New arena layout with two main stages - Reading

[Benj]

5 hours ago, Gerard the Fab said:

If there is an R1, which is very very unlikely. The space is the problem, not the clashes or bagging a decent lineup, there's literally no physical space to expand at Reading without getting licensing for a new field to move a campsite.

There's no reason they couldn't get more camping in around white. Just repurposing the premium camping spots to standard camping would probably produce enough capacity to replace the bit of Yellow/ Orange they'd need to add in enough space to push the R1 back/ elsewhere

[Benj]

Just noticed this seemingly unused space too, which could be utilised to replace the guest camping/ logistics set up near orange, to allow an arena extension there

 

There's also a whole load of car parking they could use at white too, if they wanted it

[Paul ™]

51 minutes ago, Benj said:

Just noticed this seemingly unused space too, which could be utilised to replace the guest camping/ logistics set up near orange, to allow an arena extension there

 

There's also a whole load of car parking they could use at white too, if they wanted it

Top pic the area you say is under used is red guest camping on the golf range. The bit up by orange is staff/contractors.

It does get used and is mostly guests/artists who arrive Friday (I'd guess that pic is taken Thu).

As for White car park, where do you propose to put all the cars instead?

Edited March 1, 2021 by Paul ™

[Benj]

8 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

Top pic the area you say is under used is red guest camping on the golf range. The bit up by orange is staff/contractors.

It does get used and is mostly guests/artists who arrive Friday (I'd guess that pic is taken Thu).

As for White car park, where do you propose to put all the cars instead?

On the train

You’re right re the other one it is busier once the arena is open

Edited March 1, 2021 by Benj

[Quorn]

11 minutes ago, Benj said:

On the train

You’re right re the other one it is busier once the arena is open

Thinking back to the 90 degree main stages at Mad Cool, what's stopping the second main stage going bottom right where the stalls are and keeping the rest the same? If the speakers are pointing across the arena then the sound leakage from main to dance tent wouldn't be too bad, and wouldn't the volume of the speakers drown out the dance tent noise for those close to the dance tent on the left side of the second main? Maybe even shift the dance tent towards the R1 slightly if its not quite far enough away

[Benj]

2 minutes ago, Quorn said:

Thinking back to the 90 degree main stages at Mad Cool, what's stopping the second main stage going bottom right where the stalls are and keeping the rest the same? If the speakers are pointing across the arena then the sound leakage from main to dance tent wouldn't be too bad, and wouldn't the volume of the speakers drown out the dance tent noise for those close to the dance tent on the left side of the second main? Maybe even shift the dance tent towards the R1 slightly if its not quite far enough away

It’s certainly an interesting idea, chop down the line of trees and it would almost be possible to have it down by the FR 

Seeing that Madcool thing makes methink they could easily just lash it up the other end opposite the current stage, by the dance tent and have them on opposing schedules

[Quorn]

2 minutes ago, Benj said:

It’s certainly an interesting idea, chop down the line of trees and it would almost be possible to have it down by the FR 

Seeing that Madcool thing makes methink they could easily just lash it up the other end opposite the current stage, by the dance tent and have them on opposing schedules

I feel like they will find a way if they want to. Just depends if they actually want to go all out this year I guess

[Benj]

19 minutes ago, Quorn said:

I feel like they will find a way if they want to. Just depends if they actually want to go all out this year I guess

Yup. Would be great PR to totally blow things out of the water lineup wise, there will deffo be enough bands desperate to play

[gfa]

1 hour ago, Benj said:

Yup. Would be great PR to totally blow things out of the water lineup wise, there will deffo be enough bands desperate to play

with it already sold out from a business stand point whats the point imo

1 hour ago, Quorn said:

Thinking back to the 90 degree main stages at Mad Cool, what's stopping the second main stage going bottom right where the stalls are and keeping the rest the same? If the speakers are pointing across the arena then the sound leakage from main to dance tent wouldn't be too bad, and wouldn't the volume of the speakers drown out the dance tent noise for those close to the dance tent on the left side of the second main? Maybe even shift the dance tent towards the R1 slightly if its not quite far enough away

not sure theres enough backstage room there honestly, maybe if the current mainstage goes closer to the Pit a bit perhaps

[Quorn]

7 hours ago, gfa said:

with it already sold out from a business stand point whats the point imo

not sure theres enough backstage room there honestly, maybe if the current mainstage goes closer to the Pit a bit perhaps

Well I don’t think the decision would’ve been left this late anyway. If they were going to go all out then they would’ve confirmed that months ago and most of the acts would’ve been booked by now, so I can’t see the sellout impacting it much

[CG31]

9 hours ago, Quorn said:

Thinking back to the 90 degree main stages at Mad Cool, what's stopping the second main stage going bottom right where the stalls are and keeping the rest the same? If the speakers are pointing across the arena then the sound leakage from main to dance tent wouldn't be too bad, and wouldn't the volume of the speakers drown out the dance tent noise for those close to the dance tent on the left side of the second main? Maybe even shift the dance tent towards the R1 slightly if its not quite far enough away

I like this idea, it also makes some sense as well, so fingers crossed it’s true because as you say they could go absolutely mental with bigger names acts

[Benj]

10 hours ago, gfa said:

with it already sold out from a business stand point whats the point imo

Next year...

If they can elevate the festival to a huge FOMO, must be at event they can increase the price, secure better bands, get earlier sell outs etc...

[Newjem]

I had a thought yesterday about how the new arena layout could look like. What do you think?
(1+2 - Main stages, 3 - Dance, 4 - Lock Up/The Pit/FR, 5 - 1xtra, 6 - BBC Introducing, 7 - Alternative)

[CG31]

4 minutes ago, Newjem said:

I had a thought yesterday about how the new arena layout could look like. What do you think?
(1+2 - Main stages, 3 - Dance, 4 - Lock Up/The Pit/FR, 5 - 1xtra, 6 - BBC Introducing, 7 - Alternative)

Looks good mate, the other option is to put 1 where 4 and 5 are, with 2 opposite and put 4 and 5 where 2 sorta is that area

[Newjem]

3 minutes ago, Gerard the Fab said:

Looks good mate, the other option is to put 1 where 4 and 5 are, with 2 opposite and put 4 and 5 where 2 sorta is that area

Don’t forget that the main stages are called East and West 😉 the other option would make them North and South.

[CG31]

8 hours ago, Newjem said:

Don’t forget that the main stages are called East and West 😉 the other option would make them North and South.

Would make sense tbf 😂😂

[Benj]

11 hours ago, Newjem said:

I had a thought yesterday about how the new arena layout could look like. What do you think?
(1+2 - Main stages, 3 - Dance, 4 - Lock Up/The Pit/FR, 5 - 1xtra, 6 - BBC Introducing, 7 - Alternative)

Yup think you’ve probably nailed it. 

I think it will be Main West where R1 was with the area directly north of that opened up a bit for a little more room

1 Extra goes where the pit was, Dance moves up to the 1 extra spot where there is more room for a larger tent than down the side near the old FR/ pit tents

[sacred shape]

Anyone have a guess for Leeds? The elevation makes things trickier surely?

[Quorn]

On 4/24/2021 at 12:13 PM, Newjem said:

I had a thought yesterday about how the new arena layout could look like. What do you think?
(1+2 - Main stages, 3 - Dance, 4 - Lock Up/The Pit/FR, 5 - 1xtra, 6 - BBC Introducing, 7 - Alternative)

Anyone else think the main stages look way too far apart here? Billie Eilish's crowd in 2019 made it probably two thirds of the way to the introducing, so that would mean literally the entire main stage crowd migrating across the arena between sets. I'm expecting MSW to be a little east of the introducing placement here

[sameimpala]

I was thinking the same thing, with the whole 'no clashes' thing surely it wont matter for noise disturbance or anything if they're close enough to walk between quickly. A big rush across the whole arena between queens and LG won't be fun for anyone 

[OnlyRevolutions]

On 4/24/2021 at 12:13 PM, Newjem said:

 

as people have said, the distance between the main stages is potentially dangerous with the amount of people who will be travelling from one stage to the other in a hurry, my thinking is that one of the stages will be where Tent 5 is with the other facing towards it on the other side of the arena. This on your diagram would make it North and South but from the entrance of the arena the stages would be on the East & West.

Edited April 26, 2021 by OnlyRevolutions

[Known-Radio]

I'm assuming the whole 'East-West' thing is just in stage name only. Probably doesnt mean that both sets of stages at Reading and Leeds will both be geographically accurate. Just my assumption, but some people may be reading into it too much.

[Newjem]

2 hours ago, OnlyRevolutions said:

as people have said, the distance between the main stages is potentially dangerous with the amount of people who will be travelling from one stage to the other in a hurry, my thinking is that one of the stages will be where Tent 5 is with the other facing towards it on the other side of the arena. This on your diagram would make it North and South but from the entrance of the arena the stages would be on the East & West.

1) I agree that the stages might be too far from each other. I just smacked them close to the barrier but kind of forgot to leave space for production, artists and VIP areas so they'll be a little bit closer to each other for sure.

2) The idea of main stages being in the north and south doesn't make sense. Why would they name them East and West in the first place? Even though it would be such a Melvin thing to do 😂 I believe R&L team knows how to control the crowd. During the day, I think the possibility of dangerous situations is low because the crowd is not as big as for headliners. Also I don't think there will that many people watching every single act (for example, how many Sports Team fans will move to the other stage to watch MoStack?). Later in the day, they can simply manage the crowd by leaving small gaps between the shows (like 5 mins which can be extended to 15 mins between headliners to let the crowd calmly move from one stage to the other).

[Benj]

On 4/26/2021 at 10:20 AM, OnlyRevolutions said:

as people have said, the distance between the main stages is potentially dangerous with the amount of people who will be travelling from one stage to the other in a hurry, my thinking is that one of the stages will be where Tent 5 is with the other facing towards it on the other side of the arena. This on your diagram would make it North and South but from the entrance of the arena the stages would be on the East & West.

There’s a significant relatively sharp elevation change from The main stage down to where the FR is/ was, plus a line of trees (so unless they plan on leveling work, it wouldn’t make much sense. 
 

The whole people rushing between stages thing is an interesting one, there’s often been some quite big congestion points at times without it. It will be interesting how it works out even if they are closer than what seems obvious

[Benj]

On 4/26/2021 at 1:54 PM, Newjem said:

1) I agree that the stages might be too far from each other. I just smacked them close to the barrier but kind of forgot to leave space for production, artists and VIP areas so they'll be a little bit closer to each other for sure.

2) The idea of main stages being in the north and south doesn't make sense. Why would they name them East and West in the first place? Even though it would be such a Melvin thing to do 😂 I believe R&L team knows how to control the crowd. During the day, I think the possibility of dangerous situations is low because the crowd is not as big as for headliners. Also I don't think there will that many people watching every single act (for example, how many Sports Team fans will move to the other stage to watch MoStack?). Later in the day, they can simply manage the crowd by leaving small gaps between the shows (like 5 mins which can be extended to 15 mins between headliners to let the crowd calmly move from one stage to the other).

North and South at Leeds would make far more sense whatever format they choose, unless they complete change the layout of the whole festival. 
 

re the changeovers, it can often take 5-10 minutes to just get out of the front section these days with the barriers in place. 
 

I remember Glasto 99, it taking an hour plus to move between the two big stages there. It’s obviously a much bigger site with far more choke points (at least then) but if in effect the whole festival is going to up sticks and migrate, it will be carnage, unless as people are thinking they’re much closer than we envisage they may be