2025 R&L Festival

[Benj]

1 hour ago, gfa said:

Not many chickens there full stop - that's about 300 people 😂

Sadly the only pic I have facing backwards, it trended a little younger forward of that but deffo averaged 25+
 

If you’d been at the Chevron at the same time, you would’ve have very different idea of the festival make up and that’s the point…
 

Yes there are a lot of under 21s there and yes all being 4 years or so in age of each other they stick out like a sore thumb and will all have similar tastes.

 

A huge percentage of the audience makes up 21-60 year olds though, who are fare more likely than the younger cohort to make their decisions based on the lineup, as opposed to just go to party in a field with their mates

 

The idea that 80%+ of the audience are under 20 is hugely ignorant

[gfa]

2 hours ago, Benj said:

Sadly the only pic I have facing backwards, it trended a little younger forward of that but deffo averaged 25+
 

If you’d been at the Chevron at the same time, you would’ve have very different idea of the festival make up and that’s the point…
 

Yes there are a lot of under 21s there and yes all being 4 years or so in age of each other they stick out like a sore thumb and will all have similar tastes.

 

A huge percentage of the audience makes up 21-60 year olds though, who are fare more likely than the younger cohort to make their decisions based on the lineup, as opposed to just go to party in a field with their mates

 

The idea that 80%+ of the audience are under 20 is hugely ignorant

Your right that many go for the party with their mates, but the party will move elsewhere if the lineup is sh*t (see the growth of Boardmasters in recent years for example). Reading can only go till around 11, it needs good bookings to keep people there.

 

Regardless of percentages, under 21s make up at least 50% of the festival, theres no way they completely ignore them when booking headliners which is what you originally suggested

[Mcbatesman]

On 9/8/2024 at 12:43 AM, M42 said:

Idk I feel like Linkin fit the festival, but I’m surprised that they’ve not played it that much.

 

Download sounds more likely on paper but they love to book Slipknot, Maiden, Kiss again and again rather than shaking it up with acts like this. 

LP headlined in 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2014 they are very much in the again and again category, haven't headlined in 10 years for obvious reasons

 

 

 

[Benj]

3 hours ago, gfa said:

Your right that many go for the party with their mates, but the party will move elsewhere if the lineup is sh*t (see the growth of Boardmasters in recent years for example). Reading can only go till around 11, it needs good bookings to keep people there.

 

Regardless of percentages, under 21s make up at least 50% of the festival, theres no way they completely ignore them when booking headliners which is what you originally suggested

I didn’t say the line up could be sh*t, though did I?

 

I said “I don’t think the kids need the big headliners, they just need a lot of current stuff to get excited about, wherever it is on the bill.”

 

The kids are attracted by a couple of big names and a solid contemporary undercard with lots for them to see and enjoy.

 

When I was a kid, the main stage headliners were an irrelevance in choosing Reading.

 

98 and 99 I was in the big tent 4 out of the 6 nights at headline time.

 

Admittedly it’s a lot harder for them to pull of a demographicly diverse, popular line up with 50% of acts that they used to have, it’s been made a lot easier with the reintroduction of a proper second stage though

 

(not they just need to sort out the sound issues!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Charliehmiller]

Who's in the running for next year then? 

[foolee]

I reckon we’re gonna see something like this

 

BMTH - Eminem - Foo Fighters

Charli XCX - Kasabian - Chase & Status

[northernangel]

34 minutes ago, foolee said:

I reckon we’re gonna see something like this

 

BMTH - Eminem - Foo Fighters

Charli XCX - Kasabian - Chase & Status

I still don't think you're getting 2 bands on the foos day

[foolee]

12 minutes ago, northernangel said:

I still don't think you're getting 2 bands on the foos day

To be fair you could always stick Charli or C&S on the Chevron and still have those 6 play. 

[northernangel]

Just now, foolee said:

To be fair you could always stick Charli or C&S on the Chevron and still have those 6 play. 

Nah, Charli isn't anything like the options picked this year and C&S aren't selling out MK Bowl to go and play that. The Prodigy, Sonny Fodera or Skrillex aren't announcing MK Bowl but Fred Again who headlined could.

 

That Chevron stage is to grab a share or nick Creams bands.

[foolee]

Just now, northernangel said:

Nah, Charli isn't anything like the options picked this year and C&S aren't selling out MK Bowl to go and play that. The Prodigy, Sonny Fodera or Skrillex aren't announcing MK Bowl but Fred Again who headlined could.

 

That Chevron stage is to grab a share or nick Creams bands.

Fair point re Chari however C&S didn’t sell out MK Bowl, it was 45k. The Prodigy are easily as big as C&S, massive band. Could defo see C&S doing the Chevron. 

[gfa]

23 minutes ago, foolee said:

Fair point re Chari however C&S didn’t sell out MK Bowl, it was 45k. The Prodigy are easily as big as C&S, massive band. Could defo see C&S doing the Chevron. 

https://www.facebook.com/chaseandstatus/posts/milton-keynes-bowl-sold-outbig-up-the-raving-crew-chaseandstatus/917547086403596/

 

They did sell it out - 6 months in advance too (link gone but just google it).

 

I'm not sure Prodigy could actually sell out the MK Bowl.

 

Prodigy did 2 ally pally shows (20k) in a far more accessible location than Milton Keynes and they just about sold out in the end.

 

Beyond the point anyway

 

-------

 

1 hour ago, foolee said:

I reckon we’re gonna see something like this

 

BMTH - Eminem - Foo Fighters

Charli XCX - Kasabian - Chase & Status

 

This seems about right tbh

[northernangel]

1 hour ago, foolee said:

Fair point re Chari however C&S didn’t sell out MK Bowl, it was 45k. The Prodigy are easily as big as C&S, massive band. Could defo see C&S doing the Chevron. 

I'm sure C&S sold out the mk bowl. I'm unsure if they are currently. 

[tomarchbold]

3 hours ago, foolee said:

I reckon we’re gonna see something like this

 

BMTH - Eminem - Foo Fighters

Charli XCX - Kasabian - Chase & Status

that would be unreal and tbh isnt out the realms of possibility

 

[charlierc]

7 hours ago, gfa said:

https://www.facebook.com/chaseandstatus/posts/milton-keynes-bowl-sold-outbig-up-the-raving-crew-chaseandstatus/917547086403596/

 

They did sell it out - 6 months in advance too (link gone but just google it).

 

I'm not sure Prodigy could actually sell out the MK Bowl.

Prodigy did MK Bowl in 2010 and they got a crowd, but I'm not sure if they sold out.

 

But the day after they did MK Bowl, Chase and Status themselves said on social media, "Last night will stay with us forever. To the 45,000 that came and raved with us. Thank you."

 

It's possible they were limited to that many - I honestly thought they had sold out the full 65,000 until they said that themselves. Muse's show there in 2023 was not sold out but I gather was still in the 52-55k range.

 

Again, though, it's semantics. I think Chase were big enough to do the full 65k. Which is a long way from the fact that, before covid got in the way, their big headline show in Milton Keynes was to 5,000 at the smaller arena that forms part of the MK Dons' stadium complex.

[Benj]

3 hours ago, charlierc said:

Prodigy did MK Bowl in 2010 and they got a crowd, but I'm not sure if they sold out.

 

But the day after they did MK Bowl, Chase and Status themselves said on social media, "Last night will stay with us forever. To the 45,000 that came and raved with us. Thank you."

 

It's possible they were limited to that many - I honestly thought they had sold out the full 65,000 until they said that themselves. Muse's show there in 2023 was not sold out but I gather was still in the 52-55k range.

 

Again, though, it's semantics. I think Chase were big enough to do the full 65k. Which is a long way from the fact that, before covid got in the way, their big headline show in Milton Keynes was to 5,000 at the smaller arena that forms part of the MK Dons' stadium complex.

Ticket cost is another huge factor in this convo?

 

How much were the MK tickets?

 

They seem to have a relatively large U.K. tour in May next year priced 50-60 quid.

 

I’d assume their main attraction (post that tour) for Reading would be the <20 mob who couldn’t make the tour.

 

Reckon they’d be a solid 2nd headliner attraction based on what people on here are saying