2024 Festival

[Benj]

3 minutes ago, gfa said:

I meant dream on about the big tent

Foos having their own day is a good idea as it pushes ticket sales for an act who's audience would otherwise not bother as its full of kids - Travis Scott's fanbase should in theory be at least considering the fest anyway

Yup…while loads of people would be put off a full day of his type of music…IF given no alternative

I don’t know why you seem so anti-choice. Remind us why you didn’t go again this year?

[gblock]

Just for context, in the NME article Melvin Benn said there will be some ‘slight stage changes’

So changes to the MSE/MSW setup  seems unlikely, as that would be a pretty major change

[Benj]

35 minutes ago, gblock said:

Just for context, in the NME article Melvin Benn said there will be some ‘slight stage changes’

So changes to the MSE/MSW setup  seems unlikely, as that would be a pretty major change

I wouldn’t take anything he says without a massive pinch of salt

I wouldn’t be slightly surprised if nothing changed at all

 

when questioned specifically on the main stages though, he was not emphatic about them both being there, so a tiny slither of hope

Would that be changes to the format of having two main stages?

“It’s a mix of all sorts of things, really. I’m not quite ready to announce it yet, but I’m really very excited about it.”

Edited September 6, 2023 by Benj

[On The Blend]

I’d genuinely love to be a fly on the wall for discussions at FR HQ this year. I agree that the loyalty scheme indicates that they’ve lost a lot of regulars but I also think that walking back on 6 headliners would be a PR nightmare.

Simply in terms of bookings there could definitely be a better balance struck between TikTok-style zeitgeist tunes and legitimately good acts. When people berate the fest for booking TikTok fodder let’s not forget that artists with huge viral tracks on there include: Glass Animals, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Kate Bush. You can keep the Class of 24 happy and not compromise the appeal for veterans.

 

 

[gfa]

1 hour ago, Benj said:

Yup…while loads of people would be put off a full day of his type of music…IF given no alternative

I don’t know why you seem so anti-choice. Remind us why you didn’t go again this year?

My point is that rock days brings an older, richer crowd in who would not bother otherwise, a travis scott hip hop day would just bring in younger, poorer people in who won't spend £££ at bars and would probably be going anyway. The undercard of a day like that should just be mixed into the weekend to sell weekend tickets.

I'm not anti-choice, I didn't go because friends weren't very up for doing lots of festivals - the only weekend one i did was Glasto. If we had done another it would likely have been a superstruct one like Truck where theres lot of good choice of one-two genres and music beyond 11pm or a dance fest like Lost Village or Boomtown.

The dynamic of reading's bookings is by far the most interesting in the uk to discuss i think and i'm always eyeing up day tickets. Likely would have done the Killers / 1975 day this year if i wasn't busy

One of Reading's strong points is the variety of genres, which was good when our group all liked quite different music tastes however its hard to get everyone free on the same weekend so glasto mostly suffices that everyone will make a proper effort to get to - and bar that day fests / more genre specific ones. Also theres a lot of anti reading stigma among my group for it being full of ketty 16 year olds (we are 22), several people are quite outspoken about never camping again there. It would have to be proper good to get me back tbh, after doing several fests that go past 11pm it seems hard to go back honestly

[Benj]

12 minutes ago, On The Blend said:

I’d genuinely love to be a fly on the wall for discussions at FR HQ this year. I agree that the loyalty scheme indicates that they’ve lost a lot of regulars but I also think that walking back on 6 headliners would be a PR nightmare.

Simply in terms of bookings there could definitely be a better balance struck between TikTok-style zeitgeist tunes and legitimately good acts. When people berate the fest for booking TikTok fodder let’s not forget that artists with huge viral tracks on there include: Glass Animals, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Kate Bush. You can keep the Class of 24 happy and not compromise the appeal for veterans.

 

 

Think Dion is too big for the Big Tent

[Benj]

16 minutes ago, On The Blend said:

I’d genuinely love to be a fly on the wall for discussions at FR HQ this year. I agree that the loyalty scheme indicates that they’ve lost a lot of regulars but I also think that walking back on 6 headliners would be a PR nightmare.

Simply in terms of bookings there could definitely be a better balance struck between TikTok-style zeitgeist tunes and legitimately good acts. When people berate the fest for booking TikTok fodder let’s not forget that artists with huge viral tracks on there include: Glass Animals, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Kate Bush. You can keep the Class of 24 happy and not compromise the appeal for veterans.

Yup fascinating stuff.

The fact that they’ve even lost 22 year olds like GFA’s gang says it all.

Walking back on the 6 headliners will be a hard sell to those who didn’t go before who now pretty much universally agree it was better before.

I think they can still sell 6 headliners on a single main stage though. It’s not like half the crowd don’t camp at the big headliner in advance anyway. It will actually allow them to see both!

[On The Blend]

16 minutes ago, Benj said:

Think Dion is too big for the Big Tent

If they build it she will come 

[Chad888]

Honestly, treat Main Stage East as classic MS and the Main Stage West as an open-air R1 tent.

Have them run concurrently throughout the day.

Until it gets to the the top 3 on each stage. Have the MSW headliners the kind of acts that the kids want to see to stop them camping out.

AJ Tracy / Lewis Capaldi / Olivia Rodrigo all headlining on the open air tent Stage.

Paramore / Travis Scott / Blink 182 on the Main Stage

 

So the top 3 on each stage act as a top 6 run up over 2 stages, higher slots to sooth egos, the undercarriage for the day runs concurrently. That means they just need an extra 4 or 5 acts a day anyway. And it gives options.

 

Have the FR tent as a late night atmosphere tent, have the Dance tent as a Cream fields rip off.

[Chad888]

2 hours ago, Benj said:

Yup fascinating stuff.

The fact that they’ve even lost 22 year olds like GFA’s gang says it all.

Walking back on the 6 headliners will be a hard sell to those who didn’t go before who now pretty much universally agree it was better before.

I think they can still sell 6 headliners on a single main stage though. It’s not like half the crowd don’t camp at the big headliner in advance anyway. It will actually allow them to see both!

What they learned this year -

They sold the majority of tickets to the GCSE and A-level results kids. The kids who want to act like dickheads, get stupidly underage drunk, camp through acts to watch the latest rapper.

The marketshare they lost the most of was the University leavers who all want to drink in the sun with mates while theyre still young, and listen to good music - the dark fruits generation as we'd say here. What they are looking to do next year is to bring that back.

So I'm fully expecting acts like Courteeners, Fratellis, Wombats, Noel Gallagher, Kasabian to make appearances. 

They also need to move away from the international/American 'current' acts that don't give a sh*t - Jack Harlow, Maneskin, Lil Tjay, Polo G, JXDN etc. They let the festival down year on year.

Fully expect them to focus more on to British urban acts like your Central Cee, AJ Tracy, Digga D, J Hus, Fredo, Tion Wayne, Knucks. The idea is they can get the next Stormzy or Dave before they are headline status.

 

That's all I've heard, expect next year to be polarised between dark fruit indie, and UK urban.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Chad888

[Andre91]

3 minutes ago, Chad888 said:

What they learned this year -

They sold the majority of tickets to the GCSE and A-level results kids. The kids who want to act like dickheads, get stupidly underage drunk, camp through acts to watch the latest rapper.

The marketshare they lost the most of was the University leavers who all want to drink in the sun with mates, and listen to good music - the dark fruits generation as we'd say here. What they are looking to do next year is to bring that back.

So I'm fully expecting acts like Courteeners, Fratellis, Wombats, Noel Gallagher, Kasabian to make appearances. 

They also need to move away from the international/American 'current' acts that don't give a sh*t - Jack Harlow, Maneskin, Lil Tjay, Polo G, JXDN etc. They let the festival down year on year.

Fully expect them to focus more on to British urban acts like your Central Cee, AJ Tracy, Digga D, J Hus, Fredo, Tion Wayne, Knucks. The idea is they can get the next Stormzy or Dave before they are headline status.

 

That's all I've heard, expect next year to be polarised between dark fruit indie, and UK urban.

You’ve just made all of this up, haven’t you. 

[Chad888]

9 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

You’ve just made all of this up, haven’t you. 

People in the industry talk...

 

You'll probably remember me as the one who revealed the atrocious selling figures this year, which was laughed out until they started swinging wildly with all the offers to buy tickets.

 

"Chad888

Posted June 29

My take - The festival are in a shitshow trying to sell tickets that nobody wants. They're even going to offer 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."

Edited September 6, 2023 by Chad888

[Andre91]

3 minutes ago, Chad888 said:

People in the industry talk...

 

You'll probably remember me as the one who revealed the atrocious selling figures this year, which was laughed out until they started swinging wildly with all the offers to buy tickets.

I don’t think it was hard to infer that ticket sales weren’t great when not even a single day had sold out. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Benj said:

it depends where you are, the majority are clearly kids but there always LOADS of oldies back behind the second set of speakers

Just looked back through my pics to see if I could find any random ones I had of the crowd. This is from 2017, a year you were there. 

Busy crowd by the looks of it and mobbed full of old fogues

 

EDIT - just trying to work out who it was before/ during and looks like it was Gallagher, so explains the old folk.  They're there though, or rather, they were...

 

Fair enough, although I'd wager that a lot of those were day ticketers if it was before Gallagher, as you said.

I'd also bet that there were probably a few more older people for The Killers day this year (though less overall considering it wasn't a sellout).

[Benj]

20 minutes ago, SomeoneListeningIn said:

Fair enough, although I'd wager that a lot of those were day ticketers if it was before Gallagher, as you said.

I'd also bet that there were probably a few more older people for The Killers day this year (though less overall considering it wasn't a sellout).

Yup I remember there was a very different crowd on his day as a whole, not just oldies but far more laddy 20 somethings too

Its obv busy there but that demographic is at pretty much every set to a greater or lesser degree depending who the artists are.

If you stand by the bars too you’ll see an endless stream of 25+ers going through.

The while it’s 90% kids is a complete myth. It is deffo down the front and the busy campsites (which is why the atmosphere is normally so good when acts are on) but behind the barriers the demo is far more 25-40 something than teens

You just don’t notice it when you’re young as you’re down the front!

Edited September 6, 2023 by Benj

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Benj said:

Yup I remember there was a very different crowd on his day as a whole, not just oldies but far more laddy 20 somethings too

Its obv busy there but that demographic is at pretty much every set to a greater or lesser degree depending who the artists are.

If you stand by the bars too you’ll see an endless stream of 25+ers going through.

The while it’s 90% kids is a complete myth. It is deffo down the front and the busy campsites (which is why the atmosphere is normally so good when acts are on) but behind the barriers the demo is far more 25-40 something than teens

You just don’t notice it when you’re young as you’re down the front!

I never said it was 90% kids, but it clearly predominantly is. At least it was the years I was there and I even camped in Brown (Leeds) the first year I went which is where you'd expect most of the older people to be.

[Benj]

29 minutes ago, SomeoneListeningIn said:

I never said it was 90% kids, but it clearly predominantly is. At least it was the years I was there and I even camped in Brown (Leeds) the first year I went which is where you'd expect most of the older people to be.

Yup 50-60% under 20s I reckon which when you consider is only 4 years really is a HUGE amount.

Wonder if there is any big difference at Leeds compared to Reading. Reading is a lot easier to access and less hills for the oldies!

[jonnyisRFC]

6 hours ago, p0sterb0y said:

Here is what I think they should do but they won't.

• 6 Headliners With No Clashes
• Return of The Radio 1 Stage - probably rebranded with a different name
• Return of The Pit

Go back to the exact 2019 format with the only difference being the main stage is two stages side by side (Main Stage Right and Main Stage Left). The main stage will still have 8-10 acts each day like 2019 but they will alternate between left and right. Sub headliners will be billed as "headliners" because they are technically headlining Main Stage Right. An act like Travis Scott would not want to co-headline with Royal Blood, which is why they are the actual Main Stage Headliner (but technically Main Stage Left Headliner).

The budget will be exactly the same as 2019, the only additional cost would be making the main stage twice as big. I'd suggest scrapping the alternative tent to fund a bigger main stage.

It could look something like this. Ignore the smaller names I haven't replaced them from 2019.

 

 

That line up is sick! Although I’ve never heard of the main stage headliner on the Friday. 

[stanh]

2 minutes ago, jonnyisRFC said:

That line up is sick! Although I’ve never heard of the main stage headliner on the Friday. 

Really?

SZA's massive! Currently one of the most popular artists in the world, headlined Wireless last year, sold out a UK tour (incl. 4 dates at the O2) this year near enough instantly; and has had one of the biggest songs of the year.

[Benj]

48 minutes ago, stanh said:

Really?

SZA's massive! Currently one of the most popular artists in the world, headlined Wireless last year, sold out a UK tour (incl. 4 dates at the O2) this year near enough instantly; and has had one of the biggest songs of the year.

Even I’ve head Kill Bill and I’m a proper boomer!

[stanh]

4 minutes ago, Benj said:

Even I’ve head Kill Bill and I’m a proper boomer!

I think she would make an absolutely sensational (and popular) R&L headliner.

[andyrhodes24]

9 hours ago, Benj said:

It’s exactly what used to happen esp on the Sundays, as recently as 2019 with the Foo Fighters

The arena will be half empty 80% of the day if they try similar these days. Utterly dead festival vibe…

My group have absolutely zero interest in acts like Becky Hill but found ourselves watching her because there was no alternative. It happened so many times this year where we sat at the other main stage while there was no one on. Bring it back!

[jonnyisRFC]

1 hour ago, stanh said:

Really?

SZA's massive! Currently one of the most popular artists in the world, headlined Wireless last year, sold out a UK tour (incl. 4 dates at the O2) this year near enough instantly; and has had one of the biggest songs of the year.

Straight over my head! 

[Andre91]

48 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

My group have absolutely zero interest in acts like Becky Hill but found ourselves watching her because there was no alternative. It happened so many times this year where we sat at the other main stage while there was no one on. Bring it back!

I did the same with Becky Hill in 2021 and to be fair to her, she’s a great performer and I didn’t dislike her set for that reason. I just think the music is shite. 

[jcarb]

8 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Because it sells. Market as 2 headliners, but it is actually a headliner with a sub.

It is one stage, 14 acts, split across 2 platforms.

It gives each stage time to set up for the next act while there is a performer on the other.

It makes some acts look bigger than they actually are, so you can book them for MSE next time to save some money and justify it as they already have headlining pedigree, and it gives them a step up to making the big main stage in the future (previous setup had a glass ceiling a lot of bands hit at subbing).

 

Do we remember when people were floating the idea of a ‘rotating’ MainStage for When we were young fest? 
is it a viable option for them to pioneer it in the UK, would reduce the need for 2 stages as there’s 0 clashes, you have space to squeeze in more acts. 
 

or if they did it on MSE and MSW you increase the acts on those stages and could drop one of the smaller stages?