Lineup 2018

[Guest]

Just now, thelemon said:

Funny you are

thanks

[Matt42]

This is the worst reading lineup ever. It’s not going to mature over time and I highly doubt people are going to be looking back and thinking “woah fall out boy and panic headlining? What good bookings!”.

The only saving factor is that they’ve booked Kendrick Lamar, however it feels like he is carrying the lineup. The undercard is beige by all standards, it seems like the bookers are trying too hard to appeal to a certain type of festival attendee. It feels the festival no longer cares about credibility because they aren’t tying to be credible anymore. It’s like the success of Glastonbury, Parklife, Boomtown in the past few years has caused Reading to just give up... as they can’t compete with the thematic qualities of Glasto or Boomtown, and they can’t pull together a lineup to rival any other festival. They’ve just accepted defeat at this point...

[Gucci Piggy]

9 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Who the hell are Shame and why are they so high? I’d have expected Billy Talent to be a slot higher. 

Released one of the best albums of the year and are better than nigh on every act on the lineup.

Them being above Billy Talent is baffling, though.

[Guest]

I honestly don't think it's much lower in quality compared to last year. Of course the full lineup isn't out yet, but when you compare the obvious placings then I'd say it's on the same level. FOB and KoL are just boring headliners.

[Gucci Piggy]

1 minute ago, SomeoneListeningIn said:

I honestly don't think it's much lower in quality compared to last year. Of course the full lineup isn't out yet, but when you compare the obvious placings then I'd say it's on the same level. FOB and KoL are just boring headliners.

Yeah outside of the headliners it's now a pretty standard R&L lineup, but unfortunately it's pretty hard to look past how awful three of the four headline bookings are.

It's still shite in terms of quality, mind. Barely anyone I'd wanna see.

[UndergroundSound]

13 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Who the hell are Shame and why are they so high? I’d have expected Billy Talent to be a slot higher. 

Shame are a new punk (?) band who I think are pretty original and have a lot of potential. Their sound isn't for everyone yet somehow their amazing debut album stayed in the top 40 in it's first week and they have been growing so fast since. I was really hoping to see them there this year so I'm very glad. Agreed though they are getting pretty high slots at festivals but i don't think that's a bad thing, they are far better and more original than the likes of the hunna and the sherlocks.

Edited February 23, 2018 by UndergroundSound

[TheWaters]

2 minutes ago, SomeoneListeningIn said:

I honestly don't think it's much lower in quality compared to last year. Of course the full lineup isn't out yet, but when you compare the obvious placings then I'd say it's on the same level. FOB and KoL are just boring headliners.

Besides the baffling Deaf Havana slot equal to what Halsey, Tory Lanez and Glass Animals had last year, I'd agree.

[Gucci Piggy]

1 minute ago, TheWaters said:

Besides the baffling Deaf Havana slot equal to what Halsey, Tory Lanez and Glass Animals had last year, I'd agree.

Tbf I still don't have a fucking clue who Tory Lanez is other than the fact every time I Shazam a song my flatmate is blasting through the wall it's by Tory Lanez.

Not the Imagine Dragons flatmate btw. It's constant Imagine Dragons from one side and Tory Lanez from the other.

[R Shah]

If you look at 2016 foals/disclosure and biffy/fob was considered very weak and rightly so. But then they rhcp to save it all and make the whole thing seem so much better. There werent too many bands around so glasto had muse, titp had rhcp and stone roses and reading had rhcp. We know for certain foo fighters have a tour gap in august. There is no way in a million years dave grohl would ever say no to reading - I dont understand what happened there. As for AM, they could still be doing shows so who knows. But KOL had absolutely nothing scheduled and if you're going to approach a band who has nothing schdeuled at least go for green day, radiohead, the strokes, metallica surely

[Gucci Piggy]

4 minutes ago, R Shah said:

If you look at 2016 foals/disclosure and biffy/fob was considered very weak and rightly so. But then they rhcp to save it all and make the whole thing seem so much better. There werent too many bands around so glasto had muse, titp had rhcp and stone roses and reading had rhcp. We know for certain foo fighters have a tour gap in august. There is no way in a million years dave grohl would ever say no to reading - I dont understand what happened there. As for AM, they could still be doing shows so who knows. But KOL had absolutely nothing scheduled and if you're going to approach a band who has nothing schdeuled at least go for green day, radiohead, the strokes, metallica surely

They have Kendrick who's 10x the booking RHCP was in 2016.

Just because they managed to get one act who has nothing planned that doesn't mean they could have got any act who has nothing planned. Julian Casablancas is busy with The Voidz, anyway, and the other three bands can pretty much do what they want. KoL probably wouldn't get to headline R&L in usual circumstances so it makes sense for them to do it if they're offered it.

[KingPin]

It's shit compared to last year, which was shit compared to 2016 (the last legitimately good year), with 2014 being the last great year. Unfortunately since we've had the new booker since 2013 the line ups have consistently gotten worse and worse year on year, and I don't see it changing for the good any time soon either.

[R Shah]

31 minutes ago, Gucci Piggy said:

They have Kendrick who's 10x the booking RHCP was in 2016.

Just because they managed to get one act who has nothing planned that doesn't mean they could have got any act who has nothing planned. Julian Casablancas is busy with The Voidz, anyway, and the other three bands can pretty much do what they want. KoL probably wouldn't get to headline R&L in usual circumstances so it makes sense for them to do it if they're offered it.

I still can't understand what could have gone wrong with foo fighters though. 

[Steve1000]

7 minutes ago, R Shah said:

I still can't understand what could have gone wrong with foo fighters though. 

They fancy a break? They're rich enough and couldn't justify the travel and other expenses and inconveniences for the price they were offered?

Honestly, I don't have a clue but they definitely tried there hardest to get them, they know this is a terrible lineup and they're not stupid.

 

[jkerr4412]

2 hours ago, Chris Vincent said:

Is there still any chance of Rat Boy or nah?

When I asked Jordan he said probably not but he couldn't rule it out 

[Chinaski_]

Melvin comments just sum up how out of touch they are. Booking bands from 10 years ago does not make the line up strong. Fair enough if they were critically acclaimed or rare, but they're bands who play all the time and appeal to a small audience. 

[kev1664]

The new additions make it a more rounded festival, but there's still nothing really exciting in terms of rock or indie in there. Bands in there like the Kooks and wombats, I'd much have preferred to see Chvrches, Pixies, weezer, MGMT, Gaslight Anthem.

I could easily make a day or two out of that. However the FOB day is pants.

I have friends who live in Leeds and Friday could shape up well. Billy Talent, Slaves, The vaccines and Courteeners and KOL (if the setlist is half decent). I could easily make that a decent day out.

I'm at a wedding down south on the Sunday, so a Saturday Reading day ticket is also possible and is shaping up okay for me. Pendulum/Papa Roach, Sum 41,  with still a lot to be added main could be doable.

Doing that, I'd have finally been to both fests, allowing final and overruling judgement on which fest is better.

Edited February 23, 2018 by kev1664

[Steve1000]

I think I'll see the 3 NME headliners but I'd much rather have ended my nights with Pendulum, Papa Roach, Kate Nash. That day's a bastard.

[Capes]

This interview with Melvin explains explains something if you believe it: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43174013

There were strong rumours that Arctic Monkeys would headline one of the nights. Were they ever in contention?

Not really. The Arctic Monkeys have headlined Reading and Leeds twice before so they're an act we're always talking to. Was it ever likely for this year? No, it wasn't. They've got their own plans.

You sort of know when someone's around and wanting to play, and it wasn't clear to us that they wanted to play, so we didn't push too hard.

Kings Of Leon are one of my favourite guitar bands. I adore them.

[Diamond24]

How can Melvin say the following with a straight face after the headliners they've booked?

"You can't keep drumming up the same acts and expect people to continue to come and see them.

"Festivals have to be a reflection of what the public are listening to."

[Andre91]

5 minutes ago, Diamond24 said:

How can Melvin say the following with a straight face after the headliners they've booked?

"You can't keep drumming up the same acts and expect people to continue to come and see them.

"Festivals have to be a reflection of what the public are listening to."

Well, when it comes to hip hop, indie and dance music, there are a tonne of relevant, current acts that have been booked. Yeah, there are some past-their-sell-by-date acts like FOB, The Kooks, Pendulum and Wombats but to take Melvin’s comments and say that he is completely wrong is completely wrong. 

Edited February 23, 2018 by Andre91

[KingPin]

24 minutes ago, Capes said:

This interview with Melvin explains explains something if you believe it: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43174013

There were strong rumours that Arctic Monkeys would headline one of the nights. Were they ever in contention?

Not really. The Arctic Monkeys have headlined Reading and Leeds twice before so they're an act we're always talking to. Was it ever likely for this year? No, it wasn't. They've got their own plans.

You sort of know when someone's around and wanting to play, and it wasn't clear to us that they wanted to play, so we didn't push too hard.

Kings Of Leon are one of my favourite guitar bands. I adore them.

He's probably just trying to save face from the shit line up they've booked.

[TheWaters]

It's looking to me like Creeper and Fickle Friends are possibly going to clash and I really don't know what to do.

[Mattymooz]

7 minutes ago, TheWaters said:

It's looking to me like Creeper and Fickle Friends are possibly going to clash and I really don't know what to do.

Go see Creeper imo, ngl Fickle Friends were pretty mediocre last time they played that stage (compared to when they did Community and their own shows, my mates who had never seen them before siad they were good but it aint the best environemnt to see them tbh)

[TheWaters]

Just now, Mattymooz said:

Go see Creeper imo, ngl Fickle Friends were pretty mediocre last time they played that stage (compared to when they did Community and their own shows, my mates who had never seen them before siad they were good but it aint the best environemnt to see them tbh)

Considering you're like the biggest Fickle Friends fan I know, I'll take your advice lmao. Cheers mate.

[Mattymooz]

24 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Well, when it comes to hip hop, indie and dance music, there are a tonne of relevant, current acts that have been booked. Yeah, there are some past-their-sell-by-date acts like FOB, The Kooks, Pendulum and Wombats but to take Melvin’s comments and say that he is completely wrong is completely wrong. 

Imo if they had gotten Foos and Royal Blood instead of FOB and KoL. Then ditch Panic and replace Kooks with Don Broco.... i would have probs gone... such an easy change but this is awful