Sustainability of the Festival?

[Spiral_Low]

2 hours ago, VCK said:

Because Reading and Leeds has been turned into V.

So because R+L has gone too mainstream, you wanna take Download away from metal fans? No thanks.

[Andre91]

3 hours ago, VCK said:

Because Reading and Leeds has been turned into V.

Reading does what Reading does. They book what is popular and that’s why they’re so established. 

[VCK]

23 hours ago, Spiral_Low said:

So because R+L has gone too mainstream, you wanna take Download away from metal fans? No thanks.

That's not what I said.

[Spiral_Low]

On 8/22/2022 at 2:40 PM, VCK said:

That's not what I said.

Apologies if I misunderstood. I just really don't want Download to go indie.

[VCK]

8 hours ago, Spiral_Low said:

Apologies if I misunderstood. I just really don't want Download to go indie.

The bands I named aren't really Indie and are in a similar ballpark to Biffy Clyro. They will definitely have some crossover appeal with the crowd.

[King101]

20 hours ago, VCK said:

The bands I named aren't really Indie and are in a similar ballpark to Biffy Clyro. They will definitely have some crossover appeal with the crowd.

I think it would be really interesting to see how Download would look today if the indie day experiment has gone well in 2005.

I believe Blink were originally booked as the headliner and then dropped out. If they played and went down well would we have seen Green Day, Paramore, Panic, Fall Out Boy etc headline by now?

If they would have got someone like Muse or Foo Fighters instead of Feeder (latching onto those bands before they hit stadium level) would Download be more accepting of someone like Biffy in 2022? Could we have seen Pearl Jam headline by now?

[Spiral_Low]

Reading in the news again because the campsite turned feral last night. Let's keep the Reading crowd away from Download eh? 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Spiral_Low

[BenG92]

2 hours ago, Spiral_Low said:

Reading in the news again because the campsite turned feral last night. Let's keep the Reading crowd away from Download eh? 

Been happening for as long as I can remember at  - not defending it but it's not "the crowd" it's just a select few dickheads as always, Leeds yesterday was incredibly chill inside the arena all day. Then the kids who don't actually go to watch any music wake up and start fires. People were chucking bottles full of stones at Download when I first went which is even worse than burning tents, there can be good and bad anywhere. 

[Spiral_Low]

35 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Been happening for as long as I can remember at  - not defending it but it's not "the crowd" it's just a select few dickheads as always, Leeds yesterday was incredibly chill inside the arena all day. Then the kids who don't actually go to watch any music wake up and start fires. People were chucking bottles full of stones at Download when I first went which is even worse than burning tents, there can be good and bad anywhere. 

I get your point and always used to happen when I used to go (02 - 09), bit thing is it's not just a few, it's a substantial minority.

[metallimuse]

On 7/24/2022 at 7:09 PM, Matt42 said:

Yeah but in what universe is that going to happen again? Metal is slowly slipping out of the public conscious. 

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. A lot of the folks who grew up listening to metal are now of age where they are in the entertainment industry (film/tv) and using their clout to have metal as the soundtrack to what they are making. Guns ‘N’ Roses used heavily in the last Thor movie, Metallica in the last Stranger Things as an example. 
While I admit I’ve heavily edited your quote to suit my argument as you were talking about succession, in the short term this won’t see much change but the fact that these artists are being featured more heavily in major mainstream avenues means that I think metal will see a resurgence in the next decade as people are influenced by this current trend.

[skillfulperson]

Im gonna echo what a lot of other people have said here already. 

I think the problem Download has is that the line has got stagnant. Having Maiden, Dep Lep and Slipknot on rotation for the last 10 years hasnt been good for repeat custom. I remember going 10-13 and there being 12 different headliners. Its hard to say the same now. The problem is that these big download staples always sell tickets to the hardcore at download. 

 I think they book the likes of Biffy and to a certain extent A7X because they do sell tickets on their own tours but the bookers overlook they're not necessarily big enough for a big festival like download. 

Looking back at big years like 2012 and 2013 they had such strong undercards but that seems increasing unlikely given that many of the undercard from 10 years ago can now sell out their own arena tours, IE alter bridge, steel panther, black stone cherry, Korn, A7X, Tenacious D, Motley Crue, Biffy. There's few bands that have risen up to the title of sub headliner or 2nd stage headliner that are worthwhile seeing. Bands like Parkway drive, Ghost, Volbeat, Paramore, Sum 41, Bullet, Enter shikari are big enough to headline or sub but they are in the eyes of other festivals. 

Alternative (to download) artists like Chase and status and Die Antvood miss their mark too, I sometime think they purposely book artists like this on big slots to annoy the die hard fans and attract different customers. Same goes for silly clashes like Slayer and Tool, or having no clashes with Maiden.

There's also the fact that playing their own show pays more money. Bands like GNR, Pearl jam, Green day, MCR, Rammstein, Metallica, Muse and RHCP have no reason to play download ever (again) because they can sell out their own stadium shows on their own terms, their own lineups, and their own stages. 

Personally, I think the Pilot was the best download we've had for 5+ years, it was a breath of fresh air having new era bands all day, being able to drink your own booze in the arena, no long treks from the campsite. I would welcome a smaller download every other year and have a 'big download' with no repeat headliners for 10+ years

[Spiral_Low]

2 hours ago, skillfulperson said:

Personally, I think the Pilot was the best download we've had for 5+ years, it was a breath of fresh air having new era bands all day, being able to drink your own booze in the arena, no long treks from the campsite. I would welcome a smaller download every other year and have a 'big download' with no repeat headliners for 10+ years

ArcTanGent and 2000 Tree's already exist you know 😉

Seriously what you are talking about it literally what those 2 fests already do.

[skillfulperson]

On 10/10/2022 at 8:30 PM, Spiral_Low said:

ArcTanGent and 2000 Tree's already exist you know 😉

Seriously what you are talking about it literally what those 2 fests already do.

Il check them out thanks. This year's lineups looked decent il keep my eyes peeled for next year. 

 

[Spiral_Low]

3 hours ago, skillfulperson said:

Il check them out thanks. This year's lineups looked decent il keep my eyes peeled for next year. 

 

I went to ArcTanGent this year it was fantastic. My tastes our a bit heavier than the average 2000 Trees but everyone I know whose been seems to love it!