EXCLUSIVE: Soundwave Headliner Rallies Bands For Replacement Festival

Not 24 hours after Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah announced that the annual music festival is folding, a number of international and local acts are coming together to put on their own event without the help of a promoter.

 

The idea has been backed by John Sankey, drummer of LA-based heavy metal band and former SW16 act Devil You Know who has already put together a production team and is currently looking at potential venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

 

While exact details are yet to be confirmed, Sankey hopes to bring some of the SW16 acts to Australia early next year.

 

"I've been mates with AJ for a really long time and we were devastated to hear the news about Soundwave being cancelled," Sankey said.

 

"He did such an awesome job with it all and turned it into one of the last places that Aussies could go to hear great, international and local metal bands. We were planning on coming to Australia, so why not round up the guys and figure out a way to come down anyway?"

 

Because the festival is without a promoter, Sankey plans to launch a kick starter campaign in the coming days which will make the event one of the world’s first fan-funded rock festivals.

 

Event and pledge information will be released in the coming days and Sankey has said that ticket sales that are generated above the goal will be split between the festival’s acts.

 

"The fans are screaming out to see these bands, so whether or not this thing actually happens is totally up to them now."

 

Stay tuned to theMusic for more details. 

 

 

The festival has been given the name, Legion. Check out the official Facebook and Twitter pages which were created today.