2015

[luckysalt]

So you mean like BMTH jumping from 5th down main to subbing which is pretty much the equivalent?

Fast tracking a rock act, if you want to call them that, because the header pool is less isn't a reason for bumping up an act. They've done one Wembley Arena date, it doesn't constitute sub level, regardless of being under Metallica.

So the headliner pool is getting smaller, more so than ever and you say thats not a reason to bump up an act then please, enlighten us what is the reason?

You think these festivals are put on for fun? The good nature of these corporations? V, Reading, Leeds and Download all part of Live Nation. Its a business. You know what they want to do, input the minimal funds and make the most profit.

This isn't just directed at you actually but a lot of people on here, not just V forum as well, the headliner and even subs slots is thinning more than ever.

Kasabian are one of the best bookings V could have made, they're available at moment, they want to keep doing the festival cycle, it won't be that way soon. Believe me, sooner rather than later they'll leave the fests behind and just do their own gigs apart from a selected fest here and there.

This goes past Download struggling for headliners because its a niche market, this is the whole big festival maket.

Look over the past headliners of the big four being V, Reading, TITP and Glasto.

Blur, Radiohead, Foos, Coldplay, Green Day these sort of acts stopped doing the festival cycle, they don't want it, theyre a rare booking. They just aren't avaliable anymore unless they want to.

RHCP, maybe JUST about big enough to headline but at a stretch, they haven't had any commercial success in a while.

Linkin Park will play Download because they have a good relationship with Andy, they won't play Reading, they haven't played in 10 years.

You think Rhianna, Beyonce, Jay Z, Lady Gaga, Eminem are going to play fests every year? No chance, they've probably had their fill already, I don't see Beyonce or Jay Z doing them again. Lady Gaga never has. Eminem is pretty rare too, I know he is being courted for Download.

You have Kings of Leon and The Killers, but they've done the fests market to death, everyone moans when they get announced. But both of these worked their way up the bill.

Paramore, Queens of the Stone, Slipknot, Biffy Clyro all have worked up the bill and are now headliners.

But Libs have been pushed up to headliner now and how long will they stick around, not long I bet. Stone Roses came back theyre off again, The Verve reformed, one year, gone again, Pulp, the same.

The Strokes stock has fallen.

Blink 182 are back on hiatus because of Tom situation.

Arctic Monkeys have played a festival every album cycle but they don't do all the festivals every album cycle and they too are going to be fewer and further afield in their bookings, they just don't need these festivals.

So, what are you left with? Acts like Calvin Harris being pushed up.

Fall Out Boy will be pushed up Id imagine.

Next few years you will see a whole host of new acts being bumped up to headliner, sub and third on the bill and second stage headliner. It NEEDS to happen. Thing is established Indie and Rock acts are few and fair between now and the next generation of acts are coming through. Others that they hoped would stick around and be headliners for decades isn't happening. Acts like My Chemical Romance pushed to headliner but split.

You think this years V is bad, its only going to get worse, Live Nation have plans how they want these fests now, V is their pop/chart branded fest and as long as the charts has so much pop thats how the bill will be.

Download is their rock festival and Reading is the go between the two [V and Download] And acts will be used, as BMTH are to take a leg up one fest and then the next time round a leg up at the other fest because they need to create new big acts.

Once these acts get big they want more money, more options are avaliable to them, less US rock and indie acts want to come to the UK and Europe because the US market is becoming MUCH more succesful for them at the moment, so UK fests have to throw insane ammounts of money to get US acts over.

So do you continue to do that, or do you grow your UK and European acts who aren't as popular in the US, your BMTH, your Biffy Clyros, Calvin Harris, Kasabian etc. Because end of the day these acts don't have the option to go to US and make huge money like the US acts can choose to stay in US and make huge money or go Europe and make big money.

The European acts can tour US, but they won't get bookings like they would here, so this is why BMTH is taking a sub slot here. So they can be built as an headliner, a cheaper, loyal headliner, who they can book alongside maybe a big US name, they need to do this cus the days of Reading being able to go out and book 3 big US names is going by.

V as being part of the same company has taken the knock on. Theres nothing they could do this year other than this.

And like I've said, its gunna get worse rather than better if you're expecting all this big names to come flooding back.

[#FreeComTruise]

Great explanation lucky, much better than my initial TL;DR

[KingPin]

So the headliner pool is getting smaller, more so than ever and you say thats not a reason to bump up an act then please, enlighten us what is the reason?

You think these festivals are put on for fun? The good nature of these corporations? V, Reading, Leeds and Download all part of Live Nation. Its a business. You know what they want to do, input the minimal funds and make the most profit.

This isn't just directed at you actually but a lot of people on here, not just V forum as well, the headliner and even subs slots is thinning more than ever.

Kasabian are one of the best bookings V could have made, they're available at moment, they want to keep doing the festival cycle, it won't be that way soon. Believe me, sooner rather than later they'll leave the fests behind and just do their own gigs apart from a selected fest here and there.

This goes past Download struggling for headliners because its a niche market, this is the whole big festival maket.

Look over the past headliners of the big four being V, Reading, TITP and Glasto.

Blur, Radiohead, Foos, Coldplay, Green Day these sort of acts stopped doing the festival cycle, they don't want it, theyre a rare booking. They just aren't avaliable anymore unless they want to.

RHCP, maybe JUST about big enough to headline but at a stretch, they haven't had any commercial success in a while.

Linkin Park will play Download because they have a good relationship with Andy, they won't play Reading, they haven't played in 10 years.

You think Rhianna, Beyonce, Jay Z, Lady Gaga, Eminem are going to play fests every year? No chance, they've probably had their fill already, I don't see Beyonce or Jay Z doing them again. Lady Gaga never has. Eminem is pretty rare too, I know he is being courted for Download.

You have Kings of Leon and The Killers, but they've done the fests market to death, everyone moans when they get announced. But both of these worked their way up the bill.

Paramore, Queens of the Stone, Slipknot, Biffy Clyro all have worked up the bill and are now headliners.

But Libs have been pushed up to headliner now and how long will they stick around, not long I bet. Stone Roses came back theyre off again, The Verve reformed, one year, gone again, Pulp, the same.

The Strokes stock has fallen.

Blink 182 are back on hiatus because of Tom situation.

Arctic Monkeys have played a festival every album cycle but they don't do all the festivals every album cycle and they too are going to be fewer and further afield in their bookings, they just don't need these festivals.

So, what are you left with? Acts like Calvin Harris being pushed up.

Fall Out Boy will be pushed up Id imagine.

Next few years you will see a whole host of new acts being bumped up to headliner, sub and third on the bill and second stage headliner. It NEEDS to happen. Thing is established Indie and Rock acts are few and fair between now and the next generation of acts are coming through. Others that they hoped would stick around and be headliners for decades isn't happening. Acts like My Chemical Romance pushed to headliner but split.

You think this years V is bad, its only going to get worse, Live Nation have plans how they want these fests now, V is their pop/chart branded fest and as long as the charts has so much pop thats how the bill will be.

Download is their rock festival and Reading is the go between the two [V and Download] And acts will be used, as BMTH are to take a leg up one fest and then the next time round a leg up at the other fest because they need to create new big acts.

Once these acts get big they want more money, more options are avaliable to them, less US rock and indie acts want to come to the UK and Europe because the US market is becoming MUCH more succesful for them at the moment, so UK fests have to throw insane ammounts of money to get US acts over.

So do you continue to do that, or do you grow your UK and European acts who aren't as popular in the US, your BMTH, your Biffy Clyros, Calvin Harris, Kasabian etc. Because end of the day these acts don't have the option to go to US and make huge money like the US acts can choose to stay in US and make huge money or go Europe and make big money.

The European acts can tour US, but they won't get bookings like they would here, so this is why BMTH is taking a sub slot here. So they can be built as an headliner, a cheaper, loyal headliner, who they can book alongside maybe a big US name, they need to do this cus the days of Reading being able to go out and book 3 big US names is going by.

V as being part of the same company has taken the knock on. Theres nothing they could do this year other than this.

And like I've said, its gunna get worse rather than better if you're expecting all this big names to come flooding back.

Bold 1: So you don't think that Foo's will be doing RnL next year?

Bold 2: I'd say RHCP's are still a good booking for festivals simply because of rarity, and it's not like they don't still sell masses of tickets, they did the 02 3 times on the trot last time they played in 2011 alongside a further 5 arena dates. Likewise most on here would say that Pearl Jam would be a great booking for either RnL or Download, yet they haven't had any really commercial success since forever.

BOLD 3: See this is where I think live nation has kinda fucked up, as I doubt they'd (Linkin Park) be anywhere near as irrelevant had they headlined RnL in either 2007 or 2011 as let's be fair, Download doesn't get anywhere near the media attention it should (and metal in general). They also have rarity as a plus for them, and haven't their past 3 albums still done ok and gone gold in the UK?

Bold 4: I didn't think that live nation had anything to do with V festival?

Bold 5: I thought that the American market wasn't doing so well, and that's why Metallica are always over here in summer doing the European festival tour?

I personally think it's a good thing that they're trying to push UK bands, as at the end of the day, at one point in history, UK bands used to lead the whole world with The Beatles, Elton John, Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd etc.

[DGrant261]

Very good explanation. But from the perspective of a 18 year old indie rock fan who dreams of the line ups all the major festivals had in the 2000s, it is nothing but depressing.

The festivals bubble has burst, inevitably they will push new bands/singers/dj's as they have no choice and this will do one of two things. Lead to a permanent decline or slow but surely encourage a revival

[benus80]

After the dust has settle on the the worst 1st announced in V festival history. After members of kaisbian criticised the line up for the last two brits awards, I would love to see they honest reaction and what they really think of V line up And of course what neil honesty things of the V line up.

[NickisGinger]

James Bay added;

https://twitter.com/vfestival/status/572818410138181632

Another one tomorrow possibly?

Edited March 3, 2015 by NickisGinger

[daniel.k]

Kasabian maybe arent to everyone's tastes, but they arent bad booking for V really. I think its the undercard that has really gone downhill since last year. The headliners maybe dont have to be to everyones tastes to sell tickets, but the undercard should try and encompass a larger choice of acts. The likes of Discloure, Lumineers, Imagine Dragons ect would perhaps boost the undercard, as well as the addition of bigger acts to headline the second stage or sub like Prodigy and NGHFB. Even a european DJ such as Avicii would probably be received better on the whole to headline MTV stage instead of Olly Murs

Good explanation of the current festival circuit as well, congrats

[DomDom1984]

Slagging Kasabian as a headline booking does strike me as odd. Especially saying "they toured this year" when they haven't, and many headliners do tend to headline before they play anyways.

[hatman]

much better sacking V off and heading over to Latitude this year - much better line up and 3 days instead of 2 (always thought V a bit of a rip off with only 2 days for the price a lot of other festivals charge for 3.

[thetime]

Slagging Kasabian as a headline booking does strike me as odd. Especially saying "they toured this year" when they haven't, and many headliners do tend to headline before they play anyways.

I am sure it's just folk are bored of kasabian.

[thetime]

What's the line up reaction over on Facebook/Twitter? This forum isn't the best way to judge how the line up has gone down.

[Toon Army]

What's the line up reaction over on Facebook/Twitter? This forum isn't the best way to judge how the line up has gone down.

Normally it's ' which bands are on at chelmsford and which ones are at Weston ? '

[johnl]

I havent been to V for a few years. I've accepted I'm too old. For me the problem is not the acts, there's some good stuff in there but it's just how often they are repeated. It feels like Calvin Harris, Stereophonics, Ellie Goulding, The Script, Olly Murs, Courteeners etc etc are there every year. The bookers need to get off their lazy behinds and show some imagination IMO.

[#FreeComTruise]

What's the line up reaction over on Facebook/Twitter? This forum isn't the best way to judge how the line up has gone down.

The majority of the people I know/follow that would usually be interested in V seem to have decided TITP is the place for them. Doesn't seem like it's very popular from where I'm standing. It'll still probably end up selling out though.

[benus80]

I think the line up is a bit rubbish apart from the headliners, chvches and Mrs Faith. But I am surprised as they is a lot of people on vfestival face book page saying how good it is and only a handful of people saying V has got worse over the years.

[Muppetmark]

the facebook reaction is quite strongly this is rubbish with a few prasies.

[DomDom1984]

I've said this a few times now, but Facebook and Twitter troll the f**k out of absolutely everything. This place might not be the best place to gauge, but believe me, neither are they.

[Rose-Colored Boy]

James Bay added;

https://twitter.com/vfestival/status/572818410138181632

Another one tomorrow possibly?

from memory they have added another decent-ish act the day after main first wave for at least the last two years

[Pothuthic]

from memory they have added another decent-ish act the day after main first wave for at least the last two years

LMFAO in 2012

Odell in 2013

[Rose-Colored Boy]

LMFAO in 2012

Odell in 2013

rita ora in either 2013 or 2014 as well

Edited March 3, 2015 by Zac Quinn

[Rose-Colored Boy]

[luckysalt]

Bold 1: So you don't think that Foo's will be doing RnL next year?

Bold 2: I'd say RHCP's are still a good booking for festivals simply because of rarity, and it's not like they don't still sell masses of tickets, they did the 02 3 times on the trot last time they played in 2011 alongside a further 5 arena dates. Likewise most on here would say that Pearl Jam would be a great booking for either RnL or Download, yet they haven't had any really commercial success since forever.

BOLD 3: See this is where I think live nation has kinda fucked up, as I doubt they'd (Linkin Park) be anywhere near as irrelevant had they headlined RnL in either 2007 or 2011 as let's be fair, Download doesn't get anywhere near the media attention it should (and metal in general). They also have rarity as a plus for them, and haven't their past 3 albums still done ok and gone gold in the UK?

Bold 4: I didn't think that live nation had anything to do with V festival?

Bold 5: I thought that the American market wasn't doing so well, and that's why Metallica are always over here in summer doing the European festival tour?

I personally think it's a good thing that they're trying to push UK bands, as at the end of the day, at one point in history, UK bands used to lead the whole world with The Beatles, Elton John, Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd etc.

1 - Its hard to say with Foos, this year they had offers for Download and IOW which they turned down and the money they would have gotten to do Glasto, so maybe they might come back over for the payday. But at the same time they've got a fair amount of European festivals booked up around Glasto, and their own UK headline shows so chances are it will not happen and an arena UK tour may be more likely.

They were meant to be doing arena tour end of this year.

2- Pearl Jam have never been a hype band like RHCP were in early 2000's when V was booking them. Thats the view I have, I can't see them headlining V anymore, im sure they both could do Download most easily. Reading maybe less [RHCP anyway]

3- Agreed, Linkin Park are in Europe Reading time this year, yet it hasn't happened.

4- Live Nation become the major shareholder of V in 2013.

5-The US market is booming and they're getting more festivals going every year and they're doing well, really well.

[KingPin]

1 - Its hard to say with Foos, this year they had offers for Download and IOW which they turned down and the money they would have gotten to do Glasto, so maybe they might come back over for the payday. But at the same time they've got a fair amount of European festivals booked up around Glasto, and their own UK headline shows so chances are it will not happen and an arena UK tour may be more likely.

They were meant to be doing arena tour end of this year.

2- Pearl Jam have never been a hype band like RHCP were in early 2000's when V was booking them. Thats the view I have, I can't see them headlining V anymore, im sure they both could do Download most easily. Reading maybe less [RHCP anyway]

3- Agreed, Linkin Park are in Europe Reading time this year, yet it hasn't happened.

4- Live Nation become the major shareholder of V in 2013.

5-The US market is booming and they're getting more festivals going every year and they're doing well, really well.

1- Hmmm we'll have to see then, at the very least I expect there to be offers from RnL, and the band have gone on record to say that they love playing RnL (they probably love the pay check too, but I digress). I'd also be massively surprised if they weren't doing a second Aus/NZ leg during winter considering they did 5 Australia dates and 1 NZ date for the Wasting Light tour, and this time they only have the two dates at the start of the tour. Seems strange that they'd reduce how many shows in Australia, and do nothing in NZ.....Part of this is just me hoping, as next year doesn't seem so bright headliner wise either.

2- True, but you have to remember that very few bands get quite as big as RHCP were in the mid 2000's, and even fewer manage to stay there, and while granted their latest album performed pretty terribly (for their standards) most acts would kill for performance of their record like that. I think that RHCP would actually do better than Pearl Jam at RnL as at least their super successful albums were more recent than Pearl Jam's, and Pearl Jam's most recent album STILL hasn't even been certified SILVER!

3- Perhaps RnL had already booked Metallica, Libertines and Mumford & Sons before Linkin Park had became available? Having said that I still think it's ridiculous that they've booked Libertines as a headliner, when it's not like they've had anything released to push them up from Sub to headliner since they last played, and it's not exactly like Pete isn't massively risky considering his history with drugs. Likewise I find it amazing that Mumford & Sons aren't at V this year, but whatever they're perhaps the biggest British act around at the moment, and thankfully they're doing things right having taken a break to make sure that they don't end up overexposed, like a lot of acts that boom in popularity end up doing. Either way I still think it's silly that they're not getting booked for RnL, as it's only going to lead to problems with Download as they become more and more irrelevant, and end up a poor ticket sale driver for the festival, due to piss poor management.

4- I did not know that thanks

5- True, but I'd argue that they're still a long long way behind us in Europe, especially the UK.

Anyway, what we really need is either, for EDM to actually start producing multiple acts that can break that NME sized, but I doubt that this will happen due to how single focused EDM is, and how few acts are putting out albums, which, IMO, is making it much harder for them to gain real traction, and I don't think that it's any surprise that acts that have more elements of live music and consistently push out albums have gained the most success, prime acts being Pendulum, Chase and Status, Disclosure, what's going to hold back Deadmou5, Knife party, Skrillex, Nero and co from truly breaking out and making it massive is how long it takes them to get albums out (the exception being Deadmou5, and as a result I'd say he's the biggest out of the lot), and then the lack of a live element, with these acts basically just being DJ sets when they're live. On a side note I see Disclosure subbing main stage RnL next time they play, should they get their next album out in a timely fashion.

Or we need another mid 2000's esq explosion of guitar bands, which hopefully Royal Blood are the start of, but it looks unlikely IMO, with music being so diluted nowadays, considering the sheer number of bands, and the rise of electronic and hip-hop music.

[DomDom1984]

How many dates did they do in Australia last time? Because they're in the middle of a six date Aussie tour at the minute, after doing two dates in New Zealand.

[mfeltham]

Just putting it out there now, I arent going to V this year and certainly arent doing a clashfinder.

Even the younger side of the market wont be too interested with this line up I would guess. Last 2 years were heading towards the pop end but this is just shiet compared to them IMO. Theres no wow factor at all. IOW, T and Download have more of a wow factor with their headliners and top few acts, V isnt anywhere near really

If Daniel K aint going, then it has to be shit!