Headliners 2023

[DeanoL]

On 3/4/2023 at 1:37 PM, Ozanne said:

I’m sure they do have diversity on their agenda but I just found it a bit odd that the organiser who can do something about it passes the responsibility onto the industry when there are female acts that could easily do it. 

Are there though? Have you enquired about their availability on that date? There's just one act that could definitely do it, and that's Lizzo. We know she can do it because she's playing, literally on that day. We don't know what happened there, but it's not impossible they had that conversation when Swift dropped out, she wasn't able to commit to the date at that point, GnR were, so GnR got it. Later she gets in touch saying that actually it does fit her summer schedule and can do it. But at that point the headliner slot has gone to someone else. It's the way it goes sometimes. GnR maybe had another offer for a festival that weekend and needed a yes or no immediately.

As for any other female act that could do it, it's more difficult. Availability is much more complex than people think. It's not just the act, it's their band, crew, dancers... all of whom have to be available. There's probably an average of around 6 people per artist that a show absolutely can't be done without - the artist, the core band, the road manager and maybe one or two others. For some it will be more, solo acts it will be fewer. But have you ever tried to arrange an evening with 5 friends once you're out of your 20s? Imagine I picked a random single day within in the next six months. What are the chances of you and all five of your friends all being available on that date?

The reality is that at that headliner level, the tours are planned when they are planned and don't have much room for changes. That's especially the case with newer acts, where the whole touring life-cycle is carefully managed and scheduled to fit with all the publicity and marketing... it's all joined up and choreographed very carefully.

Essentially you need two things to be true: 1) the act doing a tour or other activity in that country/continent on the date you want them to play and 2) the act booking and scheduling that tour at the point you want to book them.

Now 2 you can workaround a bit. If you know you want a certain act, and you're told "yeah, we'll be booking in a European tour for the summer in January" you can wait until January and sort it out then. But then you're out of luck if your "backup" act was scheduling their summer European tour in November. You can't go back in time and book them. (You could book them for a secret slot in the November, thus ensuring their availability, and then go back and see if they want a bigger slot later, but I'm assured by other posters here that that has never once happened).

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, kalifire said:

Fair enough. I haven’t visited. Have you seen the general discussion forums here, though? 😬

Yes, but TOS are supposed to be better and from what I saw, they aren't.
Still, each to their own.

[Dan Eazy]

35 minutes ago, Ommadawn said:

It's not that nice. I've taken a quick look and they're slagging off some Efestival members. 
Not for me.

The mods there are working to make it a nicer place. Its a very select few out of nearly 1000 members that slag people off and its mostly removed when it happens. you possibly found something that the mods missed.

[DeanoL]

On 3/5/2023 at 8:22 AM, Ozanne said:

There’s an argument to be made that if diversity is one of their big aims then they should look to book a diverse set of headliners regardless of the circumstances instead of falling down on that when the original plans go awry and regardless of what male bands might be available. So in this case they could’ve passed on AM because the others are more iconic to book a female act.

Yes GFL are a business but they are a very fortunate one with a very dedicated, passionate fan base that will sell out the event pretty much regardless so in my view they should feel able to go with making these changes which then hopefully starts to set precedents for the industry. 

I'd agree Lizzo/GnR/Elton would be a better, more balanced line-up and cost them absolutely nothing in publicity or ticket sales.

But the problem is that, by all reports, Arctic Monkeys were signed at the point the Taylor plans fell through. So that's not an option at that point. Once the contract is in place you can't just change your mind and say "oh sorry Alex, we've got GnR for Saturday now so we don't want you on anymore" - well, I mean, you can, but you probably still have to pay them their entire fee.

[Tranquility of Solitude]

Chances of Rod appearing with both Cat Stevens and Elton on the Sunday?

[serendipitous]

6 minutes ago, Ommadawn said:

Yes, but TOS are supposed to be better and from what I saw, they aren't.
Still, each to their own.

To be fair, I've yet to see any of their admins bring up a load of transphobic dog whistles completely unprompted. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

[DeanoL]

On 3/5/2023 at 11:45 AM, Matt42 said:

I am not convinced that Swift was the only female headliner who was up for it. I also think they will have turned acts away on the basis that they thought Swift was doing it.

Hence my view that in future don’t build your lineup around an act that could just not follow through. 

I agree with that, but how would you have reacted if they did just that, decided not wait, booked someone else instead and then Taylor does end up doing a UK tour in June/July? It would have been "I don't see why they wouldn't have booked Taylor, what happened?" 

Indeed, when the UK tour dates came out and made it look like it was possible then there'd be absolutely no-one willing to believe she wasn't playing until the line-up came out.

[Neil]

8 minutes ago, Dan Eazy said:

Its a very select few

its not, its the worst of humanity, with no quality filter.

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, serendipitous said:

To be fair, I've yet to see any of their admins bring up a load of transphobic dog whistles completely unprompted. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

i've seen people invent their own offence about something not said, and its sad to see them fall that low (if its a dog whistle its more one at all men than anything trans).

[Dan Eazy]

1 minute ago, Neil said:

its not, its the worst of humanity, with no quality filter.

With statements like that I would call into question the level of toxicity here. as I said its a select few people that have opinions about other people. Like in any large group of people. ts generally a nice place to be. 

[Neil]

1 minute ago, Dan Eazy said:

With statements like that I would call into question the level of toxicity here. as I said its a select few people that have opinions about other people. Like in any large group of people. ts generally a nice place to be. 

theres no 'select' when it includes toxic gucci.

[David_303]

2 hours ago, Skip997 said:

A Daily Mail link?

FFS - hope you don't read that bigoted shite

I wouldn't be surprised if he did. 

[Dan Eazy]

1 minute ago, Neil said:

theres no 'select' when it includes toxic gucci.

One person out of nearly 1000 is hardly a reason to put the whole thing down. They just tend to have a laugh but there's not really much disruption tbh. 

[Tranquility of Solitude]

4 minutes ago, Dan Eazy said:

ts generally a nice place to be. 

Here here, and long may it continue. I have faith in the majority of my fellow humans.

[David_303]

4 minutes ago, Neil said:

theres no 'select' when it includes toxic gucci.

Oh, the irony. 

 

[serendipitous]

5 minutes ago, Neil said:

i've seen people invent their own offence about something not said, and its sad to see them fall that low (if its a dog whistle its more one at all men than anything trans).

You randomly bought up trans people, out of absolutely nowhere. Then proceeded to take a jab at Kae Tempest and randomly bring up the fact that transwomen could potentially commit rape. Again, all out of nowhere.

 

You keep saying that people have misunderstood or are choosing to read in to things that aren't there, perhaps you should consider your own communication if nobody can understand what on earth your trying to say.

[Tranquility of Solitude]

22 hours ago, Tranquility of Solitude said:

So how are we all feeling about Arctic Monkeys, GnR and Elton? I’m very happy with Elton and will definitely be there, will give GnR a go, clashes permitting, could be fun, and won’t be at Arctic Monkeys.

 

[Neil]

Just now, serendipitous said:

 Then proceeded to take a jab at Kae Tempest

that didn't happen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just now, serendipitous said:

and randomly bring up the fact that transwomen could potentially commit rape. Again, all out of nowhere.

 

You keep saying that people have misunderstood or are choosing to read in to things that aren't there, perhaps you should consider your own communication if nobody can understand what on earth your trying to say.

maybe i need to speak to the level of that audience?

[Neil]

1 minute ago, Tranquility of Solitude said:

 

i won't bother with any of them, elton is the only one that interests me, and i reckon i won't manage to find a comfortable place, like i couldn't for macca.

[clasher]

This page is not found.

[Neil]

6 minutes ago, serendipitous said:

You randomly bought up trans people, out of absolutely nowhere. Then proceeded to take a jab at Kae Tempest and randomly bring up the fact that transwomen could potentially commit rape. Again, all out of nowhere.

all prefixed by all men are potential rapists?

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Neil

[Neil]

for the no-brain who cant recognise the anti-misogynistic as anti-misogynistic you need to stop inventing your own offence, the anti_ misogynistic is more offensive than your complaint.

[FloorFiller]

6 minutes ago, Neil said:

for the no-brain who cant recognise the anti-misogynistic as anti-misogynistic you need to stop inventing your own offence, the anti_ misogynistic is more offensive than your complaint.

What the fuck are you talking about 

[Neil]

2 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

What the fuck are you talking about 

i'm talking about everything i said, including the part many are choosing to ignore in order to invent some offence for themselves.

 

[serendipitous]

6 minutes ago, Neil said:

for the no-brain who cant recognise the anti-misogynistic as anti-misogynistic you need to stop inventing your own offence, the anti_ misogynistic is more offensive than your complaint.

Yes, you're a real feminist icon Neil.

 

There is no real point in engaging with you as it's clear you're not interested in thinking about why people read your comments the way that they did. Obviously you'd prefer to feign ignorance when people point out it's near identical to the "reasonable" talking points and jokes made by people trying to roll back trans rights at a time when they are very much under attack.

Best of luck with your forum/site I'm sure it will continue to flourish under your tremendous leadership.