Soundwave Adelaide’s Numbers Way Down, But It May Return

February 22, 2015

While punters flock in severely low numbers to a sweltering Bonython Park for what could well be the last Soundwave in Adelaide, promoter AJ Maddah now says he may not entirely scrap South Australia from the rock and metal festival’s tour itinerary.

Speaking to News Corp during the festival’s Adelaide leg, Maddah said the festival could return in some form, despite announcing on Twitter earlier this week that this weekend’s two-day event would be the “last ever” in Adelaide.

“I’m not ruling it out,” he said of the festival’s return.

“We will do the best we can because I genuinely love Adelaide and I’m heartbroken that this is it — but we will monitor the market over the coming year and see what happens.”

Maddah has indicated that he may the festival may “try again” in Adelaide, in some form or another, in a few years.

One option may be an influx of Sidewaves (Soundwave sideshows) to the oft-neglected city. “We could look at something like that,” he said. Adelaide has previously missed out Sidewaves due to issues surrounding travel and accommodation costs, according to the promoter

Maddah also elaborated on the festival’s sharp decline in numbers in the last couple of years, and said an Adelaide event in 2015 would be a drain on the festival’s other events in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

“I can’t ask the other states to subsidise it anymore,” he said.

“Nothing is working in Adelaide at the moment. I think Katy Perry and the Stones have been the only two shows that have really performed here of late.

“Next year we just can’t take the risk. In 2012 we had 37,000, in 2013 we had 45,000, last year we had 20,000 and this year we’ve got around 12,000.”

This year, those 12,000 people are split over two days, a new experiment in 2015 which the promoter says will not continue in future years.

The final Adelaide Soundwave Festival — for now — closes tonight, headlined by Slipknot and Smashing Pumpkins. The festival runs for two days concurrently in Melbourne this weekend, and in Sydney and Brisbane next weekend.

Gallery: Slipknot @ Soundwave Festival, 21/02/15 / Photos by Brett Schewitz

@pspalding38 I hope to bring the shole show back one day soon. It just won't be next year. All depends on how other shows go.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 21, 2015

@pspalding38 sadly I can't afford another bad year. Would break festival. Maybe in a few years we can try again.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) February 21, 2015