Anyone else tired of/wanting a break from Reading/Leeds festival?

[thomasowen]

if someone can come up with a reasonable argument not to have a balance of indie/rock/metal then fair enough,but i really hate the 'if you want metal then go to another festival' argument.all metal/rock fans want is a balance,u dont hear rock fans saying 'we want reading to be all metal,if you indie fans want indie then go to v or glastonbury'

[rivalschools.price]

not just your post,if you look through the last couple of weeks you will see loads of 'tell the rock/metal fans to f**k off to download' posts.

[Bradders]

I've just counted the main stage from last year and I got:

Heavy: 12

Indie: 11

Other: 5

I think I lumped a bit too much into 'heavy' because I don't really know much about it. Still, shows it's pretty even. Also bear in mind alot of the 'indie' is really more pop than anything else. And not bands someone like myself would like.

[rivalschools.price]

thats the point,the clue is in the 'last year' part of your text.i,and many others fear that this year is shaping up to be very different.hope im wrong,hope your right.

[thomasowen]

thats the point,the clue is in the 'last year' part of your text.i,and many others fear that this year is shaping up to be very different.hope im wrong,hope your right.

[rivalschools.price]

again,i hope your right and it is only idle speculation.

[brighteyes]

I went to Reading from 1999-2004, and found I was getting bored of it by '04. So I had three years off, went to other festivals, and returned last year... bloody loved it! Having a break and trying some different festies was definitely a good idea for me, I'd recommend it.

[headshrinker1979]

the second i heard they werent having any metal headliners this year was the second i knew i wasnt going.

Reading/Leeds has become quite generic over the years. Its been in the past where you couldget every type of music you'd want there. But now its a case of it you're not indie you're not getting in.

Any festival that lets flash in the pans like razorlight or franz ferdinand headline has lost it's way.

Look how many festivals razorlight and killers are headlining this year and look how many people are complaining about how generic things are getting. The T in the park peeps are livid. Its not because these arent big bands....it's just you want something ELSE to listen too over 3 days than standard guitar lead indie drivel.

Most bands on the radio 1 stage you wont ever hear of again because every indie band has 1 good/popular song in them and then they disapear.

bring back the diversity. I thought they hit the nail on the head with Rage last year. Hearing the no metal rumor this year just made me sigh.

Edited February 26, 2009 by headshrinker1979

[hearing_aid]

But then the flip side is that are there too many festivals around now? Is this why we see the same acts again and again, they all go for the same ones to fill the bills. Is this why festivals seem to shift their fan bases from one genre to another? A new festival pops up in one genre that your festival used to be then i suppose you have to change to get punters in. Its a difficult balance i am sure but all people want is a bit of variety year on year without totally losing the traditions that have gone before

[micawber]

This will probably be my last festival year outing for a while. I like the mix of indie/punk/alternative/heavy at Reading. I worry that it may get a bit out of balance this year, but that is purely based on a few random rumours so it's a nonsense really.

After seeing the the show that Glastonbury is putting together this year (BS, NY, etc) I felt compelled to go and break my duck there. Now that is a set of headliners! But I realise that Reading wouldn't risk upsetting their target audience with these. Shame.

Like the OP, having been festivalling for the last 4 or 5 years, I'm really starting to feel that I have seen it all before now. So, yes, it's probably now time for a break to give the new blood 3 or 4 years to hone their acts.

[beLIEveR]

Based on what? Idle speculation.

[howlin_pete]

Untill it looked like Radiohead were playing I was considering it. If the rumour falls through, and beyond this year I don't know. Glastonbury has won me over quite a bit and if it was a straight choise between the two I'd probably choose Glato

[Benj]

This is a very interesting post.

I've been to Reading every year since '97 and already have my tickets for this year. The line ups do seem to get less interesting year on year, not just at the top but through out the day.

I think much of it, as discussed is just down to the recycling of acts . Ive been to V every year but two since '97 as well, so many acts play both, year by year, so these days, having been to over 20 festivals its not often that you get to see a band for the first time, so there are few surprises. For instance Ive seen Bloc party at either Reading or V for the past 4 years, if I was dong V again this year (which I'm not) it would be 5, will I be shocked to see them on the Reading bill next year? No.

I think there are simply too many festivals now, resulting in much more competition, that means that the promoters have to fill the line-up with bands that sell tickets and therfore take the easy option, as opposed to filling the bill with a more diverse mix.

I'll carry on going to Reading, until I don't enjoy it any more, the line-up has varied in quality immensely over the 12 years I've been, I've still loved everyone though (maybe not '04!), some more so than others for various reasons, the one thing that haa remained consistent and will be the same this year is that whoever is on the bill come August 28th, I'll join the masses walking to the arena, as excited as I always have been!

[pink_triangle]

To people complaining about the lack of rock/metal headliners who could festival republic realistically booked. Admitedly im more indie so not as knowledgabel as some about the genre but when you take away those who have played recent years, those already booked for festivals in 2009 and those who are just not available are there really many bands left big enough to headline??

[beLIEveR]

A Sunday of:

Iron Maiden

Slipknot

Lostprophets

random indie band

The Subways

anyone

NOFX

something random

anyone

could easily have been done.

[thomasowen]

A Sunday of:

Iron Maiden

Slipknot

Lostprophets

random indie band

The Subways

anyone

NOFX

something random

anyone

could easily have been done.

[brighteyes]

A Sunday of:

Iron Maiden

Slipknot

Lostprophets

random indie band

The Subways

anyone

NOFX

something random

anyone

could easily have been done.

[rivalschools.price]

To people complaining about the lack of rock/metal headliners who could festival republic realistically booked. Admitedly im more indie so not as knowledgabel as some about the genre but when you take away those who have played recent years, those already booked for festivals in 2009 and those who are just not available are there really many bands left big enough to headline??

[sammysundae]

i'm not going this year. i've decided.

headliners = boring or have seen before

rumours = unexciting

possibilities = unexciting

price = extortionate

atmosphere = nothing without metal fans

kaiser chiefs = last straw

bestival = the way forward

i'm gutted that i actually think that. i've LOVED reading, but it just looks average this year.

[beLIEveR]

That looks shit though. Or was that your point?

[benisright]

ac/dc??

guns n roses??

faith no more??

[benisright]

Getting Iron Maiden would not have been easy. Aren't they on tour elsewhere? Any of those other bands would have been really underwhelming, and The Subways?

[rivalschools.price]

i dont understand why the bands have to be exclusive.of course we dont want the same bands playing all the festivals but with more and more festivals poping up everywhere the 'exclusive' rule has hamstrung FR this year and this is likely to get worse if sonisphere are quick off the mark again next year.surely everyone wants the best line up possible,exclusive or not.

[howlin_pete]

If anyone should be able to get an exclusive though it's Reading. They have the cash, experience and reputation to do so, so I don't see why it should be a problem for the organisors

[Rancidpunk_76]

I've been going to Reading since 1998, this is the 1st year that the rumours have got me seriously considering selling my ticket. It's not that i prefer the heavier side of music (although i do) it's that i prefer a little diversity in my summer festival.

I don't want to see all the music i like confined to one stage, i want to see all kinds of bands mix it up - like Reading used to.

If all 3 headliners end up being bands that would sit happily on the front cover of the NME, then i don't hold out much hope for the rest of the lineup.