2024 Festival

[Chad888]

4 hours ago, stanh said:

He's still primarily associated with rap, if you asked 100 people what genre is Post Malone, I guarantee the majority would say rap. 

That's 100% who you'd ask.

If I asked my wife what she thought of Halsey, she'd say "I don't like rock music".

Is Halsey a rockstar?

Music is one of those genres where people are extremely dismissive to a style that isn't 'them'. In honesty, rap is something I'm passionate about and absolutely will gatekeep, because I don't like seeing something I care about being lumped in and dismissed based on shallow connections.

I've described him as Urban Country Pop Music. He wears diamonds and Jewels, he sings songs about lamborghinis, he features rappers. He is as much a rapper as Justin Bieber is when he releases Peaches etc.

"Bridging the gap between rap and pop" is pretty much - urban pop. 

[Benj]

21 minutes ago, p0sterb0y said:

Anyone got any inside info on the stage changes that Melvin mentioned in that NME interview?

That’s the real headliner of next year

 

[wghennessy]

37 minutes ago, p0sterb0y said:

Anyone got any inside info on the stage changes that Melvin mentioned in that NME interview?

Yes. There are two extra stages, one for rap music, one for pop. Post Malone is going to be playing on both and swap every song.

 

In all seriousness who gives a sh*t what genre he is?

[Benj]

3 hours ago, wghennessy said:

Yes. There are two extra stages, one for rap music, one for pop. Post Malone is going to be playing on both and swap every song.

 

In all seriousness who gives a sh*t what genre he is?

Worrabowt his Rawk songs?!

BRING BACK THE PIT!

[Chad888]

Do we give to little respect to the size of the MSW headliners?

Most of the rhetoric is on them glorified subbing, and we throw about names that we think will head-headline in a few years, and this is a temporary stage to step up.

The 11 acts we've had since we went to the split were all big enough to headline outright in reality, but would just be grumbled at as the "weak headliner", but would easily be justified by 2 strong names.

Disclosure - headlined before, one of the biggest dance acts in the country.

QOTSA - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Biffy Clyro - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Catfish - Okay meh.

Megan the Stalion - awful booking. Could see why they did it with WAP being such a one hit wonder.

BMTH - Up and comer. Growing calls to be a headliner when it was just 3 acts.

Halsey - I concede on this, should have been a sub in the old lineup.

Foals - headlined before. Had their biggest year since their comeback.

Lewis Capaldi - Probably one of the biggest pop singers in the UK.

Imagine Dragons - headlined before, probably the biggest stadium rock band currently active in the world at the moment (depressingly).

1975 - headlined before, bit of a facetious inclusion but they are massive for this stage.

 

[gfa]

21 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Most of Post Malones fans are kids and teens. There is a crossover of fans that prefer rap over rock, and kids/teens. Just because the kids that like rap also like Post Malone does not make him rap. This is awful stereotyping "his fans are chavs, therefore he is a rapper".

Nobody said this

[gfa]

2 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Do we give to little respect to the size of the MSW headliners?

Most of the rhetoric is on them glorified subbing, and we throw about names that we think will head-headline in a few years, and this is a temporary stage to step up.

The 11 acts we've had since we went to the split were all big enough to headline outright in reality, but would just be grumbled at as the "weak headliner", but would easily be justified by 2 strong names.

Disclosure - headlined before, one of the biggest dance acts in the country.

QOTSA - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Biffy Clyro - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Catfish - Okay meh.

Megan the Stalion - awful booking. Could see why they did it with WAP being such a one hit wonder.

BMTH - Up and comer. Growing calls to be a headliner when it was just 3 acts.

Halsey - I concede on this, should have been a sub in the old lineup.

Foals - headlined before. Had their biggest year since their comeback.

Lewis Capaldi - Probably one of the biggest pop singers in the UK.

Imagine Dragons - headlined before, probably the biggest stadium rock band currently active in the world at the moment (depressingly).

1975 - headlined before, bit of a facetious inclusion but they are massive for this stage.

A lot of these would have been awful headliners that don't suit the audience - its all good being a weak headliner if you suit the fest well but an act like Capaldi would be 'the weak headliner' and doesn't really suit the crowd.

Also not sure how you have decided Imagine Dragons are the largest stadium rock band active at the moment lol - could name about 5 that are bigger and have done UK shows this summer lol

[Benj]

2 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Do we give to little respect to the size of the MSW headliners?

Most of the rhetoric is on them glorified subbing, and we throw about names that we think will head-headline in a few years, and this is a temporary stage to step up.

The 11 acts we've had since we went to the split were all big enough to headline outright in reality, but would just be grumbled at as the "weak headliner", but would easily be justified by 2 strong names.

Disclosure - headlined before, one of the biggest dance acts in the country.

QOTSA - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Biffy Clyro - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Catfish - Okay meh.

Megan the Stalion - awful booking. Could see why they did it with WAP being such a one hit wonder.

BMTH - Up and comer. Growing calls to be a headliner when it was just 3 acts.

Halsey - I concede on this, should have been a sub in the old lineup.

Foals - headlined before. Had their biggest year since their comeback.

Lewis Capaldi - Probably one of the biggest pop singers in the UK.

Imagine Dragons - headlined before, probably the biggest stadium rock band currently active in the world at the moment (depressingly).

1975 - headlined before, bit of a facetious inclusion but they are massive for this stage.

 

Surely that’s the point, otherwise it is indeed a MASSIVE pisstake

That said of the ones you listed having headlined before, they were all as “co-headliners” (bar Biffy) and arguably were at higher points in their careers at that point

So basically it is what we all know, a slightly bigger sub than we’d otherwise get in place of 57 less acts and 30% less choice of who to see over the course of the weekend. 
 

…i.e a MASSIVE pisstake

[andyrhodes24]

4 hours ago, Chad888 said:

Do we give to little respect to the size of the MSW headliners?

Most of the rhetoric is on them glorified subbing, and we throw about names that we think will head-headline in a few years, and this is a temporary stage to step up.

The 11 acts we've had since we went to the split were all big enough to headline outright in reality, but would just be grumbled at as the "weak headliner", but would easily be justified by 2 strong names.

Disclosure - headlined before, one of the biggest dance acts in the country.

QOTSA - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Biffy Clyro - headlined before, legacy act that draws a crowd

Catfish - Okay meh.

Megan the Stalion - awful booking. Could see why they did it with WAP being such a one hit wonder.

BMTH - Up and comer. Growing calls to be a headliner when it was just 3 acts.

Halsey - I concede on this, should have been a sub in the old lineup.

Foals - headlined before. Had their biggest year since their comeback.

Lewis Capaldi - Probably one of the biggest pop singers in the UK.

Imagine Dragons - headlined before, probably the biggest stadium rock band currently active in the world at the moment (depressingly).

1975 - headlined before, bit of a facetious inclusion but they are massive for this stage.

 

It’s been said before but all of these (with the exception of The 1975 obviously) are too big to sub but not big enough to headline outright.

A lot of the above could easily headline to 50-60,000 people in the near future but not at R&L. Some of them even did this year, look at BMTH at Download. MSW headliners haven’t had the widespread popularity that MSE headliners have.

[Benj]

8 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

It’s been said before but all of these (with the exception of The 1975 obviously) are too big to sub but not big enough to headline outright.

A lot of the above could easily headline to 50-60,000 people in the near future but not at R&L. Some of them even did this year, look at BMTH at Download. MSW headliners haven’t had the widespread popularity that MSE headliners have.

Leeds was about 50-60,000 people this year...

[andyrhodes24]

11 minutes ago, Benj said:

Leeds was about 50-60,000 people this year...

On a normal year (if they can even make it back to those heights) MSE headliners would generally play to about 10-20,000 more wouldn't they? My point is that most of the recent MSW headliners could play to 50k+ if it was their crowd, not such a split R&L MSE crowd

[gfa]

1 hour ago, andyrhodes24 said:

On a normal year (if they can even make it back to those heights) MSE headliners would generally play to about 10-20,000 more wouldn't they? My point is that most of the recent MSW headliners could play to 50k+ if it was their crowd, not such a split R&L MSE crowd

I mean half of those are there if their split MSW 50k crowd is only there as they are the big act / nothing else good is on

Most of those acts couldn't draw a 50k crowd at say £75 a pop tickets doing finsbury park

[Benj]

1 hour ago, andyrhodes24 said:

On a normal year (if they can even make it back to those heights) MSE headliners would generally play to about 10-20,000 more wouldn't they? My point is that most of the recent MSW headliners could play to 50k+ if it was their crowd, not such a split R&L MSE crowd

It was a dig at the festival not you, the fact the place was half full…

Even with bigger names than those MSW ones on the bill, no one thought it was worth attending for £300 quid…

Hard to imagine it won’t be the same this year with the names mooted. Are they really more of a draw than those this year?

Blink has some pent up demand for sure…

Paramore? maybe, Eilish didn’t get the turnstiles spinning though. 

SZA? Maybe but played a fairly big tour this year

Eminem? Will always draw people in it seems. With no decent alternative it’s a bad out off for me though…

Fred Again? Will he attract loads more than this year, or is he just catering in the main to the squad me and doners who are going anyway?

As covers I think Reading has always sold well at the prices charged due to its depth. The depth is gone. Are the headliners being proposed worth £300 with what we know will be a patchy, holey undercard?

 

Edited October 24, 2023 by Benj

[BenG92]

Rule Green Day out I reckon. UK tour announcement next Thursday with no sign of life from RnL socials. They're not headlining Download either. Stadium tour it is. 

Edited October 24, 2023 by BenG92

[gfa]

38 minutes ago, Benj said:

It was a dig at the festival not you, the fact the place was half full…

Even with bigger names than those MSW ones on the bill, no one thought it was worth attending for £300 quid…

Hard to imagine it won’t be the same this year with the names mooted. Are they really more of a draw than those this year?

Blink has some pent up demand for sure…

Paramore? maybe, Eilish didn’t get the turnstiles spinning though. 

SZA? Maybe but played a fairly big tour this year

Eminem? Will always draw people in it seems. With no decent alternative it’s a bad out off for me though…

Fred Again? Will he attract loads more than this year, or is he just catering in the main to the squad me and doners who are going anyway?

As covers I think Reading has always sold well at the prices charged due to its depth. The depth is gone. Are the headliners being proposed worth £300 with what we know will be a patchy, holey undercard?

 

Worth noting with this point you do still need acts to keep the people who would likely go anyway to go again

Dance festivals are doing well atm, he's a good choice imo

[andyrhodes24]

50 minutes ago, Benj said:

It was a dig at the festival not you, the fact the place was half full…

Even with bigger names than those MSW ones on the bill, no one thought it was worth attending for £300 quid…

Hard to imagine it won’t be the same this year with the names mooted. Are they really more of a draw than those this year?

Blink has some pent up demand for sure…

Paramore? maybe, Eilish didn’t get the turnstiles spinning though. 

SZA? Maybe but played a fairly big tour this year

Eminem? Will always draw people in it seems. With no decent alternative it’s a bad out off for me though…

Fred Again? Will he attract loads more than this year, or is he just catering in the main to the squad me and doners who are going anyway?

As covers I think Reading has always sold well at the prices charged due to its depth. The depth is gone. Are the headliners being proposed worth £300 with what we know will be a patchy, holey undercard?

 

The only way back is surely for R&L to fork out a strong undercard to support the headliners (like they did with the big the tent!). Even then they’ll probably take a hit the first year while confidence rebuilds.

I thought last year’s headliners were a fairly solid group in the end but the undercard was shocking as you say. No imagination to it whatsoever. Unfortunately it tends to be the imaginative bookings that pull out last minute!

[andyrhodes24]

56 minutes ago, BenG92 said:

Rule Green Day out I reckon. UK tour announcement next Thursday with no sign of life from RnL socials. They're not headlining Download either. Stadium tour it is. 

Looks like they’ll be about late June/early July - searching Green Day on Ticketmaster brings up Lytham Festival on 3rd July. Glasto?

Edited October 24, 2023 by andyrhodes24

[Benj]

18 minutes ago, gfa said:

Worth noting with this point you do still need acts to keep the people who would likely go anyway to go again

Dance festivals are doing well atm, he's a good choice imo

Yup definitely and they do, the problem is it seems that people who go once are no longer seeing the value of going back, despite acts being there to supposedly attract them…

[BenG92]

2 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Looks like they’ll be about late June/early July - searching Green Day on Ticketmaster brings up Lytham Festival on 3rd July. Glasto?

Think the search is because it's on Lytham Green. Can't see Glasto personally, too big to do anything but headline or the "Churnups slot" which as of yet isn't really a thing 

[gfa]

Just now, Benj said:

Yup definitely and they do, the problem is it seems that people who go once are no longer seeing the value of going back, despite acts being there to supposedly attract them…

think fred again would be a home run to be honest

he's still played hardly any uk shows outside London - anyone up north has had very little chance to see him since properly blowing up

[gfa]

3 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

Looks like they’ll be about late June/early July - searching Green Day on Ticketmaster brings up Lytham Festival on 3rd July. Glasto?

Doing BST supposedly according to someone in the Download boards (not read the post myself but someone said it on the glasto board)

undercard of smashing pumpkins, rancid and weezer which seems strange given the weezer / pumpkins uk arena tour just announced - overly stacked to sell tickets

but also very specific not to be true

[Benj]

5 minutes ago, andyrhodes24 said:

The only way back is surely for R&L to fork out a strong undercard to support the headliners (like they did with the big the tent!). Even then they’ll probably take a hit the first year while confidence rebuilds.

I thought last year’s headliners were a fairly solid group in the end but the undercard was shocking as you say. No imagination to it whatsoever. Unfortunately it tends to be the imaginative bookings that pull out last minute!

Yup that’s the thing. Last years headliners were pretty strong on paper, yet no one went back (anecdotally and clearly visible in footage, vlogs etc).

It may be that for the younger kids now festival going is a one and done thing. You instagram it and you’re gone

Or it may be it is that people just can’t justify £300 for the watered down experience they have 

Eithwr way the festival is going to have a problem selling tickets if they take the same path

[Benj]

8 minutes ago, gfa said:

think fred again would be a home run to be honest

he's still played hardly any uk shows outside London - anyone up north has had very little chance to see him since properly blowing up

I’d assume he’d be a v good second headliner booking. I’d assume far more so than Capaldi, Foals and Imagine Dragons, in attracting people who went first time last year back.

Question is will it be enough for them to fork out £300 when they didn’t think it was worth it last year?

Edited October 24, 2023 by Benj

[andyrhodes24]

13 minutes ago, Benj said:

I’d assume he’d be a v good second headliner booking. I’d assume far more so than Capaldi, Foals and Imagine Dragons, in attracting people who went first time last year back.

Question is will it be enough for them to fork out £300 when they didn’t think it was worth it last year?

He’s the kind of imaginative, exciting act I’m talking about. Problem with so few US acts on the lineup is they have to rotate between the same British acts of which there simply aren’t enough.

It’s fine bumping people like Fender up but lower down the main stages what kind of pull do Declan’s McKenna, Sea Girls, The Snuts, The Lathums, Inhaler have when they play the same slot every year.

[gfa]

22 minutes ago, Benj said:

I’d assume he’d be a v good second headliner booking. I’d assume far more so than Capaldi, Foals and Imagine Dragons, in attracting people who went first time last year back.

Question is will it be enough for them to fork out £300 when they didn’t think it was worth it last year?

No probably not, but as part of a combination of changes / improvements - for sure