Rock Werchter 2020

[Boss89]

System Of A Down is not relevant anymore.

Paul McCartney is not relevant anymore.

Red Hot Chili Peppers is not relevant anymore

The Cure is not relevant anymore

The Strokes is not relevant anymore

...

If you want a festival with more "relevant" bands such as Tame Impala, Billie Eilish, Bon Iver,... then you better check out Best Kept Secret, Northside or Primavera Sound.

[pigital]

3 minutes ago, Boss89 said:

System Of A Down is not relevant anymore.

Paul McCartney is not relevant anymore.

Red Hot Chili Peppers is not relevant anymore

The Cure is not relevant anymore

The Strokes is not relevant anymore

...

If you want a festival with more "relevant" bands such as Tame Impala, Billie Eilish, Bon Iver,... then you better check out Best Kept Secret, Northside or Primavera Sound.

But you gotta love that exactly this balance is what Rock Werchter deals with every year. Kudos to them. 

Every generation looks for something different I guess, and that's the thing I sometimes want to point out on forums like these. 

[santowhir]

1 hour ago, pigital said:

 It's a mainstream festival, and for the main stream festival goers, Green Day will not be relevant anymore.

This statement is so confusing ?. The Green Day PR machine is already churning to that exact audience

[Boss89]

13 minutes ago, pigital said:

But you gotta love that exactly this balance is what Rock Werchter deals with every year. Kudos to them. 

Every generation looks for something different I guess, and that's the thing I sometimes want to point out on forums like these. 

Yes, the balance is good, but just making a point that there are non relevant bands each year. If you don't want that: Werchter might not be your kind of festival.

[pigital]

22 minutes ago, Boss89 said:

Yes, the balance is good, but just making a point that there are non relevant bands each year. If you don't want that: Werchter might not be your kind of festival.

Damn, now after ten years of going to Rock Werchter I fully understand why it's not my cup of tea. Thanks for that. 

All I said was that Green Day is not a band that'll sell out a day because they lack relevancy as a headliner on Rock Werchter. Also that I'd rather see their spot taken by another headliner. And that's my personal opinion. 

As a Green Day fan, or even a punk fan, I get this is something difficult to deal with. Don't think that I'm neglecting the insane career they have, I am a fan as well. I always love to see Green Day because of the nostalgia it brings. But, in my eyes, Rock Werchter is not the festival to put them on (as a headliner).

PS. I'd love to get the Strokes. 

Edited September 19, 2019 by pigital
might not have been clear enough

[Boss89]

I'm not a Green Day fan, neither am I saying that they're a good headliner for RW 2020 or that they will sell a lot of tickets...

i just far from agreed with a lot of arguments you were using...  in the later posts we were actually heading to the same conclusion.

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Boss89

[santowhir]

The Strokes would be awesome.

Green Day have always split personal opinions but I don't think anyone can write them off. (I don't like them either but I'm sure they could provide a good show given proper preparations) 

[RaphPH]

Strokes notably didn't play Germany / Belgium / Holland but did play Opener and Dublin and London and Paris this time round.

I reckon they will do Rock Werchter / Reading/Leeds or IoW / Lollapalooza Berlin at least next year 

[Rico_Pliskin]

20 minutes ago, RaphPH said:

Strokes notably didn't play Germany / Belgium / Holland but did play Opener and Dublin and London and Paris this time round.

I reckon they will do Rock Werchter / Reading/Leeds or IoW / Lollapalooza Berlin at least next year 

No Dublin date. 

[tmolvik]

10 hours ago, pigital said:

Green Day is not a relevant band for a festival as Rock Werchter anymore. Their two last shows at RW were exactly the same. Rather have a newer more modern headliner taking that spot. After all, there is only so much "let's give away my guitar to someone from the audience and pretend we didn't do this last time" Rock Werchter can take. 

I don't buy this "relevance" thing, as for me there are too many unrelevant bands that have played recently if that is the case (i.e those that @boss89 have listed). If a show is good or bad is a subjective thing, as is the fact if you like "crowd pleasing" or not. It would be interesting to see if there are numbers on how large percentage of the crowd that are recurring to the festival, but KoL plays boring shows everytime and are still invited back. If that number is low, their previous shows have nothing to say.

I agree that Green Day aren't the band that have released most material recently, but they do come out with a new album next year. I also I have no idea of how many other artists with headliner potential that Werchter are "in the loop" with this year, but if they can write off Green Day based on relevance (if it's not more monetary based), it better be an awesome season.

I would really like to know who the up and coming artists are, that are capable of sell out RW and still tick all the boxes of "relevance", new material etc. Tame Impala and Bon Iver are definitely not among those, good as they might be, and if you ask me I don't think there has been created any potential ones the last decade (at least). 

Unfortunately I think we will see most festivals will go in a more  "nu-commercial" direction where streams and one hits will be more important for sales, and segments will be watered out. My prediction is that a DJ (or similar act) will headline RW within 10-15 years. When nothing new appears, is only for that long you can keep the secure sellers going (and for Graspop I think it will be even worse, even quicker). 

[PintoMcGuinness]

21 hours ago, Rico_Pliskin said:

No Dublin date. 

I think he means Stradbally, Electric Picnic.

[Rico_Pliskin]

7 minutes ago, PintoMcGuinness said:

I think he means Stradbally, Electric Picnic.

Yeah thanks, I was pointing that out. ? 

[PintoMcGuinness]

10 minutes ago, Rico_Pliskin said:

Yeah thanks, I was pointing that out. ? 

I saw them this year at EP,  Casablancas was totally out of it, he mentioned a bottle of whiskey at one stage. He could hardly talk, long silent pauses between songs and even left the stage at one point for a few minutes. Luckily he could still sing, great gig!  

[Rico_Pliskin]

44 minutes ago, PintoMcGuinness said:

I saw them this year at EP,  Casablancas was totally out of it, he mentioned a bottle of whiskey at one stage. He could hardly talk, long silent pauses between songs and even left the stage at one point for a few minutes. Luckily he could still sing, great gig!  

Amazing gig, I thought he was so funny. Just real dry comedy. Like something from Ricky Gervais. 

Especially mocking the ole ole chant. 

Would love to see them again. 

[dentalplan]

I thought JC had quit drinking years ago.

[Rico_Pliskin]

41 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

I thought JC had quit drinking years ago.

I was sober watching the gig, I didn't think he was drinking at all. Thought he was just being really sharp and witty and leaving pauses for the punchline. 

Voice was fab too. 

[dentalplan]

44 minutes ago, Rico_Pliskin said:

I was sober watching the gig, I didn't think he was drinking at all. Thought he was just being really sharp and witty and leaving pauses for the punchline. 

Voice was fab too. 

That seems more like it. They do seem to be enjoying themselves on stage a lot more nowadays.

[RaphPH]

On 9/19/2019 at 5:45 PM, Rico_Pliskin said:

No Dublin date. 

Well I guess they counted Electric Picnic as that. 

[Rico_Pliskin]

14 minutes ago, RaphPH said:

Well I guess they counted Electric Picnic as that. 

Who counted it as a Dublin date? 

[Nicklord]

I hope they find a place for black midi next year on The Slope of somewhere. Just listened to their album after hearing a lot of hype last weeks and it's amazing 

[Ken19]

49 minutes ago, Nicklord said:

I hope they find a place for black midi next year on The Slope of somewhere. Just listened to their album after hearing a lot of hype last weeks and it's amazing 

They are on their wishlist.

[xydroh]

1 hour ago, Ken19 said:

They are on their wishlist.

is/was queen + adam lambert ever on their wishlist or is this act just more suited for a different audience?

[Ken19]

No, not the band they are looking for.

[Dennisf]

Iron Maiden anouncing Download UK and Belfast for 2020. "“Next year we will play a number of countries and cities we have yet to visit on this incredible tour"... They were at Graspop (2018)... We see them in Werchter? (It has been since 2011 with the Black Eyed Peas and A-trak disaster).. 

Edited September 23, 2019 by Dennisf

[Ken19]

I don’t think Herman will try it again. 2011 was not the most happy show from Iron Maiden. Such a shame, Herman has a very good relationship with the agent and management of Maiden.

If they are trying it again, they have to combine it with an other Metal headliner.