After a highlight of the year, the 2022 SBÄM Fest 4 at the Tabakfabrik in Linz, Stefan Beham and his team are moving on to the next round: on June 3 and 4, 2023, Austria’s biggest scene festival will once again see national and international punk rock acts rocking out in Linz. This time, however, the festival will take place in nature: The Pichlinger See nature recreation area south of Linz will become the self-proclaimed “Punk Rock Paradise.”
The headliner is the Californian legendary punk band Rancid, who will play in Linz for the first time and will be an absolute highlight of the festival year 2023! Celtic folk punk will be on offer again in 2023: Flogging Molly, who with their legendary hits such as ‘Devil’s Dance Floor’ is no longer an insider’s tip in alternative music and are regarded as one of the world’s biggest folk punk bands, will join the headlining line-up. Their new album ‘Anthem’ was released in 2022.
The team is also particularly looking forward to the confirmation of Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, the British singer/songwriter with his punk rock roots has become an integral part of the festival landscape and yet only recently had to cancel dates in Austria. Also confirmed are Hot Water Music, who have just played a successful tour in Europe with their new album, as well as the American political-punk greats Anti-Flag. A newcomer is also the American ska punk band Less Than Jake around singer and bassist Roger Lima, who will probably be forever remembered by all listeners of the Tony Hawk soundtrack for a certain song.
At least Austrian fans have been waiting for a certain name for a long time and indeed Turbobier is around the scene great and professional joker Marco Pogo. Two big American additions to the lineup of the now legendary festival are The Menzingers as well as the legendary fun-punk band Bowling For Soup, who have only recently started performing again. Adding an extra party factor is the skate punk band Zebrahead.
Not only punk rock legends and those who are yet to become so are scheduled for SBÄM Fest – As founder Stefan Beham emphasizes, musical variety is very important to him. Therefore, as a special surprise, the American rapper Mod Sun will perform! He is best known for his collaborations with Avril Lavigne and Machine Gun Kelly and belongs to the popular wave that mixes pop punk with modern emo rap.
Even more diversity at the festival will be provided by two promising newcomer bands from the USA, among others. There’s Sincere Engineer, who actually started as the solo project of singer-songwriter Deanna Belos from Chicago and was last seen on tour with The Menzingers in Europe. From California come Destroy Boys, Riot Grrrl, and indie punk extraordinaire. Adding an extra rock n roll, or as they say “Punkabilly” factor will be Germany’s The Bloodstrings, who break down genre barriers armed with singer Celina‘s voice and double bass.
Also, as always, SBÄM Records will be promoting newcomers, including Polish female-fronted skate punk band CF98, Swedish punk rock legends Venerea and all-girl punk bands The Venomous Pinks from Arizona and ska punk ladies The Von Tramps, who already made their European debut in 2022. Back again as in the last edition are the Viennese The Rumperts, who will release their new album on SBÄM in 2023.