Mad Cool Festival 2022

[MrTobs]

26 minutes ago, Matt86 said:

The Strokes : 40 y.o / Arctic Monkeys : 35 y.o / Ghost : 40  / Nothing But Thieves : 25-30  / Greta Van Fleet : 25  / Biffy Clyro : 40  / BMTH : 35  / Architects : 30  / ...

Don't forget the Foo Fighters, RATM ou Greenday (50), Volbeat, AlterBridge or Slipknot (45) still here for 10-15 easy ...

Plus, many bands will appear in the next 10 years so don't worry, this genre is still alive 😉
 

I think it's not about the genre still being alive, there are a lot of great new rock/indie acts, like jparx mentioned and I'm sure that this will always be the case (no matter if they end up being huge or a mid-sized name).

Still, most acts that reached headliner-status in the 10's aren't rock-artists and many people (including me) are getting tired of festivals who refuse to go with the time and book more diverse headliners in terms of genres and instead always go for the same 90's/00's rock acts in the top line (Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Muse, RHCP, Green Day,...).

I was a huge Foo Fighters and Muse fan, but the oversaturation just killed it for me and many of my friends. The fact that these acts will probably go on and headline a major festival in Germany (where I'm from) every second year with exactly the same show is super tiresome and in my opinion even damaging to the rock genre itself, 'cause people get bored.

[Matt86]

55 minutes ago, MrTobs said:

I think it's not about the genre still being alive, there are a lot of great new rock/indie acts, like jparx mentioned and I'm sure that this will always be the case (no matter if they end up being huge or a mid-sized name).

Still, most acts that reached headliner-status in the 10's aren't rock-artists and many people (including me) are getting tired of festivals who refuse to go with the time and book more diverse headliners in terms of genres and instead always go for the same 90's/00's rock acts in the top line (Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, Muse, RHCP, Green Day,...).

I was a huge Foo Fighters and Muse fan, but the oversaturation just killed it for me and many of my friends. The fact that these acts will probably go on and headline a major festival in Germany (where I'm from) every second year with exactly the same show is super tiresome and in my opinion even damaging to the rock genre itself, 'cause people get bored.

Then who would you chose to headline ? If these bands/artists are headlining festivals over the years, don't forget one thing : it is also because THEY ARE AVAILABLE.

And that's a huge difference between these guys and others like, I don't know, Rihanna, Eminem, etc... Those ones dont give a fuck about their fan base, now that they are financially stable,  they don't care about performing anymore. Or maybe once every 10 years...you know, just to fill the bank account...

[Matt86]

We can't blame bands and artists that make themselves available over the years, compared to some who let be honest, dont give a damn about festivals and/or fans over the world, or outside the US.

[thetime]

3 minutes ago, Matt86 said:

 

And that's a huge difference between these guys and others like, I don't know, Rihanna, Eminem, etc... Those ones dont give a fuck about their fan base, now that they are financially stable,  they don't care about performing anymore. Or maybe once every 10 years...you know, just to fill the bank account...

Bands only play festivals for the money don't they? You could make am argument for Glastonbury, overall its easy money for them.

Edited June 17, 2021 by thetime

[thetime]

Festivals in general dont take many risks with headliners, especially your gigs in a field like MC, werchter. 

Why would they? Its all about ticket sales.

[Sparticus]

8 minutes ago, thetime said:

Festivals in general dont take many risks with headliners, especially your gigs in a field like MC, werchter. 

Why would they? Its all about ticket sales.

This. Mad cool seem to be getting a hard time for booking safe acts that will sell tickets.

I can see Tame Impala getting booked as a big modern act. 

[Quadrophobia]

29 minutes ago, thetime said:

Festivals in general dont take many risks with headliners, especially your gigs in a field like MC, werchter. 

Why would they? Its all about ticket sales.

Primavera '19 was a giant risk that could've backfired tremendously but resulted in the best sales the festival has ever seen. 

Festivals are a huge part of getting to know new music for many people that aren't actively searching for it in an age where everyone is streamlined by algorithms and playlists. Having pop/rap acts at your festival makes your audience get into them.

Also you just gotta break Rock-chauvinism. The worst crowd I've ever seen was at a festival in '19 where Christine and the Queens played before the Foo Fighters. The front rows were crammed with people waiting for the Foos and talking loudly, agressively making fun of the people on stage and everyone around them for liking them. Christine was killer and the Foo Fighters gig was a trainwreck. Serves them well. 

 

[MrTobs]

52 minutes ago, Matt86 said:

Then who would you chose to headline ? If these bands/artists are headlining festivals over the years, don't forget one thing : it is also because THEY ARE AVAILABLE.

And that's a huge difference between these guys and others like, I don't know, Rihanna, Eminem, etc... Those ones dont give a fuck about their fan base, now that they are financially stable,  they don't care about performing anymore. Or maybe once every 10 years...you know, just to fill the bank account...

The line-up Mad Cool planned for 2020 would have been a good one, (so you are obviously right about the availability thing) or even better NOS Alive 2020 (Kendrick, Billie, Taylor, The Strokes), Roskilde and Glastonbury 2020 were amazing too and I'm sure they will have a good solution if Taylor isn't available next year.

Let's see what the three missing headliners are for Mad Cool, maybe it will change my opinion. Also my comment wasn't directed at them exclusively, they tried in 2020 with booking Taylor and Billie, but rather to festivals in general, that seem to highlight certain acts that aren't so relevant anymore. I'm not saying that you should stop booking those acts completly and I agree that they have to look who sells the most tickets, but on the other hand if they want to attract new people from time to time and especially younger people (the future festival goers) they should mix things up a bit, when someone more exciting/special is available.

For 2022 I think Tyler, the Creator, Dua Lipa, Lorde are the most exciting names announced yet and I guess Kendrick, Asap Rocky, maybe Taylor/Billie/Lana will follow. Mix them up with the typical festival acts and you'll have a great line-up for everyone, those who come every year and new people.

Edited June 17, 2021 by MrTobs

[thetime]

37 minutes ago, Quadrophobia said:

 

Also you just gotta break Rock-chauvinism. The worst crowd I've ever seen was at a festival in '19 where Christine and the Queens played before the Foo Fighters. The front rows were crammed with people waiting for the Foos and talking loudly, agressively making fun of the people on stage and everyone around them for liking them. Christine was killer and the Foo Fighters gig was a trainwreck. Serves them well. 

 

That's pretty standard for a festival with 2 different type of bands.

I remember werchter 2011 and Portishead were playing, with Coldplay headlining after them. People had no interest in Portishead and a similar vibe to what you described.

[SwallowOrSleepOnTheWetSpot]

49 minutes ago, Quadrophobia said:

Primavera '19 was a giant risk that could've backfired tremendously but resulted in the best sales the festival has ever seen. 

 

Ehh, only the Saturday sold out I believe, whereas PS 2016 and 2018 were definitely all the way sold out.

[Quadrophobia]

1 minute ago, SwallowOrSleepOnTheWetSpot said:

Ehh, only the Saturday sold out I believe, whereas PS 2016 and 2018 were definitely all the way sold out.

2019 had a stark increase of capacity though, thats why it didn't sell out

[Dales]

1 hour ago, Quadrophobia said:

Also you just gotta break Rock-chauvinism. The worst crowd I've ever seen was at a festival in '19 where Christine and the Queens played before the Foo Fighters. The front rows were crammed with people waiting for the Foos and talking loudly, agressively making fun of the people on stage and everyone around them for liking them. Christine was killer and the Foo Fighters gig was a trainwreck. Serves them well. 

But thats not really the fault of Foo's fans its the promotors/bookers as "thetime" said this is fairly standard at lots of festivals.

There is nothing wrong with putting both acts on the same festival, but ultra fans turn up early at a stage to see "their band/artist" and may have no interest in the other acts before even if they seem a natural fit with the artist they have come to see. This is even more so, if a different style/genre artist is before the act they have come to see. It's a common complaint about talkers spoiling performances. I don't understand why line-ups are sometimes structured this way. It's not good for the artists or either set of fans.

I think if you are going to mix up styles of music then well currated days over the festival or themed stages is the way to go. I have got in to a number of artists by coming across them be accident at festivals or arriving at a gig early and seeing the support that I had previously never heard of. Equally, I have stood in front of a stage wishing they would wrap up their set and get off as they have been badly placed on a line-up.

The same situation would happen if you had a huge Rap/Hip Hop artist and some one like The Kooks, Elvis Costello, Maisie Peters or anyone who did not sit well with the headliners core audience played before them.

It's not Rock-Chauvinism just human nature.

 

36 minutes ago, thetime said:

That's pretty standard for a festival with 2 different type of bands.

I remember werchter 2011 and Portishead were playing, with Coldplay headlining after them. People had no interest in Portishead and a similar vibe to what you described.

 

[polnico]

1 hour ago, Quadrophobia said:

Also you just gotta break Rock-chauvinism. The worst crowd I've ever seen was at a festival in '19 where Christine and the Queens played before the Foo Fighters. The front rows were crammed with people waiting for the Foos and talking loudly, agressively making fun of the people on stage and everyone around them for liking them. Christine was killer and the Foo Fighters gig was a trainwreck. Serves them well. 

 

Exact same issue at Werchter 2017, except that the combo was Alt-J and... the Foo Fighters again! Loved both gigs though!

[FloorFiller]

7 minutes ago, polnico said:

Exact same issue at Werchter 2017, except that the combo was Alt-J and... the Foo Fighters again! Loved both gigs though!

Tbf Alt-J are terrible so that one totally adds up 😋

[thetime]

20 minutes ago, polnico said:

Exact same issue at Werchter 2017, except that the combo was Alt-J and... the Foo Fighters again! Loved both gigs though!

Werchter have had some mad ones down the years. Pink playing before Rammstein was a particularly strange one in 2010.

[Nicklord]

Once I was at a festival that had Damon Albarn play before Skrillex and people that were waiting for Skrillex were so obnoxious it ruined the mood of the crowd.

 

It's just something that's going to happen with 2 totally different genres playing one after another

[Quadrophobia]

Hellfest leak was confirmed today, makes Nine Inch Nails rather unlikely here.

[Sparticus]

8 minutes ago, Quadrophobia said:

Hellfest leak was confirmed today, makes Nine Inch Nails rather unlikely here.

Why unlikely? They'll be coming over to tour, not for the odd date. 

[Dales]

Nine Inch Nails playing Hellfest late June. The only date I know about but not coming over to just play that one show.

MC have not been afraid to book older Rock acts for 2022, so what are the chances?

[Quadrophobia]

4 minutes ago, Sparticus said:

Why unlikely? They'll be coming over to tour, not for the odd date. 

Because Mad Cool would've just been able to announce them, if they had booked them. Could've just waited another day with the poster.

[Dales]

9 minutes ago, Quadrophobia said:

Because Mad Cool would've just been able to announce them, if they had booked them. Could've just waited another day with the poster.

The NIN site only has Hellfest but they must have other dates in Europe next year. So for whatever reason none of the other dates are being advertised. Maybe MC released that poster as a version was leaked before and not much point carrying on with the letter game. 

You may well be right but not being on the current poster would not rule them out for me.

[Quadrophobia]

3 minutes ago, Dales said:

The NIN site only has Hellfest but they must have other dates in Europe next year. So for whatever reason none of the other dates are being advertised. Maybe MC released that poster as a version was leaked before and not much point carrying on with the letter game. 

You may well be right but not being on the current poster would not rule them out for me.

It doesn't rule them out, I agree. But Mad Cool always teased the 16th as the release date, because thats when Metallica dates were gonna be announced. NIN might also end up at Primavera although I don't htink thats very likely either. 

[Dales]

1 minute ago, Quadrophobia said:

It doesn't rule them out, I agree. But Mad Cool always teased the 16th as the release date, because thats when Metallica dates were gonna be announced. NIN might also end up at Primavera although I don't htink thats very likely either. 

I will be interested to see where they do end up as they are one of the acts I always seem to miss. Some UK dates would be nice.

[FloorFiller]

Somebody mentioned in another thread but could it not be Bilbao BK for NIN instead of the other two?

[Dales]

3 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

Somebody mentioned in another thread but could it not be Bilbao BK for NIN instead of the other two?

Could well be, I think their line up is due early July.