I absolutely do agree about Aus metal bands being up there with the best in the world and I do absolutely agree that people should get out there and support them whenever they can. Maiden proved there's thousands of metalheads in this country that would enjoy most of the stuff that our local talent can do, and you typically see 10 times the amount of people going to an international guest than a local band.
But the reality is this: people know they can see LORD or Eyefear or Vanishing Point or Darker Half or whatever at a local gig for $15 somewhere. Why would they pay heaps of cash to see bands they can see elsewhere for cheaper? If you had a choice of paying $150 to get an album when you know in a week you could wander into a shop up the road and get exactly the same thing for $15, what would you do? Even if by buying that album it may help promote independent music stores and help the scene? (If you did answer "yes, I would spend the $150", then consider yourself the absolute minority of not just the metal scene but the music scene at large in this country).
The other reality is this: unless people know stuff is happening they won't go. I'm sorry Aston, but this is one of the biggest concerns that LORD and most other people who have been criticising the event have had so far - you may be dropping stuff around on forums and on Blabbermouth and things like that, but with a month to go with this event happening, unless you can capture the imagination of the general public you'll find that no one will A: know about it or B: give a shit about it. Have a look at Metal For The Brain for example, that was the most well known metal event of each year and every metalhead wanted to go to it at least once. The most people they ever got was around 3000 people I believe (probably less). If you market to metal fans only in this country, that's all you'll get.
Now a disclaimer to the last thing, bands like Iron Maiden are bigger than just the metal scene. They're a force unto themselves, plus they had months and months of big budget advertising to promote the show. If you look at a band like Priest that should have gotten the same kind of metal crowd, they pulled only a fraction of what Maiden had and they still had months of advertising behind their show.
For an event that's spread over 3 days in 3 cities for the bands on the bill, regardless of how massive Twisted Sister is in Europe, how cult Diamond Head and Girlschool are, and how good our local talent is, you'd need a Metallica or an Iron Maiden with months of promotion to get the same kind of crowds as Maiden did when they played here last, which was around 15,000 per show. In fact, Maiden had 15,000 on their first Sydney show, then around 13,000 the next night, and I'd expect that to have been even less if there was a third night. And this is with massive promotion and a huge mainstream crossover appeal, which none of the bands on this festival have in 2009.
Let me put my hand up and say I would love to see something like this take off, and big kudos to anyone taking the initiative to try and get this off the ground, but seriously, the odds are stacked very high against this thing taking off. No mainstream crossover, bands who aren't as big as a Metallica or Maiden (even Megadeth wouldn't have the pulling power to make this happen), a bunch of excellent local bands that people are able to see for a fraction of the cost elsewhere, and most importantly a festival that has had hardly any promotion in the metal scene where the numbers will be limited, let alone the mainstream media, and it being far too close to the even to really pull this off now.... Can we see where I'm going with this?
I think that's the main concern most people have. It's not about dissing the scene or not getting behind anyone really wanting to make a go of it - far from it - I think most of the naysayers are seeing a potentially great idea falling apart and missing a big opportunity to promote our music scene. And depending on how badly it falls apart, it could damage future attempts to do this kind of thing.
Again, let me say that I do hope this works, and I do wish Blade Promotions and all of the bands on the bill every success - I honestly mean that - but I also honestly can't see how this thing is even slightly viable at this stage. My advice would be to call the whole thing off, spend the next 6 months to a year promoting it, and go again in less ambitious venues. THAT has the potential of working and starting something amazing that has longevity.
