Rock Werchter 2020

[EV123]

3 minutes ago, thetime said:

Hasn't werchter always gone for predictable headliners?

Yes, but those predictable headliners are becoming less & less popular. Kol, Green Day, RHCP, Lenny, Chemical Brothers ... all acts that would be predictable headliners in the past, but are not popular enough anymore to headline a day on their own. (In a co-headline construction, everything is possible off course, but I don't think that they would get away with a combo of these headliners). There's a certain saturation with some acts. 

Off course, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and others are still popular enough to easily sell out a day at RW (however Muse was also a certainty in the past and even they couldn't sell out their day this year). I'm not sure that Metallica would sell out their day quickly if they would come next year after playing 3 shows in the past 2 years in Belgium. 

If you want to attract a newer (& younger) crowd, you will definitely have to look at newer possible headliners which are popular with both the younger and the older generation of visitors. I'm thinking about acts like The XX, The War on Drugs, Bon Iver, London Grammar, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar, Eddie Vedder solo ... They're all big enough to at least (co-)headline in Belgium. I think 2018 showed that it is possible to sell out with a line-up which consists of mostly headliners which are more 'unique' for a regular Werchter-visitor. 

An older legacy act which is quite popular with younger people in Belgium is Fleetwood Mac, so maybe they are a possibility as they are also rumoured for Glastonbury? Off course, they played Boutique last year, which makes it less likely. 

[thetime]

34 minutes ago, EV123 said:

Yes, but those predictable headliners are becoming less & less popular. Kol, Green Day, RHCP, Lenny, Chemical Brothers ... all acts that would be predictable headliners in the past, but are not popular enough anymore to headline a day on their own. (In a co-headline construction, everything is possible off course, but I don't think that they would get away with a combo of these headliners). There's a certain saturation with some acts. 

Off course, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and others are still popular enough to easily sell out a day at RW (however Muse was also a certainty in the past and even they couldn't sell out their day this year). I'm not sure that Metallica would sell out their day quickly if they would come next year after playing 3 shows in the past 2 years in Belgium. 

If you want to attract a newer (& younger) crowd, you will definitely have to look at newer possible headliners which are popular with both the younger and the older generation of visitors. I'm thinking about acts like The XX, The War on Drugs, Bon Iver, London Grammar, Tame Impala, Kendrick Lamar, Eddie Vedder solo ... They're all big enough to at least (co-)headline in Belgium. I think 2018 showed that it is possible to sell out with a line-up which consists of mostly headliners which are more 'unique' for a regular Werchter-visitor. 

An older legacy act which is quite popular with younger people in Belgium is Fleetwood Mac, so maybe they are a possibility as they are also rumoured for Glastonbury? Off course, they played Boutique last year, which makes it less likely. 

Its perhaps the issue majority of fests have, guitar music isn't as popular as it once was. You got to change with the times, which is naff when your fest is called rock werchter.

Saying that I'm hoping for a more poppy lineup next year, as I'm taking the 11 year old daughter.

[Nicklord]

I think Muse day didn't sell out cause the stuff under them was weak, not them. It was literally half empty for the majority of the day. They had a big crowd (really bad tho) 

Pink had Bastille. Muse had Greta van Fleet which would be on at 4pm any other day of the festival

[EV123]

40 minutes ago, lighthouse said:

Sunday was actually pretty strong if you look past Greta (and Muse *again*) though.

New Order is a good sized Barn headliner. Rosalia and Parkway Drive were playing much lower down the bill than they are used to. Balthazar is a big act in Belgium and they played an exclusive Belgian festival show. They even managed to cram Underworld in the KlubC and let 'up and coming' Lizzo open(!) the day. Add the likes of Mac DeMarco, De Staat (big in Holland), Suicideboys, Tamino, RY X, Yungblud and Lewis Capaldi and you have quite a strong day.

That exclusive Belgian festival show which proved to be not that exclusive? I don't think that a lot of people will ever pay 105 € to see a Belgian band and that exclusivity was just another lie hoping to sell more tickets. Everyone knows that Balthazar will probably play some club shows next year and if not they will certainly play PKP, Cactus or any other cheaper festival in Belgium next year. 

Although that day was indeed pretty good, the schedule was terrible ... Mac DeMarco vs Rosalia vs Balthazar vs Ry X; Underworld vs Muse; New Order vs partly Muse. I think they were aiming for a more alternative crowd with the smaller names, but they totally missed the target because of the schedule. And by having New Order, Underworld and Muse clashing, you also missed the Muse-fans who were doubting. Add to this that New Order, Mac DeMarco, Mahalia and others already announced new concerts in Belgium and the fact that Muse's last album was just rubbish, I think it's quite logical this day didn't sell out. 

[Nicklord]

1 hour ago, lighthouse said:

Sunday was actually pretty strong if you look past Greta (and Muse *again*) though.

New Order is a good sized Barn headliner. Rosalia and Parkway Drive were playing much lower down the bill than they are used to. Balthazar is a big act in Belgium and they played an exclusive Belgian festival show. They even managed to cram Underworld in the KlubC and let 'up and coming' Lizzo open(!) the day. Add the likes of Mac DeMarco, De Staat (big in Holland), Suicideboys, Tamino, RY X, Yungblud and Lewis Capaldi and you have quite a strong day.

Mac Demarco played to a tent 1/3 full. New Order wasn't closed 10 minutes after they started (like so much stuff in the first 3 days was), Lizzo was half full, pits for Parkway Drive weren't closed at all and I got into the first pit 30 seconds before they started... For Greta we just walked through people until we got to the barrier next to the big bar in the middle then we went to see New Order and thought we'll get back easily to the similar spot for Muse but we couldn't cause it was suddenly full

I mean, for me that day was amazing. Probably my favorite day actually. But that day needed someone big like Bastille between Muse and Greta. Maybe The Smashing Pumpkins, Prophets of Rage or Vampire Weekend... I don't know who but they needed someone

[jcabmar]

9 hours ago, lighthouse said:

I pretty much saw the whole of Mac, Rosalia, Balthazar and New Order and all 4 shows were great to excellent. Great run.

But too see all of them was too a bit of planning and running back and forth. So yeah, point on the schedule. But a good day like this still says at least something about the (slowly) declining popularity of Muse. I mean, a band like Radiohead had a day that was much, much worse (James Blake subbing) but they sold out their day in the end.

And Radiohead played on a Friday, Sunday usually sells out more easily. I was surprised that Muse did not sell out. Maybe it's me that I have a very distorted view, but I see Radiohead way more popular than Muse and with a more core fan base.

[Death By Sexy]

28 minutes ago, jcabmar said:

And Radiohead played on a Friday, Sunday usually sells out more easily. I was surprised that Muse did not sell out. Maybe it's me that I have a very distorted view, but I see Radiohead way more popular than Muse and with a more core fan base.

The core base of Radiohead is more fanatic, but I think Muse appeals to a much larger audience. 

[Hullabaloo92]

https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/07/the-strokes-booking-agent-new-music/amp/

So, new Strokes seems to come very soon.....

With a full tour next year, they should be an option for RW2020.

They could play Best Kept Secret, Hurricane, Southside, Tinderbox, Open Air St. Gallen, Rock Werchter, Main Square, Mad Cool and NOS Alive just to name a few

[lazbian]

fuck coldplay. utter dogshit

[polnico]

I really hope that The XX are a contender. Wasn't able to catch them on the I See You tour, but I am hoping that an album comes next year, and that they'll come to Werchter !

[EV123]

11 hours ago, polnico said:

I really hope that The XX are a contender. Wasn't able to catch them on the I See You tour, but I am hoping that an album comes next year, and that they'll come to Werchter !

I always thought it was very strange they didn't book them during the I See You tour. They are extremely popular in Belgium. So I'm sure that they will be booked when a next album comes out! I would love to see them closing down a day!

A pop oriented act that I was thinking about lately is Sam Smith. Could be a co-headline contender next year as he is dropping some new singles and has already done some headline shows at Lollapalooza festivals this year. 

[Rico_Pliskin]

42 minutes ago, EV123 said:

I always thought it was very strange they didn't book them during the I See You tour. They are extremely popular in Belgium. So I'm sure that they will be booked when a next album comes out! I would love to see them closing down a day!

A pop oriented act that I was thinking about lately is Sam Smith. Could be a co-headline contender next year as he is dropping some new singles and has already done some headline shows at Lollapalooza festivals this year. 

Jamie XX is touring next year so the XX are a def possibility. 

[polnico]

Just saw pictures of Oscar & The Wolf's show yesterday at Lokerse Feesten, had kind of forgotten about him, but I fear he is a big contender after having missed out in 2018 and 2019... Just hoping they don't put him as a c- headliner or dance closer on the main...

Edited August 12, 2019 by polnico

[EV123]

37 minutes ago, polnico said:

Just saw pictures of Oscar & The Wolf's show yesterday at Lokerse Feesten, had kind of forgotten about him, but I fear he is a big contender after having missed out in 2018 and 2019... Just hoping they don't put him as a c- headliner or dance closer on the main...

Let's hope not indeed! But he didn't sell out his day at both Cactus and Lokerse, so I don't think//hope they will put him as co-headliner. 

[Ken19]

Oscar needs to release a new record, then he is maybe an option. 

They know that there is an overkill with acts as Bazart and OATW.

Grinderman, off course if they are available :-). Perfect for the Barn... 

Take a good look at the line up of Pukkelpop this weekend :-).

[xydroh]

11 hours ago, Ken19 said:

Oscar needs to release a new record, then he is maybe an option. 

They know that there is an overkill with acts as Bazart and OATW.

Grinderman, off course if they are available :-). Perfect for the Barn... 

Take a good look at the line up of Pukkelpop this weekend :-).

I think It's pretty obvious at this point that Werchter will do everything in their power to get Billie eilish next year.

[arcuse]

I honestly thought she was supposed to play this year and found it odd when she got announced for PKP instead.

[EV123]

I just hope that Billie won't take a headline spot, but I am afraid she will. 

I pray for The National, Big Thief, Sharon Van Etten, Stormzy and Tame Impala from that line-up! I personally think that Inhaler from that line-up will also play next year. 

[Ken19]

Also take a look at the smaller names ;-). Some are already mentioned.

Off course, Billie is high on their wishlist. But not clear if she is going to tour in their weekend. If she does, a big spot in the barn is waiting for her.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Ken19

[brightside23]

I would gladly take Tame Impala, Royal Blood, 21 Pilots, Billie Eilish and some of the smaller artists for next year, but I hope RW doesn't entirely forget about harder rock/metal bands. Slipknot have a new album, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Architects, While She Sleeps etc. Some of them would go down well I think.

[jj200]

foals

Tame impala/royal blood

Calvin Harris

Kasabian

[polnico]

31 minutes ago, jj200 said:

foals

Tame impala/royal blood

Calvin Harris

Kasabian

That would be so so weak for Werchter, but nevertheless I am hoping for all the 'bands' you mentioned to appear in the lineup.

[Ken19]

Kasabian are just like Biffy... Werchter has no intention too give them a big spot on their line up.

If they are happy with a lower spot, maybe...

[Nomen]

Will Slipknot be a possibility for Rock Werchter? No show for Belgium announced and they played Graspop last year..

On the other hand... maybe they're a bit too much for Rock Werchter...?

Edited August 23, 2019 by Nomen

[xydroh]

1 hour ago, Nomen said:

Will Slipknot be a possibility for Rock Werchter? No show for Belgium announced and they played Graspop last year..

On the other hand... maybe they're a bit too much for Rock Werchter...?

they didn't just play Graspop, They completely tore the stage down. If bands like tool, system of a down, metallica and rammstein are very well received why wouldn't slipknot? I wouldn't mind slipknot headlining