Lineup 2016

[Odessa]

Just now, DirtyChorizo said:

that would be nice timing if it didn't mean i wouldn't get a shit spot for foals unfortunately. Reading in my experience, you have to get to the main stage by fourth down at least to get a good view.

Nah you can usually get a half decent place getting there late if you walk down the side as far as possible and then work your way in. And then as moshpits start to form leg it across them to get further forward. Queens in 2014 we got there pretty late and I ended up on like the 3rd row. This is Leeds mind, but I doubt it's too different at Reading.

Surely you don't stand there through acts you're not interested in just to guarantee a good place for the headliner?! You stop drinking, stop going to the toilet etc? Glastonbury last year my mates went to get a place for Kanye about 3 hours before he started and I got there as Pharrell was finishing and found them on the 3rd row. They felt stupid.

[mttJ]

7 minutes ago, DirtyChorizo said:

that would be nice timing if it didn't mean i wouldn't get a shit spot for foals unfortunately. Reading in my experience, you have to get to the main stage by fourth down at least to get a good view.

Never found that to be the case at Reading for the past few years, seems like it always clears out in front of the barrier once the sub has finished. Normally just drift in from the left-hand side and end up in a good spot before the headliner even starts.

[Gucci Piggy]

1 minute ago, Odessa said:

Nah you can usually get a half decent place getting there late if you walk down the side as far as possible and then work your way in. And then as moshpits start to form leg it across them to get further forward. Queens in 2014 we got there pretty late and I ended up on like the 3rd row. This is Leeds mind, but I doubt it's too different at Reading.

Surely you don't stand there through acts you're not interested in just to guarantee a good place for the headliner?! You stop drinking, stop going to the toilet etc? Glastonbury last year my mates went to get a place for Kanye about 3 hours before he started and I got there as Pharrell was finishing and found them on the 3rd row. They felt stupid.

Really? I turned up half way through Pharrell and couldn't get anywhere near the front section, nevermind 3rd row. Mates I was trying to get to were in front section and I had to give up and watch him with two random guys I found not far in front of the sound desk.

[DirtyChorizo]

3 minutes ago, dylangraham said:

I go to Leeds so it could be different, but last year I found it pretty easy to get good spots at the main stage without having to hang around for ages. We were about 4 rows from the front and just to the right of the stage for Kendrick without being close at all for Jamie T. Same again for Mumford, we were just chilled out near the back for Alt-J and then made it really close and central for Mumford, I reckon you could get a good spot for Foals without seeing Disclosure, unless the Reading crowd is vastly different to that of Leeds

really? wow that's lucky, or maybe i'm just unlucky. for Metallica we got there two acts early and we were just a little in front of the sound tower thing in the middle of the crowd. looking back on it, I suppose we could have moved up a little more while the crowd was thinning out between acts.

2 minutes ago, mttJ said:

Never found that to be the case at Reading for the past few years, seems like it always clears out in front of the barrier once the sub has finished. Normally just drift in from the left-hand side and end up in a good spot before the headliner even starts.

 

[Odessa]

Just now, Will-2609 said:

Really? I turned up half way through Pharrell and couldn't get anywhere near the front section, nevermind 3rd row. Mates I was trying to get to were in front section and I had to give up and watch him with two random guys I found not far in front of the sound desk.

Yeah, basically everyone around me was pushing to get forward and it actually felt like it could get dangerous.I was about 30 rows back at first thinking considering how late I got there it was a good place, but people kept on pushing and as I was on my own it was easy to find gaps and make my way forward...ended up 3rd row. People were getting lifted over the barriers by the security people though cos they couldn't handle being so cramped. 

I didn't actually go into the crowd until Pharrell had just finished either so people were on the way out so that made room. I don't know what it was like further back but I could hardly hear Kanye cos the bass was so intense, so maybe it was a bad position to be in soundwise in the end...

[PastRecedes]

Just now, DirtyChorizo said:

really? wow that's lucky, or maybe i'm just unlucky. for Metallica we got there two acts early and we were just a little in front of the sound tower thing in the middle of the crowd. looking back on it, I suppose we could have moved up a little more while the crowd was thinning out between acts.

 

Yeah, like someone else said the trick is to go down the side and the work your way in from the left/right. You can usually get really close. At Leeds I was also hanging around the sound tower for Metallica but we could have got a lot closer if we wanted, the crowd wasn't too packed that far back at Leeds

[Gucci Piggy]

Just now, Odessa said:

Yeah, basically everyone around me was pushing to get forward and it actually felt like it could get dangerous.I was about 30 rows back at first thinking considering how late I got there it was a good place, but people kept on pushing and as I was on my own it was easy to find gaps and make my way forward...ended up 3rd row. People were getting lifted over the barriers by the security people though cos they couldn't handle being so cramped. 

I didn't actually go into the crowd until Pharrell had just finished either so people were on the way out so that made room. I don't know what it was like further back but I could hardly hear Kanye cos the bass was so intense, so maybe it was a bad position to be in soundwise in the end...

Fair enough, sounds like I didn't pick the best route in. I think I remember the bass being pretty intense but not too bad.

[DirtyChorizo]

we should ask Ben from Devon for his advice at getting close to the front. He's probably an expert.

[benus80]

Do not ask me as I like standing between the middle and the front and slightly to the right! Plus I love secret performances the anticipation of wondering who it could be. 

[DirtyChorizo]

2 minutes ago, benus80 said:

Do not ask me as I like standing between the middle and the front and slightly to the right! Plus I love secret performances the anticipation of wondering who it could be. 

you are too humble ben

[Odessa]

3 minutes ago, benus80 said:

Do not ask me as I like standing between the middle and the front and slightly to the right! Plus I love secret performances the anticipation of wondering who it could be. 

I agree regarding the secret sets. Knowing for sure way in advance you're gonna see Foals do a half an hour set would be so much less exciting than wondering who it's gonna be for ages and then finding out it's Foals when you get there. 

Although in 2014 there was loads of talk of an arena sized band doing a secret set which got me hyped up only for there to be nothing. 

[dentalplan]

That was Jamie T. I think the arena thing was taken out of context tho.

[DirtyChorizo]

1 hour ago, Odessa said:

I agree regarding the secret sets. Knowing for sure way in advance you're gonna see Foals do a half an hour set would be so much less exciting than wondering who it's gonna be for ages and then finding out it's Foals when you get there. 

Although in 2014 there was loads of talk of an arena sized band doing a secret set which got me hyped up only for there to be nothing. 

speaking of which when were Alt-J revealed as the Mumford and Sons sub in 2015? I know they were labeled as  a special guest at some point.

[mrtourette]

13 hours ago, Paris said:

What a weak year of headliners (minus RHCP+Biffy). Both Foals and FOB played 3rd down in 2013 and i dont know what it's gonna be like at foals' arena shows but I was at FOBs arena show and it was nowhere near full. And I doubt Disclosure are much of a pull either.

Is this what a headliner is now? A band that can barely sell out arenas? 

If you want some variety in your headliners, then yes. The alternative is V festival. You choose.

[kev1664]

10 hours ago, Yellow_Fellow said:

I'm not 100% sure that's how it works at all, the agreement isn't "you won't be announced for another festival" surely? That's way too flimsy. 

Why not, surely the deal is you aren't allowed to announce another festival, which would risk the ticket sales of the festival you've agreed to play.

If the band aren't billed at festival A and person A loves that band they are more inclined to buy tickets for festival B where they are billed. 

If there is no knowledge of band A playing festival A they havent broken any agreement or if Festival B has happened therefore the agreement ends band A can be announced anyway, as has happened with Download bands in the past (faith no more).

[mrtourette]

It's flimsy but given the number of festival nowadays it's probably harder/too expensive to lock an act down as a 'true' exclusive. As being announced is what gives punters the most opportunity to choose another festival to see that act that's probably what they work to avoid, as a compromise if they can't properly lock down the act. An even flimsier compromise would be that they can be announced for another festival but not until a certain period after the announcement for the first festival.

There will still be times when sales are affected as someone will see a secret/unannounced set and that may negate the need to buy a ticket to see the act at the festival they're announced for, but I'd image that's far less common that having the information about multiple appearances up front when you're choosing which festival to go to. 

[kaosmark2]

12 hours ago, Yellow_Fellow said:

I'm not 100% sure that's how it works at all, the agreement isn't "you won't be announced for another festival" surely? That's way too flimsy. 

That's how copping always operated download exclusives. 

[DirtyChorizo]

aside from Biffy and FOB then who else is likely, IF I had to put money on it, i'd say either muse or The killers, maybe KOL instead.

[Andre91]

6 minutes ago, DirtyChorizo said:

aside from Biffy and FOB then who else is likely, IF I had to put money on it, i'd say either muse or The killers, maybe KOL instead.

Nobody else is likely because its going to be Biffy/FOB. Neil said he is 98% sure of it. Most people here know to trust that  

Edited February 12, 2016 by Andre91

[mrtourette]

When assessing R&L headliners, just accept the fact that of any list it's always going to be the most depressing option that's the most likely.

[Asdaprice]

If it doesn't have Blink 182 I always know the lineups could be worse

[DirtyChorizo]

34 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Nobody else is likely because its going to be Biffy/FOB. Neil said he is 98% sure of it. Most people here know to trust that  

well he said he's not infallible, so i'd hold your horses on biffy even if they are by far the most likely, i wouldn't say its 98%, regardless, it's nice to theorize.

Edited February 12, 2016 by DirtyChorizo

[thewayiam]

1 minute ago, DirtyChorizo said:

well he said he's not infallible, so i'd hold your horses on biffy even if they are by far the most likely, i wouldn't say its 98%, regardless, it's nice to theorize.

Yeah I don't think there is any hope, it's Biffy/FOB whether it'd as a header and sub or co-heading. Even I'm accepting the struggle has led to them coming back.

[DirtyChorizo]

33 minutes ago, mrtourette said:

When assessing R&L headliners, just accept the fact that of any list it's always going to be the most depressing option that's the most likely.

i actually really like the headliners atm just need some stronger subs and regular acts i think. isn't there something like 70 acts announced on the last announcement?

[Cavan]

When do you think the next announcement will be. I noticed that in 2015 the 3rd announcement was at the end of February but 2013 and 14 were around 10th of March