Will Lostprophets Ever Headline/Sub-Headline?

[fishman17]

Hello, now the first thing I want to say is I'm not a massive Lostprophets fanboy or anything like that. I like them yes, but not greatly.

Now I'll start properly.

OK, Lostprophets are the band that I'm most shocked has not headlined/sub-headlined, where did it all go so wrong?!

They are a mainstream British rock band who have a massive back catalogue of hits, and have quite a few songs that everyone knows the words to, no matter how casual a fan they are (Last Train Home, Rooftops, Last Summer..). Every time they have played the mainstage they have had the crowd in the palms of their hands, and this year was no exception, they easily had the roughest mainstage crowd I saw.

And here's two examples of the crowd at two of their mainstage performances (wouldn't let me put three in):

2004:

2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1mTAWrBELk

I have never seen the crowd bounce that much during a mid-day performance in my four years of going to Reading, and the only time it's been beaten in my opinion was during Rage Against the Machine's performance in 2008 (And my word was it beaten might I say).

This year they were fourth from top on the bill which is crazy! They have a much more well-known back catalogue than Biffy in my opinion (Of whom I actually prefer as a band!) and they've played arenas before (Unlike Biffy and even QOTSA, who are my favourite band!)

Before the 2009 festival, I was not alone in predicting Lostprophets for a sub-headline slot, after all they did headline Download in 2008 (But in all fairness it was a smaller festival back then compared to what it is now, but it was still a major festival), so where did it all go so wrong?

Will they ever get higher up the bill? Why have they not?

Even if you hate Lostprophets (For either music snob reasons or 'not my thing' reasons), you have to admit they're not commanding as high a slot they should be, especially with them increasing in popularity so much a few years ago.

Discuss

[Leocadius]

Lostprophets CAN and SHOULD headline, however The Betrayed was more or less their St Anger moment.

They are absolutely phenominal live and this year was no different. Sub headlining they could easily pull off. I recall System sub headlining and Lostprophets could easily pull the crowd of that stature.

[Vieuphoria]

I would say their time and come and gone. There are bands who make it big and then they just decrease in popularity.

Anyone hear like Mansun? Kula Shaker? Skunk Anansie? Ash even?

LP seem like a band who will be big and then fade away.

That said, they could easily headline. They have balanced on the edge of being huge for years now. Everytime they get momentum it tends to die out. If they managed to pull off headlining Download and kill that momentum i can't see them coming back with anything that huge.

That said... is it possible to totally and utterly sell out twice?

[Joe-]

Bloody hope not

[Leocadius]

I would say their time and come and gone. There are bands who make it big and then they just decrease in popularity.

Anyone hear like Mansun? Kula Shaker? Skunk Anansie? Ash even?

LP seem like a band who will be big and then fade away.

That said, they could easily headline. They have balanced on the edge of being huge for years now. Everytime they get momentum it tends to die out. If they managed to pull off headlining Download and kill that momentum i can't see them coming back with anything that huge.

That said... is it possible to totally and utterly sell out twice?

[Sparticus]

I'd say it's perfectly possible to come back do better than Betrayed which was poor imho. See how many people watched Lostprophets despite their stupidly low booking? They still command a headliner following if they go back to the sound on their first three albums.

[ap3311]

I like them but I'd say their time has been and gone and I'd be disappointed if they were booked that high up. Unless their next album is really really big which it isn't going to be really. Cypress Hill headlined Reading once but were in the same slot as Lostprophets this time round.

[ionicmoose]

I recall in 07 that they were asked to play below Smashin Pumpkins but when they realised that they'd be playing above Nine Inch Nails they said that was crazy and that NIN should be above them. Pretty sure it was in the programme for that year or in an interview somewhere?

Plus wasn't their low booking this year because they wanted to play an afternoon set after headlining the tent last year, being offered the sub in 07, headlining Download etc? Pretty sure that was mentioned in an interview when this year's lineup first came out, that they wanted to play during the day.

Don't have the time nor care enough to dig any info up tbh, you'll have to take my word for it or accept that I might have dreamt it all

[Dan R]

Admittedly I expected them to sub-headline this year, but when when they came to play i think low slot this year actually seemed right

They definitely have passed their peak, they would need a VERY strong album for them to headline, something I doubt will ever happen

Although I could see them Subbing if they take a few years away from R+L

[Leocadius]

I recall in 07 that they were asked to play below Smashin Pumpkins but when they realised that they'd be playing above Nine Inch Nails they said that was crazy and that NIN should be above them. Pretty sure it was in the programme for that year or in an interview somewhere?

Plus wasn't their low booking this year because they wanted to play an afternoon set after headlining the tent last year, being offered the sub in 07, headlining Download etc? Pretty sure that was mentioned in an interview when this year's lineup first came out, that they wanted to play during the day.

Don't have the time nor care enough to dig any info up tbh, you'll have to take my word for it or accept that I might have dreamt it all

[rexclark]

Sub Headline perhaps, but If they ever headline it'll be a sad day for the festival.

[Leocadius]

Sub Headline perhaps, but If they ever headline it'll be a sad day for the festival.

[fishman17]

It would be refreshing to bring in a new headliner to the festival scene wouldn't it? just because they're not the Gods of the universe like Arcade Fire, as most of this forum will have you believe, doesn't mean they wouldn't get a MASSIVE crowd. (By the way I like Arcade Fire and their set was awesome at Reading).

Who else is there to bump up to headliner in the current festival scene? It seems to be dominated by reunion bands at the moment, which is a shame, because we're gonna run out of them pretty quickly.

Just my opinion though, adding more cents.

[Dan R]

It would be refreshing to bring in a new headliner to the festival scene wouldn't it? just because they're not the Gods of the universe like Arcade Fire, as most of this forum will have you believe, doesn't mean they wouldn't get a MASSIVE crowd. (By the way I like Arcade Fire and their set was awesome at Reading).

Who else is there to bump up to headliner in the current festival scene? It seems to be dominated by reunion bands at the moment, which is a shame, because we're gonna run out of them pretty quickly.

Just my opinion though, adding more cents.

[rexclark]

Huh?

[Electricityscape]

I hope not, I won't deny I think Last Train Home is brilliant but the rest is just murrrr. I think they will headline but not for a while yet.

Edited September 12, 2010 by Swellx

[matt123]

depends whether ian watkins'gay sex tape gets loads of exposure, i think it could ruin him.

http://unratedperez.com/2010-09-02-lostprophets-singer-in-a-gay-sex-tape

i like them as a band though, maybe not so much now as 3 years ago but i'd probably check them out if they headlined/subbed.

[stylishkids]

I think the chance of Lostprophets headlining at any time in their career will be extremly small. I'm not sure what particular genre you'd class their sound as, pop punk maybe, but whatever it is I can't think of a smilar sounding band to step upto headline and it's a bit too generic in my eyes that they'll be able to get a large enough following to be able to headline. There probably in the Kerrang crowd and I can only think of Green Day, Foo Fighters and Linkin Park in that crowd who've stepped up to headline the past decade and they had something a bit different in their sound to LP, who seem to take the similar stance of others what is bar chords played at break neck speed. The best they can hope for is sub headlining again and that is if they get another album full of singles that radio 1 will lap up. I can only remember the first single of the latest tbh and I can't see them stepping up from academy size venues to arenas otherwise.

[jonwl89]

I think the problem is they've never had that defining album to push them from down the bill with a big crowd to genuine headliner/sub status. If you look at the bands that have moved up in recent years they've all had this, Muse had Absolution, FR gambled that The Suburbs would be it for Arcade Fire, KoL had Only by the Night (even if it is shit) and other bands have had debuts that pushed them into virtual headliner status even if it was followed up by distinct averageness, see: The Killers, Arctic Monkeys.

The problem for LP is that they've never had that album that could be held up to define them and in all likeliness they'll continue their decline down the bill whilst still pulling in decent crowds but be gradually forgotten by the vast majority.

[rockinthecasbah]

I recall in 07 that they were asked to play below Smashin Pumpkins but when they realised that they'd be playing above Nine Inch Nails they said that was crazy and that NIN should be above them. Pretty sure it was in the programme for that year or in an interview somewhere?

[Role Model]

It would be a big step backwards for the festival to have a band of their standing headline.

Thankfully it won't ever happen.

[pink_triangle]

This year they were fourth from top on the bill which is crazy! They have a much more well-known back catalogue than Biffy in my opinion (Of whom I actually prefer as a band!) and they've played arenas before (Unlike Biffy and even QOTSA, who are my favourite band!)

Before the 2009 festival, I was not alone in predicting Lostprophets for a sub-headline slot, after all they did headline Download in 2008 (But in all fairness it was a smaller festival back then compared to what it is now, but it was still a major festival), so where did it all go so wrong?

Will they ever get higher up the bill? Why have they not?

[Vieuphoria]

I heard Biffy's Wembley date sold out very very fast

Lostprophets dates don't sell nearly as quicjkly. They are a fad who's time has nearly come and gone. They could easily come back with another hit single. But it's doubtful they'll ever be big enough.

[mattl]

Before they headline or sub-headline, they've got to go take a year out from touring and sit in the studio to release a "dark album". Something fast paced, something darker in content and something heavier but also consistant throughout. Well, in comparison to their own previous work.

The problem, IMO is that they lack a real cutting edge to their LP's, but have it in spades at the records. songs like "We are Godzilla...you are Japan", "Shinobi vs Dragon Ninja", "Burn Burn", "DSTRYR/DSTRYR" etc. show the aura needed to Headline, but they need to get songs like them in one consistant album. If they manage that they could hit the limit needed to Headline.

[RichieParf]

I saw them in 2007 and they were amazing then, but in both 09 and 10 I've found them increasingly less impressive. Judging by this thread Im in the minority but to me they've peaked.

Putting aside my personal thoughts though, their low place on the bill may be because of how many festivals they've been plaing the last few years. Its difficult for them to have any air of exclusivity when they're playing festivals left, right and centre.