Jump to content

Are all of the festival line ups this year a bit rubbish?


zahidf
 Share

Recommended Posts

8 minutes ago, matt2007 said:

Why is everyone stuck on headliners and the bigger bands, I don't give a shit who headlines, a week working and playing with good friends watching random stuff and partying is what makes a festival - don't forget the original definition of a a festival is a Feast of Fools!

I think the point of the post was that across the board most lineups have been quite stale.

I think it’s a mixture of few bands touring / a shift in the market. Most of the market at the moment is saturated with new acts (some jumping to headline or high booking status promplty in their career) and touring acts who have been around for a while stagnating. 

We have a problem with headliners at the moment because

- the gigantic acts want to retire / play their own shows

- the festival circuit bands have played almost everywhere and no longer feel fresh.

- bands who never made it to headline status over the past few years don’t have the pull to be bumped up 

- new acts which have had strong breakthroughs demanding high profile slots when they only have one album.

Its no longer the case now where contemporary acts want to climb the lineups over a few years. Acts with one album and loads of Spotify streams want headline slots.

Edited by Matt42
Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

It's pretty subjective but the general consensus across the board seems to think so and I'd agree. Not entirely sure why it is. Maybe the rise in genre-specific festivals makes for less variety? I dunno. Having said that, I've had discussions with people who are disappointed with their usual second or third festivals' (after Glastonbury) lineups so far and that's everywhere from End of the Road to Isle of Wight to Latitude and beyond.

APE, Bluedot and Primavera stand out this year but that's about it. The only other European festival that's caught my eye is Doctor Music and that seems like it might be a logistical and organisational nightmare.

Mad Cool last year was fantastic for me because it was a pretty varied lineup. Glastonbury always caters for an eclectic music taste and this year Boomtown gets my money cos they're doing the same. Variety is key for me.

My sentiments exactly, all of it. Particularly Doctor Music. I'd have considered that if it wasn't in the middle of nowhere and hasn't been done for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It does seem like a lot of places are having a bit of an off-year with the lineups this year. Luckily my number one love Green Man has made, for me, their best first announcement in years. I've got to hand it to R&L also, it's not for me but they've got a good set of bands for their audience there.

Primavera have made an entry into the pantheon of all-time great festival lineups this year though, incredible stuff.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Matt42 said:

Out of interest

OBJECTIVELY

what year was the strongest for the Glastonbury lineup? I’d probably say 2017 tbh

1997 couldn't have been any better for 20 year old me. I remember some corking line ups in the mid 2000s. Or my memory may be mashing a few festivals into one. That happens a lot these days...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Avalon_Fields said:

1986 - One of the weakest Glastonbury line ups I reckon. We can still expect much better than this, but I fear the days of huge, relevant acts is mainly in the past.

F389D978-5B16-4D12-89B0-D071D61891DD.jpeg

Call me a yoof but I have never heard of psychedelic furs or level 42

Also on this coming year. Any festival which has The Cure, Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend, Cardi B, The Chemical Brothers, The Streets is a winner

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

Call me a yoof but I have never heard of psychedelic furs or level 42

Also on this coming year. Any festival which has The Cure, Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend, Cardi B, The Chemical Brothers, The Streets is a winner

You're a yoof ?

I did love the Housemartins that year though. 

Edited by clarkete
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Matt42 said:

Call me a yoof but I have never heard of psychedelic furs or level 42

Also on this coming year. Any festival which has The Cure, Tame Impala, Vampire Weekend, Cardi B, The Chemical Brothers, The Streets is a winner

My mother in law was proposed to by the singer from the psychedelic furs according to my wife. I've no idea when.

And yes, you're a yoof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

Primavera have made an entry into the pantheon of all-time great festival lineups this year though, incredible stuff.

+1 on this. I'd barely read to the end of the poster before buying tickets! Had no intention of going to a festival other than Glasto this year until Primavera announced that lineup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

FWIW the best festival lineup remains...

Image result for leeds festival 2002 lineup

That's literally incredible, never seen that before. Wish I was going to festivals back then. Unfortunately I was trolley dashing into bushes Jackass style with my spotty mates. Admittedly very fucking fun at the time tbf, but this looked like more fun. Damn. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

1986 - One of the weakest Glastonbury line ups I reckon. We can still expect much better than this, but I fear the days of huge, relevant acts is mainly in the past.

F389D978-5B16-4D12-89B0-D071D61891DD.jpeg

Id take The Pogues and The Waterboys (in 1986) over anything we have projected so far tbf but overall that does look pretty weak. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Matt42 said:

Call me a yoof but I have never heard of psychedelic furs

then you need you check out their first two albums, self-titled, and 'Forever Now'. Both excellent.

But I bet you know 'Pretty In Pink' - which is when they started to go downhill (tho not commercially). At the time they played Glasto they were just about the UK's biggest band (who then ran off to the USA and became monsters over there).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To answer the OPs question, on the whole yes. One thing that does bug me though are people harking back to line ups from years ago saying they were much better. Well of course they look better as the bands will have become much bigger since then. Many of them would have been new and up and coming bands that many wouldn't really know much as many undercards are now so you can hardly compare them.

Edited by cdm22
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...