The 2025 edition of Sick New World has been officially canceled, with organizers citing “unforeseen circumstances” as the cause. Scheduled for April 12, 2025, in Las Vegas, the event was set to feature headliners Metallica and Linkin Park, along with the return of Mike Patton’s Tomahawk. Unfortunately, refunds are now being issued to ticket holders.
While organizers framed the cancellation as a logistical hurdle, insiders suggest deeper financial challenges may have played a role. According to Hits Daily Double, massive artist guarantees, reportedly $5 million each for Metallica and Linkin Park, meant the festival needed near-sellout attendance to break even. However, only about one-third of the 60,000 available tickets had been sold before the announcement.
A Reddit thread highlighted widespread concerns about ticket prices, which likely contributed to the event’s downfall. Tickets started at $400, later rising to $450, for what remained a one-day festival with a jam-packed schedule. In contrast, tickets for previous years of Sick New World, offering a similar experience, were priced around $250. The steep price hike and an already competitive festival market, including major events like DWP’s Sonic Temple, Rockville, Milwaukee Metal Fest, and various metal cruises, may have stretched festivalgoers’ budgets too thin.
The ambitious 2025 lineup, which broadened beyond the focused nü-metal genre in prior years, may have backfired. Fans appeared hesitant about paying higher prices, especially with a densely packed schedule suggesting shorter set times for marquee acts.
In an interview with The Vinyl Guide, Tomahawk bassist Trevor Dunn confirmed the festival’s cancellation, stating, “We had a whole tour built around this, but financially, it doesn’t make sense now.” Meanwhile, System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan expressed optimism for the festival’s future, urging fans to demand its return.
Sick New World debuted in 2023 to sold-out success, and its 2024 edition followed suit. Whether the festival will recover from this setback remains uncertain, but its bold vision may require some balanced regrouping to regain fan trust and financial stability.
View this post on Instagram
