Sales are slow this year! WTF?

[jump]

I'd hazard a guess that, apart from Muse, most other bands up high are playing other festivals such as MCR, Pulp, Strokes, Beady eye and others. There's nothing completely unique about the line-up's this year apart from FR's Muse booking- who most people will have probably seen before. In my eyes, no single line-up is 'amazing'. Although, I think Reading's made the best out of a tricky situation for headliners this year.

[lidds]

Touts stung you say:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Leeds-Reading-Festival-Weekend-Camping-Tickets-Ticket-/150580531783?pt=UK_Tickets_Tickets_LE&hash=item230f4c9247

The bad news is I need it to sell out as I have one spare which I would like to recoup my money back on. :s

[5co77ie]

I think one possible reason why sales may be slow is that far fewer would have been snapped up my touts this year.

There were loads of tales last year about touts getting stung, people picking up tickets for knock down prices etc etc.

If the arse has fallen out of the bedroom tout market, so it seems it may well have fallen out of the instant sell out market. Im sure thousands and thousands of tickets were bought in the last few years on sale day, by folk who had absolutely no intention of ever going to the festival. I think the increase in capacity and a more savvy buying public has led to far less demand from ebay and therefore far less demand in thousands snapping up 8 tickets (or whatever is the maximum is and flogging them on).

If only 2,000 people were doing this, that is still 16,000 tickets, a fair old number of tickets, if this has been halved, thats an extra 8,000 tickets sloshing about, up to 10% capacity of one of the sites.

Other reasons- Shift in youth music trends. The kids are all back in to Tinie Tempah, Rhianna, Gaga etc these days arent they, the circle was always going to happen and its now occured. The youth market in white boys and guitars has moved on, the Trendy Wendys are no longer into the Libertine now its OK to like The Wanted, JLS and the like again.

Cost- As other have said there is always goign to be a cost tipping point, looks like 200 nicker before you even get there is it!

Realistic demand- Perhaps the capacity increases have reached the actual demand level, which with the two reasons above may now in fact be too high.

When push comes to shove I suspect it sells out, I hope not, for I long for the days of the late 90s, early 00s with much smaller crowds, where my mate could decide he was coming 3 days beforehand and turn up and pick up a ticket on the door.

The only worry for us, as punters, of it not selling out, is that their is a shift in booking policy to get more popular youth bands on the bill and we're looking at a V style line up in 5 years time!!!

[Dirty Boots]

Good post. I have to agree.

I'd add to cost that R&L's demographic is predominantly school leavers, with what is it now 1 in 4 with no job to go to, and the cost of university fees to consider I don't think they can afford it.

[saints15]

Just gone on See, can't believe they are still on sale. The way things are going See are going to have to auction them off to try and sell out!

[chappiepunk]

Just gone on See, can't believe they are still on sale. The way things are going See are going to have to auction them off to try and sell out!

[Joe-]

I think the only reason V, IOW sold out is because all the "cool fashion kids" who think festivals are fashionable have gone their to watch their favourite chart acts. Reading this year is less Chindie (Chavvy indie kids) friendly IMO, compared to last year there is a lot more alternative acts rather than indie/chart music (apart from Beady Eye, two door, etc). This year stuff there is stuff like Seasick, DFA, Madness, PULP, interpol, etc.

That's a positive about this year, less chindies!

[mattl]

I think the only reason V, IOW sold out is because all the "cool fashion kids" who think festivals are fashionable have gone their to watch their favourite chart acts. Reading this year is less Chindie (Chavvy indie kids) friendly IMO, compared to last year there is a lot more alternative acts rather than indie/chart music (apart from Beady Eye, two door, etc). This year stuff there is stuff like Seasick, DFA, Madness, PULP, interpol, etc.

That's a positive about this year, less chindies!

Edited March 23, 2011 by mattl

[harderfaster]

Most of them will go to watch Beady Eye and then spend the rest of the weekend hanging around the campsites being mini Liam Gallagher's, because, according to the vast majority of them, the rest of the line-up is "shoite". moaning about how they didn't play Wonderwall or Don't Look Back In Anger.

[Joe-]

Uh, as much as I hate to burst the bubble, Beady Eye are headlining the Friday NME stage. All the "Chindies" around me last year were belting out "Wonderwall" and "Don't look back in Anger" at 4am, disturbing.

Most of them will go to watch Beady Eye and then spend the rest of the weekend hanging around the campsites being mini Liam Gallagher's, because, according to the vast majority of them, the rest of the line-up is "shoite".

[jump]

Oh god, a herd of Joe1990s roaming around the campsite.

[rexclark]

Oh god, a herd of Joe1990s roaming around the campsite.

[Joe-]

Is there a collective term for a herd of c**ts?

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

A bucket of c**ts?

[harderfaster]

V.

[chappiepunk]

Arsenal fans

[harderfaster]

Arsenal fans

Edited March 23, 2011 by harderfaster

[danvb]

wonder if some people are waiting for glasto resale in the next few weeks and to see if that line up suits them more.

I think if tickets dont sell out soon,that the lock up and or dance tent will be announced sooner than normal,and would be better than normal.

Also isnt there normally 10/11 bands on each day for the main stage?,still some more bands to be announced there,and the nme tent isnt complete yet.

[Vacant0]

wonder if some people are waiting for glasto resale in the next few weeks and to see if that line up suits them more.

I think if tickets dont sell out soon,that the lock up and or dance tent will be announced sooner than normal,and would be better than normal.

Also isnt there normally 10/11 bands on each day for the main stage?,still some more bands to be announced there,and the nme tent isnt complete yet.

[harderfaster]

Doubt it - arguably the Glasto lineup is likely to be even less to the tastes of most people who are moaning about the R&L lineup - and seeing as Reading usually sells out almost immediately, planning to wait for a Glasto resale that happens after Reading sells out doesn't make a lot of sense.

Usually 10 bands on 2 days and 9 bands on the day with the two hour headline set. Though with The Strokes and Pulp as co-headliners - it seems that only the MCR day has a band missing.

[Vacant0]

but if glasto sells out (looking likely?) then there'll be some people looking for a festival to go to, surely?

[Habylab]

Shit lineup = Shit sales

Edited March 23, 2011 by Habylab

[danielET]

Having a headliner which is subbing at another festival is one of their main mistakes, especially with the price increase (I know it increases every year.)

[danvb]

i did take a look a while ago at the past four years line ups since i started going,there is a lot of recycling of the same bands,theres a group of "house bands" that just get bumped up the line up steadily each year or so.

Im still fairly pleased with a bunch of bands on the line up this year.

but it could still do with a few less frequent festival bands on the line up,and some less regular leeds/reading bands being booked.

sonisphere hasnt helped the diversity of the line up tbh.

[chappiepunk]

Easy enough to understand, but the organisers won't!