Benj
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Posts posted by Benj
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2 hours ago, gfa said:
Fontaines will be busy with the people who like indie / rock
but plenty of people won't care and won't even know who they are and will be elsewhere - definitely not going to be a massive crowd, likely similar crowd to what Wombats etc get whenever they play
Yup, they’re not a mainstream band and won’t bring a mainstream crowd
Not much else for people to see yet mind…
Without a 5th stage, yet alone 6th, things currently are looking as bare as the last 3 years
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14 hours ago, WhoOdyssey said:
I think Aitch has a decent fanbase. Although we'll see how true that is soon as he released his first single in quite a while today.
If he fails it will deffo be a sign the scene had pretty much gone.
Are there any new Ardees, or whoever coming out this year?
We're also still not sure if there's gonna be a 1 Xtra tent at all this year are we?
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1 hour ago, WhoOdyssey said:
Interestingly, it's looking to chart higher than AJ Tracey's new single (which could miss the Top 100 altogether) - not something I'd have predicted a couple of years ago!
It seems to be a bit of a tough time for UK rap if you name isn't Central Cee or Dave. Even Headie One's new collab with Stormzy is going to barely scrape the Top 40 - that would've been a Top 10 hit in 2019.
Just standard trend rotation, it was never gonna last long, esp in the modern age when everything moves quicker.Esp for a genre where there is so many acts based on hype that can’t be maintained
A lot of it already already seems horribly cliched and laughably bad, like Britpop acts in the early 00s
Which acts from that scene will actially have legs? Stormzy, Dave… who else?
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1 hour ago, gfa said:
Guessing you've not been to IOW lol. very similar audiences despite the quite different booking policies
Yes it worked. Nothing like tired generalisations to boost internet engagement
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1 hour ago, charlierc said:
That could be more of a shout. Maybe also Latitude?
Yop, more Guradianny Lattitudey than Chavvy IOWy really
Trying to channel the Chad888 vibes to generate some engagement 😆-
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38 minutes ago, WhoOdyssey said:
He's got a big ol' fanbase. Even though he's not had a proper "hit" for a while, he's racked up some pretty massive streaming numbers in the last couple of years. I think it all happened during lockdown.
I'm not sure he would headline tbh, but I think it's a definite possibility.
Can see him doing a couple of big o2 shows or similar, as per GFA though, I don’t think his audience are festival going types, those who’d got to R&L anyway.
IOW perhaps?
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7 hours ago, Chad888 said:
I am fully with you, and this has been the drum I've banged for the last 4 years.
They haven't been giving an undercard to enjoy and instead everybody sits in the campsite drinking and getting more wound up, then after the final show they unleash that pent up frustration by rioting/burning things down.
When you look at 2018 festival, it was derided as awful at the time, and it really started the kick off into the 'end times' and regeneration of the festival. Looking back at the lineup, it was actually quite stacked with artists that made it big.
Most people on here responding to my complaining always said "it just shows FRs ability at spotting talent, they can tell who will be big and thats a bonus".
BMTH and Biffy Clyro starting out playing 10th Main Stage is a far different band and show to BMTH and Biffy headliners.
I always said, as part of my 2 main stage whining, that one of the issues it would cause them long term is that as line ups aged they’d look worse than prior ones with more stages. It’s simple maths.
Less acts will clearly mean less acts that make it big in future.
There was also a heightened chance they’d miss out on the next Eilish or Post Malone
You look back at 2021 now and who’s properly popped from that? Jack Harlow maybe? Humberston next biggest shout?
Otherwise I can’t see many acts at all that would play much higher, with actual excitement and it’s hard to see many growing at this point
2022 looks similar. There’s not much there you can see getting much bigger. A few acts have moved from FR to low main but that’s about it
I think as much is probably caused by how music is consumed now too, people get less big in the main, people have big songs vs big catalogues.
Im not sure it will ever come close when you look at lineups as a whole. It doesn’t mean you won’t see a lot of great music or have a great time though
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32 minutes ago, Chad888 said:
Lacking big names on the undercard TODAY.
I think in 20 years people will be looking at this lineup and say how stacked it was, because 10 or so names have headlined and others are big well known names that would shift tickets in 2044.
Back in 2004 you had Razlorlight 7th down, The Streets 5th down, Bloc Party opening R1 stage, Alexisonfire on their Pit stage, and Kaiser Chiefs on the introducing stage.
The only problem being it’s not 2044
2004 was also THE worst Reading festival I’ve been to out of 25 (and I went to two Two Main Stage Festivals)
Even if 5 or 6 bands go on to become massive, it doesn’t stop it necessarily being shite today… esp as today you can easily listen to all those bands lower down and determine that you don’t like them right now…
That said, I’ve not yet and looking forward to doing so, I’ll no doubt find a couple of crackers
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Yup....... DEAD ANNOUNCEMENT
Thats our lot too...
Anyone rushing to get tickets off that?
...Nope
So much promise that they let go
Given that no other ticket category bar Saturday has shifted to the point theyre trying to charge people more, Im guessing now we should be assuming the same kind of attendance as last year on the other days?
Or can people see any of the listed artists blowing up?
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1 hour ago, Andre91 said:
Kid Kapichi, Bears In Trees and DJ Semtex are the only people I know from that 😂
I saw DJ Semtex YEARS ago supporting Dizzee Rascal.
think I may recognise 4 🤣well this will deffo get the tickets flying…
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1 minute ago, Logan1996 said:
May be early doors to think about it , but based on last few years surely we should be expecting announcement this month/near future
experince over the last few years has suggested that the longer you wait the worse the announcement seems to get -
22 minutes ago, Andre91 said:
It isn’t. The Main Stage didn’t routinely have 9 acts on for years before it went to two Main Stages. It used to be 9 each day in 2010/11 but pretty soon after that it was always 8, with the exception being the day Billie Eilish was moved to the Main Stage in 2019.
This is not the case.
Every day in 2019 had 9 acts
every day in 2018 had 9 acts
etc etc…
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13 hours ago, Andre91 said:
The Story So Far to play the R1 Stage at some point that day because I can’t see the Main Stage having 9 acts.
Yet more shrinkflation if so
…and they’ll still be scratching their heads as to why no one is paying £350 to go Leeds
They’ll be opening the gates at 2pm by 2026
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33 minutes ago, Sam Y said:
Just checked and they've sold out the two dates
They deffo hadn’t yesterday 🤣 just my luck
…or maybe I didn’t click far enough
Impressive then, esp if it’s the two nights, although it will no doubt dent Reading demand, it certainly very much proves remaining relevance.
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52 minutes ago, gfa said:
TBH I think the lineup is 100% there
the issue is the price. my first one it was £250 ish now its close to £400. obviously a lot of people get the money from parents but its got to the point where its a lot to even ask off parents, especially when everyone is holding back on spending.
for the young people with saturday jobs etc its like a whole months wage basically. they need to find a way to reign in the cost, its more than Glastonbury this year even!! (probably for the first time ever?)
Yup, without a doubt and that’s without transport and spending money…
This is the problem though if they’re going to charge those prices, they need to target wider demographics, esp those with more disposable income.
You can’t produce a lineup for kids and then charge prices kids can not afford…
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4 hours ago, Andre91 said:
The only evidence I have to go off of is when I camped at Leeds 2021, we were surrounded by two different groups of around fifteen to twenty 17 and 18 year olds and every single one of them was excited for Catfish. Catfish also had the biggest crowd I’ve seen at MSW that year too, so yeah, I would say that a lot of 20 and unders are going to be wanting to see them this year.
3 years ago…
They’ll do fine, I suspect there will be many, many kids that don’t give the slightest of f**ks though, I reckon Raye will get a bigger crowd
Just noticed they’ve not managed to sell out 10,000 tickets at Cardiff Castle…
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38 minutes ago, Andre91 said:
The kids will be staying for Catfish and LG (especially LG). There’s no doubting that. He’s some sort of higher being in their eyes.
They didn’t all stay last time, there was a huge migration out on the Sunday
Are a load of under 20s really still into CATBM too?
Again my anecdotal is limited to 3 16-20 year olds (2 of which have been to reading, indeed one left on the Sunday 2021 pre Gallagher) but they couldn’t be less interested…
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29 minutes ago, glastorome said:
I haven't been to Leeds since 2019 but the Sunday run of Fred-Lana-Raye was too good to pass up, it'll be interesting to see how full it is on the Sunday as I think that top three will be a big pull for all ages, Im 42.
If the Chevron stage is a success that will pull in a different crowd to previous years, in previous years there was no where on the R&L lineup for the likes of The Prodigy to play. We'll be seeing Goddard on that stage on the Sunday to see what that stage is like.
I’d assume the Fred Lana day will be by far the busiest at the main stage at both sites
The Gallagher, CATBM day will be interesting to see. With it being Sunday, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the kids eff off early that day, the alternatives for anyone under 20 are pretty slim post 21 Savage. (This is with the assumption they’re not all mad into Skrillex)
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1 hour ago, glastorome said:
Leeds has always tried to cater to a younger market, this year feels like a rebrand though after the 2 main stage experiment.
The younger market is no longer selling out the festival though and they seem to have turned off a lot of the older crowd over the, thankfully shortlived, 2 main stage era, with no one else to see why Willow Smith, Mimi Webb etc are on....
It would be interesting if they could encourage those people back with blatant nostalgia grabs, given its clearly something that sells so well now.Its obvious a richer demographic more likely to spend more on-site too, so FR must be desperate to court them back, having lost them to the smaller festivals etc...
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2 minutes ago, gfa said:
Foos and RHCP fit way better with the audience though - sure they bring their own fans in just like RHCP and Foos do, but theres a lot less crossover i'd say
3rd top is generous honestly - their own shows are really not big and they headline very small fests nowadays (hence probably can't agree a slot)
Yup. FR headliner almost seems like the best spot, maybe just about R1 tent headliner?
I guess this is why they’re not booked…they’re not a mainstream staple, yet can prob still earn a fair bit more elsewhere than it would be cost effected for Reading to put them in a slot that would provide value to the lineup
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29 minutes ago, Andre91 said:
Totally skipped over The Libertines. I don’t think they’ll ever return either.
Metallica could be booked at any time still, I think. Ubiquitously huge band like Foos and RHCP who will always bring in the punters.
I think they could both be back, in The Libertines case obv not as headliners (3rd top at best?) but I think both bands are worth more to other festivals so may never be made an attractive offer that seems them there.
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1 hour ago, gfa said:
3 messages to get through so bare with on this one! There's far too much to reply to so will just reply to some key bits
Those acts all maintained their headline status here and abroad, feel like the indie ones never did e.g. Manics. Some indie acts as you said have maintained it - although a lot of the big ones parted ways which didn't help. By not having headliners together it makes it harder to hold onto the audience perhaps.
Blur Pulp Stone Roses all have been sparse since 2000 as far as the pre 00s ones go. Most of the 00s ones are
The Strokes couldn't headline - not the main slot anyway. Kasabian couldn't either - not post-Tom
I think r.e. courteeneers it probably helps their biggest song is aimed directly at about a good 20% Reading's core audience, 19 year olds. Sure it doesn't do all the work - but its a song that will never cease to be relevant, just like how people want AM to play their early stuff about nights out in sheffield etc
Its strange acts like Franz and Razorlight never returned. Oversight really - I guess its cheaper to get acts that are 'blowing up' - something which happens much quicker now maybe?
Razorlight not so much but an act like Franz who have a bit more going on i.e. acclaim etc (bloc party also come to mind) have more choices and a lot of fests are after them. Franz could play almost any mid-large festival in the uk and wouldn't look out of place i think
The question is (or at least the one I want answered) is why did they die so quickly, to never be allowed a return…
Maybe it’s as simple as the alternative scene back then was a lot more about being ‘alternative’, as was the festival
Reading was a properly alternative event 90s to 2003-05ish, it wasn’t the thing ALL leavers went to.
Being popular was not alternative. It wasn’t cool, no one going to Reading would suddenly be seen dead listening to Travis, once their mum was singing along to “Why does it always rain on me”, no one wanted to be associated with them.
These days the festival is mainstream and acts becoming mainstream does not kill their appeal to the audience.
How many acts who’ve headlined (as in MSE not sub heads), in the last 10 years do we think would never be booked at the festival again?
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2 hours ago, CharlotteB said:
They'll have their time again. Everything seems to come back round for better or worse 😂
That’s the thing they’re all back now, even the likes of Shed 7, Echobelly, Sleeper, Cast… The Courteeners equivalents of the time, 2-3 massive numbers that were indie club stalwarts, amongst a general sea of dross, have had new records out in the last 3-4 years and Reading hasn’t come close to touching them.
They were cast out by the new generation
Ultimately I think the ‘indie’ scene has just not changed since the mid to late 00s. It’s not been THE scene like Britpop was in the late 90s.
Arctic Monkeys turned up, set the standard and nothing new or better has come along to kill off the likes of Courteeners etc. They’ve not been cast out and there has been nothing new to replace them.
‘Dark Fruits’ has become its own thing, a niche, throw back sub genre that in and of itself has only produced one bona fide new star (Although harsh perhaps to pigeon hole Fender like that) that I can think of.
…oh and Catfish I guess, if they can be classed as a bona fide star. They’re the perfect example of endless chances I guess.
Suede, Travis, Stereophonics all headlined in the late 90s /early 2000s for the first time and never played the festival again.
Same for Franz Ferdinand and Razorlight in the mid 00s
All bands that were relatively new (on 3rd, 4th LPs at most), suddenly gone and easily replaced by the festival.
I guess they’d kill for a similar carousel of replaceable talent these days
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34 minutes ago, gfa said:
Those rock bands you stated are headliners though - headliners of all genres stick around e.g. Eminem too
Acts below headliner level are less solidified and therefore come and go i guess, sure theres no manics but its not like theres really lower main stage older rock acts that stick around either
Kids know Green Day Gallagher etc as they are big names who are headliners and therefore still on the radio a bit etc - very few in comparison know Manics or Placebo, more niche acts (still not very niche but niche enough that very few in the core reading age bracket care)
A lot more of them will know about the courteeners than manics/placebo - thats for sure!
My question isn’t so much why they’re not playing today. That is obvious (although I think with the nostalgia boom, 2-3 could help sales to the older types)
My question is why these bands were all dropped like a stone within 5 years of their peak, while Courteeners are still there 15 years past theirs
I think maybe The Strokes are the answer, they turned up and completely changed the indie scene over night.
All these droney, post Britpop efforts suddenly sounded like the old farts and completely ignored by the next generation…
Of 2000-2005ish era, it’s only really Kasabian and Stroked from the Indie scene who have survived really, to the point they could still just about headline.
As discussed Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, Razorlight all came and went, while the following gen, Courteeners, Wombats etc… have managed to have some proper longevity…
Killers are another I’ve obv forgotten about in all this rambling!
2025 R&L Festival
in Reading & Leeds Festivals
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Yup, who asked for this?
Other than the living members accountants…