AJ Maddah Shoots Down Talk Of Soundwave 2017, Says He’s “Over It”

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December 15, 2015

The struggling, and much maligned Soundwave Festival could well be the latest big Australian music festival to hit the loving confines of the bin, with festival founder and constant mouthpiece AJ Maddah this afternoon confirming that, at the very least, the touring behemoth will not be rearing its multi-staged head in 2017.

In typical Maddah fashion, the touring grand poo-bah let slip with the news via Twitter, in one of countless conversations he maintains online with festival punters.

Maddah didn’t mince his words in making the confirmation, stating that festival promotion was often a thankless job where the effort often does not match the reward. Or, at least, he said as much, but in his own unique turn of phrase.

@stevenhewitt91 @SheGoCrazi Definitely no SW17. It’s a lot of hard work, stress & risk in return for which we get hate & stupidity #OverIt

— AJ (@iamnotshouting) December 15, 2015

The 2016 iteration of the festival is also speculated to be under threat, with the original holding company that managed the festival’s finances going into receivership, and an announced SW16 headliner in Bring Me The Horizon suddenly claiming to be unconfirmed for the event.

The touring model for large festivals in Australia has long been on the slide, with smaller, boutique models, coupled with stationary, one-off festivals now the preferred structure.

For the moment, the 2016 Soundwave Festival is still scheduled to take place across late January, with a lineup boasting acts such as Disturbed, The Prodigy, Deftones, NOFX, Public Enemy, L7, Refused, Northlane, and Frenzal Rhomb.

Photo: Martin Philbey/Getty Images.