Boomtown 2020 Chapter 12: New Beginnings

[mr flow]

10 hours ago, vintagelaureate said:

If Underworld, Orbital and Squarepusher are on Nucleus; are they going to be on 'after' the Lions Den/Town Centre headliners? 

Kelis is on Lions Den, saw that posted today.

Good to see Snapped Ankles on there too; another left field choice for Boomtown (on a smaller scale!). 

Lions Den headliners will be Wu-Tang, Kano and Damian Marley I reckon. Not sure on Town Centre. I’m expecting all of the live acts on Nucleus to be on before the new show which if it’s the same as last year should be after the headliners have finished in Town Centre and Lions Den. 

I could be totally wrong though!

Edited February 9, 2020 by mr flow

[Sku]

10 hours ago, vintagelaureate said:

If Underworld, Orbital and Squarepusher are on Nucleus; are they going to be on 'after' the Lions Den/Town Centre headliners? 

Last year Nucleus headline sets were:

Friday: 11pm, Saturday: 1am, Sunday: 10pm

The scheduling on Nucleus and Relic can be a bit unpredictable it's not always "first to last".

 

[vintagelaureate]

27 minutes ago, mr flow said:

Lions Den headliners will be Wu-Tang, Kano and Damian Marley I reckon. Not sure on Town Centre. I’m expecting all of the live acts on Nucleus to be on before the new show which if it’s the same as last year should be after the headliners have finished in Town Centre and Lions Den. 

I could be totally wrong though!

Town Centre: Flogging Molly, The Libertines and another...? 

Where do you place Pendulum?

[Sku]

6 minutes ago, vintagelaureate said:

Town Centre: Flogging Molly, The Libertines and another...? 

Where do you place Pendulum?

Pendulum are headlining Relic

[vintagelaureate]

1 minute ago, Sku said:

Pendulum are headlining Relic

Cheers, who do you think is the 3rd Town Centre headliner? They don't usually announce any 'bigger' acts on the district posters do they?

[Sku]

1 minute ago, vintagelaureate said:

Cheers, who do you think is the 3rd Town Centre headliner? They don't usually announce any 'bigger' acts on the district posters do they?

Caravan Palace perhaps? They have headlined town centre before.

[jump]

1 hour ago, vintagelaureate said:

Cheers, who do you think is the 3rd Town Centre headliner? They don't usually announce any 'bigger' acts on the district posters do they?

They have a couple of times before like Little Dragon headlining The Lighthouse.

[mr flow]

According to their websites, Underworld are playing the Saturday and Flogging Molly are playing Sunday.

[hoils]

Anyone noticed that Orbital and Kool and the Gang aren't showing anywhere on the line up on the official site? 

[mr flow]

According to one of the directors of Boomtown, they have made a late enquiry about Rage against the Machine playing at this years festival. I'm pretty sure nothing with come of it, but interesting none the less. Reading and Leeds don't have an exclusivity in their booking of Rage this year, and they have a gap in their touring schedule over Boomtown weekend...

[JBarbour]

4 minutes ago, mr flow said:

According to one of the directors of Boomtown, they have made a late enquiry about Rage against the Machine playing at this years festival. I'm pretty sure nothing with come of it, but interesting none the less. Reading and Leeds don't have an exclusivity in their booking of Rage this year, and they have a gap in their touring schedule over Boomtown weekend...

$$$

Rage would probably cost them more than the whole line up they already put out. If that's the case ticket sales can't be going as well as they making out. 

Unless the members from PoR liked the festival that much last year

[mr flow]

2 minutes ago, JBarbour said:

 

Unless the members from PoR liked the festival that much last year

They did. Apparently they said the band loved playing last year, and said it was their favourite festival, and the bands values, political stance, is the same as Boomtown's.

As i say, i don't think it will happen. I also don't think it's a reflection on ticket sales, it's more the once in a lifetime chance for Boomtown to book one of the organisers favourite acts.

[JBarbour]

9 minutes ago, mr flow said:

They did. Apparently they said the band loved playing last year, and said it was their favourite festival, and the bands values, political stance, is the same as Boomtown's.

As i say, i don't think it will happen. I also don't think it's a reflection on ticket sales, it's more the once in a lifetime chance for Boomtown to book one of the organisers favourite acts.

Lak was in the pit with us lot for PoR so I know he's a big fan. 

[eFestivals]

10 minutes ago, mr flow said:

it's more the once in a lifetime chance for Boomtown to book one of the organisers favourite acts.

some euro-fest promoters have already been saying RATM will be back to Europe next summer, so this year doesn't look like the only chance.

[jump]

I'd love for Rage to play but I just don't see it happening. The only way I could see it happening if Rage do a bunch of UK festivals like Glasto, Boomtown, APE etc but I don't think they would tour just the UK like that.

[JBarbour]

2 hours ago, jump said:

I'd love for Rage to play but I just don't see it happening. The only way I could see it happening if Rage do a bunch of UK festivals like Glasto, Boomtown, APE etc but I don't think they would tour just the UK like that.

that would probably be more likely next year. Have the big pay days for limited shows this year, then tour more extensively next year. Then hiatus again  

[eFestivals]

2 minutes ago, JBarbour said:

that would probably be more likely next year. Have the big pay days for limited shows this year, then tour more extensively next year. Then hiatus again  

yup, that's what i'm expecting.

[Sku]

While the premise license from Winchester Council has had an extra 10k capacity added on to it ready for the 2020 festival, they also still need planning permission from the South Downs National Park for that extra 10k.

That process is currently dragging on and still not resolved, and there is some local opposition kicking up a stink. And so the currently announced lineup will have been budgeted with only the previous capacity in mind.

If in the coming weeks, this extra 10k capacity does get approved by SDNP, they will have a potential 10k extra tickets to shift. Booking an act like RATM would certainly help with that. If it's even possible to book them of course.

It still seems like a long shot, but perhaps it's not totally outside the realms of possibility. Especially given the additional income that could be possibly be generated if the planning permission is granted.

Perhaps 2021 a better chance based on some of the above comments.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Sku

[JBarbour]

2 hours ago, Sku said:

While the premise license from Winchester Council has had an extra 10k capacity added on to it ready for the 2020 festival, they also still need planning permission from the South Downs National Park for that extra 10k.

That process is currently dragging on and still not resolved, and there is some local opposition kicking up a stink. And so the currently announced lineup will have been budgeted with only the previous capacity in mind.

If in the coming weeks, this extra 10k capacity does get approved by SDNP, they will have a potential 10k extra tickets to shift. Booking an act like RATM would certainly help with that. If it's even possible to book them of course.

It still seems like a long shot, but perhaps it's not totally outside the realms of possibility. Especially given the additional income that could be possibly be generated if the planning permission is granted.

Perhaps 2021 a better chance based on some of the above comments.

I was wondering what was happening with that extra 10k. The press releases billing it as the previous capacity, 

If they managed to get the 10k this year I can't see them selling the tickets with the current line up. Its a mid tier festival line up at best with high prices. I love the festival and into the theatrically elements, but you cant sell tickets based on stage designs and story lines alone. Gotta get some more meat on future line ups. They may have to bite the bullet over the next few years and get a heavy weight headliner. I know one mainstream act the booker interested in the next time they active, I can't see the faithful being happy if they do manage to get them though. 

[Jimpsnl]

2 minutes ago, JBarbour said:

I was wondering what was happening with that extra 10k. The press releases billing it as the previous capacity, 

If they managed to get the 10k this year I can't see them selling the tickets with the current line up. Its a mid tier festival line up at best with high prices. I love the festival and into the theatrically elements, but you cant sell tickets based on stage designs and story lines alone. Gotta get some more meat on future line ups. They may have to bite the bullet over the next few years and get a heavy weight headliner. I know one mainstream act the booker interested in the next time they active, I can't see the faithful being happy if they do manage to get them though. 

Unfortunately this is going to become the reality for boomtown and always was going to... Boomtown will sadly have to succumb to some form of commercialisation in terms of the line up and possibly sponsors because financially they simply will not stay afloat.... You are right that they will be unable to sell the festival on production and storylines alone, Im surprised they have managed it until now (I think they have struggled)

I know that this is a controversial thing to say and people will scream blue murder at me but I have said it before and I’ll say it again, boomtown in its current form will not survive much longer unless it accepts commercialism in some form. It’s the brutal reality of the festival industry

[JBarbour]

11 minutes ago, Jimpsnl said:

Unfortunately this is going to become the reality for boomtown and always was going to... Boomtown will sadly have to succumb to some form of commercialisation in terms of the line up and possibly sponsors because financially they simply will not stay afloat.... You are right that they will be unable to sell the festival on production and storylines alone, Im surprised they have managed it until now (I think they have struggled)

I know that this is a controversial thing to say and people will scream blue murder at me but I have said it before and I’ll say it again, boomtown in its current form will not survive much longer unless it accepts commercialism in some form. It’s the brutal reality of the festival industry

Its a shame because Boomtown (in my opinion) is the best UK festival by some way and I don't consider the line up. I'm hoping they don't go too balls deep with XR and push the vegan agenda, start alienating people from the event.    

I agree something will have to give. If they up-scaling again, line ups will have to improve. They can't sell out their current capacity. I'm not sure what sponsors they could get without going more mainstream, maybe broadcasting the event... 

Edited February 12, 2020 by JBarbour

[Jimpsnl]

7 minutes ago, JBarbour said:

Its a shame because Boomtown (in my opinion) is the best UK festival by some way and I don't consider the line up. I'm hoping they don't go too balls deep with XR and push the vegan agenda, start alienating people from the event.    

I agree something will have to give. If they up-scaling again, line ups will have to improve. They can't sell out their current capacity. I'm not sure what sponsors they could get without going more mainstream, maybe broadcasting the event... 

Well I noticed the BBC at poco loco last year so broadcasting isn’t completely out of the realms of possibility!

I’m with you on Extinction Rebellion and the vegan thing! Whilst it doesn’t bother me too much necessarily, I can see how it will alienate others as people go to the festival to have a good time and already suffer enough agenda pushing via the BBC and other media and really don’t need to hear it all weekend... Also I think people have had quite enough of brexit and I can see them going really really heavy on the remain front this year...

and if Greta turns up on the lions den stage this year I will cringe sorry... We are already without a doubt going to have to sit through her at Glastonbury on the pyramid this year 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Jimpsnl

[JBarbour]

15 minutes ago, Jimpsnl said:

Well I noticed the BBC at poco loco last year so broadcasting isn’t completely out of the realms of possibility!

I’m with you on Extinction Rebellion and the vegan thing! Whilst it doesn’t bother me too much necessarily, I can see how it will alienate others as people go to the festival to have a good time and already suffer enough agenda pushing via the BBC and other media and really don’t need to hear it all weekend... Also I think people have had quite enough of brexit and I can see them going really really heavy on the remain front this year...

and if Greta turns up on the lions den stage this year I will cringe sorry... We are already without a doubt going to have to sit through her at Glastonbury on the pyramid this year 

There was a fair few regional and local BBC press there last year as well. 

Oh I hope they don't ram XR and brexit down people's throats this year. There are plenty of other things they could be doing like gender equality on the line up, better waste management on the site, educate people more about taking their shit home, reducing the cars on site, encouraging people to try a meat free day while at the event... 

Unfortunately a quick look at the storyline does look like they are balls deep with XR.

[Sku]

33 minutes ago, JBarbour said:

Unfortunately a quick look at the storyline does look like they are balls deep with XR.

Boomtown's "theatrical and narrative director" is also the same person who created the widely photographed Red Brigade for Extinction Rebellion. So they are very closely linked indeed.

Activism is becoming part of the festivals identity, and I for one don't have a problem with that. Though I can see the argument that from a commercial perspective, it might not be the best plan. I'm glad they don't want to sell themselves out though, and am optimistic they can strike the right balance. Educate, don't alienate. I don't think it has been particularly rammed down anyone's throat to date, but it is still an unmistakable presence at the festival. The balance in 2019 felt about right to me.

[JBarbour]

31 minutes ago, Sku said:

Boomtown's "theatrical and narrative director" is also the same person who created the widely photographed Red Brigade for Extinction Rebellion. So they are very closely linked indeed.

Activism is becoming part of the festivals identity, and I for one don't have a problem with that. Though I can see the argument that from a commercial perspective, it might not be the best plan. I'm glad they don't want to sell themselves out though, and am optimistic they can strike the right balance. Educate, don't alienate. I don't think it has been particularly rammed down anyone's throat to date, but it is still an unmistakable presence at the festival. The balance in 2019 felt about right to me.

I don't have much of a problem with the activism as long as their is a balance and it doesnt becoming too overpowering at the event, it does alienate people. I think they pushed it a bit too much last year. I find Glastonbury have a better balance than Boomtown, but that might be because its so vast. Then there is the Boomtown Chat group on FB, I know its third party but a lot of the main staff are members and they didnt do much to distance themselves from it and the abuse it was dishing out during the general election.