Sales are slow this year! WTF?

[lharris92]

as there wasn't an announcement yesterday i would hazard a guess at next monday/tuesday

[MEGABOWL]

as there wasn't an announcement yesterday i would hazard a guess at next monday/tuesday

[lharris92]

I thought they announced some acts for the Alternative Stage last night?

[Jaybles]

They need to announce more stuff, quick. This is embarrassing!

[Bisque]

Is it though?

[jump]

I don't see how announcing the FR stage which will be filled mostly by unkown bands & a few stand up acts will make it less embarrassing. It's not like they are gonna have Soundgarden, Blur, Prodigy or other big names added.

[Banana Co]

I don't see how announcing the FR stage which will be filled mostly by unkown bands & a few stand up acts will make it less embarrassing. It's not like they are gonna have Soundgarden, Blur, Prodigy or other big names added.

[harderfaster]

No, but it is the kind of stage where somebody's favourite, lesser known band may be playing.

[JT436]

Ha! Sorry everyone, think I might've posted in the wrong topic

Edited May 27, 2011 by JT436

[jump]

Wrong thread?

[mrtourette]

I don't find it very embarrasing, my only concern is that to try and improve it next year they do something that makes it worse for me (ie more bands that are playing TITP or V). But there are other people to attract to the festival as well as me so change happens, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. For me it's concerning (about what they'll do to remedy it) rather than embarrassing.

I guess it would be embarrassing if you had friends who go to other festivals or who you try and convince R&L is better than other festivals, but when it comes to the crunch and the weekend arrives I doubt it'll make a blind bit of difference whether 100% of tickets have been sold or only 90%.

[harderfaster]

I could buy tickets to see everyone I want to see on the FR stage (about 13-16 bands) for less than £200, Less if I include Stag and Dagger, so I really doubt bands who are this easy and affordable to see will get people to dole out their dough.

[jump]

I think FR has a little sway but not in any real meaningfull numbers, I'd imagine it would probably be hardcore fans of small bands who'd like to see them start to get big. Really doubt it would be in thousands especially as these bands tour very often and only cost £5-£15.

I was thinking about not going to Reading 2009 but I saw they added Streetlight Manifesto & Sonic Boom 6 on Main (similar size to FR bands) and thought SB6 on mainstage would be great & Streetlight I'm always eager to see but I doubt I would of gone still if it wasn't for me knowing people going already and having Faith No More, Prodigy & Radiohead already.

Edited May 26, 2011 by jump

[Vanderlyle]

Suprised by the anger at the line-up. When I look at that 'Main Stage Hurt/heal' thread and see Pulp, Strokes, National, Interpol etc etc I think the festival looks pretty strong. Is the issue that people want a heavier line-up?

That said, I will only go this year for one day (prob Sat) because I've become a little fed up with the Reading vibe, so I'm probably not the kind of Reading-loyalist who cares about ticket sales, and would in fact prefer to have more space at the festival...

[jump]

Suprised by the anger at the line-up. When I look at that 'Main Stage Hurt/heal' thread and see Pulp, Strokes, National, Interpol etc etc I think the festival looks pretty strong. Is the issue that people want a heavier line-up?

That said, I will only go this year for one day (prob Sat) because I've become a little fed up with the Reading vibe, so I'm probably not the kind of Reading-loyalist who cares about ticket sales, and would in fact prefer to have more space at the festival...

[mrtourette]

Suprised by the anger at the line-up. When I look at that 'Main Stage Hurt/heal' thread and see Pulp, Strokes, National, Interpol etc etc I think the festival looks pretty strong. Is the issue that people want a heavier line-up?

That said, I will only go this year for one day (prob Sat) because I've become a little fed up with the Reading vibe, so I'm probably not the kind of Reading-loyalist who cares about ticket sales, and would in fact prefer to have more space at the festival...

[timonweels]

Alot of my mates are going to V this year. We all went to Reading last year.

Perhaps, as both V and R/L this year are alienating older attendees, and V has taken a percentage of Reading's young audience, Reading is feeling a combination of alienating older attendees as well providing insufficient draw for the young, while V accomodates them.

Considering this and the capacity increase and financial issues etc etc etc.

It's all been said before.

Perhaps popular music is evolving and Reading is moving away from it. This is certainly what i'd surmise from observation of young potential attendees (watching them in the shower)

This could have a positive effect on the festival, less popular music attracts less casual fans and, perhaps the lower attendance will include a greater percentage of those truly interested in the music. Better atmosphere? Or maybe it's a negative.

But equally Mr Benn might want to make more money and develop the festival in a way that accomodates profit.

Or maybe the line-up is shit.

I'll be dissapointed to see Reading lose its alternative rock aspect. I will frequent download if this is the case.

[mrtourette]

I don't really get the alienating older attendees thing. Sure they obviously have bands on to appeal to younger people, and maybe that in itself alienates 30-somethings, but there are plenty of bands high up on the bill (in fact nearly all of them) who can be said to be catering to older attendees. The Strokes, Pulp, Muse, Elbow, The Streets, Jane's Addiction, Deftones, The Offspring, Interpol and The National have either been releasing records for a good 10 years or have a style that will appeal to older fans as well as younger fans. Unless we start going back to Def Leppard or the Rolling Stones, most bands that get suggested that would appeal to older fans havw a band of equivalent age/circumstances on the bill already. It's not the fact that there aren't bands for older fans, it's the quality of/attitude towards the bands that they've chosen to appeal to older fans.

[Yellow_Fellow]

Perhaps popular music is evolving and Reading is moving away from it.

[rexclark]

I couldn't give a shit if it sells out or not. I'd rather be there with people who are there for the line-up rather than those just there for a piss up (although no doubt there'll still be plenty of those).

It also means that hopefully FR will look at their booking policy and make some changes next year which can only be a positive for us punters.

[RDCL]

the way i see it is that it's the contrary, and that it hasn't got enough acts that young people will want to see.

I'm only speaking from personal experience, but a total of about 40 people i knew all went to reading for the first time last year, all from different schools around my area, all at the age of 17, yet this year only about 15 people are going.

Their reasons is because the bigger acts don't seem to appeal to them, and that there is rarely a suitable alternative. Last year had a lot more bands which would appeal to teenagers, such as dizzee rascal, maccabees, blink, Paramore etc, which were all high up on the main stage. and although im not denying that last year did also have some older bands, which didn't appeal to the majority of us(my group), however it was made up by the strong NME tent. For example, last year on the friday, there was quite a heavy mainstage with more established bands, but at the same time the NME stage had the likes of two door cinema club who'd just hit their peak, and was shown by the massive turnout. Mumford were another band which a lot of people knew and they had a rammed tent. Even Phoenix was a strong band for people, almost every house party i'd go to you'd guarantee some1 to plug in their ipod and play phoenix or 2 door. But this year apart from the Vaccines (in most people i've spken to's opinion), there isn't really any standout band which attracts young people and i really cant see any band pulling a 'mumford' or 'two door' crowd, bands like Noah and the whale aren't too popular with most people. Last years sunday NME had bands like Foals, we are scientists, there was the dance stage, paramore, blink which are all bands which appeal to younger crowds. Whereas, again this year, apart from the street and muse, and maybe chapel club, there isn't really any bands which people are really interested in. From what people tell me, they have no interest in any bands on the friday anywhere, and even on other days, acts like the national, madness, elbow take no interest in them, and have poor acts on the other stage as an alternative.

Why should young people go to reading when the majority of the bands high up on the mainstage/nme aren't really bands which a lot of teenagers are familiar with, when they can go to somewhere like T in the Park, oxegen or even Bennicassim, which, by the looks of this years lineup caters more for the younger audience. Yes, reading do have bands which from what i've seen are popular with teenagers, such as two door, strokes, bombay bicycle club, friendly fires, odd future but they're all playing elsewhere, with the majority of them lower down the bill.

anyways as i said im only speaking on behalf of my friends,some of us are fans of pulp, Interpol etc. but on a night out we regularly bump into other ppl who went to reading in previous years, and the majority of them would say the same thing.

I understand that maybe the majority of the people on this forum are older than 18 etc, and may disagree with what i've written, but im just providing another view (or if a similar thing has already been said, backing it up) from what has been said from a lot of people i've spoken to. And before a troll comes in, no we're not those teenagers who all wear checked shirts with hi tops and wollen hats, so please don't go there.

oh and apologies if its bad language, i have revision to do and im not really prepared to sit here perfecting this mini essay when i have more important things

Edited May 26, 2011 by RDCL

[mrtourette]

And before a troll comes in, no we're not those teenagers who all wear checked shirts with hi tops and wollen hats, so please don't go there.

[RDCL]

But you all watch Skins right?

It's a good insight, maybe the situation is theat the majority of the bands aren't on the radar of young people while they are on the radar of us old 'uns but we still think they're weak?

How about bands that the older people think are just on the bill to appeal to youngsters - MCR, 30STM and Midnight BEast?

Edited May 26, 2011 by RDCL

[rexclark]

I would say R&L are far more youth oriantated than most fests. For new acts it's probably the best. It does have a good few older acts or acts who appeal to over 25s but the demographic is definately about 17-25.

It does seem like people haven't took to the line-up this year for whatever reason. Those who are going will go and probably have a fantastic weekend.

We'll just have to see if it doesn't sell out then what action FR will take next year to win the punters back.

[Banana Co]

I would say R&L are far more youth oriantated than most fests. For new acts it's probably the best. It does have a good few older acts or acts who appeal to over 25s but the demographic is definately about 17-25.

It does seem like people haven't took to the line-up this year for whatever reason. Those who are going will go and probably have a fantastic weekend.

We'll just have to see if it doesn't sell out then what action FR will take next year to win the punters back.