UK festivals cancelled in 2024

[dingbat2]

Was there for Elbow as well last night (not on a freebie!), a small crowd again, shame there weren't more to see Coxon & Co... I know Elbow dont attract big crowds these days, not sure if they have ever done really, but still great live. Had a great time though, I made sure we were right at the front so were oblivious to the lack of crowd further back so still a great atmosphere where we were. And no queues for beer and food

 

[modefan]

On 8/5/2024 at 5:39 PM, dingbat2 said:

Was there for Elbow as well last night (not on a freebie!), a small crowd again, shame there weren't more to see Coxon & Co... I know Elbow dont attract big crowds these days, not sure if they have ever done really, but still great live. Had a great time though, I made sure we were right at the front so were oblivious to the lack of crowd further back so still a great atmosphere where we were. And no queues for beer and food

 

 

I was in that tiny crowd at the stage for The Waeve who were excellent, no more than 100 of us down there. I think most were oblivious to seeing a member of Blur. It wasn't full but much busier than Suede. It took 30 mins to exit the car park v straight out on Thursday. Quite an old audience, mostly on picnic chairs. Very civilised clapping, like being at the cricket. Elbow were decent and Guy Garvey is great just wish they did more of the early stuff. 

Edited August 7 by modefan

[bexj]

Do we not think the Heritage Live events at Audley End were due to location rather than the bands?  Suede have just finished a mini tour with Manics and certainly Leeds was stacked out with about 5k capacity.  Elbow are playing arenas so they can obviously sell tickets.  Audley End is not really near any population centres and is not accessible by public transport.

[Dales]

2 hours ago, bexj said:

Do we not think the Heritage Live events at Audley End were due to location rather than the bands?  Suede have just finished a mini tour with Manics and certainly Leeds was stacked out with about 5k capacity.  Elbow are playing arenas so they can obviously sell tickets.  Audley End is not really near any population centres and is not accessible by public transport.

 

I don't think it helps when they keep moving the dates every year, it makes it hard to make plans. I would have gone but it clashed with YNot. With needing to drive and likely book accomadation, picking one or two weekends and sticking to it would make more sense then constantly moving the dates every year.

 

I also think there are far to many events these days with the same bands and so some will suffer with to much competition. I went to the Suede and Manics show at Ally Pally and that was rammed and so even if I was not at YNot would not want to pay full price to see Suede again so soon, although would have gone as I could have got cheap NHS tickets.

[modefan]

2 hours ago, bexj said:

Do we not think the Heritage Live events at Audley End were due to location rather than the bands?  Suede have just finished a mini tour with Manics and certainly Leeds was stacked out with about 5k capacity.  Elbow are playing arenas so they can obviously sell tickets.  Audley End is not really near any population centres and is not accessible by public transport.

 

To an extent, certainly Suede were the wrong fit on the wrong day. Not attractive to the retirees and too inaccessible on a work night for a 'younger' crowd. Gigs at Audley End have been happening for some time just as they have been at other far out places like Thetford Forest so I don't think it is the venue or accessibility that is the problem. I remember when Thetford and the other forestry events were seen as a bit special. Now every town and city with an available field seems to put something on. Too many events and too expensive at face value.

[dingbat2]

I am not sure about Suede, but for Elbow I think everyone who wants to see them has seen them by now, and the main people going are people who want to really see them again. They haven't had huge amount of bangers since 2008 when they were at their biggest after releasing Seldom Seen kid and they still play 4 or 5 from that album. So not much reason to see them again unless you're a fan boy or like their newer stuff. Audley End is a bugger to get to as in the middle of nowhere, and I think the travel puts people off especially getting out of the car parks, which can be a nightmare if there is a full house, not sure how it would cope if it rained, traffic management is crap there. We went there last year to see Soft Cell and OMD and it was really busy that day, so I think those sort of heritage acts are probably more suited to the sit down picnic loving crowd I think it attracts. They should have promoted Waeve a bit more as well as most didn't know who they were. Its partly a gamble on the weather as well, why pay to see Elbow/Suede outdoors and risk the weather when you can easily catch them indoors somewhere for the same price

[Hirstys 12th Pint]

Pine Fest in Llandudno has just announced its cancellation.  Had Scouting for Girls, Red Rum Club, The K's and Lottery Winners on amongst others. 

 

Seem to remember ticket prices were quite high as a new festival so may be lack of sales.

[Johndenis]

On 8/8/2024 at 4:28 PM, dingbat2 said:

I am not sure about Suede, but for Elbow I think everyone who wants to see them has seen them by now, and the main people going are people who want to really see them again. They haven't had huge amount of bangers since 2008 when they were at their biggest after releasing Seldom Seen kid and they still play 4 or 5 from that album. So not much reason to see them again unless you're a fan boy or like their newer stuff. Audley End is a bugger to get to as in the middle of nowhere, and I think the travel puts people off especially getting out of the car parks, which can be a nightmare if there is a full house, not sure how it would cope if it rained, traffic management is crap there. We went there last year to see Soft Cell and OMD and it was really busy that day, so I think those sort of heritage acts are probably more suited to the sit down picnic loving crowd I think it attracts. They should have promoted Waeve a bit more as well as most didn't know who they were. Its partly a gamble on the weather as well, why pay to see Elbow/Suede outdoors and risk the weather when you can easily catch them indoors somewhere for the same price

 

Also tagging @modefan - I saw Elbow at Hammersmith Apollo in 2015ish, which I think is about 5k.  That felt like their level then, and they've had no "hits" since.  I was at Leeds Millennium Sq last month (also about 5k) on a Saturday night for Manics and Suede and I think those combined bands (particularly Manics) could probably sell several thousand more.  In fact I felt the staging let the bands down a little bit.  The volume was a bit too low, the stage looked a bit too small, it had a "yesterday's men" vibe to the extent that during the daylight (Manics were on first) I felt I was in some sort of Louis Theroux subculture documentary.  As an aside  the Waeve is a nice project but I think an Elbow support is a bit of a strange gig for them to take.  

 

On thread topic, I saw this today - https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/24522693.riverside-music-festival-organises-reflect-cancelling-2024-event/#:~:text=Dave Clarke and Mark McKechnie%2C founders of the,and what they called an over-saturated event landscape. - but it's more an ad for their upcoming event than any real insight about why they had to cancel their festival - the line up wasn't exactly setting pulses racing, but they have blamed the "terrible economy".

[gfa]

It feels like every random town / national trust property has a 'xyz' live festival nowadays.

 

There's just far too many of them to be sustainable

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, gfa said:

It feels like every random town / national trust property has a 'xyz' live festival nowadays.

 

There's just far too many of them to be sustainable

True

 

Plus the majority are ridiculous 

 

Seriously though I’m concerned for the future of Shambala. I’ve never seen so many tickets available so close to the event or so many returns 

[dingbat2]

On 8/12/2024 at 2:40 PM, Hirstys 12th Pint said:

Pine Fest in Llandudno has just announced its cancellation.  Had Scouting for Girls, Red Rum Club, The K's and Lottery Winners on amongst others. 

 

Seem to remember ticket prices were quite high as a new festival so may be lack of sales.

No idea how much tickets were for that, assume over £250 with camping, but did they really think it would sell well with those as headliners. Some festival organisers seem to be on a different planet these days I think, thank god reality seems to be kicking in that punters are more savvy these days and can pick and chose where to spend their money.

[Nuthugger]

lots cancelled. very sad

[incident]

Bumping this just to mention..

 

After announcing that 2024 would be the last one, Shindig have announced plans to return in 2025 at a new (slightly smaller) site.

[charlierc]

A contrast to my sightings then. Local festival near to me called Towersey Festival that's been running since the 1960s (although only moved onto my doorstep in 2021) announced it won't be returning next year.

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

On 4/23/2024 at 10:57 PM, Johndenis said:

Thanks so much for this recommendation, I don't know many of the bands being mentioned but hearing these guys chat is fascinating and the topics are universal. 

And James turned down an offer from Superstruct for 2000 Trees when they bought the rest, and they've gone from strength to strength since then. Great insight from the both of them.

[gfa]

2025 is the final Balter