2012

[kipper64]

I think if anyone else had "first choice" they'd be there instead of Sonisphere to be honest. Most festivals would kill to have them on the line up. Whether or not Sonisphere thought they'd be a possibility is another matter, but to think they only booked them because of "slim pickings" is just wrong. I'm not sure how they managed to swing it, probably the Knebworth thing more than anything, but it's not a lazy last minute sort of booking by any means.

[biffoire]

http://www.purplerevolver.com/music/on-the-road/121696-foo-fighters-and-red-hot-chili-peppers-rumoured-for-sonisphere-2012.html

No mention of queen there.

So what I'm saying is, they haven't got many headliners to approach for various reasons, so they're having to think outside their comfort zone.

It's a syndrome of the industry and forsaw it the year soni started. 2 major uk rock/metal festivals with only a limited amount of headliners.

[spitfireman]

I wouldn't be surprised if Queen did something like AC/DC did at Download in 2010 - bring loads of their own stuff along and almost make their headline act a separate Gig. Remember the AC/DC stage at Download???

Sonisphere would definitely want Queen - but now they have to get a suitable undercard ( or whatever you want to call it!) to prevent the festival from losing its reputation and general good vibe.

Oh and btw 'Jump' i've obviously heard of FNM but only listened to their one or two most popular songs in the past and didn't really care to venture further into their back catalogue!!??!?!?!?!!??!!?. Personally i prefer Queen .... but ideally without Mr Lambert, obviously!

[biffoire]

We'll be able to see the 3 headliners in context when announced and can see how good a booking it is.

I never implied Queen was a lazy or last minute booking. My implication is more that there aren't a lot of alternative rock headliners available/willing to play.

And that Queen would not be top of their list of bands to book.

[kipper64]

Those articles took quotes out of context actually, if you watch the press release you'll see for yourself.

Stuart was asked "Would you consider booking bands like RHCP and Foo Fighters", and his answer was "Yeah, definitely, we're actually in talks with them, and we'd always consider bands like them as well as bands like Green Day and Blink 182". So he wasn't listing off bands he was after/in talks with, he was listing lighter bands that would be considered, the only reason RHCP and Foos were mentioned was because the journalist asked about them specifically.

I agree that they'll need to look out of their comfort zone, but that was always going to be the case anyways, even if it was just Download on it's own, bands like metallica and iron maiden will only be around so long, and can only play in the UK so often that even a single festival would need to be a bit more imaginative in it's booking. Which isn't a bad thing in my eyes, bit of diversity is always nice, assuming the bands are actually good.

[jump]

I think if anyone else had "first choice" they'd be there instead of Sonisphere to be honest. Most festivals would kill to have them on the line up. Whether or not Sonisphere thought they'd be a possibility is another matter, but to think they only booked them because of "slim pickings" is just wrong. I'm not sure how they managed to swing it, probably the Knebworth thing more than anything, but it's not a lazy last minute sort of booking by any means.

Edited February 6, 2012 by jump

[eFestivals]

Most festivals would kill to have them on the line up.

Not sure about that.

No matter how much of a big draw they might turn out to be with Adam Lambert fronting them for their own shows, that doesn't necessarily translate into festival sales.

It's a very difficult one to judge how well they'd sell a festival (cos it's not been done yet), but I lean towards the 'not fantasticly' side of things. Of the 'hardcore' Queen fans who'd happily see them indoors I reckon they'll only get a small proportion at a festival, and for more casual people who might take an interest the Queen line-up is going to be enough to put many off.

The one thing Soni does have going for it to help counteract that is its location. Being so near to the main source of money and the major conabation is going to help sell tickets.

Unfortunately that'll come with it's own downside too, which is that many are likely to just buy day tickets and will only turn up to watch Queen - which will impact on the overall festival atmosphere.

[kipper64]

Well I guess it remains to be seen. Considering the success of the Q+PR tours, I can't really see it not being a popular booking over all, and I'd imagine at more 'mainstream' festivals that'd be an even better booking. As for the day tickets thing, I don't see it being as much of an issue, Sonisphere generally don't sell many day tickets because the camping capacity isn't too far off arena capacity, so unless your die hard queen fans hold out and not enough people buy camping, only then will there be a lot of day ticketers, and I can't really see that happening, not to the scale it'd have a noticeable effect on the festivals atmosphere. I think a lot of people assuming the other 2 headliners are pleasing to the rock crowd, will be more than happy to shell out for a weekend ticket. I think (despite the complaining) a lot of people would at least be somewhat interested in watching Queen because of the rarity factor.

[eFestivals]

Well I guess it remains to be seen. Considering the success of the Q+PR tours, I can't really see it not being a popular booking over all, and I'd imagine at more 'mainstream' festivals that'd be an even better booking. As for the day tickets thing, I don't see it being as much of an issue, Sonisphere generally don't sell many day tickets because the camping capacity isn't too far off arena capacity, so unless your die hard queen fans hold out and not enough people buy camping, only then will there be a lot of day ticketers, and I can't really see that happening, not to the scale it'd have a noticeable effect on the festivals atmosphere. I think a lot of people assuming the other 2 headliners are pleasing to the rock crowd, will be more than happy to shell out for a weekend ticket. I think (despite the complaining) a lot of people would at least be somewhat interested in watching Queen because of the rarity factor.

Queen fans are hugely less the types to buy festie tickets than Cure fans I reckon, bearing in mind that it took months for Bestival to sell out.

Of course the problem with that comparison is that there's many more Queen fans than Cure fans - but the Queen fans are also less obsessive (particularly with this line-up) and so are proportionally less likely to buy tickets.

And also lots of the Queen fans might also be, say, Westlife fans because Queen had an awful lot of cheesy mainstream popularity - and those are very unlikely to be attracted by the rest of what Soni has to offer.

I've got far less confidence in it selling well than you have, tho I don't rule out the possibility that it might sell well.

[kipper64]

Perhaps, I don't imagine it not selling well though, I think it's established enough. I figure it'll probably sell less well than last year, but think it'll definitely match or top 2010. Which is fine by me anyways, the arena was far too crowded last year, 2010 seemed much better, busy but not packed!

[jump]

Perhaps, I don't imagine it not selling well though, I think it's established enough. I figure it'll probably sell less well than last year, but think it'll definitely match or top 2010. Which is fine by me anyways, the arena was far too crowded last year, 2010 seemed much better, busy but not packed!

[Marker]

Yeah they would probably headline on the Sunday to close it.

[kaosmark2]

I can see the logic behind it, Queen in any form would have a draw and it also looks like they are having trouble with headliners this year such as naming 4 bands they were after and got none, no 3rd headliner booked and Faith No More whilst popular would easily be the weakest headliner they have ever had so it was that or nothing.

[jump]

FNM >>>> Alice Cooper.

In talent and appeal.

[biffoire]

If I was there I'd view Queen as the weakest headliner. I'd watch FNM but wouldn't watch Queen and it wouldn't suprise me if a lot of soni regulars felt the same.

[Marker]

I would just watch them simply because it is Queen (obviously not the original one) because it is something to do and it's not like you would ever see them for a while.

[jump]

I would just watch them simply because it is Queen (obviously not the original one) because it is something to do and it's not like you would ever see them for a while.

[Marker]

I know that is good though how both stages are opposite each other becasue you do not miss bands (only Bohemia, Jagermister and Red Bull) which gives people the chance to watch headliners.

[SOAD]

If Soni is having so many problems booking a third headliner why don't they go for someone like Smashing Pumpkins. They are obviously not as big as they used to be but they must be comparable in size with Faith No More. The fest could reduce capacity and expenditure, since that lineup would probably not sell out the current capacity, and then they could try and increase capacity next year. Download sold significantly less tickets than usual in 2008 and went on to a much stronger position with the following years.. Arguably Kiss, Offspring and Lostprophets is a weaker headliner set than Pumpkins, Faith No More and Queen, or at least they are of equal strength. With a decent undercard I could still see the festival selling reasonably. It's not like Faith No More, Smashing Pumpkins and Queen play the UK often.

PS Pumpkins will have their new album out by then so would of course have something to promote and they may view Soni as something that could really launch their popularity in the UK again.

Edited February 6, 2012 by SOAD

[Marker]

Yeah but Sonisphere do not want to increase there capacity which they should do but they just want to keep it like it is now.

[SOAD]

Yeah but Sonisphere do not want to increase there capacity which they should do but they just want to keep it like it is now.

[jump]

If Soni is having so many problems booking a third headliner why don't they go for someone like Smashing Pumpkins. They are obviously not as big as they used to be but they must be comparable in size with Faith No More. The fest could reduce capacity and expenditure, since that lineup would probably not sell out the current capacity, and then they could try and increase capacity next year. Download sold significantly less tickets than usual in 2008 and went on to a much stronger position with the following years.. Arguably Kiss, Offspring and Lostprophets is a weaker headliner set than Pumpkins, Faith No More and Queen, or at least they are of equal strength. With a decent undercard I could still see the festival selling reasonably. It's not like Faith No More, Smashing Pumpkins and Queen play the UK often.

Edited February 6, 2012 by jump

[SOAD]

Wouldn't make that much of a difference, it doesn't have a massive capacity in the 1st place and the agreements would have been in place already what with the RHCP show on the site too. The only thing decreasing capacity would do is save a few pounds on police/security but no major savings.

Edited February 6, 2012 by SOAD

[kaosmark2]

I'm not sure the Pumpkins would be a worthy headliner actually. With FNM, all the people who desperately wanted and had money to burn got to see them (DL didn't sell out for a long while), but they barely did any dates. In contrast, the Pumpkins have done several tours, with lots of venues having not sold out, and disappointed a fair number of people. In addition, the Pumpkins is Billy + supporting cast rather than with many original members, which will lose a lot. Not as much as Queen, but probably comparable to GnR.

I saw both of them twice on their reunion tours, and I would make a fair amount of effort to see FNM again, while the Pumpkins would just be vaguely interesting. And in terms of albums I'm more of a Pumpkins fan.

[Marker]

Yeah the Olympics is effecting Sonisphere a bit this year but I am glad there still going ahead with it.