On 13 February 2010 Wollongong, NSW Australia will be experiencing an onslaught of metal known as Metalicious. Today we speak with Sinner and Damian from Dead World Music about Australia's newest metal festival and their plans to awaken Wollongong's live metal music scene.
What can you tell us about Dead World Music?
Dead World Music was started in March / April 2003. It's actually funny because it all started before that with no name and we just put on some metal shows and did some management for something to do. It was pretty good just organising shows with our friends bands. It wasn't planned to become anything serious, it just happened along the way. As time has progressed, we've taken a more serious approach to shows and management. Right now we're still finding our feet with certain styles of metal. We've always been involved in and around the metal scene though.
Damian, what made you get involved with Dead World Music?
Well what made me get involved was my push to get metal back into Wollongong, with me running the Wollongong Metal Union. It helped to get in touch with more people, helped get some more bands out there and then along comes Dead World Music to give me the help I needed to get everything running. Now I'm a part of it, doing some of the organising and promoting. Metalicious for me is really just the beginning. 2010 will be a big year for us!
What made you decide to create this festival?
Dragons, fire, grim, swords and mountains haha! Seriously, we're actually trying to bring metal back to Wollongongs 'city of steel'. The best way to do that was to bring some metal bands to the city and put on a show. What was six or seven bands has became 14 and now that's how Jesus was born!
In all seriousness, we had a very quiet 2009. This occurred for a combination of reasons and battling the effects of time and change. The idea was discussed to run more frequent shows in Wollongong to rejuvenate the struggling metal scene in the city, the idea of a larger show was talked about as a part of rebuilding the metal scene and giving some rising bands an opportunity. After some discussion, Metalicious was established.
The event is aimed at people who support the metal genres of death, brutal and hardcore. We're expecting to see a good range of people at the event, male and female, young and old.
Have you ever done anything like this before?
Although intended, we haven't done anything on this scale before. We have put on other shows in Wollongong prior to Metalicious. Though, as the saying goes, "there is a first time for everything" and Dead World Music are first time offenders!
We want to continue Metalicious in 2011 and beyond.
Have you had to form any alliances to get this to work?
Of course we have! What would the point be of doing something like this on bad terms? It would just make everything difficult later and when we always have projects on it helps to know people.
We paid for everything ourselves so there are no sponsors as such, however, we've aligned with each one of the bands playing at Metalicious. They've all assisted along the way. We've teamed up with people that have done our printing, with the venue to have the show a certain way. The sound engineer, roadies, volunteers to work at the show. Basically every aspect of the show has included internal and external stakeholders. All have contributed or will contribute to make Metalicious a success.
Have the costs associated with setting this up been anything at all like you expected?
Most people would be way off with a guess, maybe double it or triple it. Setup costs have been like we've expected, but then plus a bit more, you know? Shit happens. We still have to see how Metalicious goes.
What are some of the problems or issues you have had to face in getting this going?
We've faced all sorts of dilemmas with organising Metalicous! From selecting the bands, to bands pulling out, people being greedy and then other bands being dumbasses at times. Unfortunately we've had lineup changes, due to death, serious injury and illness. For obvious reasons this has caused several delays with announcements and information.
It's been said that the show is 'cursed' with how much bad luck there has been around the show. Metalicious has not been the easiest event to organise; there has been a lot of work and energy put into the event from many different people. It's taken months to organise and we have faced a number of things that have caused many setbacks along the way and it's made the challenge more difficult, but we're getting to the event and it will be a great day of Metal and for us we can't wait to see some of these bands!
We'd like to send our condolences for Nelson Faul's friends and family. We would also like to wish Mitch a speedy recovery and for Boofa, we hope his Mum can pull through.
What are you hoping to achieve at the end of the day?
At the end of the day whatever happens happens. We just want it to be the stepping stone for Metalicious in 2011. We really need to see how it goes first.
For the actual day itself, we are hoping that the day is a lot of fun, runs smoothly and that everyone has a great day listening to some awesome metal bands. We want to everyone to be happy with the event and enjoy the music. We would like to see that everyone has a great time at Metalicious!
Bands you can expect to see at Metalicious are: As Silence Breaks, Chelsea Smile, Northlane, Wolfkahn, Elite Element, Satanicus, Absolution, Wings Of Icarus, Lost Hope, New Blood, Emerson, Burnt At The Stake, Lacerta and Construct Of Malice.
Any bands interested in playing Metalicious 2011, should get in contact with Dead World Music and go to
either myspace site below to express interest.
Dead World Music Myspace
Metalicious Myspace
Interview with Metalicious by Déa di Morté © 04 February 2010
Thanks to Sinner and Damian for agreeing to participate and taking the time to complete this interview.