Future of festivals...

[Chapple12345]

Is there any chance a factor in these festivals not going ahead is because if there was a flare up in cases related to them it could jeopardise the chances of live music happening in the next year and bringing more damage to the sector? It seems everyone is looking for a scapegoat for rising cases and something like this could seem like a potential chance, even if fully socially distant 

[eFestivals]

28 minutes ago, Chapple12345 said:

Is there any chance a factor in these festivals not going ahead is because if there was a flare up in cases related to them it could jeopardise the chances of live music happening in the next year and bringing more damage to the sector? It seems everyone is looking for a scapegoat for rising cases and something like this could seem like a potential chance, even if fully socially distant 

I don't think it's anything like that.

I think it's a one or combination of more-obvious factors, such as councils not wanting to take the risk in their local area (where there's been council objections), or a general lack of confidence in being able to pull the event off (the risk of local lockdown) &/or a general lack of confidence in being able to pull the event off at the standards the festival wants to reach (international bands excluded by quarantine rules, etc) &/or a lack of confidence from potential ticket buyers.

I'm quite surprised with that last one. While there'll be lots of peeps who won't want to risk a festival or won't want to do a festival with lots of covid conditions, I thought there'd be enough people missing live music to snap-up the available tickets.

I've no inside knowledge of how ticket sales are going for festivals that have said they're going ahead, but would have expected one or more to quickly sell out when they'd made a confident statement of going ahead - and that doesn't seem to have happened.

[Chapple12345]

14 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I don't think it's anything like that.

I think it's a one or combination of more-obvious factors, such as councils not wanting to take the risk in their local area (where there's been council objections), or a general lack of confidence in being able to pull the event off (the risk of local lockdown) &/or a general lack of confidence in being able to pull the event off at the standards the festival wants to reach (international bands excluded by quarantine rules, etc) &/or a lack of confidence from potential ticket buyers.

I'm quite surprised with that last one. While there'll be lots of peeps who won't want to risk a festival or won't want to do a festival with lots of covid conditions, I thought there'd be enough people missing live music to snap-up the available tickets.

I've no inside knowledge of how ticket sales are going for festivals that have said they're going ahead, but would have expected one or more to quickly sell out when they'd made a confident statement of going ahead - and that doesn't seem to have happened.

I agree that the risk of the event just being cancelled anyway is too great that it might not be feasible but I wasn't sure, I'd be happy to attend one of these festivals but as you say a lot wouldn't, I think a lot of people are worried about the threat of a big second wave they may not be as willing as they normally would to go out

[eFestivals]

1 minute ago, Chapple12345 said:

the risk of the event just being cancelled anyway is too great

and that'll be a huge financial risk too - and probably no chance of insuring against it for a sensible amount.

[Crazyfool01]

this should be an interesting watch from Serious stages ...... they do loads at Glastonbury 

 

[fatyeti24]

10 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

this should be an interesting watch from Serious stages ...... they do loads at Glastonbury 

 

I was listening to something on the radio the other morning about this sort of thing.  It seems a lot of the auxiliary companies who supply to the festivals and gig venues are in trouble.  This has long been my one of my concerns about Glastonbury next year - that it won't so much being, say, the Eavii pulling the plug, but the companies on whom they rely not being able to do what they usually do.

There's a million moving parts in that festival and right now it's not hard to imagine some of them won't be around next summer, with potentially very damaging knock on effects.

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, fatyeti24 said:

I was listening to something on the radio the other morning about this sort of thing.  It seems a lot of the auxiliary companies who supply to the festivals and gig venues are in trouble.  This has long been my one of my concerns about Glastonbury next year - that it won't so much being, say, the Eavii pulling the plug, but the companies on whom they rely not being able to do what they usually do.

There's a million moving parts in that festival and right now it's not hard to imagine some of them won't be around next summer, with potentially very damaging knock on effects.

yes absolutely the festival is a sum of all those small parts adding up to the incredible experience .... be it the charities and workers to the small food vendors ... every one of them has the potential to put a smile on peoples faces in their own way ... hopefully some support will be forthcoming and they will be able to adapt and survive 

[Funkyfairy!]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 11:53 AM, JoeyT said:

Seeing this made me chuckle, my mate has been due to watch him 3 times if you include his glasto set last time around and all have been cancelled due to illness.

In fact his gig in Bristol got cancelled then the rearranged one got cancelled as well 

me too - now rescheduled for April 2021 and its a Tuesday, really should give back tickets as can't make it midweek, but I can't bear to give them back just yet incase its rescheduled again back to a weekend :-)

 

[Funkyfairy!]

9 hours ago, eFestivals said:

Call Of The Wild - which was planning to go ahead in September - has postponed.  

Only Beardy Folk Festival still standing, I think.

Jersey weekender , my last hope cancelled last week as well.... with some quite scathing comments from the organisers to Jersey government, who had indicated large scale events could be back on with rules (no overseas audience etc) - and then pulled the plug last week. We're into level 1 here (which is one from the bottom), borders are open with strict testing, and everything crossed but we don't seem to have increased figures (yet) - so I think the organisers were quietly confident that something could go ahead … but its not to be . Really not surprising - but sad in any case

[Hugh Jass]

Just bought tickets for GnR at the Spurs ground next year. Hopefully it’ll go ahead, if not I’ll get a refund.

[Leyrulion]

3 hours ago, fatyeti24 said:

I was listening to something on the radio the other morning about this sort of thing.  It seems a lot of the auxiliary companies who supply to the festivals and gig venues are in trouble.  This has long been my one of my concerns about Glastonbury next year - that it won't so much being, say, the Eavii pulling the plug, but the companies on whom they rely not being able to do what they usually do.

There's a million moving parts in that festival and right now it's not hard to imagine some of them won't be around next summer, with potentially very damaging knock on effects.

I'm not concerned. If a festival the size of glastonbury is on people will move heaven and earth to get the contract and provide the services they need. 

The usual providers might not be there (sadly) but someone new will fill the gap. Even if that means stages look radically different.

[Hugh Jass]

17 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

I'm not concerned. If a festival the size of glastonbury is on people will move heaven and earth to get the contract and provide the services they need. 

The usual providers might not be there (sadly) but someone new will fill the gap. Even if that means stages look radically different.

I reckon it’ll still be pyramid shaped.

[dotdash79]

1 hour ago, Leyrulion said:

I'm not concerned. If a festival the size of glastonbury is on people will move heaven and earth to get the contract and provide the services they need. 

The usual providers might not be there (sadly) but someone new will fill the gap. Even if that means stages look radically different.

At what cost to the festival and additional risk?

a lot of these suppliers have spent many years working together, so they know each other and the ways of working. 
 

introducing new suppliers will increase build time and cost, plus the might charge more. 

[Leyrulion]

11 hours ago, dotdash79 said:

At what cost to the festival and additional risk?

a lot of these suppliers have spent many years working together, so they know each other and the ways of working. 
 

introducing new suppliers will increase build time and cost, plus the might charge more. 

People adapt, I'm not saying it won't be disruptive. Yes it might cost more, there might be fewer stages, areas even.

They might have to go with bigger name suppliers, but if it's a choice between Glastonbury not going ahead or doing it without having a ribbon tower/Glastonbury sign/acoustic tent/raclette stand they'll lose out. 

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

The thing is equipment and things like stages won’t just dissapear. Sadly a lot of companies might go to the wall but people with deeper pockets will buy up the equipment. In some cases if the owners/directors are independently wealthy they may liquidate the companies start new ones up and be able to buy the equipment back. Unfortunately it generally means people lose their jobs but might be able to come back to them later on down the line. It’s is of course a shit situation, but the point being all the equipment needed to run Glastonbury will still exist either way.

[eFestivals]

On 7/24/2020 at 2:39 PM, zahidf said:

some people giving it a go!

 

On Bank Holiday Sunday 30th August, Alexandra Park and Palace will open its gates for Kaleidoscope presents...Unlocked. This socially distanced outdoor music experience will be held in the Pavilion event space in the park.

 

Line up:

Norman Jay MBE

DJ Yoda (full AV show)

& many more to be announced

or not.  

Cancelled.  

https://kaleidoscope-festival.com/

[Homer]

47 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

or not.  

Cancelled.  

https://kaleidoscope-festival.com/

Bah - all hopes now hanging on that Revival socially distanced rave in Maidstone in Sept (... or not!).

[Mash2]

More targeted at small venue shows than festivals.....but an interesting read about shows in the the US:

https://www.npr.org/2020/08/13/901796934/how-live-music-is-coping-and-what-the-near-future-will-bring

Obviously, we have it worse over here due to our abysmal Covid containment efforts, but I'm sure the basic points are the same everywhere.  I don't see much government help for the US music industry this year (given we can't even agree on our next stimulus package).....which likely means that whenever this mess ends, there will be a great deal of carnage in the industry that will take quite a while to rebuild.

[zahidf]

This seems to be still on

 

[Brave Sir Robin]

On 8/11/2020 at 8:37 PM, Hugh Jass said:

I would.

Partly for the novelty factor but mainly because it’s six months since my last gig. Right now I’d settle for watching the Kaiser Chiefs through a powerful telescope.

You're in luck!  With Rick Astley thrown in for free too!

https://www.knebworthhouse.com/events/pub-in-the-parks-drive-in-garden-party/

[Hugh Jass]

11 minutes ago, Brave Sir Robin said:

You're in luck!  With Rick Astley thrown in for free too!

https://www.knebworthhouse.com/events/pub-in-the-parks-drive-in-garden-party/

Fire up Hubble!!

[SwedgeAntilles]

Playground Festival in Glasgow, scheduled for September, has now also bitten the dust. Rescheduled for the last weekend in July next year. Fingers crossed it survives. They managed to get decent line ups. 

[stuartbert two hats]

Parklife seems to think 2021 is on.

[zahidf]

According to this article there's a meeting for stage 5 of the plan (no social distancing) happening now in govt

 

https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/mark-davyd-interview-music-venue-trust-a4527371.html?fbclid=IwAR0N4rtjHNYKVJniwlKsiw4wf3H-3GbF-gDriKG1rL7JXnO6OfovuD9zksw

[eFestivals]

11 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Parklife seems to think 2021 is on.

it's sent out a PR announcing the date it announced when it cancelled this year's fest - nothing new at all.