The 'Heavier' Soundwave 2016 Lineup Will Apparently Drop In Three Weeks

UPDATE 17/12/15 5.50pm: Soundwave 2016 has been officially cancelled.

Punks, rockers and metalheads start your engines, because the first Soundwave 2016 lineup announcement is almost upon us.

Head honcho AJ Maddah has taken to Twitter to report that the much frothed-over first instalment of the bill is due to drop in the first week of September, roughly in about three weeks’ time, meaning that, yes, we’ve reached the final countdown.

And not a moment too soon. The news is a bit overdue this year, with the Soundwave lineup traditionally dropping around mid-August (aka now-ish), but we can only assume that the extra growth time in AJ’s proverbial womb will make for one super-sized Soundwave baby.

And the first-announced act would tend to confirm that hypothesis. Bullet For My Valentine were unveiled yesterday as the first official band to grace next year’s bill.

It also looks like Finnish metal warriors Lordi will be a late addition to the metal stage. In a recent Twitter exchange, Maddah revealed that he’d “love to have them” on board, and had one spot left to fill on the festival’s heavy stage, to which Lordi replied “We’d love to come”, prompting Maddah to move the conversation promisingly over to DM.

A few other bands are also firming as hot favourites, including Australia’s own Northlane and Violent Soho, plus US supergroup We Are Harlot, fronted by ex-Asking Alexandria frontman Danny Worsnop and, most recently, Ghost.

Maddah has been dropping plenty of other hints about the 2016 event, telling one inquisitive punter that “It’s a heavier SW. That’s for sure”, in a tweet that’s bound to delight the metalhead contingent.

It also looks like we won’t be seeing as many sidewaves next year. When one fan asked the promoter if there might be any under 18’s shows, he replied: “Doubtful tbh. There won’t be that many sidewaves in 2016 in general”.

Maddah also recently suggested that the 2016 festival could feature just one headliner.

And, in another recent, curious Twitter aside, the hotshot promoter also hinted that next year’s lineup will be unveiled in a drip-feed style announcement via the social media site before an official statement is issued, remarking, “We’re going to let the fans drip feed the line up to yourselves. :)”

Taking over the Big Day Out’s usual slot in the Australian festival calendar, Soundwave 2016 will kick off in Brisbane on Saturday 23rd January, followed by a stop in Sydney on Sunday 24th January and will finish up in Melbourne on the Australia Day Public Holiday of Tuesday 26th January 2016.

Keep up to date with all the latest Soundwave lineup rumours, over at Music Feeds’ dedicated Soundwave 2016 Lineup Rumours And Info page.

Gallery: Soundwave 2015, Sydney Day 2 / Photos by Yael Stempler

@k_r_y_s_t_i_e 3 weeks i reckon.

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) August 13, 2015

@k_r_y_s_t_i_e no Mondo Carne as much as i'd love to have them. We're going to let the fans drip feed the line up to yourselves. 🙂

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) August 13, 2015