Let’s not beat around the bush here – we’ve been teased with the arrival of the massive Download Festival in Australia for long enough. Now, it’s finally happening, and we’ve got all the details.

It’s shaping up to be awesome. Locked in for March 24 2018 at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse, the grounds will open up to 25,000 punters for the day, with 28 bands playing across four stages.

We won’t know who’ll be on that lineup until it’s announced on November 9, but we do know that 1/3 of the acts will be local – meaning a serious amount of international talent will be on the way to Australia next year.

While the inaugural event has chosen Melbourne as its home due to its huge love of rock (not to mention a fanbase who dearly misses Soundwave), organisers are already hoping they can expand to become a national touring event and fill a gap in the market for heavy music fans currently being held down all alone by UNIFY: A Heavy Music Gathering.

Speaking of Unified, they’re part of the team presenting it along with touring behemoth Live Nation, as well as Secret Sounds, the experts behind Falls, Splendour and new fest Sydney City Limits.

After so much hype, our bodies are ready – chuck us in the pit already. Until we know more, here’s the after movie from this year’s edition of the huge U.K. bash.

Download Festival Australia 2018

Presented by Live Nation, Unified and Secret Sounds

Saturday March 24, 2018 – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne

Lineup announced November 9

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine