2023 Festival

[Peskybee]

16 hours ago, Benj said:

who’s bought already?

who will inevitably buy at some point whatever?

who will only buy if further lineup announcements are great?

who will not be going whatever?

I had already told myself I wouldn't go this year during last year's festival. For me, it was quite nice to see a lineup which didn't align with my interests anymore to help reassure me that this was the right decision. It's a shame as it's been such a wonderful part of my life since 2015 but it's time to move on. 

[Jack.194]

3 hours ago, Peskybee said:

I had already told myself I wouldn't go this year during last year's festival. For me, it was quite nice to see a lineup which didn't align with my interests anymore to help reassure me that this was the right decision. It's a shame as it's been such a wonderful part of my life since 2015 but it's time to move on. 

I’m in exactly the same position, bought a ticket every year since 2015 and this will be my first year not going. It’s run it’s course.

[BenG92]

We can all go back when rock music has a resurgence in X years. It's just kinda dead right now. Too many bands are either too big to do anything but headline, or still up-and-coming, where a decade ago you'd have Deftones, Foals and Fallout Boy taking the 6pm slots. 

Curious to see what a modern Leeds lineup would look like for those that don't agree, who exactly would fill those old rock-dominated slots without it looking really stale.

[Benj]

1 hour ago, BenG92 said:

We can all go back when rock music has a resurgence in X years. It's just kinda dead right now. Too many bands are either too big to do anything but headline, or still up-and-coming, where a decade ago you'd have Deftones, Foals and Fallout Boy taking the 6pm slots. 

Curious to see what a modern Leeds lineup would look like for those that don't agree, who exactly would fill those old rock-dominated slots without it looking really stale.

I genuinely can’t really see the festival surviving 5-10 more years in its current format

I think one of the main features of last year was how empty the arena was for so much of the day, with kids piling in and out for the odd TikTok highlight

The musical consumption of it’s traditional, core demographic has changed so much in the last 3-4 years that it simply can’t provide a line-up, longterm, that people will pay for

No one is interested in acts anymore, it’s all about songs and even moments within songs  

At the end of the day no one is going to spend 300 for 4-5 moments in songs a day. Not when the festival otherwise offers nothing

Two of my nieces have done the last couple of years, doing the whole 16 year old post GCSE thing. Neither has any intention of ever going again…

It was simply not an experience they want to repeat… on any level, campsite, music, atmosphere. It offered nothing they can’t get better, cheaper, elsewhere

A festival can not survive solely on those single visit people

Yet they clearly can not put together a full balanced line-up to attract a wider audience within the current festival environment

Maybe I’m wrong and it will continue to sell out year after year based on reputation alone. I know we’re a very select niche on here but it’s telling how many people, from many different eras, are calling it quits at the same time…

 

 

 

 

 

[gfa]

9 minutes ago, Benj said:

I genuinely can’t really see the festival surviving 5-10 more years in its current format

I think one of the main features of last year was how empty the arena was for so much of the day, with kids piling in and out for the odd TikTok highlight

The musical consumption of it’s traditional, core demographic has changed so much in the last 3-4 years that it simply can’t provide a line-up, longterm, that people will pay for

No one is interested in acts anymore, it’s all about songs and even moments within songs  

At the end of the day no one is going to spend 300 for 4-5 moments in songs a day. Not when the festival otherwise offers nothing

Two of my nieces have done the last couple of years, doing the whole 16 year old post GCSE thing. Neither has any intention of ever going again…

It was simply not an experience they want to repeat… on any level, campsite, music, atmosphere. It offered nothing they can’t get better, cheaper, elsewhere

A festival can not survive solely on those single visit people

Yet they clearly can not put together a full balanced line-up to attract a wider audience within the current festival environment

Maybe I’m wrong and it will continue to sell out year after year based on reputation alone. I know we’re a very select niche on here but it’s telling how many people, from many different eras, are calling it quits at the same time…

Think a few of these points are a bit over dramatic

1. Arena empty is due to the 2 main stages I guess, but even when I went for the first time in 2018 i spoke to so many people who only did the big evening acts anyway and spent the rest of the festival getting drunk in the campsite / asleep in the day

2. nobody cares about acts - AM had the largest headline crowd for 10 years someone said a few pages back. see also day ticket holders?

3. sounds like your nieces have finished the end of exams go to reading thing and have grown up - they went multiple times so it can't have been bad and it certainly hasn't changed that much between 2021-2023 for campsite/atmosphere

[SleepingGiants]

I honestly thought the likes of Tramlines and Truck had a lineup last year more in tune with my taste in music and who I actually want to see...

[Benj]

37 minutes ago, gfa said:

Think a few of these points are a bit over dramatic

1. Arena empty is due to the 2 main stages I guess, but even when I went for the first time in 2018 i spoke to so many people who only did the big evening acts anyway and spent the rest of the festival getting drunk in the campsite / asleep in the day

2. nobody cares about acts - AM had the largest headline crowd for 10 years someone said a few pages back. see also day ticket holders?

3. sounds like your nieces have finished the end of exams go to reading thing and have grown up - they went multiple times so it can't have been bad and it certainly hasn't changed that much between 2021-2023 for campsite/atmosphere

Deffo just provoking convo but…

Re my nieces (sorry I wasn’t clear) : They didn’t go multiple times, they both went once each (one in 2021, one in 2022). I think one is hoping to do Boardmasters this year, the younger one Wireless. As 17 and 18 year olds, having done Reading, it’s not on their radar as somewhere to go again.

There are of course certain acts that will command an audience, beyond a big song or two you’d certainly hope the headliners! (Also no surprise Arctic Monkeys had the biggest crowd since Eminem, when they had zero competition).

The point is these acts are few and further between. How many people at Reading will really know more than 2-3 Capaldi songs? He’s there for a couple of huge numbers

I was thinking more 12-6ish, the arena was just utterly dead for elongated period at times, between migrations in and out for a few big draws.

The feeling of emptyness is certainly extenuated by the new format (another great flaw of it), as you say though there is just nothing else to see, so why stay in the arena

And yes there are loads who aren’t there just for the music (one way we on here differ so much), when they’re starting to pay 300 plus, just for a ticket to get pissed in a field, when will Truck etc offer a more attractive alternative…

And ultimately that is the point. Can Reading survive on the promise of a mass party with the odd musical interlude alone? Maybe. Maybe not

Edited January 4, 2023 by Benj

[gfa]

27 minutes ago, SleepingGiants said:

I honestly thought the likes of Tramlines and Truck had a lineup last year more in tune with my taste in music and who I actually want to see...

Definitely for the past few for me

13 minutes ago, Benj said:

Deffo just provoking convo but…

Re my nieces (sorry I wasn’t clear) : They didn’t go multiple times, they both went once each (one in 2021, one in 2022). I think one is hoping to do Boardmasters this year, the younger one Wireless. As 17 and 18 year olds, having done Reading, it’s not on their radar as somewhere to go again.

There are of course certain acts that will command an audience, beyond a big song or two, you’d certainly hope the headliners! (Also no surprise Arctic Monkeys had the biggest crowd since Eminem, when they had zero competition). The point is these acts are few and further between. How many people at Reading will really know more than 2-3 Capaldi songs? He’s there for a couple of huge numbers

I was thinking more 12-6ish, the arena was just utterly dead for elongated period at times, between migrations in and out for a few big draws.

The feeling of emptyness is certainly extenuated by the new format (another great flaw of it), as you say though there is just nothing else to see, so why stay in the arena

And yes there are loads who aren’t there just for the music (one way we on here differ so much), when they’re starting to pay 300 plus, just for a ticket to get pissed in a field, when will Truck etc offer a more attractive alternative…

And ultimately that is the point. Can Reading survive on the promise of a mass party with the odd musical interlude alone? Maybe. Maybe not

We've got a while to go and this type of chat is definitely not stopping soon!

re nieces - fair enough. I'd argue Boardmasters is similar value and the same vibe (with a beach). Wireless is obviously very 1 genre, if they like that then Reading probably never really appealed anyway other than Dave, Megan and a few others so likely went for the post GCSE camp vibe anyway rather than music. Changing to a rockier/indie lineup wouldn't change that

what new acts do you think people know more than a few songs from, very few people will know more than 2-3 Sam Fender songs, same with Billie? Both good bookings regardless i'd say. Honestly Imagine Dragons arguably have more well known songs than most of the headliners just because they've been releasing radio friendly songs for the past 10 years or so.

Music at the moment is so trend based even the new headliners aren't getting well known full album like a few years ago?

One key thing with Reading is the huge names, nowhere else bar Glastonbury (which is a nightmare to get tickets for and honestly thats why you get no younger groups there, so much pre planning is required to get a group together let alone even getting tickets).

Nowhere else bar glastonbury is so varied as well, since i first did Reading we were all indie fans but we did it again in 2021 and I must say the varied lineup helped with getting people to want to go. Everyone from our group likes a bit of the landfill indie but few headliners we all saw together, with only about half doing LG and then the other half doing Stormzy for example on the other night.

[Benj]

29 minutes ago, gfa said:

Definitely for the past few for me

We've got a while to go and this type of chat is definitely not stopping soon!

re nieces - fair enough. I'd argue Boardmasters is similar value and the same vibe (with a beach). Wireless is obviously very 1 genre, if they like that then Reading probably never really appealed anyway other than Dave, Megan and a few others so likely went for the post GCSE camp vibe anyway rather than music. Changing to a rockier/indie lineup wouldn't change that

what new acts do you think people know more than a few songs from, very few people will know more than 2-3 Sam Fender songs, same with Billie? Both good bookings regardless i'd say. Honestly Imagine Dragons arguably have more well known songs than most of the headliners just because they've been releasing radio friendly songs for the past 10 years or so.

Music at the moment is so trend based even the new headliners aren't getting well known full album like a few years ago?

One key thing with Reading is the huge names, nowhere else bar Glastonbury (which is a nightmare to get tickets for and honestly thats why you get no younger groups there, so much pre planning is required to get a group together let alone even getting tickets).

Nowhere else bar glastonbury is so varied as well, since i first did Reading we were all indie fans but we did it again in 2021 and I must say the varied lineup helped with getting people to want to go. Everyone from our group likes a bit of the landfill indie but few headliners we all saw together, with only about half doing LG and then the other half doing Stormzy for example on the other night.

The beauty and appeal of Reading has definitely always been that diversity, within the overall arch of ‘alternative music’. As you say there’s always been enough for everyone

I don’t think that diversity has gone, if anything it’s move towards more poppy has perhaps increased it, perhaps countered by the loss of the possibility of more large, niche acts being booked

The problem (as discussed ad infinitum) is the dilution of the quantity with no increase in quality. Is there now enough for everyone?

In essence I think that’s why so many are no longer planning to go this year.

The past 2 years have shown us that there is just not enough to keep us keen anymore.

Perhaps fine for those who only go for the piss up and see a few big names but are even they now getting any value at £300 quid before, travel food and bev!

My guess is the festival will shrink over the next few years as people seek value.  A complete guess but I just can’t see it sustaining itself when returning punters are being decimated

[Andre91]

Get High Vis on the Main Stage in the sunshine. I only listened to them for the first time yesterday and that album is decent. 

[Benj]

55 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Get High Vis on the Main Stage in the sunshine. I only listened to them for the first time yesterday and that album is decent. 

Kind of thing that will get absolutely lost on the main stage with a couple of thousand people watching

[charlierc]

13 hours ago, Chad888 said:

I have not brought, I will not buy. I was interested in a day ticket for The Killers Saturday but the undercard is poor and doesn't get me hyped up at all.

Chase Atlantic > Nothing But Thieves > Slowthai > Central Cee > Lewis Capaldi > The Killers

I'm having this feeling as well. I've already said Foals into The Killers would've been something I would've signed up for, but much as I also like NBT, I can't really book it on that alone. Least last year AM > BMTH > Wolf Alice was something I would've been up for if it hadn't been for the fact everyone else had that idea.

[charlierc]

5 hours ago, Benj said:

Can Reading survive on the promise of a mass party with the odd musical interlude alone? Maybe. Maybe not

Surely by that logic the concept of a festival itself is doomed, given this is how a lot of festivals seem to advertise themselves.

[Benj]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

Surely by that logic the concept of a festival itself is doomed, given this is how a lot of festivals seem to advertise themselves.

Most festivals have stuff to do other than get pissed at your tent when you’re not interested in what’s on at the mainstage…

For much of the Reading demographic that is THE reason to go. Get pissed with your mates in a field and watch a few acts. Nothing wrong with that. Is it worth 300 quid though?

For another large demographic, those who went as there was a large quantity and choice of who to see at any one time, the festival is now hugely devalued.

Not a fan of Slowthai, Central Cee and Lewis Capaldi?

You basically have nothing to do for 3.5 hours on Saturday night, unless you’re lucky enough that there’s a small band you like in the FR tent, if they bother to book enough to fill the bill this year

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Benj

[gfa]

4 minutes ago, Benj said:

For another large demographic, those who went as there was a large quantity and choice of who to see at any one time, the festival is now hugely devalued.

How many people that went in 2019 do you think went in 2022 / were considering 2023 tickets? 10k tops per site i think

[Benj]

19 minutes ago, gfa said:

How many people that went in 2019 do you think went in 2022 / were considering 2023 tickets? 10k tops per site i think

No idea, I’d have thought it would be a fair bit more than that, it can’t be 90% net new people every single year can it?

Id have guessed about 20-30% returning as a bare minimum, there’s loads who do 3-4 years (did anyway)

[gfa]

6 minutes ago, Benj said:

No idea, I’d have thought it would be a fair bit more than that, it can’t be 90% net new people every single year can it?

Id have guessed about 20-30% returning as a bare minimum, there’s loads who do 3-4 years (did anyway)

2019 -> 2022 is 4 festivals (usually). My point was only 10k of people will do 4 or more in a row before retiring from R&L

Or in otherwords, only 10k people from 2019 would still be even considering R&L.

2019 to 2023 would be 5 years too, thats 16 to 20 years old in a row which some people definitely do but most do 1, 2 or maybe 3 i think

[Benj]

54 minutes ago, gfa said:

2019 -> 2022 is 4 festivals (usually). My point was only 10k of people will do 4 or more in a row before retiring from R&L

Or in otherwords, only 10k people from 2019 would still be even considering R&L.

2019 to 2023 would be 5 years too, thats 16 to 20 years old in a row which some people definitely do but most do 1, 2 or maybe 3 i think

Poor bastards never getting to experience a rammed headline set in the big tent 😢

Would be fascinating to know the ratio of returnee to newbie actually is. I imagine the organisers don’t even know

Edited January 5, 2023 by Benj

[Chad888]

My take on it - 

 

Music festivals are a rite of passage for a lot of people.

1) GCSE leavers and college kids either get an AirBnB in Newquay, Swansea, or Bournemouth etc and drink cheap Vodka on the beach, or they go to a big festival.

2) A-Level and Uni summer holiday kids either go to Magaluf, Ibiza, Kavos etc or they go to a big festival.

Big festivals aren't your smaller chilled vibes like Latitude or non-camping like Wireless - they are the Glastonbury, Creamfields, Reading Leeds, Sziget etc.

 

Music is changing now, 30 years ago it was sold as CDs in HMV and bands would need to put out a great full CD to sell it over the cheaper singles, and to get people interested in live shows.

Now music is listened through Spotify, where you just need 1 catchy song and people will add it to a playlist, or it is heard on Tik Tok where you need a 10 second hook that acts as an ear worm and people will want to see you just for that part of the song.

 

Festivals are going to need to change to suit this consumerist society that just wants to listen to the spur of the moment tunes. The next generation of kids don't care about 'bands' in the majority, because full album experiences are outdated, and the older generations that do care about them are 'growing up' from going to festivals.

 

Reading and Leeds are on trend for this and will be relevant because it is suiting what the next gen kids want, we are put out because that isn't us and our ego is taking over. Glastonbury will always be relevant because they get acts that are too big to ignore.

Festivals like Download will be the ones that suffer, because they are for bands playing albums of music. These are dying out. In 10 years when Slipknot, Metallica, Foo Fighters etc are defunct - will we see a headline trio of Architects, BMTH, Frank Carter and Rattlesnakes getting the same kind of crowd?

 

Everybody will want to film KSI shout slogans whilst driving a Lamborghini on stage, or take photos of the next Instagram model to release an Autotune track to show they saw somebody in person that has 2m online followers.

 

 

[Benj]

1 hour ago, Chad888 said:

My take on it - 

 

Music festivals are a rite of passage for a lot of people.

1) GCSE leavers and college kids either get an AirBnB in Newquay, Swansea, or Bournemouth etc and drink cheap Vodka on the beach, or they go to a big festival.

2) A-Level and Uni summer holiday kids either go to Magaluf, Ibiza, Kavos etc or they go to a big festival.

Big festivals aren't your smaller chilled vibes like Latitude or non-camping like Wireless - they are the Glastonbury, Creamfields, Reading Leeds, Sziget etc.

 

Music is changing now, 30 years ago it was sold as CDs in HMV and bands would need to put out a great full CD to sell it over the cheaper singles, and to get people interested in live shows.

Now music is listened through Spotify, where you just need 1 catchy song and people will add it to a playlist, or it is heard on Tik Tok where you need a 10 second hook that acts as an ear worm and people will want to see you just for that part of the song.

 

Festivals are going to need to change to suit this consumerist society that just wants to listen to the spur of the moment tunes. The next generation of kids don't care about 'bands' in the majority, because full album experiences are outdated, and the older generations that do care about them are 'growing up' from going to festivals.

 

Reading and Leeds are on trend for this and will be relevant because it is suiting what the next gen kids want, we are put out because that isn't us and our ego is taking over. Glastonbury will always be relevant because they get acts that are too big to ignore.

Festivals like Download will be the ones that suffer, because they are for bands playing albums of music. These are dying out. In 10 years when Slipknot, Metallica, Foo Fighters etc are defunct - will we see a headline trio of Architects, BMTH, Frank Carter and Rattlesnakes getting the same kind of crowd?

 

Everybody will want to film KSI shout slogans whilst driving a Lamborghini on stage, or take photos of the next Instagram model to release an Autotune track to show they saw somebody in person that has 2m online followers.

 

An interesting view. 

Maybe we’ll have 10 minute sets in future and extra sprints across the field!

*limbers up*

[gfa]

What would be interesting is in the future if they purposely leave slots unfilled till like june/july to get artists who have blown up over summer at the last moment.

[Benj]

25 minutes ago, gfa said:

What would be interesting is in the future if they purposely leave slots unfilled till like june/july to get artists who have blown up over summer at the last moment.

Would deffo be a good strategy assuming they'd be confident they would be able to secure them, esp in the current format where they're slot limited and therefore more likely to miss out on Malone 18, Eilish 19 etc...

If they can't secure them, theyre not shy of just leaving slots blank these days anyway! They could just sell it as more time to leg it between stages like they did with the 14>13 main stage reduction last year

[andyrhodes24]

On 1/3/2023 at 4:41 PM, Benj said:

Quick poll on ticket status to kick off some new year discussion (hang on can you not do polls on here?!)

…just reply then-

 

who’s bought already?

who will inevitably buy at some point whatever?

who will only buy if further lineup announcements are great?

who will not be going whatever?

I’m dependent on the lineup/money. Most of my mates (aging from 30-55)  bought tickets last month for the piss up and most of them have been going since the early 2000s as well. It’s tradition for us at this point no matter who plays.

[Benj]

Just now, andyrhodes24 said:

I’m dependent on the lineup/money. Most of my mates (aging from 30-55)  bought tickets last month for the piss up and most of them have been going since the early 2000s as well. It’s tradition for us at this point no matter who plays.

That’s what it was for us until this year, just not worth the hassle anymore, esp me coming from the US now!

Will either do a foreign fest if we can find something convenient, or a week in Las Vegas or something instead

[Benj]

41 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

I’m dependent on the lineup/money. Most of my mates (aging from 30-55)  bought tickets last month for the piss up and most of them have been going since the early 2000s as well. It’s tradition for us at this point no matter who plays.

Are/ Were you still all camping??