Is something brewing in the desert? It certainly appears so as AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Tool and Ozzy Osbourne have all shared social media teasers suggesting that they’ll be playing an event called Power Trip this fall.
The same shared promo for all four acts features portions of magazines being cut up and then all the pieces cut out forming a collage that is the basis for a Power Trip festival poster. Some of the items include a guitar, a drum cymbal, two cacti brought together to form the metal horns sign, speakers and speaker cabinets, a prickly cactus and the words “Power” and “Trip.”
All of the teases also lead to a Power Trip social media account which has its own teases suggesting that an announcement about the event will come tomorrow, March 30. See each of the social media teases from AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne and Tool below.
The speculation surrounding the festival is that it will take place the weekend of Oct. 6-8 at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California, which also serves at the location for Coachella and the Stagecoach Festival during the spring.
A report from The Scenestar suggests this event is viewed as an extension of the Desert Trip festival which brought together rock legends The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Roger Waters and The Who back in 2016.
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As that event spread six major artists over three days in the desert, the social media teases would seemingly confirm five of the six major participants if it mirrors the 2016 event.
All of the acts are among the most iconic and legendary performers in heavy music. For Osbourne, it would be a notable return to the concert stage as the singer earlier this year canceled his touring while continuing his physical recovery from previous surgeries. Though Osbourne hinted that this was the end of his extended touring, he also mentioned that he was looking into ways in which he could perform without the rigors of travel and this one off show that’s a reasonable drive from his California residence would seem to be the perfect opportunity to return.
AC/DC, meanwhile, did not get a chance to return to the stage in support of their Power Up album over the pandemic, so this would be the band’s first concert since Sept. 20, 2016. At that point, Phil Rudd was still out of the band dealing with legal issues, Brian Johnson was dealing with his hearing woes as Axl Rose had replaced him in the live lineup and Cliff Williams played his final show, announcing his retirement. But in the time since, Rudd, Johnson and Williams all returned for the band’s Power Up album and Johnson has appeared back on the concert stage at other shows.
Metallica, Tool and Iron Maiden, meanwhile, have remained three of the biggest touring acts in metal over the last few years.
It’s plenty to be excited about, and as the teasers suggest, an announcement is coming March 30, so stay tuned.
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