Former Soundwave Festival Director Arash ‘AJ’ Maddah has publicly stated he plans to pay back all outstanding debts from the failed event over the coming years.
Soundwave was a popular Australian music festival held annually from 2008-2015, but it was cancelled in 2016 due to poor ticket sales.
‘I am devastated to have to announce the cancellation of Soundwave 16 due to poor ticket sales. I am very sorry. I tried my best,’ he said on Twitter at the time.
On Monday, AJ revealed he is still paying off the debt from the concerts almost a decade on.
The ambitious music promoter, who was also a prominent promoter of another defunct festival, The Big Day Out, said on Facebook: ‘I still voluntarily and with no obligation send out monthly payments to bands and local creditors. It will take a few more years, but I hope to have everyone paid up.’
Former Soundwave Festival Director Arash ‘AJ’ Maddah (pictured) has publicly stated that he plans to pay back all outstanding Soundwave debts over the coming years
Music Feeds founder Joel King took to Facebook on Monday to share the 2015 list of expenses for the festival from documents obtained from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
54 bands and companies were owed money with the bulk of the missing cash owed to bands.
The article stated Soundgarden led the pack with $2.1million to be owed while American heavy metal band were after $1.6 million.
Soundwave was an Australian music festival held annually from 2008-2015
On Monday AJ revealed that he is still paying off the debt from the concerts almost a decade on
After the festival was initially cancelled, Maddah tweeted after 12 years organising the festival he hoped someone else picked up the pieces in time for 2017.
‘I am flat broke and physically and spiritually crushed,’ he tweeted at the time.
‘Hopefully others will pick it up & run with it.’
As of 2024, Soundwave festival has not returned.
Music Feeds founder Joel King took to Facebook on Monday to share the 2015 list of expenses for the festival from documents obtained from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
