UNWELL: SICK NEW WORLD FEST CANCELED

Underscoring the volatility of the festival business, Live Nation has pulled the plug on the 2025 edition of Sick New World, which was scheduled for 4/12 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds with a gigantic lineup led by Metallica and the reunited Linkin Park (pictured).

Since debuting in 2023, the single-day fest has offered stacked bills with upwards of 50 bands from the heavier side of the rock spectrum. It quickly became a destination hang for that crowd, especially since headliners such as System of a Down could not be seen anywhere else.

Sick New World was the brainchild of former Live Nation booker Jeffrey Shuman, who exited the company earlier this year. Sources say the 2025 iteration of the event ran into trouble early by simply booking too many bands, many of which were cut once the event was turned over to Live Nation-owned C3 Presents and its veteran buyer Huston Powell.

However, the crowded lineup was apparently just the tip of the iceberg. Insiders claim that due to the enormous guarantees offered to the artists—Metallica and Linkin Park were said to be getting $5m each—the show would need to sell out or come close at onsale in order to turn a profit.

Instead, Sick New World cleared little more than a third of its 60k capacity, and wraps have since been slow—perhaps due in part to a more alternative-flavored bill than usual that featured such acts as AFI, The Flaming Lips, X, The Hives and 311, among others. High ticket prices, ranging from $472 for GA to $1,873 for VIP, probably didn't help either.

To cut its losses, Live Nation is offering all booked bands a percentage of their guarantee upon the festival’s eventual cancellation.

In a statement, the company said, "Despite our best efforts, we’ve encountered unforeseen circumstances that we are unable to overcome for next year’s show. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the dedicated SNW fans who had made plans to join us for another cultural celebration of hard rock, goth, alternative and heavy music. Please stay tuned for further and future information regarding Sick New World."

Tickets will automatically be refunded within 30 days. Crack open a tallboy of Liquid Death—this one's likely to get interesting...