Early bird tickets already sell out for Blacken Open Air Festival 2025 return to Red Centre
After a three-year hiatus, the Red Centre’s premier heavy music festival is making a return – and it’s promising to take Australia’s ‘most notorious band’ along for the ride. Find out more
Alice Springs
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Australia’s “most notorious” heavy metal band will visit the Red Centre as part of a four day music festival, which is making its return after a three-year hiatus.
Blacken Open Air festival is returning to the “dead centre” – Alice Springs – September 19 – 22, 2025.
Returning to Ross River resort, the festival is run by Alice Springs’ own heavy metal record label, Black Wreath Records.
Black Wreath Records founder Pirate said the festival had been running since 2013, with an international act set to play its first Australian show as part of next year’s festival.
Australia’s “most notorious band” was also set to make an appearance, Pirate said – but he’s keeping tight lipped on who they are.
“It’s a band I’m extremely excited to be able to bring back, someone that I’ve been in contact with for a very long time,” he said.
“They were very adamant about not ever doing a reunion.
“But, I guess persistence has paid off and the time was right … (they’re) a very influential band in Australian heavy music.”
The four days would be a “curated” mix of punk, grindcore, doom and psychedelic before transitioning to black and death metal, Pirate said.
“We’re quite particular about the flow of the music and how we blend the sounds; what sort of journey people go on over the weekend,” he said.
“It’s not just a platform for the artists, but it’s a great kind of opportunity to bring our entire creative community together and the extended supporters and arts workers and helpers that all manifest something greater than some of its parts.
“It’s been held by the community and local people have always run it.
“It‘s also really special to be able to showcase our part of the world with so many people from around Australia and beyond that, those that travel here for it.”
Early bird tickets have sold out, but general admission tickets will be on sale from mid December.
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