Download 2014

[mrtourette]

When I was going Reading and Leeds 5 years ago (maybe longer? Defo 2008...) tickets used to sell out in about an hour on all the ticket sites and there was the whole server crashes, mad rush etc. Tout prices would go to sometimes double face value for both festivals and day tickets would be gone too. This year Reading took a long time to sell out and Leeds didn't, the tout market was pretty much non-existent etc. I think it's a similiar story with TITP in terms of sales being much slower, albeit I'm not really sure as I don't follow it that much.

Edited August 28, 2013 by mrtourette

[jammy2211]

People go to festivals less often now, because money and the high prices of uni etc

Who would they book? FNM again? Maiden? Slipknot?

[jammy2211]

You're on the right track aside from R&L, it sold better this year than 2011 and 2012 while V and T struggled compared to how well they perfomed in those years. You're right that there isn't the rush for R&L tickets that there used to be but that's the same for most festivals now, it isn't exclusive to R&L. Download keeps on trudging along in it's own little bubble, now that it's seen off Soni it can feel pretty safe.

[thewayiam]

You're on the right track aside from R&L, it sold better this year than 2011 and 2012 while V and T struggled compared to how well they perfomed in those years. You're right that there isn't the rush for R&L tickets that there used to be but that's the same for most festivals now, it isn't exclusive to R&L. Download keeps on trudging along in it's own little bubble, now that it's seen off Soni it can feel pretty safe.

[mrtourette]

Fair, I'd guess R&L this year just benefittted from having a stronger line up then the past few years. Seems like most the major festivals sales have dipped since those days, seen a lot of the smaller ones just shut down altogether too. Hell even Glasto had a dip - albeit has gone back to normal now.

[mrtourette]

the difference seems to be that V actually might have just come down the the level now that R&L is with ticket sales.

But I'm almost sure after the weekend that C&S must have played a major part or booking a bigger side of V style did. There is no doubting that top two on saturday is very V - the kinda thing that has been selling hands down at V cause there is this and more of it in the commercial line at V. R&L might have to continue doing this as I don't see this side of the music business letting up soon. The indie rock side of things is nowhere near what is what a few years back, the quality has dipped, the interest has dipped

[Dead throne]

Maybe, R&L has had it's dip and is on the way up while T and V are just experiencing theirs. What level they're at and how long it will last is anybody's guess, but it just shows that all the 'R&L must be shit because T and v are still selling out' crap that went on last year and the year before was bollocks.

As for C&S, I'm pretty sure they played Download last year so does that mean R&L actually went in the Download direction by booking them? No of course not, so give up with this ridiculous 'C&S are a V festival booking, R&L is copying V' rubbish. Major festival following popular trends is nothing new, why do you think that V and T have far less rock music nowadays.

[Babyquack]

Maybe, R&L has had it's dip and is on the way up while T and V are just experiencing theirs. What level they're at and how long it will last is anybody's guess, but it just shows that all the 'R&L must be shit because T and v are still selling out' crap that went on last year and the year before was bollocks.

As for C&S, I'm pretty sure they played Download last year so does that mean R&L actually went in the Download direction by booking them? No of course not, so give up with this ridiculous 'C&S are a V festival booking, R&L is copying V' rubbish. Major festival following popular trends is nothing new, why do you think that V and T have far less rock music nowadays.

Edited August 29, 2013 by Babyquack

[thewayiam]

treu but when has Leeds ever sold out? It sold out Biffy day though

[thewayiam]

I must agree 100%

Why is it so hard for people to understand?

[jump]

used to all the time

Until this year, V had outsold R&L no problem the last couple of years, T had it's dip in 2012 but by a long way with V, it's not suddenly R&L just doing better, it's the other just coming down.

As for C&S, you can argue that point but Download is also a festival that isn't well known for a sell out on a 110k capacity? I doubt there are many times when V have had the likes of The Prodigy or C&S play when they haven't sold out. Download book The Prodigy because they have a large rock/metal crossover in fanbase and yes they call Download by all accounts their favourite show but when a festival can book an act to play 3 times in 6 years that high with no ticket sale issue's it tells you a lot.

If you can't see the fact that R&L have had to approach the V styles slightly moreso in it's bookings this year then you're either just annoyed that they have or just plain ignoring it.

[mrtourette]

If you can't see the fact that R&L have had to approach the V styles slightly moreso in it's bookings this year then you're either just annoyed that they have or just plain ignoring it.

[Dead throne]

I agree with all of you.

BOOM end off discussion.

[thewayiam]

Slightly moreso? Not very sure are you? And of course R&L have booked acts than have played/can play V, it's been happening for years!

Can you define a 'V-style booking'? Because for me a 'V-style booking' would be Rihanna to headline with The Script subbing, or Beyonce headlining with David Guetta. If R&L has done that then I would agree with you, but Eminen and C&S are not definitively 'V-style' bookings.

You seem to be banging this drum about R&L making this change to 'V-style' bookings this year but it's bollocks, Eminem has played before and acts like C&S have played not only R&L but Download as well, so they aren't 'V-style' bookings. They are mainstream and commercial, but Eminem and C&S are no more 'V-style' than Kasabian and Florence. Arctic Monkeys and The Prodigy in '09? Muse and Elbow in '11? All commercial sounding mainstream bands who can or have played the same slots at V.

If you're trying to point out a more mainstream approach then it's been happening over the last few years and not just this year, in fact what you're describing is the move away from rock. There hasn't really been a move to a more mainstream approach because the festival has always booked mainstream commercial acts, it's just that what is popular in the mainstream has changed and therefore what they book (along with all other major commercial festivals) has changed.

Your sample research of two bands on one of the days being 'V-style' (when they aren't) marking a sudden change in blooking policy (when it isn't sudden) being responsible for seeling out the festival (when you have no proof) is daft. Yes it was a success, as the crowd sizes showed, but to take that and run with this silly 'R&L had to put on a V festival line up' is nonsense.

[jump]

I very much agree that what is mainstream has changed, I won't disagree with you here, I've said it myself. But what is mainstream now is reserved at R&L compared to others.

[2rare2die]

I think you two are both a tad silly for this as well but I'll leave it be. It's all there in all honesty. Tell me that you thought for a minute C&S would be booked this year for R&L that long before they were, tell me the same about Eminem 11 years later. Tell me that Download didn't book them to bring a youth in after a year that didn't do the best ticket sales wise and was plagued by rain.

You could say, do they book The Prodigy for that, I'd say there may be an element of it but the difference is one is a 20 years career spanning act, one isn't.

There is a difference between what acts have a crossover over to other festivals and genre's and what their primary field is.

[Gucci Piggy]

I very much agree that what is mainstream has changed, I won't disagree with you here, I've said it myself. But what is mainstream now is reserved at R&L compared to others.

[Hawky]

I think I just read the word mainstream 4748382 times in 3pages.

[devilman]

I think I just read the word mainstream 4748382 times in 3pages.

[luckysalt]

Hey.

So I went to Reading last week, I know Copping went to Leeds so things may have been slightly different in reactions wise but I've been reading peoples comments who went both festivals and they were pretty much the same. Now we know Copping goes on these scouting missions to see who put in a good performance and who pulled a good crowd.

Usually he's looking at smaller acts to see who he can book and bump them up the bill at Download, but my thoughts from it.

BMTH -

Easily gunna be either 3rd on mainstage or headline second stage at Download in 2014, they sounded very good [not my thing, but still sounded good] and they got a very big crowd.

Fall Out Boy -

may have gone a bit poppy with the new album, but their set had more old stuff than new, they were excellent and got an absolutely HUGE crowd, it was HUGE. Can see Copping going for them if they're gunna do the early summer fests, can see him pushing them to sub to Avenged Sevenfold. OR maybe 3rd if he already has subs booked, they could also headline second stage, but I think he'd whack them on main.

Deftones -

We all know what Deftones can do, I don't really need to say much, their popularity is on the rise again, IF they do early summer fests they'll sub or second stage headline, no other slot would fit them

Frank Turner -

Bored the fuck out of me and I don't see his appeal but he's done Download before and is doing arena tour, can see him getting the Gaslight Anthem spot of 3rd on main stage, he got a very good crowd at Reading

Knife Party -

Next year Pendulum are back, but people seem to think they won't play live, they're not stupid, they will, but when its anyone's guess. Knife Party headlined a tent at Reading, it was full, but then the queues of people were so big it was about 200 people deep to get into the tent, they're a big deal, Copping is gunna wanna try and snap them up, I can see them headlining 3rd stage at Download next year for sure, thing is, they MAY be too big for that slot now. depends who they go up against.

FFAF -

Subbed the lock up, it was RAMMED, big queue of people outside too and they were pumped for their performance, can see them on an outdoor stage next year, high second stage or 6th/7th down on main.

Skindred -

Defo won themselves new fans this year, STORMING performance, think they could headline 3rd stage or they'll be pushed up to 5th on main

Don Broco -

Didn't watch these as I was just outside the arena but heard the entire set, think he'll be snapping them up for next year, could fit in a number of places.

Aside from Reading, I think Copping will be booking Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Judas Priest and The Cult next year for old school acts, could also maybe go for Alice Cooper again if he's up for coming over.

The Darkness could headline 3rd stage IMO.

Alter Bridge are surely gunna be 3rd on main or headline second stage also.

[Dead throne]

Hey.

So I went to Reading last week, I know Copping went to Leeds so things may have been slightly different in reactions wise but I've been reading peoples comments who went both festivals and they were pretty much the same. Now we know Copping goes on these scouting missions to see who put in a good performance and who pulled a good crowd.

Usually he's looking at smaller acts to see who he can book and bump them up the bill at Download, but my thoughts from it.

BMTH -

Easily gunna be either 3rd on mainstage or headline second stage at Download in 2014, they sounded very good [not my thing, but still sounded good] and they got a very big crowd.

Fall Out Boy -

may have gone a bit poppy with the new album, but their set had more old stuff than new, they were excellent and got an absolutely HUGE crowd, it was HUGE. Can see Copping going for them if they're gunna do the early summer fests, can see him pushing them to sub to Avenged Sevenfold. OR maybe 3rd if he already has subs booked, they could also headline second stage, but I think he'd whack them on main.

Deftones -

We all know what Deftones can do, I don't really need to say much, their popularity is on the rise again, IF they do early summer fests they'll sub or second stage headline, no other slot would fit them

Frank Turner -

Bored the fuck out of me and I don't see his appeal but he's done Download before and is doing arena tour, can see him getting the Gaslight Anthem spot of 3rd on main stage, he got a very good crowd at Reading

Knife Party -

Next year Pendulum are back, but people seem to think they won't play live, they're not stupid, they will, but when its anyone's guess. Knife Party headlined a tent at Reading, it was full, but then the queues of people were so big it was about 200 people deep to get into the tent, they're a big deal, Copping is gunna wanna try and snap them up, I can see them headlining 3rd stage at Download next year for sure, thing is, they MAY be too big for that slot now. depends who they go up against.

FFAF -

Subbed the lock up, it was RAMMED, big queue of people outside too and they were pumped for their performance, can see them on an outdoor stage next year, high second stage or 6th/7th down on main.

Skindred -

Defo won themselves new fans this year, STORMING performance, think they could headline 3rd stage or they'll be pushed up to 5th on main

Don Broco -

Didn't watch these as I was just outside the arena but heard the entire set, think he'll be snapping them up for next year, could fit in a number of places.

Aside from Reading, I think Copping will be booking Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Judas Priest and The Cult next year for old school acts, could also maybe go for Alice Cooper again if he's up for coming over.

The Darkness could headline 3rd stage IMO.

Alter Bridge are surely gunna be 3rd on main or headline second stage also.

[Dead throne]

a7x

Rob Zombie

BMTH

Pearl Jam

Alter Bridge

Frank Turner

AC/DC

Judas Priest

Twisted Sister

[luckysalt]

No chance in hell Twisted Sister would be 3rd on main

[theramm]

Not sure where the idea that Deftone's popularity is on the rise is coming from? They downgraded venues on the last tour from the previous, 'Diamond Eyes' tour. They're firmly in the Korn/Limp Bizkit category of 3rd main, headline 2nd now.

[Dead throne]

No chance in hell Twisted Sister would be 3rd on main