eFestivals interviews Stuart Galbraith

[5co77ie]

I've just got off the phone to the Sonisphere organiser, you can read the full interview next week but here's a few facts he told me that you might like to know:

1. Bohemia will run all day - so if you don't like the acts on the main stage there's a chance to check out all the stuff happening in this area - sounds like it's a whole 'mini-festival'. It will be in the bowl part of the Knebsowrth site (for those of you who have been before).

2. There are completely the traffic plans and he's fairly certain there won't be the usual traffic carnage.

3. Day tickets are something they are considering - although no definite answer on this.

4. there will be real ale! (Yesss!!!!) and the bars will be be cash not tokens.

5. there is a focus group of fans who will be going up to see the plans for the festival and will discuss the plans before the event takes place.

6. the two stages definitely won't clash, and like the latter days of Monsters Of Rock the two stages will be about the same distance apart as when it went multi-stage, about five minutes walk between the two with the distraction of a bar between them.

7. They're in talks about televising it.

8. The burger vans will still be there but there will be a wealth of other world food options too - a great thing for Knebworth IMHO.

read the full interview online next week.

[BobbyG]

Nice grab Scottmeister, could have let me do it!

[Lithium05]

Has there been any word on campfires?

[kaosmark2]

4. there will be real ale! (Yesss!!!!) and the bars will be be cash not tokens.

[beLIEveR]

Real ale is fantastic news (albeit probably irrelevant as I don't drink much in the arena itself and few guards work out how I get mine in).

Will be interesting to see how they manage to sort out day tickets. If they price it too low then few people are going to buy weekend tickets next year (if applicable), but if they price it too high then few will bother.

[t8yman]

Real ale is fantastic news (albeit probably irrelevant as I don't drink much in the arena itself and few guards work out how I get mine in).

Will be interesting to see how they manage to sort out day tickets. If they price it too low then few people are going to buy weekend tickets next year (if applicable), but if they price it too high then few will bother.

[beLIEveR]

If one day is selling the festival, why would day tickets be a waste of time?

Not many more people are going to pay £160 for one day they like and one day they don't, so surely day tickets make a lot of sense? Even if one day doesn't sell at all, the other day would sell by the bucketload.

Of course, if they sell day tickets too cheaply, they'll be completely shooting themselves in the foot as far as any future years are concerned. I'm making the arrogant assumption that I'm a typical punter, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (except you kipper).

I do like the look of this festival and despite the price and niggling little things thus far, if it's a good weekend I will most likely be returning. But I already won't be buying early next year if I go (I'll wait for the better deal), and if day tickets don't cost as much as weekend with camping then both days would have to be amazing to convince me to camp again.

[biffoire]

Has anyone any idea when the full interview is going up?

Is it up already? Just I can't see it.

[Rancidpunk_76]

I've been looking for that too! Any clue Mr Efests??

[t8yman]

If one day is selling the festival, why would day tickets be a waste of time?

[biffoire]

at this stage, becuase if there are 30000 tickets left, and they start to sell day tickets, they will sell 30,000 sunday tickets, and maybe 5000 saturday tickets, leaving them with 25000 saturday tickets unsold.

they can really only do the day ticket thing once they have absolutely exhausted the weekend market. they will hold out for as long as they can, just like download do.

[Mamba]

It's still 2 months away, remember. They can leave it another month before even thinking about selling day tickets. Download only put day tickets on sale about 3 weeks ago (that's a guess!).

They well know that the second they put them on sale, they can pretty much guarantee selling out Sunday.

[t8yman]

Or they could implement some kind of "founder members club" or similar and further disenfranchise early adopters who have already convinced all tjeir mates to go, and continue to give latecomers free trnsport and massive discounts on computer games. Its not like they are desperate is it?

[Paul W]

They have. I just got this email:

Welcome to the Club!

FMC Number: (edited out)

As you may be aware the Sonisphere Community has already started to grow with the message boards, street teams, Twitter, Facebook and the focus group. We really want what happens at this festival to be influenced by the ticket buyers, who are effectively also buying a stake in it, so this community growth is really making us proud.

In order to show our appreciation to those fans that showed support for the very first Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth House by purchasing tickets right at the beginning, we have created the SONISPHERE FMC (FOUNDER MEMBERS CLUB). This email contains your unique membership number. If you purchased tickets on behalf of other people, they should individually email us here to get a membership number, quoting the ticket order reference.

FMC Benefits

There are four levels of membership. Everyone gets Bronze membership. Bronze members can get pro-active to help build the festival and in turn convert their membership to Silver, Gold and finally Black membership, accessing further benefits.

This is how it works:

BRONZE

You are already a BRONZE member and the benefits are:

A special bronze fabric wristband on entry to the site instead of the standard festival wristband (for camping ticket holders only).

Invitation to the first ever Sonisphere FMC Annual Party which will take place on the Friday evening in Bohemia – including non-campers.

Regular email updates* with news on Sonisphere and other events PLUS presales on selected Kilimanjaro rock shows.

SILVER

If you refer a friend who then quotes your membership number when buying a weekend OR a weekend with camping ticket, your membership will be upgraded to SILVER.

You will then receive all of the Bronze membership benefits – PLUS:

A special silver fabric wristband (instead of bronze) on entry to the site (for camping ticket holders only).

A limited edition FMC festival t-shirt.

Use of the FMC fast-track entry lane into the festival/campsite which will be open between midday and midnight on the Friday which will be the busiest hours.

The ticket buyer will receive an invitation to the party so that you can hang out together – this includes non-campers.

If you have TWO tickets sold using your membership number, you will receive TWO t-shirts and the ticket buyers will receive TWO invitations.

GOLD

If FOUR weekend OR weekend with camping tickets are bought using your membership number, your membership will be upgraded to GOLD. In addition to the Bronze and Silver membership benefits, you will also receive:

A special gold fabric wristband (instead of bronze or silver) on entry to the site (for camping ticket holders only).

A FREE weekend with camping ticket for Sonisphere 2010!!

Plus all of the ticket buyers will receive invitations to the party– including non-campers.

BLACK

The ultimate level of membership can be achieved when your membership number has been used to buy a total of SEVEN weekend OR weekend with camping tickets. As before, you receive the benefits of the previous membership levels, plus:

The most rock festival wristband available in black fabric on entry to the site (for camping ticket holders only).

TWO guest wristbands which will get you and a fellow ticket holder access to the BACKSTAGE VIP AREA for 2009.

Plus all of the ticket buyers will receive invitations to the party– including non-campers.

FMC Party

Please note that you must register to attend the party which will take place during the early evening of Friday 31st July. To do this, email us here and include your membership number. Please note that you must register to attend the party which will take place during the early evening of Friday 31st July. To do this, email us here and include your membership number.

Make sure your friends have your full and correct FMC number when they order their tickets.

All the ticket referrals will be logged to your FMC account and once you have referred enough of your friends, you will receive your new level of FMC membership and all the benefits that come with it.

The man in know with all things FMC will be Raz. If there's anything you need to know about the Sonisphere FMC, talk to him. Welcome to the club.

[Mamba]

They're getting pretty creative with the desperation ideas!

[t8yman]

theres a good idea for a competition. Guess the best technique for grabbing the last few ticket sales out there, and we will offer for Dale Winton and Hulk Hogan to tag team bum your granny on stage.

[Rancidpunk_76]

If anybody still hasn't bought their tickets and wants to contribute towards boosting my FMC club membership - simply quote 1k933376 when ordering your tickets

Cheers m'dears!

[biffoire]

My mate bought 3 tickets last week! Nice one Soni... another gimmick that kicks the early adopter in the nuts!!

Edited June 3, 2009 by biffoire

[The sloth]

And to think... I bought tickets early cuz I didn't want to miss out.

At least it'll be easy to get to the front for Metallica

[beLIEveR]

Anyone who's complaining about this one is a tool.

I've been one of the most critical people about Sonisphere on here, but credit where it's due, they're doing something that only benefits the early buyers and our friends.

I'm surprised no-one else has pointed out the fact that Corey Taylor and Dirty Little Rabbits will be at the festival, and that no other details of this party have been revealed.

[t8yman]

Anyone who's complaining about this one is a tool.

I've been one of the most critical people about Sonisphere on here, but credit where it's due, they're doing something that only benefits the early buyers and our friends.

I'm surprised no-one else has pointed out the fact that Corey Taylor and Dirty Little Rabbits will be at the festival, and that no other details of this party have been revealed.

[biffoire]

so am I a tool? I bought 2 tickets the minute they went on sale, and 3 weeks later convinced 6 of my mates to go - and I stand to get NOTHING from this whatsoever - not even a stupid f**king bronze wristband becuase I aren't camping myself.

late buyers are getting better deals all over, and they offer an invite to a shitty "party" and "offers of exclusive presales"and the entire (with a couple of exceptions) arse kissing message board start spunking all over their sonisphere adverts in Kerrap!

"Oooh thanks sonisphere"

get a grip man.

Edited June 4, 2009 by biffoire

[Lithium05]

so am I a tool? I bought 2 tickets the minute they went on sale, and 3 weeks later convinced 6 of my mates to go - and I stand to get NOTHING from this whatsoever - not even a stupid f**king bronze wristband becuase I aren't camping myself.

late buyers are getting better deals all over, and they offer an invite to a shitty "party" and "offers of exclusive presales"and the entire (with a couple of exceptions) arse kissing message board start spunking all over their sonisphere adverts in Kerrap!

"Oooh thanks sonisphere"

get a grip man.

[5co77ie]

would help if I actually put the link to the interview!!!!!!

click here

and before anyone says it doesn't mention day tickets, that's because now we know there's no point adding a reference to the possibility - and there's nothing else chopped from it.

[kaosmark2]

Mildly interesting. Although it's already been mentioned, ale being available is really good news. This quote re H+H amuses me "The thought of having the strains of Black Sabbath songs going out over Knebworth park fills me with excitement. I think that will be fantastic." Shows the lack of value the name Heaven and Hell has.