2023 Festival

[Benj]

1 hour ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Obviously remains to be seen what the likes of Y Not, Truck, Tramlines etc do but they could capitalise on bigger festivals that are grappling with the problems you mention. Punters wont have as much to spend this year anyway never mind if the lineup isn’t up to much. Close to £300 for the rumoured headliners isn’t good value for me in the current climate at all.

Recession

Camp site horror stories

Regulars realizing the 2 main stages is a big con

No post COVID demand

Lackluster set of headliners

…will be a tough sell out. 
 

Selfishly I hope it bombs so they revert back to the old format. Hard to imagine them filling the bill now to be fair to them with all the competition.  Couldn’t even properly fill the reduced bill properly last year, with TBC’s disappearing 🤣

Edited December 9, 2022 by Benj

[Tom Connolly]

so quiet for a lineup day

[beetchez]

4 hours ago, gfa said:

What confuses me is why everyone in here goes every year still - seems to be some younger people then older people who just moan moan moan. Fair enough like do what you want, but surely there are better festivals for your taste be it glasto, download, APE or somewhere abroad if you can afford that.

I don't think i'll ever return but like the chatter, could definitely do day tickets tho

2022 was my first year at Reading (at 30). Usually go Download but the past couple of years have been too 'classic rock' orientated, so Reading was a fresh experience. But unless the lineup is astounding I doubt I'd go again, the vibe (in the campsite especially) was just... not for me.

Next year's Download is more my taste though.

[Suprefan]

5 hours ago, Matt42 said:

This will be an interesting year for the festival industry as a whole tbh. Rising costs, rising prices and a weak roaster of acts to pick from.

I wonder if some will struggle to sell out. I think Billie’s day will sell out this year but that’s about it.

Thats why some might be taking the smart route of waiting an extra year before returning. They dont lose on weak lineups and then get a head start for 2024 and recover nicely. overall the herd will be thinned and the ones who did a good job on their bookings will survive and others will not return. If there are less festivals in 2024 thats kind of a good thing because talent wont be spread as thin or fought for as hard.

[nathanh]

2 hours 40 to go

[Hughdogs]

2 hours to go..its like christmas morning. But good. My tickets already bought. Take the camper every year with my daughter, her crew and a lass. Kids kip outside. I say kids shes 21 aha gotta feelin the more rock oriented lineup gonna be more a let down this year for me. Hopefully other spots are stacked. Just dreamt i was driving in car along with my mother and kanye was announced 😂 thats never happening now

[nathanh]

Im really hoping for a pleasant surprise. I think even with a change like this it would look stronger:

MSE: Billie, Kendrick, The Killers

MSW: Sam, Foals, Capaldi

[Hughdogs]

4 minutes ago, nathanh said:

Im really hoping for a pleasant surprise. I think even with a change like this it would look stronger:

MSE: Billie, Kendrick, The Killers

MSW: Sam, Foals, Capaldi

Seen billie and kendy, sam i only like 2 songs, capaldi to small to headline either stage id say, guess im gonna have to give killers and foals a propper listen. Will wait an hour first. Kniwin my luck will fall in love and yhey wont be there haha

[nathanh]

3 minutes ago, Hughdogs said:

capaldi to small to headline either stage id say

In what world exactly? Official charts says this for his stats, seemingly going to go up to 4 number 1s in the next couple of weeks

[thewayiam]

4 hours ago, beetchez said:

2022 was my first year at Reading (at 30). Usually go Download but the past couple of years have been too 'classic rock' orientated, so Reading was a fresh experience. But unless the lineup is astounding I doubt I'd go again, the vibe (in the campsite especially) was just... not for me.

Next year's Download is more my taste though.

My last year camping was 2012 and I'd decided after night 2 I'd never camp again. I was 26 then. Whenever I've had day tickets since it's been like a campsite creche.

But the first year of everything back has been and gone, the covid rules don't even feel like a get in while you can. They money isn't there for £300 tickets at the drop of a hat.

38 minutes ago, Hughdogs said:

2 hours to go..its like christmas morning. But good. My tickets already bought. Take the camper every year with my daughter, her crew and a lass. Kids kip outside. I say kids shes 21 aha gotta feelin the more rock oriented lineup gonna be more a let down this year for me. Hopefully other spots are stacked. Just dreamt i was driving in car along with my mother and kanye was announced 😂 thats never happening now

That's a good thing, nothing positive about him now 

[Hughdogs]

7 minutes ago, nathanh said:

In what world exactly? Official charts says this for his stats, seemingly going to go up to 4 number 1s in the next couple of weeks

Think they had him special guest before he pulled out. I just cant see capaldi headlining leeds fest. Soon see. Hope im right 😂

[nathanh]

6 minutes ago, Hughdogs said:

Think they had him special guest before he pulled out. I just cant see capaldi headlining leeds fest. Soon see. Hope im right 😂

I have the exact same thought process I cant comprehend Capaldi headlining R&L feels very isle of white but i cant see it being out of the realms of possibility for FR to book him...

[Hughdogs]

5 minutes ago, nathanh said:

I have the exact same thought process I cant comprehend Capaldi headlining R&L feels very isle of white but i cant see it being out of the realms of possibility for FR to book him...

Yeh i feel ya..i think he was a couple down at parklife last year. Behind 50 cent. Just makes me think 2 small. But leeds usually stacks well for me. I will be pumped come august aha

[Andre91]

That’s an insanely dull set of headliners and anyone saying different is lying to themselves. 

[foolee]

This lineup does nothing for me which is good because it means I don’t need to attend. I’ve seen all the headliners and the only undercard act I’m fussed about is Yungblud and I’m seeing him twice in February so at least I don’t need to pay £300 for a ticket. 
 

I agree that the touring artists aren’t looking great next year apart from Download who have smashed it with their lineup, unfortunately I can’t attend due to work however I do think Sam Fender, Billie Eilish and The Killers are a massive set of headliners and they will sell well. I think they’re a boring choice but they are big acts. Fender played Finsbury Park last year and has sold out 2 nights at St James already. Billie is one of the biggest acts in the world and The Killers sell out stadiums on the regular. Uninspiring, yes. Weak, no. Obviously Foals, ID and Lewis Capaldi only help the strength, especially for a casual music fan. 

Edited December 9, 2022 by foolee

[Jericode]

Honestly the only way this proposed six could be worse is if Kings of Leon do actually get rebooted instead of The Killers. I hate The Killers but would take them every day over Kings of Leon.

Edited December 9, 2022 by Jericode

[nathanh]

10 minutes ago, foolee said:

I do think Sam Fender, Billie Eilish and The Killers are a massive set of headliners and they will sell well. I think they’re a boring choice but they are big acts. Fender played Finsbury Park last year and has sold out 2 nights at St James already. Billie is one of the biggest acts in the world and The Killers sell out stadiums on the regular. Uninspiring, yes. Weak, no.

This is exactly how i feel, I dont think its fair to call it weak but it definitely isnt overly exciting either. 

[thewayiam]

11 minutes ago, foolee said:

This lineup does nothing for me which is good because it means I don’t need to attend. I’ve seen all the headliners and the only undercard act I’m fussed about is Yungblud and I’m seeing him twice in February so at least I don’t need to pay £300 for a ticket. 
 

I agree that the touring artists aren’t looking great next year apart from Download who have smashed it with their lineup, unfortunately I can’t attend due to work however I do think Sam Fender, Billie Eilish and The Killers are a massive set of headliners and they will sell well. I think they’re a boring choice but they are big acts. Fender played Finsbury Park last year and has sold out 2 nights at St James already. Billie is one of the biggest acts in the world and The Killers sell out stadiums on the regular. Uninspiring, yes. Weak, no. Obviously Foals, ID and Lewis Capaldi only help the strength, especially for a casual music fan. 

I'm personally interested by the placings.

[sisco]

22 minutes ago, nathanh said:

I have the exact same thought process I cant comprehend Capaldi headlining R&L feels very isle of white but i cant see it being out of the realms of possibility for FR to book him...

Tbf he’s not really headlining is he.  They’ve introduced a 2nd stage and invented 6 headliners . What you’ve really got is 3 headliners and 3 subs.  Capaldi, Foals, ID as subs isn’t bad 

[andyrhodes24]

Foals confirmed on their website. Friday: Reading, Saturday: Leeds.

Edited December 9, 2022 by andyrhodes24

[foolee]

1 minute ago, thewayiam said:

I'm personally interested by the placings.

What like who headlines on which day in case of a day ticket? Who would you want to be paired? I’d maybe be tempted by the day Yungblud is subbing if Foals headline MSW the same day. 

[SemiSweet]

Foals actually suck tho

[Andre91]

If The Killers and Foals were on the same day, I would have been tempted to get a day ticket but the splits are awful for me. 

[andyrhodes24]

Just now, SemiSweet said:

Foals actually suck tho

They do, I’ve never got them. Seen them live and still didn’t get it. Same with Fender so that’ll be a great Saturday for me.

[she bangs the drums]

Looks boring.

They sold the getting rid of the NME stage as having 6 massive headliners. This is two headliners (Billie and Killers) and the rest are big enough to be sub headliners or NME headliners. 

Definitely not worth paying £300+ with lack of alternatives to poor headliners.