Blink 182 Australian Tour Confirmed (with Travis!)
*UPDATE 3/8*
Blink 182 have confirmed via
instagram and hashtags that they will be headlining Soundwave 2013. Not only that but it seems Travis Barker will be making the trip over too. Previously saying he would never fly again after a near fatal plane crash, after the huge response from fans over tour rumours last month, Barker then mused he would consider being knocked out for the flight over.
According to tour promoter
AJ Maddah's twitter, Blink 182 will play all five Soundwave festivals. The full line up will be announced next Wednesday 8 August.
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*UPDATE 13/7*
After some serious disappointment at the news that Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker wouldn't be joining the band when they visit Australia next year, there may still be a glimmer of hope. Barker has spoken out about his fear of flying in
an interview with Red Bull's Red Bulletin, revealing that his phobia has made a Blink reunion particularly difficult: “It’s hard to say what the band could do or what its potential is, because I can’t really get everywhere.”
He goes on to admit that he wants to "overcome [the fear] eventually", and he's "contemplating getting knocked out and getting on a plane to Australia".
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Australia's thousands of Blink 182 fans were sent into a frenzy last night after an off-hand
Instagram comment from the band's drummer revealed they'll be back next February. Only not with him (more on that later).
After years of
rumours and false starts, this is the closest we've come to a confirmation in some time. When Travis Barker posted a photo on
Instagram from Blink's show at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, a commenter wrote: “Hey, there’s this place called Australia that would love to see you too…”
The Blink drummer shot back with “Mark and Tom will be there in Feb of next year but with a fill in drummer cause I don’t fly. Sorry brotha.”
The trio are currently on tour in the UK following a run of European dates, and clearly, Blink 182 still has plenty of Australian fans (some are even
people like this guy).
Rumours of their return were
revived in March and as recently as last week,
Herald Sun and Triple M journo Nui Te Koa was talking up a possible spot on the Soundwave Festival lineup, which now looks very likely.
As for the absence of Travis Barker, his completely understandable fear of flying stems from a 2008 crash he survived along with DJ AM (who died a year later from a drug overdose) but which killed the pilot and three other passengers. While he's apparently undergoing hypnotherapy to get over his phobia, it's looking like any Blink tour to this part of the world will be without him.
WORDS: Hannah Joyner