Deliberately alienating line-up choice?

[kibble]

Has anyone else noticed the pattern of alternating between heavier* and lighter line-ups each year?

2008 = Heavy

2009 = Light

2010 = Heavy

2011 = Light

*Well, not heavy in the true sense of the word... but more rock-oriented.

[Yellow_Fellow]

there is no such thing as a day pattern

[Hart Attack]

Not officially, but you can surely see that the style of the line-up has been alternating between the two over the last few years? Not saying that's done on purpose - most likely just a coincidence - but it still seems to be happening.

[jonnyx]

How does that work? - my first was 1978 and the line-up hasn't put me off, there's even a fair few acts I've not seen before, and the new ones are acts I'm familiar with and have been known to tap my foot along to.

[googlebrain]

i hope that this is just Melvin being cheap for a year. To get an act to rival the other festivals would of been very difficult. Eminem at V the big 4 at soni, System at download, these are all amazin bands/artists that could easily have headlined Reading and their arnt many bands of That calibre out there in my opinion. Foos are at Isle of wight so no joy there, and muse would be another obvious choice so good call there tbh. As for the rest of the "headliners" they are there purely to bring the money in from the teen audience of MCR and 30stm and the indy kiddies that will come for the dance tent and the strokes. Cant complain to much we have been spoilt over the years i have been coming since 2001 and was just starting to lose interest now i know i wont be comin to the whole weekend but 80 pound for a day is still good value for the bands you can see on any particular day (fri has deftones offspring rise against beady eye {lol} sat Madness and Pulp and Sunday Muse alone).

If next year they splash the cash on someone i may return rejuvinated and back in love with the festival i grew up with.

Hopefully this is melvins plan for us all

[RichieParf]

I noticed that, I think that's generally why most people are complaining about the line-up. When you look at Reading during most of the 00's it was generally more Rock with elements of other genre's. From 09' and 11' it appears they're breaking the traditional 'metal' 'indie' and 'rock' day by going for a mixed bag of bands. For instance Madness playing on the traditional 'indie' day, and Elbow playing on a 'rock' day. I think it's an idea to almost join up the festival, so that there is something for everyone.

[rexclark]

I think there's a fantastic mix for all age groups. I'm looking forward to loads of acts ranging from Pulp to MCR to 2 Many DJs and I'm 29. I wouldn't say age has anything to do with it.

[robith]

I first went in 2002 (went every year to 2006 which really put me off and I started going to Glastonbury and ATP) and playing then was Pulp, The Strokes, Jimmy Eat World, Muse and The Offspring

Reading and Leeds are, and have always been about the Zeitgeist. This line up is pure proof that currently, the zeitgeist is in flux with neither indie and its variants, nor metal, rock and punk with theirs currently dominate.

[JAnderson]

The heavy acts that are available are quite 'niche' whereas the 'indie' acts appeal to a broader audience. Add in to this two festivals (Download, Soni) now exist that try to cater specifically to this niche market. All this means that there is more competition and less to choose from hence much less heavy act than in years gone by. Pretty simple really.

[Vieuphoria]

yeah this is all bollocks i'm afraid

[Benj]

Do you think that Melvin Benn announced the line-up this year as a conscious decision to attract more new punters to the festival and alienate the older ones who have been attending the festival for years?

[jump]

No

What Dave el Niño said

The lineup is as per usual, perhaps down on a few big hitters but in the main pretty much what it has been for the 15 years I've been going

People's perceptions of the bill have changed not the lineup. If you search back through the archives you will find that Lithium and the like (in the main heavy/ punk fans) pretty much has the same moan each year, bar a few where a few bands they really likes are billed. Most are placated come august once the full bill is in place

As always you have to remember that we don't represent the majority at the festival, I reckon if you lashed up a coldplay, killers, or similar mainstream pop band on the top of one of the days the tickets would be long gone

[Mega Ross]

I remember it selling quite fast in '09. I thought Kings of leon, Arctic monkeys and Radiohead headlining was a good shout.

'02 is the last time it was properly slow as far as I know and the lineup that year was f**king immense (and strangely included many of this years bands plus a shit load more awesome ones)

This is seriously slow though, nothing is properly sold out.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Mega Ross

[jump]

I remember it selling quite fast in '09. I thought Kings of leon, Arctic monkeys and Radiohead headlining was a good shout.

'02 is the last time it was properly slow as far as I know and the lineup that year was f**king immense (and strangely included many of this years bands plus a shit load more awesome ones)

This is seriously slow though, nothing is properly sold out.

[ivan]

I will be 45 at Leeds , and these are the bands I will not be missing

White Lies

The National

Interpol

Noah

Friendly Fires

Strokes

The Horrors

Two Door Cinema Club

And I think the line up is brilliant !

[Banana Co]

I think people are reading what they like from the line up, the Strokes have been going since the turn of the Millenium so they aren't exactly a band for 16-18 year olds, there are plenty of older bands on the the line up, its just a matter of whether or not you like the particular bands that have been booked.

The strokes are most definitely a band for 16-18 year olds. So many people of that age would love to see them.

But as Melvin has said Reading does pride itself on being ahead of the curve (or at least trying) Like giving Arcade Fire & Blink headline opportunities last year, so I assume Reading will always be looking at new music and pushing newer bands into the spotlight, does that come at the cost of losing older bands? Only time will tell.

[Matticus]

The line up for me is just an average, standard line up, on par with every year, only for me personally there isn't as much eye catching as previous years. Most of the time There's only 4 or 5 bands id actually really want to see over the weekend, and it looks the same this year.

My gripe is that its got to the point were its not worth 200 pounds. I know prices inflate etc, but in a time of recession 200 pounds is alot of money, and you expect to get better for that price.

I know its irrelevent but in 2003 i payed £95 to see

Metallica

Blur

Linkin Park

Blink 182

System Of A Down

Beck

Placebo

The Darkness

The Libertines

[gary1979666]

I have to say that as an olderish fan (31), the line up appeals to me less and less each year, but that is my own fault - don't listen to R1 and don't get exposed to much new music, so am alienated by the line up each year. Add in a lean to the rock/punk/metal genres and I'm really struggling with this year's line up.

However, that's as it should be. L&R should be for the younger crowd too - I have fantastic memories from 99, my first Leeds and it was with bands of my time, plus some older bands.

This year there's still enough for me on the MCR day to make it worth a day ticket (Offspring, Deftones, Rise Against, NFG), so it's still got some appeal to the older, closed minded sorts like me.

[rustysub]

I think Matticus has a point with the year on year increase which has been foisted on the punter as the norm. That alongside booking fee, postage, FR's embracing of Viagogo as their secondary market partner....there's a smell of rip off in the air. Euro festivals are a real alternative and represent good value, even though you may have to leap across the channel. Rock Werchter has 4 days for less ticket cost than Reading with some major names playing..ok there's some crap as well but overall it's better value.

[mblackhouse]

I went to werchter 2009 and 2010. Amazing set of headliners both years (over 2 years I saw oasis, prodigy, kings of Leon, coldplay, 2 many djs, Metallica, nine inch nails, killers, muse, faithless, green day, arcade fire, pearl jam, rammstein, plus a good undercard on both weekends. Getting there is easy and it's a more laid back place. The lineup this year is a bit weaker, but if reading keeps going up in price people will look for alternatives. 4 days instead of 3, a different country a d all in inclusive of eurostar for around 220