Next Announcement

[tmcgoay]

So we had no announcement at BOA this year but according to the interview that Adam Gregory recorded on the sunday a headliner and a special guest are already booked for next year, who could they be and when will we hear?

[Haldamir319]

I don't think the headliner is Judas Priest - just got a feeling they would have been announced at the fest if so.

I think the headliner is Amon Amarth. They've been announced as playing Wacken already (so we know they are about), and they are one of the few contemporary bands that are seemingly on the up. BOA love to say they were the first to give headline slots to bands, so I think it's all a good fit.

As for the special guest... I'm not sure. Opeth maybe? (They played SG last time out beneath Within Temptation).

Regarding announcement timetable, I've had a quick look back to see when the first few for '16 were announced. Now, obviously Venom and Behemoth were announced at the festival itself, but after that it went:

11 Oct: Mastodon
16 Oct: Twisted Sister
27 Oct: Rotting Christ, Paradise Lost, Dragonforce
17 Nov: Gojira, Satyricon, Anthrax
01 Dec: Slayer
15 Dec: Symphony X, Acid Reign
21 Jan: Metal Allegiance, Stuck Mojo, Goatwhore
16 Feb: Phil Campbell's All Starr Band, The King Is Blind, Witchsorrow
29 Feb: Corrosion of Conformity, Unearth, Ghost Bath, Evil Scarecrow, XII Boar
23 Mar: Misery Loves Co., Cambion, Diamond Head, Krysthla
31 Mar: Memoriam, Pythia, This Is Turin, One Machine, Derange

... and so on. So, I'm guessing a handful of bands through Oct/Nov, with all headliners and special guests confirmed by the time the Early Bird tickets go off sale in mid-December.

[Cassius]

I would think they would announced a headliner/special guest sized band at the fest if they could as it always generates a good amount of hype, so I would think whoever it is cannot be announced until a particular date for whatever reason

Agree with Haldamir that Amon Amarth are likely once their tour is complete

[Tet]

a headliner and a special guest are already booked for next year, who could they be and when will we hear?

I'm told that they're booked, 100% confirmed, but can't be announced yet for contractual reasons. I assume that means that the relevant bands have upcoming UK tours that they want to get out of the way first, so as to not harm ticket sales.

[tmcgoay]

a headliner and a special guest are already booked for next year, who could they be and when will we hear?

I'm told that they're booked, 100% confirmed, but can't be announced yet for contractual reasons. I assume that means that the relevant bands have upcoming UK tours that they want to get out of the way first, so as to not harm ticket sales.

shall we just list every metal/rock/alternative band of suitable size with a tour booked and speculate wildly?

[houston4044]

a headliner and a special guest are already booked for next year, who could they be and when will we hear?

I'm told that they're booked, 100% confirmed, but can't be announced yet for contractual reasons. I assume that means that the relevant bands have upcoming UK tours that they want to get out of the way first, so as to not harm ticket sales.

Well having a quick look through bands who are feasible headliners/1 hour slot bands who have London dates up to October we have:

sick of it all
devildriver
ministry
coheed and cambria
soilwork
dopethrone
sonata arctica

So if the announcement was to be soonish and after their London (I cba to trawl over every UK date) shows we'd be looking from bands from that list. None really excite me (especially as I plan on going to some of their tours anyway) so hopefully not one of these bands.

[metalicbear]

The only suitable bands I can think of who are on tour at the minute are Ministry and Queensryche.

[tmcgoay]

so you're not entertaining the idea of Steele Panther? they're at wembley later this year as are Opeth

[Gandalf the Red]

I think everyone's forgetting that hundreds of bands are playing over the next six months or so. Most of them much more likely than some of the dross being touted here.

Coheed And Cambria? Really? They're more of a Glastonbury mid afternoon tent band.

[Tet]

Well having a quick look through bands who are feasible headliners/1 hour slot bands who have London dates up to October we have:

soilwork
dopethrone
sonata arctica

Really? I'd have thought neither Soilwork or Sonata Arctica would be higher than mid-afternoon, and I've never even heard of Dopethrone, so the chances of them getting a special guest slot seem slim!

[houston4044]

I think everyone's forgetting that hundreds of bands are playing over the next six months or so. Most of them much more likely than some of the dross being touted here.

Coheed And Cambria? Really? They're more of a Glastonbury mid afternoon tent band.

Well having a quick look through bands who are feasible headliners/1 hour slot bands who have London dates up to October we have:

soilwork
dopethrone
sonata arctica

Really? I'd have thought neither Soilwork or Sonata Arctica would be higher than mid-afternoon, and I've never even heard of Dopethrone, so the chances of them getting a special guest slot seem slim!

I'm not saying that it has to be a band playing before mid-October, just chucking a few names out there for discussion.

It was slim pickings for big rock/metal acts playing London until mid October and CaC were one of the bigger ones, personally wouldn't want them playing BOA myself.

[someone else]

More wild speculation from gig listings: Volbeat? Abbath? Testament? Airbourne? Can't see any of them headlining but special guests? Queensryche are not the draw they were, and can see Arch Enemy slipping down the ranks like Lacuna Coils and CoB did.

[VizardAmata]

MInistry would be fantastic, but they probably wouldn't headline.

Hoping that one of the headliners is Emperor with Anthems in full. They're playing Brutal Assault, so why not eh?

[Haldamir319]

No comment on the quality of the band, but I don't think Airbourne are unrealistic for a special guest slot.

Overplaying of their new single at this year's fest aside, they have been rather popular for a number of years now, and will be pushing their new album hard. Only thing would be that Download loves them, so they'd likely play their instead/as well as BOA.

Steel Panther would be the other contemporary hard rock band that I think will one day do BOA, either as a sub or a headliner.

[Jobdone]

When are we finally gonna get Babymetal?