Friday headliner announced Monday morning

[eFestivals]

... in light of the fact Bestival is non-corporate ....

why do you think that Bestival is non-corporate?

[zahidf]

I'll ignore whether she's the best thing or not. I'm sure you all know my view on that by now.

But if Dave The Hedgehog is expecting any of the more-major festivals to be presenting headliner acts which haven't played at or near the top of the bill at other fests in the recent past then I reckon he should give up festivals.

There's simply too many festivals and too few potential headlining bands for that to not be happening.

[eFestivals]

Rob Da Bank actually likes her as an artist as well, so it isn't really just a commercial decision by him. ( altough, as a commercial decision, it is a good one.)

Has anyone suggested that he might get his hearing checked?

I've had the Bestival press office hassling me to post the vid that Flo has made for them. I've refused on the basis that I've heard her cover of The Chain, so there's no way I'm going to subject anyone to her new cover by the best band ever. That would be sacrilege.

[kaosmark2]

there's no way I'm going to subject anyone to her new cover by the best band ever. That would be sacrilege.

[Vanderlyle]

I think that the best thing about the booking is that it will help ensure the festival sells out and, as a 'fan' of the festival, I'm glad it's successful.

On the negative side, I sure as hell don't want to see her, so it is money they could have spent elsewhere. Probably on a different headliner, but I'd even have preferred Justice to be given the nod on the main stage (despite it being a bit early in the night), and some cash thrown at some more solid undercarders - The National, The Whip, a bit more hip-hop etc.

[eFestivals]

Oh god....

What's she mutilated now?

'wild wild life' by Talking Heads. It's been done to fit with Bestival's wildlife theme.

I can't afford the insurance I'd need if I posted that video. Aural damage like that might prove fatal.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

I've refused on the basis that I've heard her cover of The Chain

Edited May 21, 2012 by Dave The Hedgehog

[kaosmark2]

'wild wild life' by Talking Heads. It's been done to fit with Bestival's wildlife theme.

I can't afford the insurance I'd need if I posted that video. Aural damage like that might prove fatal.

[kaosmark2]

not really seeing where £200 x £55,000 is going - is it just good business or actual love of music? Don't know.

[Joe-]

It's one less clash we have to think about..

Looking at the Facebook page really winds me up, and makes me question further 'Why do I have Facebook'. People telling Bestival to 'F*** off', and that the festival is crap because of ONE act really isn't cool. It's like the whole Reading Festival page has came over. It's like people were expecting a Pink Floyd reunion, or Jimmy Hendrix rising from the dead to play a dubstep DJ set.

So annoying.

[eFestivals]

It's one less clash we have to think about..

Looking at the Facebook page really winds me up, and makes me question further 'Why do I have Facebook'. People telling Bestival to 'F*** off', and that the festival is crap because of ONE act really isn't cool. It's like the whole Reading Festival page has came over. It's like people were expecting a Pink Floyd reunion, or Jimmy Hendrix rising from the dead to play a dubstep DJ set.

So annoying.

even more annoying would be if Jimmi came back from the dead and DID play a dubstep DJ set.

[kaosmark2]

It's one less clash we have to think about..

Looking at the Facebook page really winds me up, and makes me question further 'Why do I have Facebook'. People telling Bestival to 'F*** off', and that the festival is crap because of ONE act really isn't cool. It's like the whole Reading Festival page has came over. It's like people were expecting a Pink Floyd reunion, or Jimmy Hendrix rising from the dead to play a dubstep DJ set.

So annoying.

[LondonTom]

I've had the Bestival press office hassling me to post the vid that Flo has made for them. I've refused on the basis that I've heard her cover of The Chain, so there's no way I'm going to subject anyone to her new cover by the best band ever. That would be sacrilege.

Edited May 21, 2012 by LondonTom

[rexclark]

Well it's hardly a surprise is it? I'm just dissapointed that her and Mike Snow is all we got, was hoping for a few more acts.

[moss265]

There is more to Bestival than what's on the mainstage...

But minus the coarse language I can quite categorically state that Florence and/or the Machine is a terribly dreadful and awful booking, and one that could have easily been supplanted by a much better and healthier act, and one that could have emitted much more of a surprise from the clientele. If she is honestly the best this country has to offer in the way of a headliner (and one no-less who has headlined 2 festivals in the UK previously in the last 2 years alone), then the immediate future of festivals looks very bleak indeed.

[paulomas]

It's one less clash we have to think about..

Looking at the Facebook page really winds me up, and makes me question further 'Why do I have Facebook'. People telling Bestival to 'F*** off', and that the festival is crap because of ONE act really isn't cool. It's like the whole Reading Festival page has came over. It's like people were expecting a Pink Floyd reunion, or Jimmy Hendrix rising from the dead to play a dubstep DJ set.

So annoying.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

If she's such an awful booking I'd love to know who you'd suggest would be more appropriate for a slot that has previously been occupied by Dizzee Rascal and Pendulum?

[eFestivals]

Take Justice out of the Big Top, put them on the mainstage for a start. Don't particularly like them but from what I've been seeing commentswise at least on here and on the official forums, it'd certainly be a welcome breath of fresh air for those interested in seeing somebody different to the Kasabians and Biffy Clyros of the world.

New missus went to Glastonbury last year and showed me an aerial photograph of the practically empty Pyramid Stage as opposed to the Other Stage where Jessie J was - don't like her either but if we're basing headliners on popularity, affordability and being current then she would match each of those.

More leftfield and risky punts - M83 or Skrillex. Would love M83; Skrillex... not so much.

First you say to go for lowest common denominator music - dreadful stuff, like Jessie J - and then you say you want more of the exact opposite with more risky punts.

Which it is you want, or is it that you only want to slag everything off?

As for stuff like Jessie J, if that's the future of festival music then festivals are undoubtedly dead. It's the antithesis of everything which made festivals popular in the first place.

[chriseede]

Plus, Florence does suit Bestival a lot more than Jessie J, so there's no point in bringing somebody like her into the fray. Yes, Florence is pop, but the music does have some indie elements to it that suit Bestival, whilst Jessie J's doesn't.

[Dave The Hedgehog]

Well, with Jessie J, it fucking is the lowest common denominator. That's the point. People love that shit. Ultimately, the best bands are in pubs, clubs and smaller venues not getting enough exposure, and you'll never see them headlining festivals without ten ton of promotion being shat into a bowl ready to be spoonfed to you, and by the time that happens, any of the people that used to love them will sod off. But if you're basing a the state of headliners on popularity alone... well, sorry, but Talking Heads won't cut it for todays audiences and Jessie J unfortunately probably would. Suitability, on the other hand, is completely irrelevant. A festival that aspires to be as eclectic as Bestival does could pretty much put anybody on there and almost get away with it, pop with indie credentials or not.

[hawkzred]

Its a strange one isnt when somone who you class as being talented on their way up, soon becomes crap when they are mainstream?

[eFestivals]

well, sorry, but Talking Heads won't cut it for todays audiences and Jessie J unfortunately probably would.

you nearly got that right. But to be properly accurate, you needed to say...

"well, sorry, but Talking Heads won't cut it for todays muppets and Jessie J unfortunately definitely would."

The point is that festivals shouldn't be catering to the muppets. Yes, it sells tickets right now but it also ensures that they won't be sold in the future. People who go for decent music will be turned off by the inclusion of dreadful stuff like that, while those who might buy into it are so fickle that you just can't be sure - even with another Jessie-type act next year - that they'll be back.

If festivals are in a race to the bottom - and for many, it seems that they are - then they're fucked when they hit that bottom and there's nowhere left to go.

So very sadly, too many have been happy to cream the profits of the past and aren't prepared to pump those profits back in when they need to. And so they look at what will make the finances work for just this year, and ensure that the finances won't work forever.

Here's an example: The Big Chill. Fucked up by booking pop names.

[eFestivals]

Its a strange one isnt when somone who you class as being talented on their way up, soon becomes crap when they are mainstream?

who was classing Flo as talented on the way up?

Very probably the same people who are today classing Jessie J as talented. The thing is, they're confusing the ability to fleece muppets with crap with proper talent and creativity. The difference between 'product', and 'art'.

[zahidf]

who was classing Flo as talented on the way up?

Very probably the same people who are today classing Jessie J as talented. The thing is, they're confusing the ability to fleece muppets with crap with proper talent and creativity. The difference between 'product', and 'art'.

[hawkzred]

who was classing Flo as talented on the way up?

Very probably the same people who are today classing Jessie J as talented. The thing is, they're confusing the ability to fleece muppets with crap with proper talent and creativity. The difference between 'product', and 'art'.

Edited May 21, 2012 by hawkzred