Comparison with other UK festivals

[BTK1609]

Now that the dust has settled on last nights announcement how do people think it compares with the other major festivals this year?

I am still quite happy overall although the suprises we got were pretty underwhelming. Had I not been camped on here for the last month I would have been really pleased with the Cure, Foo's, Kasabian, The Black Keyes, Kaiser's etc. I guess I spoilt the suprise a bit for myself (not that I'm complaining).

Still I think that it is as good as any of the other announcements. Only Download and Isle of Wight look good otherwise. What do other people think?

[Hart Attack]

Download > Reading > Sonisphere

All three have worse line-ups than they had last year for me though.

[DL50]

I think its better than V, the top 4 bands at V are good but the undercard is appalling, so mainstream it looks like some T4 on the beach shit

I think the top few bands at Download are on a par, possibly even better than Reading but Download obviously has much more narrow undercard, once the full NME and lockup are announced i think Reading will look better

Its obviously better than Sonisphere, don't really need to explain that one

And i think it's around a similar quality to T in the Park, they have a few bigger bands but once you take into account clashes and the fact that they have Nicki Minaj high up on the line up it should look more even. Also considering R & L got taken to the cleaners by T and Oxegen last year i think they can be happy with how they've done this year

Overall i think R&L line up is good but undercard is slightly weak, the two most peculiar bookings being Bombay and the Vaccines playing that high. I also think Paramore is a lazy booking after having them in 2010. However also many positives, like i think the Black Keys is a major coup, seriously on the rise over here atm and such a good band. Also think OFWGKTA could end up being a great booking, never know how huge they could be by the end of this year

[Joe-]

*cough* Bestival *cough*

[Babyquack]

I feel that although many people will be let down by the undercard, the headliners this year are strong (however, Kasabian can be argued against this). And if you look at the undercard, there is something for everyone.

I must admit though that other Festivals, most notably Download, do look more appealing. But if you look at others, TITP or Sonisphere, R+L looks very attractive!

You'll still find me at Reading though.

[pablopablo]

I think R/L looks significantly stronger than TITP or V (and will continue to look stronger as more bands get added). Download/Sonsiphere not really my thing so couldn't say.

[evilduck]

I don't like the majority of bands at Download or Soni so those were never an option for me. Not a big fan of the Stone Roses so TITP and V aren't looking too good. Bestival has a nice lineup but it's the effort of getting to the Isle of Wight. Reading wins by default.

[rug568]

Reading easily. Bestival is a treck and there are no bands that have me very excited (apart from Sigur) T and V never apeal to me, Sonisphere is shit and Downlod has a good top 3 on each day for me so can't really be bothered to go.

[pryce]

Downloads very strong this year ... if i was going to go to a uk fest this year it would be that one

but i dont want to do the same fest more than once ... nevermind twice and thats why im not going

[moz4pm]

1. Download

2. Leeds

3. Sonisphere

I don't actually care which is better though as aside from the friday and saturday of soni, I am going to all three festivals

[Andy_47]

Download for that audience is by far the strongest festival in the UK. They really went all out to give people an alternative to glastonbury (and kept their regular punters happy, like me )

Leeds/Reading would be second, as stated, if it had all been a surprise, yesterdays announcement would have been great, but the shine is taken off when you know most of the headliners/subheadliners beforehand

Isle of Wight is third, right mix of nostalgic headliners and up and comers under (Elbow and Biffy will be headlining festivals all over in a few years time I reckon.)

[mb23]

I can understand why Download is seen as better by people but I don't like that kind of music so I was never going to go. Reading looks better than Soni by far. I'd say it's a stronger lineup than T and V too, they keep repeating their headliners too much, though I would have liked to Noel Gallagher at reading. I'd say Reading's as strong as Isle of Wight and Bestival, but when the rest of the lineup gets announced it will become stronger than both of them. Plus with the likes of Black Keys, (dare I say it) Paramore, At the Drive In, Bombay and two of the three headliners playing exclusively it makes it a bit different from all the rest. One of the best of a bad bunch IMO, but there's still enough bands that I like going to Reading, so I'll be there!

Edited March 13, 2012 by mb23

[mrtourette]

I can understand why Download is seen as better by people but I don't like that kind of music so I was never going to go. Reading looks better than Soni by far. I'd say it's a stronger lineup than T and V too, they keep repeating their headliners too much, though I would have liked to Noel Gallagher at reading. I'd say Reading's as strong as Isle of Wight and Bestival, but when the rest of the lineup gets announced it will become stronger than both of them. One of the best of a bad bunch IMO, but there's still enough bands that I like going to Reading, so I'll be there!

[jump]

I can understand why Download is seen as better by people but I don't like that kind of music so I was never going to go. Reading looks better than Soni by far. I'd say it's a stronger lineup than T and V too, they keep repeating their headliners too much, though I would have liked to Noel Gallagher at reading. I'd say Reading's as strong as Isle of Wight and Bestival, but when the rest of the lineup gets announced it will become stronger than both of them. Plus with the likes of Black Keys, (dare I say it) Paramore, At the Drive In, Bombay and two of the three headliners playing exclusively it makes it a bit different from all the rest. One of the best of a bad bunch IMO, but there's still enough bands that I like going to Reading, so I'll be there!

[Lithium05]

Having just had a look at the IOW line-up for the first time, I have to say, it pisses all over Reading this year, even with Noel Gallagher ruining it slightly just by being on the line-up.

[Lithium05]

I take it you mean when Bestival announces the rest of their headliners and line up.

If they could just put 2 decent biggish acts on the Friday like Garbage, Jack White, Korn, Placebo (does that mean all of them aren't playing Uk fests this year then?) I would of been satisfied and grabbed a tix.

[mb23]

I take it you mean when Bestival announces the rest of their headliners and line up.

[DL50]

Also agree with comments about T and V repeating headliners, its good that R&L keep it fresh and also give bands a chance

I know a lot of people are complaining about Bombay and the Vaccines but Reading has pushed bands up before and it has payed off, e.g. Arcade Fire, and i wasn't at MCR last year but consensus seems to be that they pulled it off. Obviously there is a counter argument to them pushing bands up tho like Razorshite and the Darkness.

However i personally love both Bombay and the Vaccines and i think they deserve to be given this chance. Particularly the Vaccines as they could be absolutely huge in the coming years

[kipper64]

I think once the lock up is announced, for me, it'll easily be the best line up this year of any UK festivals, Sonisphere has done pretty well too imo, the sunday especially, but I think overall there's more bands I'll probably really want to see at Reading. Guess it depends how good the small bands at each are once they're announced. Download this year is pretty strong too, very tempted to go for Soundgarden and NOFX, but my issue with it is it's mostly bands that play all the time at DL or just tour the UK and there's not much there that's really tempting me, I guess I don't really get the hype with that one! TITP is a bit so-so, it's not terrible, but as many say it's just bands that play all the time and have done TITP a lot recently, I know a lot of people with tickets who are unhappy, in fact, I don't know anyone who is happy with the line up!

[BTK1609]

Nice to see some positivity on this thread! As I said had Neil not done such a brilliant job and found out about The Cure and The Black Keyes I think everyone would have been thrilled with the announcement as those two in particular are fantastic bookings.

I think that some people need to remember that there is more than one stage so you're not being forced to watch Paramore etc.

[LondonTom]

I think overall its decent, main stage until The Cure, doesn't really appeal on that day.

If they had announced more NME day time days acts even just for the cure day, I would have layed down money. (I can get on with Kasabians day, but its not enough for me to grab the weekend ticket yet!)

That Foo Fighters day is defo the best day of any festival this year for me. Not a band I wouldn't want to see! (Unless Bestival announce pulp )

[dingbat2]

Bestival has the best line-up for one reason ....

SIgur Ros

...back of the net

[RichieParf]

Downloads very strong this year ... if i was going to go to a uk fest this year it would be that one

but i dont want to do the same fest more than once ... nevermind twice and thats why im not going

[Lithium05]

I think Download looks strong but actually a 146 year old Ozzy and a band that all hate each other on one night and then Metallica who have been overbooked nearly as much as Muse the last few years will actually be a bit bland.

[VCK]

Even though this year's line-up is fucking shit, at least it's not V or TITP which is chock full of chart shite (plus the Roses, Mondays, New Order and Noel, which we could have got this year). I will rue the day we book the likes of David Guetta or Dappy or Olly Murs.