2023 Festival

[stanh]

Just now, she bangs the drums said:

Ive not checked in on the line up since the original announcement so did not realise how bad it was until now. 

I honestly cannot see many people paying £290 for this. I would imagine that Leeds weekend tickets will be selling for £120-130 on the week of the festival via Twickets.

Maybe even less tbh, I only paid £150 last year, and it actually sold out.

[she bangs the drums]

1 hour ago, stanh said:

Maybe even less tbh, I only paid £150 last year, and it actually sold out.

Good point. I tried to sell my ticket for Leeds last year after Rage pulled out and the going rate was about the same.

My friend picked up a weekend ticket on the Friday for £100 and came down for Saturday and Sunday.

[Benj]

1 hour ago, FeverDream said:

You’ve essentially 2 stages worth less of acts! Christ, I knew it was bad but not that bad.

Yup, 20 acts a day less. 1/3 less choice at any one moment. 

People are finally waking up

[gregory]

47 minutes ago, Benj said:

Yup, 20 acts a day less. 1/3 less choice at any one moment. 

People are finally waking up

I'd say the choice is even less than that as the dual Main Stage means they'll never clash and at most you'll have 4 acts at once to choose between. 

[Will b]

I’d say in their own right, mother mother (fr or pit), tv girl (fr), and sleep token (pit) could easily headline the stages I’ve put them next to - with a few extra smaller acts bought you could have 

Fri: TV girl (FR), Palace Royale (Pit)

sat: Yung lean (FR), sleep token (pit)

sun: Lovejoy (FR), mother mother (Pit)

Bosh - an extra stage 

I’d also say Nessa Barrett could do a FR headline as she’s very popular with the kids atm

Edited April 28, 2023 by Will b

[Benj]

54 minutes ago, gregory said:

I'd say the choice is even less than that as the dual Main Stage means they'll never clash and at most you'll have 4 acts at once to choose between. 

Previously you had:

Main, Big Tent, Dance, FR, Pit, 1Xtra

Now:

Main, Dance, FR, 1Xtra

its a huge reduction, esp If you’re not into dance, or emerging British rap as then you’re basically down from 4 to 2

The worst point is at headliner time too, last year when AM were on they didn’t even bother putting anyone in the FR, so  there was basically ZERO choice unless you were well into Wilkinson or Krept and Konan

it’s utterly shit now pay £350 quid and have no one you’re interested in seeing for half the day

 

 

[Chad888]

10 hours ago, gregory said:

I'd say the choice is even less than that as the dual Main Stage means they'll never clash and at most you'll have 4 acts at once to choose between. 

Well they used to have 14 acts on the Main Stage, and 20 on R1.

 

Now they have 13 across 2 main stages that don't cross over, and no R1.

[Benj]

12 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Well they used to have 14 acts on the Main Stage, and 20 on R1.

 

Now they have 13 across 2 main stages that don't cross over, and no R1.

Was more like 10 and 12 but even so… it’s clear now the choice it offered over a few annoying clashes was Massive to your overall experience

There’s something soul crushing about the non-plussed yo-yo between stages.

It was far more fun having to wait 20-30 mins for something you wanted to actually see, anticipation building, surrounded by equally excited people, than following the sparse, apathetic herd who simply have nothing else to do, the rest fucking off back to their tents as it’s better to burn down the campsite than HAVE to sit through Lewis Capaldi.

We never knew how important clashes were

Edited April 29, 2023 by Benj

[gfa]

On 4/28/2023 at 4:29 PM, Benj said:

The worst point is at headliner time too, last year when AM were on they didn’t even bother putting anyone in the FR, so  there was basically ZERO choice unless you were well into Wilkinson or Krept and Konan

while rubbish given the demographic of the fest the AM or Wilkinson choice probably satisfies 99% of people. I remember many were annoyed they were clashing, wilkinson is massive for GCSE leavers

[Benj]

35 minutes ago, gfa said:

while rubbish given the demographic of the fest the AM or Wilkinson choice probably satisfies 99% of people. I remember many were annoyed they were clashing, wilkinson is massive for GCSE leavers

Not everyone there is a GCSE leaver…

There were loads at the back on Arctic Monkeys not slightly bothered in actually watching them.

That said programming someone FR sized in the tent that would’ve sucked enough of them up to get a crowd in there would’ve been tough

Last time AM played they managed to program 5 other options…

Edited April 29, 2023 by Benj

[VCK]

They just need to scrap the two main stage set up. Fair enough rolling it out for 2021 when COVID measures were still in place, but it's just unnecessary now. It's had an effect on the timings of main stage slots. For example, Charli XCX was on for about 40 minutes, an amount of time that mid to low main stage bands used to get, while subs would traditionally be on for at least an hour. (Admittedly Charli was dogshit last year so the less time for her performance the better, but you catch my drift). And unless you're interested in watching one of the relatively unknown acts in one of the small tents, you're basically stuck between the two main stages with little variety of choice.

The NME tent has given way to some legendary and iconic performances in years gone by, while also hosted breakthrough performances by other artists who would go on to become huge. The festival is missing something without it.

Edited May 2, 2023 by VCK

[BenG92]

First year since 2018 that at least one day at one location hasn't sold out by now. Unsurprising and a low bar, but worth pointing out. 

[thetime]

32 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

First year since 2018 that at least one day at one location hasn't sold out by now. Unsurprising and a low bar, but worth pointing out. 

Apart from glastonbury I don't see many festivals selling out. I put that down to average lineups across the board and festivals being overpriced. Even across europe festivals are not doing as well as previous years, festivals are at a cross roads and pricing will need to change especially as lineups are thinning out due to saturation. 

[thetime]

1 hour ago, VCK said:

They just need to scrap the two main stage set up. Fair enough rolling it out for 2021 when COVID measures were still in place, but it's just unnecessary now. It's had an effect on the timings of main stage slots. For example, Charli XCX was on for about 40 minutes, an amount of time that mid to low main stage bands used to get, while subs would traditionally be on for at least an hour. (Admittedly Charli was dogshit last year so the less time for her performance the better, but you catch my drift). And unless you're interested in watching one of the relatively unknown acts in one of the small tents, you're basically stuck between the two main stages with little variety of choice.

The NME tent has given way to some legendary and iconic performances in years gone by, while also hosted breakthrough performances by other artists who would go on to become huge. The festival is missing something without it.

They won't go back to the NME tent. 

Those days are gone now.

[BenG92]

42 minutes ago, thetime said:

Apart from glastonbury I don't see many festivals selling out. I put that down to average lineups across the board and festivals being overpriced. Even across europe festivals are not doing as well as previous years, festivals are at a cross roads and pricing will need to change especially as lineups are thinning out due to saturation. 

Download 2023 is the most successful one ever, almost fully sold out. Granted a lot of that is Metallica and the insane 20th anniversary-based early bird tickets. I keep seeing pricing arguments but Madonna, Beyonce etc. are all shifting ridiculous tickets, even blink-182 managing to sell out multiple arenas at £95 standing. People have got money, it's more to do with, as you say, meh lineups. L+R is one of the most uninspired of the bunch. 

[thetime]

5 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Download 2023 is the most successful one ever, almost fully sold out. Granted a lot of that is Metallica and the insane 20th anniversary-based early bird tickets. I keep seeing pricing arguments but Madonna, Beyonce etc. are all shifting ridiculous tickets, even blink-182 managing to sell out multiple arenas at £95 standing. People have got money, it's more to do with, as you say, meh lineups. L+R is one of the most uninspired of the bunch. 

Good shout, forgot about download. 

[gfa]

1 hour ago, BenG92 said:

Download 2023 is the most successful one ever, almost fully sold out. Granted a lot of that is Metallica and the insane 20th anniversary-based early bird tickets. I keep seeing pricing arguments but Madonna, Beyonce etc. are all shifting ridiculous tickets, even blink-182 managing to sell out multiple arenas at £95 standing. People have got money, it's more to do with, as you say, meh lineups. L+R is one of the most uninspired of the bunch. 

Download will be back to mediocre sales next year no doubt. Its not like metal has got significantly more popular since last year.

People buying Madonna, Beyonce and Blink-182 tickets have far more disposable income than GCSE leavers.

[BenG92]

4 minutes ago, gfa said:

Download will be back to mediocre sales next year no doubt. Its not like metal has got significantly more popular since last year.

Depends how seriously they take their supposed new approach to the festival. If it's back to A7X and Aerosmith, yeah, steering well clear and many will feel the same. 

[TKOCF]

7 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Depends how seriously they take their supposed new approach to the festival. If it's back to A7X and Aerosmith, yeah, steering well clear and many will feel the same. 

It would be a good move for DL to keep four nights have have a reduced lineup on Thursday like the Y Not/Kendal Calling/Truck group. Maybe have a band like Enter Shikari or Royal Blood headline the Thursday.

[BenG92]

1 minute ago, TKOCF said:

It would be a good move for DL to keep four nights have have a reduced lineup on Thursday like the Y Not/Kendal Calling/Truck group. Maybe have a band like Enter Shikari or Royal Blood headline the Thursday.

Back to 3 next year was already confirmed by a booker. Well, plans can obviously change, but that's the plan right now. 

Not like it'll knock much off the final ticket price by the time it comes around. 

[Benj]

19 hours ago, gfa said:

Download will be back to mediocre sales next year no doubt. Its not like metal has got significantly more popular since last year.

People buying Madonna, Beyonce and Blink-182 tickets have far more disposable income than GCSE leavers.

Which is why gutting the festival’s appeal to the much bigger than thought returning crowd is such a terrible idea.

Crap ticket sales, even worse in arena takings...

They’ve lost circa £500/ head Inc bar takings from my group. Times that by just 5,000 people and it’s £2,500,000 less revenue they’re making this year.

The festival is not sustainable relying on one shot GCSE leavers, many of whom mum’s will be out off letting them go due to all the horror stories.

 

[Benj]

21 hours ago, thetime said:

They won't go back to the NME tent. 

Those days are gone now.

The mad thing is all they’d need to do is bring back the tent to offer some choice to actually make what they have better

Just replace the acts in Purple on the R1, with acts on in the FR and Dance tent and it’s a much better ‘festival’

As you say though their main issue is dilution/ competition…

Its easier to get in Imagine Dragons than 10-15 mid additional/ lower tier acts committed elsewhere
 

[Andre91]

4 hours ago, Benj said:

The mad thing is all they’d need to do is bring back the tent to offer some choice to actually make what they have better

Just replace the acts in Purple on the R1, with acts on in the FR and Dance tent and it’s a much better ‘festival’

As you say though their main issue is dilution/ competition…

Its easier to get in Imagine Dragons than 10-15 mid additional/ lower tier acts committed elsewhere
 

Please, stop posting this over and over again. 

[Benj]

13 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Please, stop posting this over and over again. 

Hahaha, know you hate it. Still haven’t done the Sunday yet. Don’t worry will get to it at some point 

[Benj]

How different was the festival scene in 2019 and 2020 I guess when reading had this planned.

Has a lot of competition been added since? Are there less bands touring?