 2012
Alter Bridge pulled a rabbit out of their hat during their Sydney set in 2012, and by hat we mean top hat and by rabbit we mean guitar legend Slash, who was wearing the hat. The ex-Guns N’ Roses icon wasn’t even known to be in the country at the time, but he majestically appeared to claim an unused Marshall stack and Gibson Les Paul and join his singer Myles Kennedy for a few choice AB jams. You really never can tell just when #wunterslaush is going to turn up somewhere. -
Jane’s Addiction – Soundwave 2010
Soundwave 2010 was bittersweet for Jane’s Addiction fans, marking the band’s last ever tour. As ladies danced onstage and punters tried to mask their lonely tears, Eric Avery’s words rang home: “That’s it. With equal parts regret and relief, the Jane’s Addiction experiment is at an end.”
