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

[Hugh Jass]

54 minutes ago, cdm22 said:

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.

Isn't that half the fun though? Looking at old lineups through the prism of history to see massive names in low slots? Take that Leeds old lineup I posted for example, I was there and knew most of the bands on there and many of them went on to be massive, but does anyone honestly think half the acts on this year's R/L lineup will go on to have that level of success?

It also works two ways - a lineup that was shit back then looks even worse in the cold light of time... 2008.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Hugh Jass

[ConorC]

18 hours 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.

I went to Mad Cool last year and I thought the lineup was great, wouldn't say it was that varied though. Think Post Malone was the only hip hop act they booked and I wouldn't even call him a 'rapper' really.

Primavera have a varied lineup with a lot of depth this year, that's my pick at the moment.

[jackarmy]

Definitely weaker across the board in my eyes this year.

Went to Primavera and Mad Cool last year, and neither have the standout big name headliners that they did last year for me. Primavera probably has as much depth across the undercard as it has had in the last 2 years I've been going.

As has been mentioned, the big guns aren't really touring this year. 

[JoeyT]

One man's rubbish is another man's treasure.

*or something like that.

[chatty]

2 hours ago, cdm22 said:

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.

I dunno its hard to tell. The year I posted from Leeds had Arctic Monkeys as an unseeable blemish at the bottom of the pister yet there was a huge buzz around them and the tent was rammed to breaking point. Similar with (The) Arcade Fire so yeah they werent established as they are no but even as lower bands on the line-up they were seen as a big deal. Arctic Monkeys, I dont think had even released a single at that point tbf, the buzz was pretty big for them coming through. 

Music has changed since them, the way we listen, the way we see bands, the media surrounding them, the scens, everything really. Im not sure it possible for bands to be viewed sinilarly as they were evn ten years ago or at least its very different now. 

 

[cdm22]

Just wanted to add that my comments weren't directed at anyone on here but more the people that say new music these days is rubbish and it was better in my day types 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

1 hour ago, ConorC said:

I went to Mad Cool last year and I thought the lineup was great, wouldn't say it was that varied though. Think Post Malone was the only hip hop act they booked and I wouldn't even call him a 'rapper' really.

Primavera have a varied lineup with a lot of depth this year, that's my pick at the moment.

Yeah, maybe all specific genres weren't necessarily represented that highly but there's enough variety between Nine Inch Nails, Post Malone, Justice, Alice in Chains, Dua Lipa, BRMC, Richie Hawtin, Eels, Daniel Avery, Tame Impala, Marmozets, etc for my musical taste. That's the kind of variety I mean, really. As long as 5 or 6 genres are well covered, I'm good. We were spoilt at Mad Cool last year, loved it

[Johnsoprano]

Even the V festivals were decent in years gone by. 99 my first festival was superb...Festival itself not so great!

[jonnyisRFC]

The Slam Dunk lineup is incredible this year if you're into that kind of thing. 

[Homer]

I agree, usually loads of good value in Europe - but with Dr Music looking inaccessible, I've just bitten the bullet and compromised a bit on going back to Nos Alive (The Cure, The Chems and Smashing Pumpkins).

[Rumblestripe]

Local (to me) Deer Shed Festival has three great headliners Anna Calvi, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Ezra Furman, with a decent and eclectic mix on the undercard you can't go too wrong for £145 (currently tier 3 release). I'm keeping my powder dry for Glasto resale but that's not a bad line up at all.

http://deershedfestival.com/#lineup

Some good comedy too by the looks

 

[whitehorses]

Reading ‘95 as a 17 yr old was killer. It’s all been downhill since then, both for festival lineups and my vitality. ?‍♂️

[Yokel Again]

13 minutes ago, Rumblestripe said:

Local (to me) Deer Shed Festival has three great headliners Anna Calvi, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Ezra Furman, with a decent and eclectic mix on the undercard you can't go too wrong for £145 (currently tier 3 release). I'm keeping my powder dry for Glasto resale but that's not a bad line up at all.

http://deershedfestival.com/#lineup

Some good comedy too by the looks

 

Ooooh, this looks good!! Very End Of The Roady. 

[Yokel Again]

1 hour ago, Johnsoprano said:

Even the V festivals were decent in years gone by. 99 my first festival was superb...Festival itself not so great!

Aah, I was at this. It was a great line up! 

[Havors]

4 hours ago, cdm22 said:

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.

Exactly this..... 

We are all guilty of it a bit though. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by Havors

[Mardy]

No poster with both ‘Cast’ and ‘Shed Seven’ written on it can claim to be a great lineup 

[bombfrog]

1 hour ago, Johnsoprano said:

Even the V festivals were decent in years gone by. 99 my first festival was superb...Festival itself not so great!

Holy Christ. Orbital, Massive Attack, DJ Shadow and Faithless on the same bill. I'd even go to V Festival for that.

[Mardy]

Single best lineup I’ve ever been to...

[eFestivals]

2 minutes ago, Mardy said:

Single best lineup I’ve ever been to...

which essential festival was that? I went a few, but not that one.

[Mardy]

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

which essential festival was that? I went a few, but not that one.

97. Saturday was dance day (the above lineup) Sunday  was roots day, and I really regret not going to it

[Gnomicide]

31 minutes ago, caballosblancos said:

Reading ‘95 as a 17 yr old was killer. It’s all been downhill since then, both for festival lineups and my vitality. ?‍♂️

What worries me most about that is that in 95, I'd have probably chosen Carter USM over Neil Young and I would now hate myself. Thankfully I didn't go. 

I did though go to the worst Reading ever...

I think I enjoyed 4 bands all weekend, had a great time.

[chatty]

So essentially this thread is about how great Reading/Leeds used to be now?

[Havors]

2 minutes ago, chatty said:

So essentially this thread is about how great Reading/Leeds used to be now?

Even V Festival... before it turned into smash hits for teenage girls.  

[Homer]

9 minutes ago, chatty said:

So essentially this thread is about how great Reading/Leeds used to be now?

No, the Phoenix Festival

[whitehorses]

20 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

What worries me most about that is that in 95, I'd have probably chosen Carter USM over Neil Young and I would now hate myself. Thankfully I didn't go. 

I did though go to the worst Reading ever...

I think I enjoyed 4 bands all weekend, had a great time.

Good grief that’s bleak. Not even historically ironic and interesting