After 8 years, John L. Reese, the co-founder of Mayhem Fest announced on his Facebook page that the festival was calling it quits. Originally established as an alternative to Ozzfest, the festival co-founded by Reese and Kevin Lyman, has been a staple of the summer touring market for nearly a decade. The festival's demise is being attributed to disappointing ticket sales and a PR misstep by co-founder Kevin Lyman.
The number of stages and performers were condensed this year due to budget constraints and plummeting ticket sales. In an interview in July, Kevin Lyman hinted that the festival was at risk of going away. Lyman fell out of favor with Metal artists and fans for saying, "Metal got gray, bald and fat." Although he later issued an apology and clarified his statements, it did little to buoy ticket sales or elicit the support of the Metal community.
Recognizing that the festival had run its course, Reese issued his thank yous and said his goodbyes on his personal Facebook page. Mayhem will be remembered as a festival that inspired and supported Metal artists and built a community where fans found acceptance. The absence of the festival leaves a large hole in the summer touring market with no identifiable competitors poised to fill the void.