Festival Number 6 - Portmeirion, Wales

[DomDom1984]

Because they're not bigger these days than either band?

[zzzfest]

4 hours ago, DomDom1984 said:

Because they're not bigger these days than either band?

Are they?

The Charlatans are still going strong after all these years in my view. The last two albums are unsung jems, if not overhyped as their early classics. Besides that, Tim Burgess’ hefty contributions both as a curator and a performer to the festival over the years should not be dismissed. It is way too belated The Charlatans play in Portmeirion at all.

On the other hand, Friendly Fire and Franz already give a somewhat ‘has been’ feel to me despite that both came on to the scene much later than The Charlatans.

Just my two cents.

 

[DomDom1984]

They're going strong? Still going maybe, but they're barely even O2 size anymore, while FF have come off a fairly successful tour of those venues.

That said, their newer stuff is considerably better than anything they did in their supposed prime, and it's unfortunate that it's the dross they created before that they're known for. But it is, and thus they're not particularly big anymore.

Friendly Fires only come across as "has been" because they hadn't done anything for a good number of years. FF have had steady success since the "Tonight" album. Are they as big as they were? Nope, but they're still big enough for this one.

[zzzfest]

I missed out The Charlatans’ most recent tour, but they quickly sold out the two consecutive nights at Manc’s Albert Hall in 2015 — but that’s Manchester for you.

I used to like Franz, but lost interest after a couple of albums. My preference aside, them being a main stage headliner at a small-sized festival like No.6 acceptable.

As for Friendly Fires, however, your comment has made me feel all the more unsure of their main stage headliner status. AFAIK they made only two albums so far and the last one is a 2011 release! I once saw them live and their performance was so-so if not dull. The Charlatans are always an exciting live act and would fit better IMHO.

 

[robskyd]

Because of Festival 6 I had a listen to Franz Ferdinand's latest album and really liked it. They've gone the way of a few other bands and 'dancified' (yes that is a word!) themselves. Also, we know someone who saw them at The Albert Hall in Manchester and reported they were very good.

And that's my favourite thing about festivals - listening to music that you normally wouldn't do.

 

[DomDom1984]

Friendly Fires are where they are because of where they were when they disappeared. They were about this level so the slot makes sense. Whether they're still in that range remains to be seen of course.

Thought The Charlatans were poor when I seen them 15 years ago but to say their output has improved since then would be a fairly hefty understatement so I'm probably curious to see how they'll do now. They've surprised me going through their stuff since the announcement.  I'm thinking they'll headline the Pavilion ( seems a small stage for them, but the slot seems to suit them ) so I probably won't see much of them.

[JBarbour]

2018 will be the last festival number 6 

[robskyd]

1 minute ago, JBarbour said:

2018 will be the last festival number 6 

For now....

Or so they say! 

 

[JBarbour]

1 minute ago, robskyd said:

For now....

Or so they say! 

 

I dont think it will come back. It's a challenging festival to put on and Broadwick / Global are about to snap up another festival or two over the next 6 months.  

[lburrett]

Will be our first one this year - hope they plan to go out with a bang!

[zzzfest]

Fall Out

[betharm]

Aww is it really. I feel like I want to go now. Enjoyed my first year there so much last year. Much prefer this line up to last year too.

[John L]

Sigh another Global festival shambles. Will try and enjoy the last one even more now. Shame but I guess if they don’t make money then they won’t be around for long.

[zzzfest]

As I posted here and the Electric Fields thread as well sometime before, I was wondering which one to choose this year — but now, the ultimatum issued by admin No.6 has spurred me towards destination The Village. I’ll be a prisoner one last time. Be seeing you...

I’m considering a day attendance of EF though.

[generationgav]

Festival no 6 was a shambles when I went - won't go into all of the reasons why it was quite possibly the worse fesitval I've been to, although some of the bands were amazing.
I said at the time, logistics and finances might dictate it can't be so; but it would much more suit a small nicher festival, make the flat field that is the main field camping, have the hotel as a later night area/campsite bar and spread the festival out across the fields with much smaller bands on (more akin to Bearded Theory levels). Honestly I would go to that and pay a premium, but not with how busy it was. 

[zzzfest]

I’ve been to FN6 four times. The only regret is that I attended 2016 that was an Annus Horribilis. The rest all great.

In 2016, one freak weather destroyed almost everything. The appallingly poor organization and their less-than-adequate handling of the matter made things even worse. It left a bad taste in every FN6 aficionado’s mouth. Without any doubt it was the worst FN6 and I can tell you that for sure even if I wasn’t there in 2013 and 2014.

I wish Franz Ferdinand would be the Friday headliners instead of the mediocre Friendly Fires, and the festival would go out with a bang with The Charlatans as the grand Sunday headliners. Tim & Co. certainly deserve that!

[DomDom1984]

The Charlatans are in the slot they deserve.

[zzzfest]

To each their own. That being said, I’m not the only one.

Quote from FN6 Facebook:                                                                                                                Stuart Ralston Why are The Charlatans not headlining?                                                  Christine Shanks Above Franz Ferdinand, you're right!

 

Edited July 22, 2018 by zzzfest

[DomDom1984]

They're not big enough. How good they are is entirely irrelevant. Friendly Fires are bigger and so are the other headliners. You continue to try and push this tired agenda. I know Friendly Fires are going to be a disappointing headliner and know The Charlatans will probably be better. But both are in the spots they deserve.

[zzzfest]

Mine is more of a wishful thinking than an “agenda”. You can’t exchange a headliner with an undercard act after the announcement, unless the former suffers from, say, a serious accident. I know that. It is what it is. 

As regards both FF’s being bigger than The Charlatans, though, I beg to differ. Franz and The Charlatans played at similar-sized venues (i.e. O2 Academy class) on their respective most recent tours. And Friendly Fires — I hear they did a one-off gig of a sort at the Brixton Academy in April, but have they done a proper tour of their own at all recently, except for festive appearances?

As I mentioned in my previous post, Tim Burgess has a long history of his involvement with FN6 over the years. This is another reason why I think his band deserves a headlining status.

[dentalplan]

The Charlatans headline free festivals and stuff nowadays. Decent undercard act for this event - particularly among people who already go - but a lot of people would be immediately underwhelmed at seeing The Charlatans at the top of the poster. At least with Friendly Fires, they've been away and it could be a big draw for people who haven't had much of an opportunity to see them for the best part of a decade.

[zzzfest]

27 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

The Charlatans headline free festivals and stuff nowadays.

Do they? Never heard of that sort of thing, at least recently.

27 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

At least with Friendly Fires, they've been away and it could be a big draw for people who haven't had much of an opportunity to see them for the best part of a decade.

I guess there are more people who have seldom or never heard of Friendly Fires than those who have missed them.?

[Amy Lawn]

Friendly Fires are the FN6's big coup for this year if you ask me. They've got a strong cult following, have been seemingly dead for a while, I reckon a fair few fans will go purely for them. They were also a phenomenal live act before they disappeared, if they're still even half that good they'll walk all over pretty much anybody else on the bill.

[zzzfest]

As a non-cult member, I’d be happy to be proven wrong if they are that good.

And, dare I say, so would DomDom, who found them “sorely disappointing” at TRNSMT...

[betharm]

I am team Friendly Fires on this one.