NOS Alive 2026

[TheNewUnion]

1 minute ago, sinivali said:

Especially if the fee asked by FF can get you 3-4 artists that are actually relevant in 2025/26..

I think that is the problem though. There are not a lot of people who can shift 60k tickets.

Pearl Jam can easily sell 60k, probably considered an "old man" band and probably not particularly relevant in 2025. Same for Metallica, Iron Maiden, Coldplay, Radiohead, The Cure and so on.

Olivia Rodrigo shifted a lot of tickets, arguably relevant. Sabrina Carpenter too. Can't think of many rock/guitar acts who are relevant and big ticket sellers right now (but I am older, and out of touch!) 

[FestivalJamie]

17 minutes ago, flowernigiri said:

Trust me - the tent is a much better place for concerts one wants to see. Aside from headliners, of course, the experience there is always better aside from the risk of clashing. 

yes but if I was to go I’d want to see pixies & Florence and you can’t see both.

 

Which means skipping pixies because I wouldn’t skip Florence .

[Ausländer]

19 minutes ago, sinivali said:

Especially if the fee asked by FF can get you 3-4 artists that are actually relevant in 2025/26..

The notion of recent musical output = relevance is a really strange one to me, there a lot of things that make a band relevant, not just there last record. And looking at Nick Cave and The Cure I would argue that both there recent records are great, but pale a bit in comparison to some of there older work, but that's no surprise if you are in the business that long. It's easier for a newcomer to have a exciting record when you only have released one or two, since there isn't much other work they did you could measure it with.

[flowernigiri]

1 minute ago, Ausländer said:

The notion of recent musical output = relevance is a really strange one to me, there a lot of things that make a band relevant, not just there last record. And looking at Nick Cave and The Cure I would argue that both there recent records are great, but pale a bit in comparison to some of there older work, but that's no surprise if you are in the business that long. It's easier for a newcomer to have a exciting record when you only have released one or two, since there isn't much other work they did you could measure it with.

But they didn't imply that recency = relevance. No matter how you spin it, an album's quality (beyond subjectivity) is only a topic of discussion towards relevancy when it becomes a reason of interest or lack of interest towards an artist.

Some older artists get a slight bump with a new record that happens to be adored, others have the luxury to fart out anything and suffer no consequences on their relevance, while others might have good new records but simply their fanbase doesn't expand. 

It's just showbiz. The money is where the profit is. And there's no profit in bands that aren't even willing to be booked for your festival at your scheduled days AND might not bring buzz in terms of ticket sales, which doesn't depend on subjective opinions around albums as much as one might think.

Take Deftones, for example. They didn't do anything new for a few years and before they even had their last album out, they exploded. Tame Impala's new album has easily the worst critical reception. Will that implode their touring chances? Absolutely not. 

I think Arctic Monkeys' latest two albums are easily their best. You'd have a hard time finding people that were attending their show and would tell you with a straight face that they share the same opinion. 

Last but not least, "it's easier for a newcomer to have an exciting record" - tell that to Charli XCX...

 

[matrainertje]

11 minutes ago, Ausländer said:

And looking at Nick Cave and The Cure I would argue that both there recent records are great, but pale a bit in comparison to some of there older work, but that's no surprise if you are in the business that long. 

Bad examples, as both Wild God and Songs Of a Lost World do hold up to some of their best work. Cave is on a creative streak since Push The Sky Away and The Cure made a very strong album comeback. 

[Ausländer]

1 minute ago, matrainertje said:

Bad examples, as both Wild God and Songs Of a Lost World do hold up to some of their best work. Cave is on a creative streak since Push The Sky Away and The Cure made a very strong album comeback. 

Yeah I do agree that there records a great that's why I took them as examples, so are they relevant or are they Dad rock?

[flowernigiri]

1 minute ago, Ausländer said:

Yeah I do agree that there records a great that's why I took them as examples, so are they relevant or are they Dad rock?

You're both trying to objectify what is subjective. Relevance is the name of the game. Perceived quality output is just a part of the fraction.

Edited October 24, 2025 by flowernigiri

[Ausländer]

16 minutes ago, flowernigiri said:

Relevance is the name of the game. Perceived quality output is just a part of the fraction.

I do agree with that, that's why I think it's more than strange to call the Foos not relevant, since the only feasible argument for that are there last records

[charlierc]

Well that theory of Foo Fighters being announced today has had quite the rug pull. I presume NOS Alive aren't doing two announcements today, anyway. 

[Big Kahuna]

Great confirmations, NOS seems to be in the right direction.

 

n MC26,s world, we keep waiting for Godot, meanwhile, looking at NOS, I would  take easily to Madrid:

WOLF ALICE

LORDE
PIXIES
FLORENCE and the machine

NICK CAVE and the bad seeds

THE WAR ON DRUGS
 

Edited October 24, 2025 by Big Kahuna

[Dazrigby88]

1 hour ago, FestivalJamie said:

yes but if I was to go I’d want to see pixies & Florence and you can’t see both.

 

Which means skipping pixies because I wouldn’t skip Florence .

that's a horrific clash.. Will the clash be direct, too? I like it when festivals program their schedules so you can see both, which shouldn't be hard when there are only a few stages.

[joaommaia]

1 hour ago, just_one said:

yet it´s bands like Foo Fighters that will sell out super fast. 

it was covoes itself that last said last year he knows that if he brings pearl jam the festival sells out all combo tickets (2 day and 3 day) and the day they play in 2 or 3 days the most. 

bring in good bands/artists and people will go.

 

Olivia Rodrigo which a new artist , sold the most tickets last year as everyone was expecting since she played 2 nights at MEO Arena which were sold out (or the 2nd one close to)

I just wanted to say again that Olivia Rodrigo sold out MEO Arena two times on the day the tickets were put on sale. It’s not close, not in days or months, but sold out in hours.

[flowernigiri]

2 hours ago, Ausländer said:

I do agree with that, that's why I think it's more than strange to call the Foos not relevant, since the only feasible argument for that are there last records

I understand, and of course they're relevant, they'll always be. But are they undoubtely-selling-out-a-festival relevant? If there's no bigger name that their slot could be filled with, then by all means, they're a great fit. Otherwise... 

[just_one]

4 hours ago, Powder_Finger said:

Foo fighters f**king suck get over it

 

yet they are playing 50k stadium multiple nights , go see your indie band play in front of 1k/2k crowds lol

 

4 hours ago, sisco said:

And of course… you can only book who is 1. Touring and 2. Wants to do festivals.

 

The landscape has changed

 

i can tell you many many bands that are doing festivals next year, book them and make one amazing line up

 

2 hours ago, joaommaia said:

I just wanted to say again that Olivia Rodrigo sold out MEO Arena two times on the day the tickets were put on sale. It’s not close, not in days or months, but sold out in hours.

 

that was my inicial thought but i remember someone here saying it was otherwise. i always though she sold the 2 nights very fast , guess i was right after all

1 hour ago, flowernigiri said:

I understand, and of course they're relevant, they'll always be. But are they undoubtely-selling-out-a-festival relevant? If there's no bigger name that their slot could be filled with, then by all means, they're a great fit. Otherwise... 

 

 the artists/bands announced so far with the excepction of florence and nick cave(which can only do one night in MEO Arena which takes 20k people) are not even arena level here in portugal. not even one of them are big enough to play MEO Arena. they would probably play the coliseum which is around 5k or campo pequeno (7k/8k i think)

 

Edited October 24, 2025 by just_one

[flowernigiri]

Just now, just_one said:

 the artists/bands announced so far with the excepction of florence and nick cave are not even arena level here in portugal. not even one of them are big enough to play MEO Arena. they would probably play the coliseum.

 

Ok so your point is that every artist at a festival should sell out arenas? 

[just_one]

1 minute ago, flowernigiri said:

Ok so your point is that every artist at a festival should sell out arenas? 

to play at the main stage? absolutly or at least have the name recognition to do so with the exception if u are the opening band of the day, in that case have 3 really strong bands after which was the case in the past with NOS Alive.

[flowernigiri]

1 minute ago, just_one said:

to play at the main stage? absolutly or at least have the name recognition to do so with the exception if u are the opening band of the day, in that case have 3 really strong bands after which was the case in the past with NOS Alive.

And yet you're asking for Pixies on the main stage when they couldn't even sell out Campo Pequeno. I'm moving on

[just_one]

2 minutes ago, flowernigiri said:

And yet you're asking for Pixies on the main stage when they couldn't even sell out Campo Pequeno. I'm moving on

pixies have the chops and name recognition to play the main stage. that was my point

 

why is buraka and teddy on the main stage and pixies relagated to a secondary stage? doesnt make any sense

Edited October 24, 2025 by just_one

[gingerevans84]

4 minutes ago, just_one said:

to play at the main stage? absolutly or at least have the name recognition to do so with the exception if u are the opening band of the day, in that case have 3 really strong bands after which was the case in the past with NOS Alive.

So say 4 artists per day, you expect at least 12 arena sized bands on the main stage?!

[flowernigiri]

2 minutes ago, just_one said:

pixies have the chops and name recognition to play the main stage. that was my point

Too many disconnected and points that are too far from each other, this is a NOS Alive thread and not an All Points East thread. I rest my case

Edited October 24, 2025 by flowernigiri

[just_one]

5 minutes ago, gingerevans84 said:

So say 4 artists per day, you expect at least 12 arena sized bands on the main stage?!

no i expect one big arena size band as the headliner , 2 big name recognizable bands and one not so big opening the day if u cant get a fourth.

 

say jul 10th as an example

FF - big draw

deftones - very recognazible name
A Perfect Circle - a well known band
another band 

Edited October 24, 2025 by just_one

[northernangel]

5 hours ago, sisco said:

And of course… you can only book who is 1. Touring and 2. Wants to do festivals.

 

The landscape has changed

This is one reason I think festival that only had Foos recently will book them again as they are one of the acts that don't need to do them but they obviously enjoy doing them. 

[Powder_Finger]

2 hours ago, just_one said:

 

yet they are playing 50k stadium multiple nights , go see your indie band play in front of 1k/2k crowds lol

 

Yeah and millions of people voted for trump.

[TheNewUnion]

23 minutes ago, Powder_Finger said:

Yeah and millions of people voted for trump.

Exactly, doesn't mean it's cool or credible or right but he "shifts tickets". There were better, more capable or cooler candidates but they didn't "shift tickets"

[northernangel]

38 minutes ago, Powder_Finger said:

Yeah and millions of people voted for trump.

How does a free vote compare to spending out on tickets?