Fred again?? Next year?

[Superscally]

4 hours ago, stuie said:

 

Do we always need giant robots, f**ked up visuals or lighting rigs moving up and down on cables for no apparent reason? 

 

Can't we just focus on the music and have a bit of fun?  

If you focus on the music with Fred, you're f**ked. 

[stuie]

13 minutes ago, Superscally said:

If you focus on the music with Fred, you're f**ked. 

OK Neil. 

[Superscally]

16 minutes ago, stuie said:

OK Neil. 

Wooooo dawwwwgieeeeee! I caught me a big one! 

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, Alex DeLarge said:

 

Fairs mate, don't disagree with this generally. I'm not a massive Fred fan but thought you were just slating him, apologies. 

 

He is going to be in the mix, I don't get it but I don't need to, it's just an easy choice to go elsewhere.

 

Glastonbury probably need to grab him now before the moment goes.

Edited September 10 by northernangel

[Benjsh]

New album isnt the best is it? Had a few listens now and it's very beige and I quite like a few of his previous ones.

 

The one massive track on there 'adore you' feels like an older one now too as it's been out on Spotify for months and months. Bit lame really including that on there in my opinion given how long it's been out. 

 

A 5 or 6 out of 10 album at best. Feels like he's throwing albums out way too quickly as well for his age. He's still relatively the new kid on the block and this is already his 4th proper album of his own and that doesn't include any of his side projects either. Needs to slow down and focus on quality over quantity. 3/4 of that new album is just filler and very very bland. 

 

He's definitely an other stage headliner now without a doubt. Is he a pyramid stage headline act? On this year's standards he probably is but I'd like to think this year's lineup was rock bottom for the festival in the last 15/20 years. 

Edited September 10 by Benjsh

[gfa]

17 hours ago, stuie said:

 

Do we always need giant robots, f**ked up visuals or lighting rigs moving up and down on cables for no apparent reason? 

 

Can't we just focus on the music and have a bit of fun?  

No of course not, but its nice to have and helps push shows to the next level. It also helps to retain attention who may not be as interested, chems for example certainly wouldn't be on their 5th other headline slot without them!

 

Its been a constant avenue of criticism for his shows for over a year now, I can see better visuals at a nightclub than at some of the largest venues in the country. I have no issue with him headlining, I love dance music - but its not a big ask to get some decent visuals!!

Do we need special guests, tributes, covers etc in band sets?

 

17 hours ago, Alex DeLarge said:

 

Fairs mate, don't disagree with this generally. I'm not a massive Fred fan but thought you were just slating him, apologies. 

out of upvotes but no worries 🙂 

[stuie]

17 minutes ago, gfa said:

No of course not, but its nice to have and helps push shows to the next level. It also helps to retain attention who may not be as interested, chems for example certainly wouldn't be on their 5th other headline slot without them!

 

Its been a constant avenue of criticism for his shows for over a year now, I can see better visuals at a nightclub than at some of the largest venues in the country. I have no issue with him headlining, I love dance music - but its not a big ask to get some decent visuals!!

Do we need special guests, tributes, covers etc in band sets?

 

out of upvotes but no worries 🙂 

I asked do we always need? 
it’s not his style is it? Ed Sheeran felt he didn’t need a band. Adele didn’t need any dancers. Fred is doing alright without a Bicep style show it seems.

[mjfromthelane]

17 hours ago, stuie said:

 

Do we always need giant robots, f**ked up visuals or lighting rigs moving up and down on cables for no apparent reason? 

 

Can't we just focus on the music and have a bit of fun?  

 

Agree with this - I don't think all electronic acts need to follow the same formula to be labelled as a 'good show', especially as lighting and staging doesn't land as well in a festival day/early evening slot.

 

I love Bicep and have seen their live show 4 times in the last 3 years or so, but I don't think they'd be able to pull off the scenes in that specific moment we saw for Fred at Glasto last year.

 

I also think their visual style and aesthetic is pretty fitting to their music, given their albums are more cohesive and tracks easily merge into one another with no major vocal features.

 

I'm not a massive Fred Again fan but I also think the style he is trying to carve out of being 'connected' to the fanbase and reflecting that in his sets is clearly working. Maybe I'm not cynical enough but having followed him on Insta and read about his upbringing, I genuinely believe he is just a bit of a music nerd and a glass half full bloke and that his 'act' on stage/social media is pretty representative of his personality.

 

9 hours ago, Benjsh said:

A 5 or 6 out of 10 album at best. Feels like he's throwing albums out way too quickly as well for his age. He's still relatively the new kid on the block and this is already his 4th proper album of his own and that doesn't include any of his side projects either. Needs to slow down and focus on quality over quantity. 3/4 of that new album is just filler and very very bland. 

 

 

Definitely a big chance of him over saturating his own catalogue too early.

[nikkic]

The visuals suit his sets. It’s more personable to see him and Tony doing their thing than say a huge Bicep style laser show. 

 

He creates a connection with the crowd, which is kind of his thing. That sense of togetherness and community. 

[glastorome]

35 minutes ago, mjfromthelane said:

 

Agree with this - I don't think all electronic acts need to follow the same formula to be labelled as a 'good show', especially as lighting and staging doesn't land as well in a festival day/early evening slot.

 

I love Bicep and have seen their live show 4 times in the last 3 years or so, but I don't think they'd be able to pull off the scenes in that specific moment we saw for Fred at Glasto last year.

 

I also think their visual style and aesthetic is pretty fitting to their music, given their albums are more cohesive and tracks easily merge into one another with no major vocal features.

 

I'm not a massive Fred Again fan but I also think the style he is trying to carve out of being 'connected' to the fanbase and reflecting that in his sets is clearly working. Maybe I'm not cynical enough but having followed him on Insta and read about his upbringing, I genuinely believe he is just a bit of a music nerd and a glass half full bloke and that his 'act' on stage/social media is pretty representative of his personality.

 

 

Definitely a big chance of him over saturating his own catalogue too early.

 

 Me and my friends who are massive fan think he's definitely somewhere on neurodivergent spectrum, and he needs that real connection to be able to perform, and generally navigate through life. 

 

A lot of the new album is more downbeat, not as many bangers, as he was going through some tough stuff in his life when he recorded it. 

[gfa]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

I asked do we always need? 
it’s not his style is it? Ed Sheeran felt he didn’t need a band. Adele didn’t need any dancers. Fred is doing alright without a Bicep style show it seems.

I literally replied 'no of course not'

Then proceeded to explain why people like it 😂

 

Its my and many other people's preference for a good light show. I doubt Fred Again's team are reading Page 8 of the Fred again?? Next year? efests board - but its still discussion! He's clearly fine without it - but that doesn't mean I don't want it.

 

Radiohead don't really play creep but people still want it etc

Edited September 11 by gfa

[stuie]

1 minute ago, gfa said:

I literally replied 'no of course not'

Then proceeded to explain why people like it 😂

 

People like it both ways!  🙂 

[gfa]

42 minutes ago, stuie said:

 

People like it both ways!  🙂 

As i said 'Its my and many other people's preference for a good light show'

 

Please read all of my messages, I don't claim to speak for everyone 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Don't think it's controversial to say that live gigs by dance acts generally require some sort of light show and production, because the performance can otherwise usually be very static and visually flat.

[stuie]

20 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Don't think it's controversial to say that live gigs by dance acts generally require some sort of light show and production, because the performance can otherwise usually be very static and visually flat.

Of course not, but he had production and a light show at Reading/Leeds and Glasto. People were suggesting he needs to up his game for a Pyramid headline slot but i think something like Reading/Leeds would be fine. 

[glastorome]

38 minutes ago, stuie said:

Of course not, but he had production and a light show at Reading/Leeds and Glasto. People were suggesting he needs to up his game for a Pyramid headline slot but i think something like Reading/Leeds would be fine. 

 

I think he'd personally want to take his production to the next level if he headlined. He seems to understand the importance of big shows, just look at his first stadium show in America a few months ago as an example of going big with production. He seems to love Glasto as well. 

 

Like the OP said dance acts work much better with production, same with hip hop acts, I've seen loads of hip hop acts and Kendrick on the Mr Morale tour was the best hip hop show I've seen partly due to the incredible production.

[Mardy]

Efests Forum: Where oh where are the younger, next generation of headliners going to come from? If only there was an act that loved the festival, had a good relationship with the Eavises, had played a few times, always came as a punter regardless, was big enough to headline (even better if they'd already proved this by headling Leeds/Reading) and would do it probably for a reduced fee.

 

Fred Again: Hey, guys....

 

Efests Forum: NOT YOU! PUT YOUR HAND DOWN!

[dotdash79]

He’s not for me, but I do think he can headline, think it will be a 1 time only thing as his star will fade quite a bit, when the next big thing rocks up. 

[glastorome]

29 minutes ago, dotdash79 said:

He’s not for me, but I do think he can headline, think it will be a 1 time only thing as his star will fade quite a bit, when the next big thing rocks up. 

Totally agree it'll be a 1 and done headlining the pyramid.  I think he'll be a regular Other Stage headliner over the years, bit like The Chem Brothers, if he keeps bringing music out and doesnt go back to producing full time. 

[Armourman]

I love the idea of a Fred Again Tribute act.  Fred Before? Bread Again?

[Superscally]

2 hours ago, Armourman said:

I love the idea of a Fred Again Tribute act.  Fred Before? Bread Again?

Fred's Dead Baby, Fred's Dead Again.

[Benjsh]

I agree with a lot of the points above. Fred will definitely lose a bit of appeal sooner rather than later. 

 

When Disclosure released 'Settle' they made a huge impact on the UK dance scene but as the subsequent albums didn't do anywhere near as well their star definitely faded a bit. Still big enough to do Other Stage Headliner though of course.

 

I wouldn't put any of Fred's albums above Settle either. That's a quality record from start to finish. 

[Havors]

Controversial - I think the new album is good, its a grower. Some great tunes on there. 

I think people expecting banger after banger are not very naive. He is not just about banging festival song, way more nuanced music than that. I class myself as old and some of the interludes are beyond my comprehension but the actual tunes are great.  

[stuie]

 

The superstar producer delivers another uncomplicated, largely forgettable LP that feels trapped in a nostalgia loop.

 

Well, I like it.

Actually I ‘adore’ it.

[TiZuff]

yeah fred again isnt just about bangers. for me he manages to convey emotions through dance music unlike most others. i do feel this album is a bit light on that side of things but theres enough over all his work plus a few songs from this album to make a memorable set on the pyramid.