2023 Festival

[SleepingGiants]

49 minutes ago, WhoOdyssey said:

He plays arenas now, I think they could get away with him as a weak MSE headliner. Perhaps not this year, but I can see him doing it at some point if he stays at his level.

Central Cee is a bigger artist.

[WhoOdyssey]

34 minutes ago, SleepingGiants said:

Central Cee is a bigger artist.

That’s fair, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get bumped up at some point in the future too.

[Alex DeLarge]

Fred would shift tickets, could imagine he'd be well up for it as well.

[wro_lap]

I reckon Fred’ll do it next year for sure. But he’s not available for this year.

[Benj]

5 hours ago, Andre91 said:

R&L is going to be really quiet this year, isn’t it? Hopefully it wakes them up a bit and they book a lineup that is better next year. 
 

I scrolled through a tonne of twitter replies to their tweet saying they were looking for a new headliner and some of the most popular names I saw mentioned were Paramore, RATM and QOTSA (The 1975 & BMTH were also mentioned a lot but I ignored them as they played last year). So I think they need to book bands like that next year to pull a lot of people back in who just haven’t bothered this year because of the lineup. Something like: 
 

Paramore x Lil Nas X 

SZA x Fred again.. 

Blink-182 x Olivia Rodrigo 

I'd consider going back for that, even if it still meant they had the 2 main stages.

Still hoping an obvious fail will get them back to the old stage format but fear there's simply too much competition and most bands seem to prefer touring early summer for whatever reason for them to manage that these days

 

[Will b]

Could Dermot Kennedy be a  weak option? Subbing at boardies and headining all points east, fills the chill-pop vibe that Capaldi had too

[VCK]

Crazy thought, and I know I will get told it won't happen, but what about Foo Fighters?

Hear me out. They've just shown this weekend gone by that they're willing to accept lesser slots at major festivals. They absolutely adore Reading and Leeds and are arguably THE R&L band, and I bet Dave would be willing to fly over on fairly short notice, and probably do it for free. And there's a sizeable gap in their schedule around the time of the festival.

Just a thought.

Edited June 28, 2023 by VCK

[Andre91]

48 minutes ago, VCK said:

Crazy thought, and I know I will get told it won't happen, but what about Foo Fighters?

Hear me out. They've just shown this weekend gone by that they're willing to accept lesser slots at major festivals. They absolutely adore Reading and Leeds and are arguably THE R&L band, and I bet Dave would be willing to fly over on fairly short notice, and probably do it for free. And there's a sizeable gap in their schedule around the time of the festival.

Just a thought.

Come on now. There’s absolutely less than zero chance of this happening. The Glasto thing was a special, one off ‘unannounced’ appearance. That doesn’t indicate that they’re about to start being anything less than a headliner. Why would they do it for free, too?

[thetime]

1 hour ago, VCK said:

But what about Foo Fighters?

They absolutely adore Reading and Leeds and are arguably THE R&L band

They've actually only played twice in 16 years. 

[VCK]

2 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Come on now. There’s absolutely less than zero chance of this happening. The Glasto thing was a special, one off ‘unannounced’ appearance. That doesn’t indicate that they’re about to start being anything less than a headliner. Why would they do it for free, too?

Just thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

1 hour ago, thetime said:

They've actually only played twice in 16 years. 

11 years you mean.

And then their previous performance was 18 years ago.

sh*t...18 years ago. That day in 2005 was my first ever Leeds. f**k I feel old.

[Chad888]

My take - The festival are in a shitshow trying to sell tickets that nobody wants. They're even offering 2 free tickets for next year if you invite 10 friends this year. Considering most tickets are brought by groups, thats up to 20% of tickets next year will be given free.

2 years ago the festival sold out in half a day. Last year it sold out in a few days (weekend tickets).

This year, we are 8 weeks away and they are hovering around the 75% sales mark.

 

Lewis Capaldi was a "okay, and who else" name that doesn't get people excited about a festival. With the gap below him too, sack off the sub slot, bump everybody up and take somebody from the FR stage to the earlier MSW slot.

 

Use the money for Slowthai and Lewis Capaldi, and get somebody like Blink to do a tour kick off show (similar to 1975 did last second). Or get a big name that will get the kids in the door, like Stormzy or Travis Scott (who would come cheaper now the Astroworld stuff is behind him).

[thetime]

11 hours ago, VCK said:

Just thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

11 years you mean.

And then their previous performance was 18 years ago.

sh*t...18 years ago. That day in 2005 was my first ever Leeds. f**k I feel old.

So twice in 17 years? 

I'm actually quite surprised it's that low, as you say they are renowned for being a reading band. 

[jonnyisRFC]

27 minutes ago, Chad888 said:

My take - The festival are in a shitshow trying to sell tickets that nobody wants. They're even offering 2 free tickets for next year if you invite 10 friends this year. Considering most tickets are brought by groups, thats up to 20% of tickets next year will be given free.

2 years ago the festival sold out in half a day. Last year it sold out in a few days (weekend tickets).

This year, we are 8 weeks away and they are hovering around the 75% sales mark.

 

Lewis Capaldi was a "okay, and who else" name that doesn't get people excited about a festival. With the gap below him too, sack off the sub slot, bump everybody up and take somebody from the FR stage to the earlier MSW slot.

 

Use the money for Slowthai and Lewis Capaldi, and get somebody like Blink to do a tour kick off show (similar to 1975 did last second). Or get a big name that will get the kids in the door, like Stormzy or Travis Scott (who would come cheaper now the Astroworld stuff is behind him).

Where did you see they’ve sold around 75% of tickets? 

[Chad888]

12 minutes ago, jonnyisRFC said:

Where did you see they’ve sold around 75% of tickets? 

Friend of mine, music journalist, who spoke off-record with member of sales team at FR when they released the new sales scheme

[jonnyisRFC]

27 minutes ago, Chad888 said:

Friend of mine, music journalist, who spoke off-record with member of sales team at FR when they released the new sales scheme

Ah right, I imagine it will stay 75% sold out. Just a compete guess but there’s probably 5,000 ish people who are still planning on getting a ticket but probably just as many that have a ticket that will decide to not go and sell their ticket. 

[Chad888]

9 minutes ago, jonnyisRFC said:

Ah right, I imagine it will stay 75% sold out. Just a compete guess but there’s probably 5,000 ish people who are still planning on getting a ticket but probably just as many that have a ticket that will decide to not go and sell their ticket. 

I think everybody that doesn't have a ticket but is planning to get one, are planning to get one on the resell market a week before

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, Chad888 said:

My take - The festival are in a shitshow trying to sell tickets that nobody wants. They're even offering 2 free tickets for next year if you invite 10 friends this year. Considering most tickets are brought by groups, thats up to 20% of tickets next year will be given free.

2 years ago the festival sold out in half a day. Last year it sold out in a few days (weekend tickets).

This year, we are 8 weeks away and they are hovering around the 75% sales mark.

 

Lewis Capaldi was a "okay, and who else" name that doesn't get people excited about a festival. With the gap below him too, sack off the sub slot, bump everybody up and take somebody from the FR stage to the earlier MSW slot.

 

Use the money for Slowthai and Lewis Capaldi, and get somebody like Blink to do a tour kick off show (similar to 1975 did last second). Or get a big name that will get the kids in the door, like Stormzy or Travis Scott (who would come cheaper now the Astroworld stuff is behind him).

I hate to speculate on fees because none of us know anything but Travis Scott isn’t going to be any cheaper now than he was before. 
 

I don’t think they’ll get some giant name in like some of those you’ve mentioned. I think they’ll get someone who’s available and can be slotted in easily, with no big stage show or anything. Probably someone who’s already doing festivals already so they’re ready to go. 

Edited June 29, 2023 by Andre91

[gfa]

On 6/27/2023 at 6:33 PM, VCK said:

I think when they get replacement headliners they're not looking at shifting tickets, they just want someone adequate to fill that slot.

Pulp or QOTSA would be an absolute dream but yeah, it'll be someone more "mid" as the young 'uns say.

Not sure.

Nobody can actually see ticket sales, could be a lot closer to selling out than we think honestly.

FOMO in august will get a lot of sales i reckon as people get their results etc

On 6/28/2023 at 9:29 AM, WhoOdyssey said:

He plays arenas now, I think they could get away with him as a weak MSE headliner. Perhaps not this year, but I can see him doing it at some point if he stays at his level.

Tom Grennan is throwing in the towel for this year and giving up

Fair play to him or similar if they get the slot i guess

------

Maybe they can get Disclosure in for a one off or something, would actually be well received and sell a fair few tickets i think.

Lil Nas X would be my shout but seems he's finishing mid-July (his tour dates are broken so might be wrong)

[Benj]

2 hours ago, jonnyisRFC said:

Where did you see they’ve sold around 75% of tickets? 

Better than it could’ve have been really if that is the case.

I suspect the main problem they’ll face, based on the older demographic on here pretty much in its entirety deciding not to go, is that bar sales will be down way more than that 25%

Very rough numbers but across both sites (assume Leeds will be worse than Reading if normal patterns are followed), at £250 a ticket it would leave an £11,250,000 hole in their wallets, then maybe a couple of million more in Bar takings across both sites.

Do they stick and suck up the loss with a cheap as poss alternative?  

Or twist and pay someone a few million quid for two shows who will help sell weekend tickets? Not sure who that could even be at this stage

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by Benj

[Jacksamthompson]

Ticket sales staying at 75% would be lovely. Make for a better time this year and might mean they buck their ideas up for next year and up the line up. Give the people what they want. 

[gblock]

2 hours ago, Chad888 said:

I think everybody that doesn't have a ticket but is planning to get one, are planning to get one on the resell market a week before

This, could be my 3rd Reading this year, but without the NME tent & Sunday just being a really poor lineup for me, can’t justify the full ticket price. Will grab one cheap the week before if the weather looks alright or I’m not bothered tbh

[wghennessy]

It'll be a pop act to bring the numbers in. Olivia Rodrigo or similar.

[nathanh]

1 hour ago, wghennessy said:

It'll be a pop act to bring the numbers in. Olivia Rodrigo or similar.

Cant see it being Olivia. New album out in September so would think if anything its pretty likely we will see her headline in 2024 if she does festivals

[Benj]

4 hours ago, wghennessy said:

It'll be a pop act to bring the numbers in. Olivia Rodrigo or similar.

Will that sell weekend tickets?

[Paul ™]

12 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Friend of mine, music journalist, who spoke off-record with member of sales team at FR when they released the new sales scheme

FR don't have a 'sales team'