Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.
At time of writing, there’s no news about the line-up for next year’s Australian Download festival but we have a date (date below)! The date was announced out of the blue and now the speculation will begin, which I don’t really mind. But what I do mind is the lack of hype Download generates, rather, doesn’t generate. Soundwave used to do it really well, they’d drop hints and keep people on their toes through the while process from date announcement to final line up, but I feel like Download doesn’t really give a fuck and will just announce something on Twitter or Facey and then go quiet. They don’t play the guessing games, the don’t interact anywhere near as much as Soundwave used to, and it’s kinda boring. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love getting hyped for a music festival? And who doesn’t like speculating over beers which bands will be playing the festivals? They’re all fun games.
It feels like Download don’t really care about generating the hype because they know they have the monopoly on the Oz big international metal music festival scene so they can do as much or as little as they want when it comes to publicity because they know that no matter what, in the end, it’ll be a nearly sold out, or sold out event. Maybe they’re not the sort of festival to play these games, which is fair enough, but I remember one Soundwave festival where they organised with a radio station to announce their line up by playing songs from the bands on the bill, and that was really cool. Sure, Soundwave totally fucked everything up and the result is we’re all one metal festival less per year, but looking back if I could have either the Soundwave times again, or the current Download times, I reckon I’d go back to the Soundwave times.
In other news
KING will release their new album Coldest Of Cold on Friday November 22.
Metal in the Mountains 2019 featuring Dr Colossus, Blunt Shovel and more will be held at the Beechworth Memorial Hall in Beechworth on Saturday November 30.
Wolves In The Throne Room will play the Corner on Saturday November 30.
Good Things festival featuring Trivium, Karnivool, Parkway Drive, Enter Shikari, Thy Art Is Murder any many more will be held at Flemington Racecourse on Friday December 6.
Opeth will play the Palais Theatre on Friday December 13.
Geoff Tate and his band will play Operation Mindcrime in its entirety, plus more, at Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom on Saturday February 1.
Okilly Dokilly and Dr Colossus will be at the Corner Hotel on Saturday February 15.
Download will be held at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Friday March 20.
Blacken Open Air festival will be held over Easter weekend, 2020. Easter Sunday will be April 12. Handy to know if you’re looking for cheap flights to NT well in advance.
Check out this edition’s of THTH’s Spotify playlist by searching for playlist: THTH727 or by searching spotify:user:TooHeavyToHug
If you have any news about local metal bands, shows or albums, let THTH know by emailing to [email protected] or get in touch via Twitter at @TooHeavyToHug
Written by Paul Taylor