34 replies to this topic

[wooga]

if they are only co headlining oxegen (and maybe T), do they really warrant a headline slot at R/L? which is a bigger festival.

[YumYum]

rexclark, on Mar 8 2010, 08:36 PM, said:

Completely different festivals. Oxygen/TITP nearly always go for safe headliners whereas R&L are willing to take a chance.

hows taking an act considered only big enough to co-headline an argueably a smaller festival, and making it your main headliner a risk? its just stupid!

[craigb]

They are a great live band with a lot of followers, but between reading and leeds there are is a huge amount of tickets to sell. For a headliner that's not in the limelight a lot and keep a low profile its a big ask. Yes they maybe other bands on, some people will say its not all about the headliners... its the headliners that sell the festival.

For other festivals with mega lines up this year including oxegen to give them a co-headline slot is a bit of kick in balls for reading leeds. Also considering its ultimately the same companies behind titp oxegen and reading leeds.

[pickitoutlandreau]

wooga, on Mar 8 2010, 10:54 PM, said:

if they are only co headlining oxegen (and maybe T), do they really warrant a headline slot at R/L? which is a bigger festival.

Would disagree with that. I'd say TITP is a bigger festival than Reading/Leeds. Can't speak for Oxegen 'cause I've never been but I'd say that certainly since it became a three day event that TITP is every bit as R/L, if not bigger.

Arcade Fire won't be co-headlining T. Kasabian, Eminem and Muse have the three headline slots there. Looks like Arcade Fire are headlining Oxegen instead of Kasabian?

Either way. I'm hoping that they play T and Leeds. The more the better.

[Lithium05]

wooga, on Mar 8 2010, 09:54 PM, said:

if they are only co headlining oxegen (and maybe T), do they really warrant a headline slot at R/L? which is a bigger festival.

To reiterate the point I made on the last page - Franz Ferdinand and Razorlight played second on the bill at Oxegen the same year they headlined Reading/Leeds.

[eFestivals]

pickitoutlandreau, on Mar 9 2010, 12:03 AM, said:

Would disagree with that. I'd say TITP is a bigger festival than Reading/Leeds. Can't speak for Oxegen 'cause I've never been but I'd say that certainly since it became a three day event that TITP is every bit as R/L, if not bigger.

Eh?

Reading/Leeds is on two sites, with each one individually being just about the same size in ticket numbers as T in the Park is.

So Reading/Leeds combined is approximately twice as big as T in the Park.

[pickitoutlandreau]

eFestivals, on Mar 9 2010, 12:15 PM, said:

Eh?

Reading/Leeds is on two sites, with each one individually being just about the same size in ticket numbers as T in the Park is.

So Reading/Leeds combined is approximately twice as big as T in the Park.

Aye. You know what I meant.  

[mjsell]

ok before i say my piece, let me just tell you that I am very fond of Arcade Fire (not my all time favourite band, but i enjoy listening to them). I also understand that their third album is on the way and that by the festival they will be bigger and better than they are now.

However, i find it hard to understand FR's reasoning behind the bookings that we believe to be confirmed (eg. AF, Blink and paramore). As was discussed in the 'paramore TBC' thread, they are to play second due to their popularity - and by that I mean selling out an arena tour and having a number 1 album. Personally however, only fans of the band could argue that they are better musically than other sub-headliners of the past (eg. QOTSA, Prodigy, Bloc Party, Tenacious D etc etc)
It seems that the booking of AF is the complete opposite philosophy, they are nowhere near as popular as previous headliners (im looking primarily at the last 2 years), and yet musically they are superb.

I cannot understand this inconsistancy in the theories behind booking bands this year(not that i have any complaints about paramore or AF in particular), and wonder if this will cause the festivals to struggle to sell tickets.

Edited by mjsell, 09 March 2010 - 12:38 PM.

[theramm]

Quote

However, i find it hard to understand FR's reasoning behind the bookings that we believe to be confirmed (eg. AF, Blink and paramore). As was discussed in the 'paramore TBC' thread, they are to play second due to their popularity - and by that I mean selling out an arena tour and having a number 1 album. Personally however, only fans of the band could argue that they are better musically than other sub-headliners of the past (eg. QOTSA, Prodigy, Bloc Party, Tenacious D etc etc)
It seems that the booking of AF is the complete opposite philosophy, they are nowhere near as popular as previous headliners (im looking primarily at the last 2 years), and yet musically they are superb.

I cannot understand this inconsistancy in the theories behind booking bands this year(not that i have any complaints about paramore or AF in particular), and wonder if this will cause the festivals to struggle to sell tickets.

Arguing about musical superiority is futile as it's subjective & everyone's opinions will differ. Being objective (using ticket sales, size of tours/venues played & album sales to measure placements ) and you'll see that currently, Paramore are huge & bigger than the aforementioned QOTSA & Bloc Party.
All the rumoured headliners sold out arena tours on their last UK stints which (I imagine) justifies their headliner status with FR.  
I doubt the festival will sell out as quickly as last year as they're missing the 'marquee' headliner (like KOL or Arctics) that can sell 60k tickets in an hour but they've gone for a more 'alternative' selection, something the festival was widely criticised for NOT doing last year.

[kev1664]

Yeah, I think due to the alternative headliners there will probably be a shift in who's going this year that will be more noticable than in other years. Maybe the more casual of music fan will be tempted by v and therefore not go to R&L.

With the cool factor almost gone from last years festival less trendy people will be attending, and more people who are generally into there music. (unless everywhere else has sold out)

Last year was attractive to many because of KOL and arctic monkeys were both playing, both of whom are mega popular due to all the hype they have had either over the past year and a half(KOL) or since there careers took off(arctic monkeys).

08 was attractive because in metallica and Rage(after a lay off) they had booked big headliners that suited the rock crowd, and the killers(one of the biggest popular bands there is).

This year the bands that look to be booked as headliners (AF, Blink & MCR), and even the sub(paramore) are more alternative than those more mainstream types. Yes they all had sell out arena tours so they are obviously big enough to headline the festival, but that was more brought about by their dedicated fan bases rather than the masses that radio 1 brings.

They have said there going back to their roots with the bookings and I think this is what they mean, that there not just gonna book the biggest bands around for popularity but more based on their individual fan bases.

07 - Smashing Pumpkins & NIN- Great to there own fans, how much crossover (from this forum, it seems they had a small crowds) - Razorlight - Pretty popular at the time, had sold out arenas but not hugely massive & KOL - at the time very popular with their own fans and yet to hit the masses - RHCP - very big at the time and appealed to the masses and AF - strong support from their own fans.

06-Pearl Jam & Placebo - (Same as SP &NIN) Franz Ferdinand & Kaisers (same as razorlight) Muse & Arctic monkeys - at the time muse had a little bit of a push but wern't massive as they are now. Arctics very popular.

It seems in the past they have either booked older type acts with dedicated fan bases or bands just before they hit superstardom and propelled them onto bigger and better things (stadiums, headlining festivals on a regular basis) They also seem to have a knack for booking past sub-headliners/third downs as future headliners a few years after so that sort of fits with all three potential headliners.

[Reading Local]

Oxegen looks as though its going on for 4 days (8th - 11th July) this year compared to 3 days previously so hence Arcade Fire will be a headliner in their own right along with Muse, Eminem & Kasabian and BBC Radio 6 from their twitter message they posted earlier on today said that AF were headlining the Friday night at Oxegen...as TITP is only on for 3 days and they have the headliners already sorted I think its highly unlilkely that AF will be playing there...it has happened before - back in 2007 Muse headlined at Oxegen but didn't play TITP at all over the same weekend.

[mjsell]

Reading Local, on Mar 9 2010, 07:31 PM, said:

Oxegen looks as though its going on for 4 days (8th - 11th July) this year compared to 3 days previously so hence Arcade Fire will be a headliner

no, it is three days. AF will co-headline with kasabian.

[rexclark]

YumYum, on Mar 8 2010, 10:47 PM, said:

hows taking an act considered only big enough to co-headline an argueably a smaller festival, and making it your main headliner a risk? its just stupid!

Because TITP would never take a risk on a band who at the time of the announcement are pretty big but by the time of the fest could be huge. They'll only bet safe acts who are already big. R&L will take a chance on a band growing in size by the time the festival comes around. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[MJMilz14]

eFestivals, on Mar 8 2010, 11:52 AM, said:

Erm, you're more than a little wrong.

T & Oxegen used to be owned by the same company - MCD - tho they sold out most of their T shareholding to Live Nation a year or three back.

However, MCD and LN between them also own Festivals Republic (who run Reading/Leeds) almost equally, which gets to show they have a cosy relationship rather than being out-and-out competitors. From what I get to hear, many of the acts for both are booked at the same time by the same person.

Oh

Well shut me up then  

[Reading Local]

mjsell, on Mar 9 2010, 08:37 PM, said:

no, it is three days. AF will co-headline with kasabian.

and you know this because....?