69 replies to this topic

[Im_in_a_tent]

At the official launch of Reading and Leeds Festival Rock Sound grabbed some time with Neil Pengelly, the head booker for the festival, to find out some extra information about the line-up. Green Day, Blink-182 and Lostprophets fans will be very interested to read what he had to say:

How has it been trying to book the line-up for Reading and Leeds this year given the economy and new festivals like Sonisphere? Has it been tough?

''It is tough every year to be honest. There is more competition for the bands you want this year and we are always aware that you cannot repeat bands too often, especially with headline acts we always try to keep that fresh. It was hard but once the whole bill is out there I think people will see the good job we have done with it.''

Has Sonisphere changed the focus of Reading and Leeds, the classic heavy day of the festival seems to be missing this year?

''It has a little bit but once we announce the Lock-Up Stage and announce two Radio 1 stage headliners that are both huge rock acts people will see how rounded it is. Metallica played our festival last year and Nine Inch Nails played two years ago so Sonisphere having them does not make a huge difference to us.''

There were rumours of Blink-182 and Green Day touring again this year, was there any dialogue with either of those bands during the planning for this year?

''Of course we speak to all the best bands each year. I think that Blink-182 will be doing something over here next year and I don't think we will see them here this year. I can't say what Green Day want to do but I'm sure they will reveal their plans in the course of time. We would love to have Green Day at Reading and Leeds one year and when they are around doing festivals then I'm sure we are something they will look at.''

Who you are proud to have booked for the festival this year?

''I think Radiohead will be an incredible show, they are such a fantastic live band and so many people are into them, I would prefer to get a band who are innovative, exciting and amazing live than go for a lesser headliner just because they represent a certain genre of music. I would rather do that than put on a dinosaur rock band. I want bands of the stature of Metallica for Reading and Leeds rather than dilute that for the sake of keeping certain genres in rotation, I would prefer to get the diversity in how we book the rest of the bill while keeping the headlining acts incredibly strong.''

Was it a temptation to keep the heavy day format that has been a hallmark of the festival in recent years?

''It was definitely a question and something we are conscious of as we booked the rest of the bill. We want to keep that appeal and be as broad as possible while at the same time getting the best bands we can. I think Rock Sound readers will be very happy when they see the additions to the bill that are coming up.''

When we will see that?

''We will be announcing one of the second stage headliners next week, they are a very big Welsh rock act but that's probably more than I can say.''


Tickets to Reading And Leeds 2009 are £175 plus booking fees for the weekend or £70 plus booking fees for each day, tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Andrew Kelham

http://www.rocksound...tival-interview

[VCK]

Blur too!

[jammy2211]

Blur, Muse and Green Day for 2010 with Blink 182 as second?

Sounds reasonable to me.

[Im_in_a_tent]

that line up would piss all over this years

[darrenbha]

Im_in_a_tent, on Mar 31 2009, 01:41 AM, said:

At the official launch of Reading and Leeds Festival Rock Sound grabbed some time with Neil Pengelly, the head booker for the festival, to find out some extra information about the line-up. Green Day, Blink-182 and Lostprophets fans will be very interested to read what he had to say:

How has it been trying to book the line-up for Reading and Leeds this year given the economy and new festivals like Sonisphere? Has it been tough?

''It is tough every year to be honest. There is more competition for the bands you want this year and we are always aware that you cannot repeat bands too often, especially with headline acts we always try to keep that fresh. It was hard but once the whole bill is out there I think people will see the good job we have done with it.''

Has Sonisphere changed the focus of Reading and Leeds, the classic heavy day of the festival seems to be missing this year?

''It has a little bit but once we announce the Lock-Up Stage and announce two Radio 1 stage headliners that are both huge rock acts people will see how rounded it is. Metallica played our festival last year and Nine Inch Nails played two years ago so Sonisphere having them does not make a huge difference to us.''

There were rumours of Blink-182 and Green Day touring again this year, was there any dialogue with either of those bands during the planning for this year?

''Of course we speak to all the best bands each year. I think that Blink-182 will be doing something over here next year and I don't think we will see them here this year. I can't say what Green Day want to do but I'm sure they will reveal their plans in the course of time. We would love to have Green Day at Reading and Leeds one year and when they are around doing festivals then I'm sure we are something they will look at.''

Who you are proud to have booked for the festival this year?

''I think Radiohead will be an incredible show, they are such a fantastic live band and so many people are into them, I would prefer to get a band who are innovative, exciting and amazing live than go for a lesser headliner just because they represent a certain genre of music. I would rather do that than put on a dinosaur rock band. I want bands of the stature of Metallica for Reading and Leeds rather than dilute that for the sake of keeping certain genres in rotation, I would prefer to get the diversity in how we book the rest of the bill while keeping the headlining acts incredibly strong.''

Was it a temptation to keep the heavy day format that has been a hallmark of the festival in recent years?

''It was definitely a question and something we are conscious of as we booked the rest of the bill. We want to keep that appeal and be as broad as possible while at the same time getting the best bands we can. I think Rock Sound readers will be very happy when they see the additions to the bill that are coming up.''

When we will see that?

''We will be announcing one of the second stage headliners next week, they are a very big Welsh rock act but that's probably more than I can say.''


Tickets to Reading And Leeds 2009 are £175 plus booking fees for the weekend or £70 plus booking fees for each day, tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Andrew Kelham

http://www.rocksound...tival-interview

Manics or Stereophonics??

[Dropkick Murphy]

Lostprophets

[gr4h4m]

jammy2211, on Mar 31 2009, 01:46 AM, said:

Blur, Muse and Green Day for 2010 with Blink 182 as second?

Sounds reasonable to me.

That would be another reason why next year I'll be giving download a miss, this year is f**king shit

[VCK]

jammy2211, on Mar 31 2009, 01:46 AM, said:

Blur, Muse and Green Day for 2010 with Blink 182 as second?

Sounds reasonable to me.

Sounds about right, with Kasabian also 2nd headlining.

Oh, and how could I forget - Bloc Party too.

[jammy2211]

VCK, on Mar 31 2009, 01:12 PM, said:

Sounds about right, with Kasabian also 2nd headlining.

Oh, and how could I forget - Bloc Party too.

Aye, I think those 3 headliners are maybe a bit too big, and on reflection would say Green Day will end up at V or Sonisphere and have Blink 182 headlining.

Depends how negotiations and whatnot go, should be good next year as alot of big bands seem likely to be touring...

[thomasowen]

Next year we will have BLINK/GREENDAY, BLUR, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE.

You heard it hear first!

[VCK]

jammy2211, on Mar 31 2009, 01:17 PM, said:

Aye, I think those 3 headliners are maybe a bit too big, and on reflection would say Green Day will end up at V or Sonisphere and have Blink 182 headlining.

Depends how negotiations and whatnot go, should be good next year as alot of big bands seem likely to be touring...

I'd say they're roughly about as big as 2008's, maybe a slight bit bigger.

Like Metallica, we'll have the legendary American heavy act in Green Day.

Like Rage, we'll have the 90s Alternative heroes in Blur.

Like The Killers, we'll have the currently massive arena band in Muse.

It seems like last year the organisers took into account the complaints about 2007's line-up and went to town. Maybe they'll do the same this year as this year doesn't seem to have the most popular of line-ups.

[jammy2211]

VCK, on Mar 31 2009, 01:25 PM, said:

I'd say they're roughly about as big as 2008's, maybe a slight bit bigger.

Like Metallica, we'll have the legendary American heavy act in Green Day.

Like Rage, we'll have the 90s Alternative heroes in Blur.

Like The Killers, we'll have the currently massive arena band in Muse.

It seems like last year the organisers took into account the complaints about 2007's line-up and went to town. Maybe they'll do the same this year as this year doesn't seem to have the most popular of line-ups.

I don't think the organisers look at previous years complaints, I think they book whoever the hell they can who will sell tickets, and this year we got who was avaliable, next year will be the same and so on.

Blur, Muse and Green Day doesn't have that 'lesser' headliner about it like every year does, but then, maybe they'll just take money out the lower line up fund and book Bloc Party as support every day.

[hearing_aid]

VCK, on Mar 31 2009, 01:25 PM, said:

It seems like last year the organisers took into account the complaints about 2007's line-up and went to town. Maybe they'll do the same this year as this year doesn't seem to have the most popular of line-ups.

Only on here. People were still struggling to get tickets it was so popular.

[D-Low]

If Greenday, Blink & Muse play next year that would be sick. I was really hoping for Muse this year so was a bit gutted lol

[j...rox]

I dont think Blur will be aroudn this time next year. Sorry to piss on your parade, going to be a bit like The Verve, do their thing rake in the cash from Hyde and then Damon will go back to doing Gorillaz, TGTBATQ and his Monkey musical rubbish.

[flossy_]

i don't think Kasabian would play unless they were asked to headline. I'm pretty sure after V in '07 having played 2nd, they said they wouldn't be back until they were asked to headline. You know what tom meighans like..

i think if their new album does well, they would be capable of headlining

Edited by flossy_, 31 March 2009 - 12:33 PM.

[thomasowen]

VCK, on Mar 31 2009, 01:25 PM, said:

I'd say they're roughly about as big as 2008's, maybe a slight bit bigger.

Like Metallica, we'll have the legendary American heavy act in Green Day.

Like Rage, we'll have the 90s Alternative heroes in Blur.

Like The Killers, we'll have the currently massive arena band in Muse.

It seems like last year the organisers took into account the complaints about 2007's line-up and went to town. Maybe they'll do the same this year as this year doesn't seem to have the most popular of line-ups.

NO way on earth will Greenday, Muse and Blur headline. We will get one of those, two if we're lucky. The third will be a more recent, and cheaper, act. My Chemical Romance, Mgmt, The Strokes etc.

[VCK]

hearing_aid, on Mar 31 2009, 01:28 PM, said:

Only on here. People were still struggling to get tickets it was so popular.

It will always sell out these days as it's now trendy to go and a lot of people don't even care about the line-up but they're just going because it's the "in-thing".

However, I feel that the organisation team reads forums like these and takes into account what people say. The unpopular, usually Indie acts actually go down well with the trendy contigent at Reading and Leeds but the trendy contigent is unlikely to post on a forum about Reading and Leeds (apart from the official forums, but I don't think even Melvin Benn can take what those remedial types say seriously ).

I'm pretty sure we have some sort of influence over the line-up. IIRC most people predicted the Pumpkins and Razorlight to headline in 2007 and I'm not sure if Melvin would have booked either. It's easy to dismiss it as coincidence but I'm not sure.

Basically, my point is, BLUR FOR 2010!

Edited by VCK, 31 March 2009 - 12:33 PM.

[theronkinator]

Greenday or Oasis are the only bands that could make me pay over £200 for a ticket, so I hope we do get Greenday next year!

[twenty_foot_chickens]

I really don't think Blur are going to be touring next summer - Damon will go back to Gorillaz, Graham will go back to doing solo stuff, Alex will want to be farming again and Dave will be pumping the election campaign, I believe it's highly unlikely.

I'd also say that until the pound is fareing better against the Euro and the US Dollar, I'd expect the 'big' headliners to be English. Muse, Franz Ferdinand & The Strokes maybe. Green Day & Blink will come too expensive I believe.