2023 Festival

[Benj]

11 minutes ago, thetime said:

I dont think so, usually sell out about this time of year.

 

Obv not the last couple of years

They sold out Feb 20th in 2019…

 

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, Benj said:

I bet theyre gutted that all the Social media buzz from Fender's St James Park shows make it look like a NUFC appreciation event as opposed to a reason to see Fender. Will put off more people than it will encourage to attend.

As a Newcastle supporter I quite enjoyed seeing the images from it. I jokingly called it "Peak Geordie" to a friend who also supports them after the first night, only for the second night to bring out noted Geordie Brian Johnson and have both Ant & Dec in the crowd, thereby somehow making it more Geordie

I appreciate it won't be for everyone but given he's sold out arenas and a lot of people went to see him at Finsbury Park or subbing on the Glastonbury Pyramid last year, I doubt it'll be that sparse for his spot. Hell Kasabian did two nights at Leicester to celebrate that time they won the Premier League (technically three as I think they also played at a victory party in a city centre park), and I don't think doing an unashamedly pro-football team concert will be that off-putting for a general crowd. Sunderland fans, perhaps, but that it's own debate largely for social media bitching.

[Benj]

36 minutes ago, charlierc said:

As a Newcastle supporter I quite enjoyed seeing the images from it. I jokingly called it "Peak Geordie" to a friend who also supports them after the first night, only for the second night to bring out noted Geordie Brian Johnson and have both Ant & Dec in the crowd, thereby somehow making it more Geordie

I appreciate it won't be for everyone but given he's sold out arenas and a lot of people went to see him at Finsbury Park or subbing on the Glastonbury Pyramid last year, I doubt it'll be that sparse for his spot. Hell Kasabian did two nights at Leicester to celebrate that time they won the Premier League (technically three as I think they also played at a victory party in a city centre park), and I don't think doing an unashamedly pro-football team concert will be that off-putting for a general crowd. Sunderland fans, perhaps, but that it's own debate largely for social media bitching.

I don’t think it will put people off (bar maybe Sunderland fans). it wont help sell his live show though either, as the focus has not been on his live show 

As you say, what could’ve been iconic shows of a break out megastar is instead just being talked about as ‘Peak Geordie’…

[gfa]

52 minutes ago, Benj said:

I don’t think it will put people off (bar maybe Sunderland fans). it wont help sell his live show though either, as the focus has not been on his live show 

As you say, what could’ve been iconic shows of a break out megastar is instead just being talked about as ‘Peak Geordie’…

I think your overstating the importance of these shows

He had well publicised sets at glasto and finsbury last year - he's already booked to headline Reading, he's made it already really

[Benj]

1 hour ago, gfa said:

I think your overstating the importance of these shows

He had well publicised sets at glasto and finsbury last year - he's already booked to headline Reading, he's made it already really

I’m not saying he hasn’t I’m saying Festival Republic will be pissed off that they’re getting buzz due to being peak Geordie as opposed to peak musical experience…

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, gfa said:

I think your overstating the importance of these shows

He had well publicised sets at glasto and finsbury last year - he's already booked to headline Reading, he's made it already really

Well clearly if he's doing Finsbury as a solo headline act, he's going to be seen as big enough. Not least as the consequent vinyl/live film also got good reviews.

These were always special hometown gigs, added to by Newcastle United having a good season meaning there was something to amp it up for the locals. But if he's already doing shows of huge capacity, I imagine that he's already being considered on merit rather than being able to do a hometown show. 

[andyrhodes24]

18 hours ago, Benj said:

Yup will look v strong in 5 years time I imagine, assuming Fender doesn’t disappear, which I don’t. 

Doesn’t help sell tickets for his year though  those other years had decent undercards and choice

 

The three main headliners look strong but I forgot how weak the undercard looks. Been said before but Steve Lacy (again, who?) Loyle Carner and Central Cee is a shocker.

Hoping to bag a cheap weekend ticket the week before, no way I’d pay anywhere close to full whack for this

[gfa]

1 hour ago, andyrhodes24 said:

The three main headliners look strong but I forgot how weak the undercard looks. Been said before but Steve Lacy (again, who?) Loyle Carner and Central Cee is a shocker.

Hoping to bag a cheap weekend ticket the week before, no way I’d pay anywhere close to full whack for this

Loyle Carner is about right to be honest. He's been around a while and is very popular.

[Hirstys 12th Pint]

21 hours ago, Benj said:

Didnt realise early bird were still on sale, theyre normally all gone within a few weeks arent they?

May actually be quite pleasant in the campsites this year if they've only sold 50% of the tickets!

I bet theyre gutted that all the Social media buzz from Fender's St James Park shows make it look like a NUFC appreciation event as opposed to a reason to see Fender. Will put off more people than it will encourage to attend.

 

Those Fender gigs at St James's Park just looked weird.  Typical parochial Geordies and how he has attached himself so much to NUFC is a bit sickly. 

Not sure it will have done anything for his appeal further afield.

Just looked a bit of a novelty act.  Did Jimmy Nail support ?

[thetime]

2 hours ago, Hirstys 12th Pint said:

 

Those Fender gigs at St James's Park just looked weird.  Typical parochial Geordies and how he has attached himself so much to NUFC is a bit sickly. 

Not sure it will have done anything for his appeal further afield.

Just looked a bit of a novelty act.  Did Jimmy Nail support ?

Didn't do oasis any harm. 

 

[thatTFBguy]

Granted I'm far from neutral in this debate as a Newcastle fan who went to Fender at SJP and loved it because it felt like a celebration of our season not just a stadium gig. 

However, the idea that those shows have hurt Fender's standing and will put non-Newcastle fans off him just doesn't stack up to me.

The gigs are getting a thunderous write up from journalists, and I was talking to a load of non Newcastle fans on the day. And they all thought the atmosphere was class - even including a group of Sunderland fans. 

Not to mention, Fender has always had a strong NUFC connection, and it's done him no harm so far. Last time he played R+L in 2021, I've never seen so many Newcastle tops at a festival, and the same was true when he headlined tramlines last year. You see Sam fender, you're gonna see Newcastle tops/flags/chants, that's been the case for years at this point. 

It's a part of his act now and considering he got to headline Finsbury, smashed Glasto and is now headlining R+L already clearly most people just don't care, and why should they either? It's just people enjoying themselves at a gig in a footie top. You'd have to be a bit weird to take a massive issue with that. 

Edited June 12, 2023 by thatTFBguy

[gfa]

1 hour ago, TimothyDunleavy said:

*spam post removed*

@eFestivals 

Edited June 12, 2023 by eFestivals
spam and spammy link removed

[charlierc]

9 hours ago, Hirstys 12th Pint said:

 

Those Fender gigs at St James's Park just looked weird.  Typical parochial Geordies and how he has attached himself so much to NUFC is a bit sickly. 

Not sure it will have done anything for his appeal further afield.

Just looked a bit of a novelty act.  Did Jimmy Nail support ?

See Kasabian did 2 gigs at the Leicester City stadium after they won the Premier League in 2016 and also did a brief set as part of Leicester's parade party in a city centre park. I don't think anyone was questioning their suitability for big gigs based on them being a regional concern.

I'm aware this can be the case for some acts - Courteeners seem able to pick any venue they want in Manchester but not so much anywhere else - but Fender already seems to have the mass appeal beyond this. I even saw an NME reviewer who went to the SJP show suggesting this is an entry-level stadium gig that hints he's ready to do it more regularly, though obviously doing R&L will be a proof of concept for big gigs. But as Finsbury was well acclaimed, I guess that was the sign it might just be alright.

[Benj]

9 hours ago, thetime said:

Didn't do oasis any harm. 

 

Their Maine Road gigs were completely different. Bar venue it wasn’t a Man City love in at all.

 

[thetime]

10 minutes ago, Benj said:

Their Maine Road gigs were completely different. Bar venue it wasn’t a Man City love in at all.

 

Oh I dunno.

I was at a noel gallagher gig and it was all city, even bringing out Vincent Kompany

[Benj]

42 minutes ago, thetime said:

Oh I dunno.

I was at a noel gallagher gig and it was all city, even bringing out Vincent Kompany

At Maine Rd in 1996?

Most amazing thing about this is you were at an NG gig

[Benj]

3 hours ago, charlierc said:

See Kasabian did 2 gigs at the Leicester City stadium after they won the Premier League in 2016 and also did a brief set as part of Leicester's parade party in a city centre park. I don't think anyone was questioning their suitability for big gigs based on them being a regional concern.

I'm aware this can be the case for some acts - Courteeners seem able to pick any venue they want in Manchester but not so much anywhere else - but Fender already seems to have the mass appeal beyond this. I even saw an NME reviewer who went to the SJP show suggesting this is an entry-level stadium gig that hints he's ready to do it more regularly, though obviously doing R&L will be a proof of concept for big gigs. But as Finsbury was well acclaimed, I guess that was the sign it might just be alright.

Just to reiterate. I have no issue with him headlining Reading. He’s clearly more than capable, he could’ve easily done it last year

My only point re the SJP gigs is that they’re not good promotional material for FR as they do not help to showcase him as the huge act he clearly is. 

[thetime]

6 hours ago, Benj said:

 

Most amazing thing about this is you were at an NG gig

😃

[On The Blend]

On 6/10/2023 at 5:16 PM, VCK said:

2009, 2012 and 2017 were examples of A. 2007 too almost, if it weren't for Razorlight.

Just went back to check out 2012 (first fest I ever went to) and even for a strong headline year there are some interesting names down on the FR. 

Alt-J, Bastille and Jake Bugg are all down there who would be subbing/ third down in the next few years. 

Always funny to see who you missed while drinking warm cans of stella in the campsite... 

[FloorFiller]

6 hours ago, On The Blend said:

Just went back to check out 2012 (first fest I ever went to) and even for a strong headline year there are some interesting names down on the FR. 

Alt-J, Bastille and Jake Bugg are all down there who would be subbing/ third down in the next few years. 

Always funny to see who you missed while drinking warm cans of stella in the campsite... 

Tbf the warm cans of Stella were probably far better than any of those acts… 

[gfa]

14 hours ago, Benj said:

Just to reiterate. I have no issue with him headlining Reading. He’s clearly more than capable, he could’ve easily done it last year

My only point re the SJP gigs is that they’re not good promotional material for FR as they do not help to showcase him as the huge act he clearly is. 

I'm sure they can suffice with Finsbury Park and Reading 2021 promotional material....?

[On The Blend]

15 minutes ago, gfa said:

I'm sure they can suffice with Finsbury Park and Reading 2021 promotional material....?

Not sure about that one, it feels like Festival Republic were really relying on that NUFC/ Sam Fender/ Saudi Public Investment Fund dark triad to hypercharge June ticket sales... 

[gfa]

1 hour ago, On The Blend said:

Not sure about that one, it feels like Festival Republic were really relying on that NUFC/ Sam Fender/ Saudi Public Investment Fund dark triad to hypercharge June ticket sales... 

What were they relying on for The Killers and Billie Eillish?

Lots of silly arguments being made here, he's a stadium act alongside Foals who have effectively headlined before?

[charlierc]

20 hours ago, Benj said:

Just to reiterate. I have no issue with him headlining Reading. He’s clearly more than capable, he could’ve easily done it last year

My only point re the SJP gigs is that they’re not good promotional material for FR as they do not help to showcase him as the huge act he clearly is. 

I'm not sure they entirely need it to be tbf - FR will have booked him on his improving stature, and given this pair of gigs got great reviews even from people who weren't Newcastle fans, it reads as proof of concept that he can hang in the stadium rock sphere. Which is about the level you need for an R&L headliner.

Certainly, Foals are a brilliant live act so it's going to need to be something special to follow them, but it seems that for his demographic, he is that.

[Benj]

7 hours ago, gfa said:

I'm sure they can suffice with Finsbury Park and Reading 2021 promotional material....?

Sadly for them that’s not how social media works