Rock Werchter 2023

[misterplow]

6 hours ago, EV123 said:

I think there are other festivals that weekend for who booking Blur is less of a risk (Roskilde, DTRH, Garorock and Opener).  

So booking Blur is less of a risk for festivals with a smaller budget?

Blur is exactly the kind of special name this lineup is missing. The headliners announced thus far are very been there done that and are hardly inspiring.

[49Lawson]

19 minutes ago, Dietediet said:

I could only see them play RW if they'd agree to not closing the day (ie coheadlining with Stromae). TW Classic is definitely off the table as Springsteen is headlining and the event is already sold out.

I’m almost certain Ken has mentioned in the past that Blur were set to play before Editors in 2016 before pulling out of their tour, and then RHCP took their place. It’s why RHCP got announced 2-3 weeks that year after they announced their shows for everywhere else. Definitely don’t think Damon and the lads would be opposed to playing before Stromae on the Thursday

[ParanoidTourist]

27 minutes ago, Dietediet said:

In 2013 their day didn't sell out despite a coheadline structure with KoL. Their show also had the lowest attendancy of all headliners that weekend.

I could only see them play RW if they'd agree to not closing the day (ie coheadlining with Stromae). TW Classic is definitely off the table as Springsteen is headlining and the event is already sold out.

I didn't know that day wasnt well attended.  I was there and it seemed like a very huge crowd and an awesome mood.

Blur probably wouldn't mind playing before Stromae or in a co-headlining structure on the Friday. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by ParanoidTourist

[lighthouse]

Belgian magazine Humo named that Blur show as one of the best shows at RW in the last 20 years. (With Blur being placed above Tool 19, Cave 18, Oasis 09, Radiohead 17, Metallica 09,…). https://www.humo.be/muziek/de-20-beste-rock-werchter-concerten-van-de-afgelopen-twintig-jaar~b1251a33d/
 

Rest assured, it’s the one name I’m hoping for the most to see next year. 

 

[EV123]

2 hours ago, Fabrizzo said:

You are very very young right? 😬

I dont consider myself as very young tbh 😅. I do consider myself as big fan of Blur though. 

I just want to be realistic here. We also all thought Strokes would be a massive headliner for Werchter. Well, they were not. 

Blur doesnt have much of a legacy in Belgium (e.g. they have no songs in any of the end year lists on any radiostation). The only really known song here is song 2. 

[EV123]

2 hours ago, misterplow said:

So booking Blur is less of a risk for festivals with a smaller budget?

Blur is exactly the kind of special name this lineup is missing. The headliners announced thus far are very been there done that and are hardly inspiring.

Less of a risk for festivals who have a smaller capacity (DTRH) or are known to have a varied topline (e.g. Roskilde - Opener). 

Don't forget that the other headliners are also no huge ticketsellers yet. Putting Blur as friday head and you will have not a single day with a stadium sized (well, Stromae is but he plays way too much before to be considered as such for RW23) headliner ... and Werchter usually needs two of them a year to sell out. 

[Name taken]

What’s the point about The Strokes?

They never played RW due to covid. So you can’t compare. (Or am I wro g here?)

Good booking that year, because they didn’t play for years in Belgium, and never at RW! Would have been a shitshow, that’s right!

[EV123]

1 minute ago, Name taken said:

What’s the point about The Strokes?

They never played RW due to covid. So you can’t compare. (Or am I wro g here?)

Good booking that year, because they didn’t play for years in Belgium, and never at RW! Would have been a shitshow, that’s right!

They didnt sell tickets. That's the point. 

[The Black]

Everybody keeps saying that The Strokes did not sell tickets. However, maybe all fans wanted to have weekend tickets and thus did sell tickets (just not many day tickets)? We were excited and we bought weekend tickets. 

[AAlex]

If I remember rightly wasn't everyone expecting a co-headliner to be joining The Strokes evenually as well, but it didn't get announced before the festival season got cancelled?

Looking at the last 2020 poster to be put out The Strokes are the only day without a co-head and their day on the main stage had 5 acts while the other three days had 7, so there's definitely some weight to that.

Don't think Blurs stock has dropped much since 2013, so if they can cohead with KoL I'm sure they can with Stromae or someone else on the Friday.

[lighthouse]

19 minutes ago, The Black said:

Everybody keeps saying that The Strokes did not sell tickets. However, maybe all fans wanted to have weekend tickets and thus did sell tickets (just not many day tickets)? We were excited and we bought weekend tickets. 

We bought our combi tickets after they announced The Strokes. 

[tmolvik]

26 minutes ago, The Black said:

Everybody keeps saying that The Strokes did not sell tickets. However, maybe all fans wanted to have weekend tickets and thus did sell tickets (just not many day tickets)? We were excited and we bought weekend tickets. 

If that were the case that should apply to the other bands as well (unless Strokes-fans are really different in terms of consumer behavior).

[Dietediet]

Ken said a while ago that the direct impact of a headliner is measured by the trend in ticket sales (not only day tickets) in the days after an announcement. He also said that The Strokes were quite pricey and didn't live up to the expected ratio of fee/tickets sold.

So yes, it's true that The Strokes needed a good coheadliner and a strong day lineup to sell out, and there's nothing wrong with that. But I can also imagine RW not being happy to spend a rather high fee and not have it deliver at all.

Also interesting to note: an insider on Festileaks hinted at The Strokes having been a "let down" for Best Kept Secret sales-wise. And that's a indie festival which considered The Strokes a dream headliner...

Edited November 18, 2022 by Dietediet

[tmolvik]

9 minutes ago, Dietediet said:

Ken said a while ago that the direct impact of a headliner is measured by the trend in ticket sales (not only day tickets) in the days after an announcement. He also said that The Strokes were quite pricey and didn't live up to the expected ratio of fee/tickets sold.

So yes, it's true that The Strokes needed a good coheadliner and a strong day lineup to sell out, and there's nothing wrong with that. But I can also imagine RW not being happy to spend a rather high fee and not have it deliver at all.

Also interesting to note: an insider on Festileaks hinted at The Strokes having been a "let down" for Best Kept Secret sales-wise. And that's a indie festival which considered The Strokes a dream headliner...

After the show/meltdown at Roskilde I don't think their value for money has gone up... That said, I'm for booking more diverse and rather have two co-headliners (like I think both Strokes and Blur are), but it seems like one sometimes try to adapt the narrative to what ones ideal truth is. There is a reason why the same major bands get booked again and again, wether we like it or not. Unfortunately I don't think this forum represents the mainstream festival goer. 

Still hoping for Blur at 16.00 though 😉

[The Black]

18 minutes ago, Dietediet said:

Ken said a while ago that the direct impact of a headliner is measured by the trend in ticket sales (not only day tickets) in the days after an announcement. He also said that The Strokes were quite pricey and didn't live up to the expected ratio of fee/tickets sold.

So yes, it's true that The Strokes needed a good coheadliner and a strong day lineup to sell out, and there's nothing wrong with that. But I can also imagine RW not being happy to spend a rather high fee and not have it deliver at all.

Also interesting to note: an insider on Festileaks hinted at The Strokes having been a "let down" for Best Kept Secret sales-wise. And that's a indie festival which considered The Strokes a dream headliner...

Points well made.

[ParanoidTourist]

Due to fast ticket sales, Blur just announced a 2nd Wembley gig on the 9th of July. Their popularity is not waning in UK at least😉

[lighthouse]

19 minutes ago, ParanoidTourist said:

Due to fast ticket sales, Blur just announced a 2nd Wembley gig on the 9th of July. Their popularity is not waning in UK at least😉

Crazy. Can see them adding a third Welbley too.

Considering they didn’t sell out Hyde Park in 2015, their popularity only got bigger.

[Floyd_Ams]

13 minutes ago, tmolvik said:

That said, I'm for booking more diverse and rather have two co-headliners (like I think both Strokes and Blur are), but it seems like one sometimes try to adapt the narrative to what ones ideal truth is. There is a reason why the same major bands get booked again and again, wether we like it or not. Unfortunately I don't think this forum represents the mainstream festival goer. 

Still hoping for Blur at 16.00 though 😉

I agree with this. And as with everything in life, timing is the most important factor. I might be wrong but I strongly believe that adding blur to the bill today will have a stronger effect than it had 10 years ago. Why? Because of the timing, the combination with the rest of the lineup and the available options...anywhere! In other words...the hype around them these days, an unexpected name until a few days ago, 10 more years of nostalgia added, not a repetitive name that appeals to a big/main age group of RW goers and will add diversity, Damon has increased his legacy in between and remained relevant with his other projects and that has a positive impact on blur too in terms of popularity especially with younger audience, etc. etc...

In my eyes, a blur/Stromae combo today (and I have zero interest in Stromae) is much stronger than e.g. the P!nk/Bastille one in 2019 based on the status of each band at the time.

[Floyd_Ams]

27 minutes ago, ParanoidTourist said:

Due to fast ticket sales, Blur just announced a 2nd Wembley gig on the 9th of July. Their popularity is not waning in UK at least😉

So the first part of the prediction, the easy one, was correct. Fingers crossed for the second part now! 🙂

[BenG92]

28 minutes ago, ParanoidTourist said:

Due to fast ticket sales, Blur just announced a 2nd Wembley gig on the 9th of July. Their popularity is not waning in UK at least😉

Such a farce. Didn't try personally but the idea that Blur didn't think they could sell out more than one Wembley date is ridiculous. It's a put-on for PR/FOMO. Just do a proper tour if you're going to keep adding dates in one spot until demand is met! 

[ParanoidTourist]

57 minutes ago, lighthouse said:

Crazy. Can see them adding a third Welbley too.

Considering they didn’t sell out Hyde Park in 2015, their popularity only got bigger.

Yes, it seems their popularity has increased the past 10 years. Selling out Wembley in a few hours is impressive. 

[Floyd_Ams]

We'll have to wait for a few more days it seems. I remain optimistic.

[Ferda]

2 hours ago, ParanoidTourist said:

Yes, it seems their popularity has increased the past 10 years. Selling out Wembley in a few hours is impressive. 

I think it's also related to the fact that there's incredibly high demand for live shows in the US/UK post-Covid (see Taylor tour, R&L record breaking sales, etc.).  It's quite different in the continental Europe though...

[Andrej]

Nostalgia sells well everywhere lately. At a high price. Blur should be able to do 3 Wembleys in 2023. without problems specially with NO other Uk dates.

 

 

[ParanoidTourist]

1 hour ago, Andrej said:

Nostalgia sells well everywhere lately. At a high price. Blur should be able to do 3 Wembleys in 2023. without problems specially with NO other Uk dates.

 

 

Yes exactly! Also Werchter doesn't have a proper 90s band so far among the headliners so they should be a perfect fit for this years edition. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by ParanoidTourist