2023 Festival

[gfa]

55 minutes ago, Benj said:

It’s funny that while peoples tastes seem to be expanding beyond a single genre, festivals seem to have become more and more niche. 

For me Reading’s strength has always been its diversity, if under the ‘alternative/ non-pop/ non world music’ banner. 

I don’t want an Indie festival, a hard rock festival, a rap festival, a dance festival, I want a bit of everything. I seem to be in the minority  

Nowhere really seems to provide this anymore (bar glasto really but it’s always been a bit weak on the heavier stuff). In fact Reading is still probably best, it’s just got so weak in its depth and lost its nerve in booking more niche acts.

Reading has the capacity to fill tents with people who want to see what is billed, they just can’t seem to bill it any more. 

As covered Knocked Loose etc will play to a half full tent, as that genre is not well enough represented

They seem to have really lost their way trying to appeal to people who don’t seem to actually like music much!

could say boardmasters is something to look to

huge array of genres like reading but booking far more interesting acts e.g. Lorde and Florence in headline slots

Reading is such a disadvantage in that it has a shit curfew, feel as other festivals grow it will always be held back by this

[Benj]

3 minutes ago, gfa said:

could say boardmasters is something to look to

huge array of genres like reading but booking far more interesting acts e.g. Lorde and Florence in headline slots

Reading is such a disadvantage in that it has a shit curfew, feel as other festivals grow it will always be held back by this

Yup, Lorde would’ve been 100 more interesting than Capaldi

The curfew should ensure they have an excellent line up during the day if anything!

It does obv limit it as a ‘festival’ but it hasn’t stopped it selling when the lineup has been good

[Benj]

Spent an age putting together how the line up could perhaps work if it was the old skool format and how choice beats 'NO CLaSHEs', then gave up as I realised it would be miles better if someone did it in an actual Clashfinder!

Obv a bit of a con filling in the gaps with the 2018 lineup. as loads have grown since. Despite all but having a full lineup now you can see the level of quality and quantity that is now missing (acts in pink would no longer have slots)

Those who arent interested in Eilish, Dragons, Lacey, Hill, Tjay and Sawayama, instead can see McKenna, Broco, Snuts, Amaxons Muna and Hot Milk.  

Also highlights how Brockhampton, Carti, Chase Atlantic may not have been booked to play in 2018...

[gfa]

3 minutes ago, Benj said:

Spent an age putting together how the line up could perhaps work if it was the old skool format and how choice beats 'NO CLaSHEs', then gave up as I realised it would be miles better if someone did it in an actual Clashfinder!

Obv a bit of a con filling in the gaps with the 2018 lineup. as loads have grown since. Despite all but having a full lineup now you can see the level of quality and quantity that is now missing (acts in pink would no longer have slots)

Those who arent interested in Eilish, Dragons, Lacey, Hill, Tjay and Sawayama, instead can see McKenna, Broco, Snuts, Amaxons Muna and Hot Milk.  

Also highlights how Brockhampton, Carti, Chase Atlantic may not have been booked to play in 2018...

you do realise carti is headlining wireless right?

[Benj]

8 minutes ago, gfa said:

you do realise carti is headlining wireless right?

Yup, hence saying it was a cheat filling in the gaps with slots from 2018 who have since grown (loads disappeared too mind).

It does also highlight the fact that Reading may well miss out on artists that then blow up though. There would've been no slot for Carti in 2018, given the new format.

People wont be looking back on these new lineups in 4 years time and going "Look at all the big names who played so low", as half of them wont have played.

Edited February 28, 2023 by Benj

[justanothername]

3 hours ago, BenG92 said:

It's definitely time for a new UK rock weekender that fills the void left by the LnR of old. Not metal but heavier than, I dunno, Truck Fest. 

Doesn't 2000trees fill this gap? Sure it doesn't have the same draw just yet as bigger festivals but it's slowly getting there.

3 hours ago, Andre91 said:

A new festival would be great.
 

I do think that Slam Dunk needs to become a two day camping festival with lineups rotating each day between North and South though. 

I think Futuresound may have been planning this but have gone for doing Slam Dunk one day and Live at Leeds the other.

[Nick dp]

Absolutely stoked with today announcement. Its a zeightgeist a festival it moves with the times. So the big tent is gone, get over it life moves on. Last year there were three tents and two non clashing main stages. Moaning about the tik tok generation just says you've out grown the fest, saying people are only interested in one song, well that's how festivals actually work u go and see an act out of curiosity and stick around. 

Personally a great announcement today and unlike the Rose tinted days there's actually festivals like victorious and y not that fil the gap readings fine, it's not failing and the big tops not coming back, always remember being in empty tents in the old days. Get over it. 

The futures of festivals is bright and reading will have its place but understand it might not be your but reading and Leeds will never die it wil always survive. 

Was at a greener conference earlier and discovered do many more festivals and innovations if the memory of the reading upsets u that much discover something new and leave a zightfeist festival alone

[Benj]

31 minutes ago, Nick dp said:

Absolutely stoked with today announcement. Its a zeightgeist a festival it moves with the times. So the big tent is gone, get over it life moves on. Last year there were three tents and two non clashing main stages. Moaning about the tik tok generation just says you've out grown the fest, saying people are only interested in one song, well that's how festivals actually work u go and see an act out of curiosity and stick around. 

Personally a great announcement today and unlike the Rose tinted days there's actually festivals like victorious and y not that fil the gap readings fine, it's not failing and the big tops not coming back, always remember being in empty tents in the old days. Get over it. 

The futures of festivals is bright and reading will have its place but understand it might not be your but reading and Leeds will never die it wil always survive. 

Was at a greener conference earlier and discovered do many more festivals and innovations if the memory of the reading upsets u that much discover something new and leave a zightfeist festival alone

Good try Nick!

Sadly even the Tiktok generation think its shit this year

Edited March 1, 2023 by Benj

[Nick dp]

Fair play benji. I think you've been to more readings because I couldn't go every year coz if work but our time span is very similar and I'm use to two stages at a d cool. Some thing u say wind me up, I still love the fetsival and always will. I love this year's line up, and I think after last years troubles (which were defo  no worse than Leeds in the eay noughties) more vanilla headliners were expected. I thi k though billie eilish is reading these day would have been nice if they had left a year out since last year's tour and time to release a new album. But I think there's a gods genre spread its a bit safe but I think they are trying to regain trust with the parents

[Benj]

1 hour ago, Nick dp said:

Fair play benji. I think you've been to more readings because I couldn't go every year coz if work but our time span is very similar and I'm use to two stages at a d cool. Some thing u say wind me up, I still love the fetsival and always will. I love this year's line up, and I think after last years troubles (which were defo  no worse than Leeds in the eay noughties) more vanilla headliners were expected. I thi k though billie eilish is reading these day would have been nice if they had left a year out since last year's tour and time to release a new album. But I think there's a gods genre spread its a bit safe but I think they are trying to regain trust with the parents

The acts booked aren’t bad, there’s just not enough of them and given there’s so many less spots available the number of repeats is disappointing

 

[moz4pm]

This is the first leeds and reading lineup that has an entire day of acts with nothing that interests me. I haven't been since 2015 and unless there's a huge shift in what young people enjoy listening to I'm resigned to the fact that the glory days of Leeds and Reading being THE alternative festival are never coming back and I'll probably never attend again. Fortunately there's still some smaller UK festivals and big European ones offering value for money lineups.

[Andre91]

8 hours ago, Benj said:

Spent an age putting together how the line up could perhaps work if it was the old skool format and how choice beats 'NO CLaSHEs', then gave up as I realised it would be miles better if someone did it in an actual Clashfinder!

Obv a bit of a con filling in the gaps with the 2018 lineup. as loads have grown since. Despite all but having a full lineup now you can see the level of quality and quantity that is now missing (acts in pink would no longer have slots)

Those who arent interested in Eilish, Dragons, Lacey, Hill, Tjay and Sawayama, instead can see McKenna, Broco, Snuts, Amaxons Muna and Hot Milk.  

Also highlights how Brockhampton, Carti, Chase Atlantic may not have been booked to play in 2018...

What a waste of your time. 

[andyrhodes24]

14 hours ago, Andre91 said:

A new festival would be great.
 

I do think that Slam Dunk needs to become a two day camping festival with lineups rotating each day between North and South though. 

Massive potential and hopefully appetite for it, particularly at Temple Newsam if they can get a camping license after the Leeds Fest riots back in the day. £100 a ticket is steep for Slam Dunk considering the sheer number of clashes every year

[BenG92]

11 hours ago, justanothername said:

Doesn't 2000trees fill this gap? Sure it doesn't have the same draw just yet as bigger festivals but it's slowly getting there.

I think Futuresound may have been planning this but have gone for doing Slam Dunk one day and Live at Leeds the other.

Trees is cool, as is SD and ATG, but I'm talking much bigger. Acts that for some reason Download don't touch (or have booked like once) and that are now a rarity at LnR. With a proper undercard. Feels like the UK is missing something like that, even if it's a 2-dayer.

Pearl Jam & Green Day, RHCP & NIN, Muse & blink-182, something like that.

[Goer190]

If anyone is bored

https://www.sporcle.com/games/tomjardine21/reading-festival-headliners

[gfa]

12 hours ago, Benj said:

Yup, hence saying it was a cheat filling in the gaps with slots from 2018 who have since grown (loads disappeared too mind).

It does also highlight the fact that Reading may well miss out on artists that then blow up though. There would've been no slot for Carti in 2018, given the new format.

People wont be looking back on these new lineups in 4 years time and going "Look at all the big names who played so low", as half of them wont have played.

ah yeah misread that sorry

[Dukey]

34 minutes ago, Goer190 said:

If anyone is bored

https://www.sporcle.com/games/tomjardine21/reading-festival-headliners

Managed 91

[Benj]

4 hours ago, Andre91 said:

What a waste of your time. 

Well yes, of course, esp if you already know what the problem is!

It demonstrates what’s missing and people are finally realising.

It’s how many less acts are now booked and that clashes are a good thing

The problem is not who’s now being booked, it’s that now you have far less choice. ‘No clashes’ is a huge con

 

[Pottsy2913]

2 hours ago, Goer190 said:

If anyone is bored

https://www.sporcle.com/games/tomjardine21/reading-festival-headliners

Managed 86 (I believe, closed the tab before I double checked, haha). Kicked myself for missing Radiohead and The Prodigy

[Andre91]

3 hours ago, Goer190 said:

If anyone is bored

https://www.sporcle.com/games/tomjardine21/reading-festival-headliners

105/118 🙂

[charlierc]

4 hours ago, Goer190 said:

If anyone is bored

https://www.sporcle.com/games/tomjardine21/reading-festival-headliners

87/118. Would've been more had I randomly not forgotten Stormzy.

[stanh]

4 hours ago, Goer190 said:

If anyone is bored

https://www.sporcle.com/games/tomjardine21/reading-festival-headliners

105. Missed some in the first few years, and somehow forgot Radiohead too!

[thatTFBguy]

18 hours ago, Benj said:

Spent an age putting together how the line up could perhaps work if it was the old skool format and how choice beats 'NO CLaSHEs', then gave up as I realised it would be miles better if someone did it in an actual Clashfinder!

Obv a bit of a con filling in the gaps with the 2018 lineup. as loads have grown since. Despite all but having a full lineup now you can see the level of quality and quantity that is now missing (acts in pink would no longer have slots)

Those who arent interested in Eilish, Dragons, Lacey, Hill, Tjay and Sawayama, instead can see McKenna, Broco, Snuts, Amaxons Muna and Hot Milk.  

Also highlights how Brockhampton, Carti, Chase Atlantic may not have been booked to play in 2018...

Adding the The Front Bottoms back means I'd there in an instant! Really is zero space for them at R+L now - they would tank on the main stage. Shows how much we've lost in the new format. 

[thatTFBguy]

19 hours ago, charlierc said:

Frank Turner playing Leeds on the Saturday caught me by surprise as he's meant to be playing a festival on the outskirts of Buckingham that evening, a full 3 hours south. Hints to me he might be on quite early.

He's opening main stage east, so very possible to do both. 

[sacred shape]

37 minutes ago, thatTFBguy said:

Adding the The Front Bottoms back means I'd there in an instant! Really is zero space for them at R+L now - they would tank on the main stage. Shows how much we've lost in the new format. 

I've just bought tickets to see them in Huntingdon, Long Island. Lucky enough to be in NYC during their next tour! Will be my first time!