The Admiral Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Excellent piece from Classic Rock regarding the cancellation of this year's Sonisphere from Alan Niven, the ex Guns and Roses Manager. http://classicrock.teamrock.com/features/2015-01-22/the-cancellation-of-sonisphere-are-record-companies-to-blame Interestingly, I had a CD turn up today : UFO reissue of 'No place to run' and the excellent booklet contains a copy of their headlining gig at the Reading Festival in 1980. Taking Alan Niven's point about poor bills - look at the the bands you could, and in some cases on BC, I am sure did, see. It makes you think about the dearth of quality we have out there now, which may well be linked to the lack of support from record companies, but also the death of grungy little venues where Young bands can get up, be a bit crap, but learn and improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 The world, has moved on.....Festivals were a big deal, back in the day. (so was the Crystal Palace, before it burned down) - most of us are old enough to have seen the movement of music from vinyl to cd to internet....the world around us changes and we mourn the Good Old Days.....every street used to have 3 or 4 aspiring bands, but that was then. I wonder if the audience really cares, or indeed exists to support the financial leviathan that grew out of free milk and camping in Glastonbury - I am beginning to think that even I might live longer, but we shall see - anyone who really knows where this is headed will make a lot of wonga.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I think festivals are actually a bigger thing now than they were back in 1980, and hence there are loads of them today. And that's Sonisphere's (and other festivals) problem - the competition is huge. In 1980 if you wanted to go to a Rock festival you went to Reading, but now even if you want a specifically Metal festival you have far more choice. And that's just in this country: it is very cheap to travel abroad to see what is available in the rest of Europe now. So more festivals, with very often the same bands playing at plenty of them. Incidentally, I was at Reading in 1980. Although looking at it now it seems like an amazing lineup, it's worth remembering that the likes Of Maiden and Def Leppard were still in the 'up and coming' category and no were near the behemoths they became in later years. In that sense the lineup wasn't so different to the kind of acts you'd see at a festival nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) Early 20th century... Boxing and rowing clubs abounded. Then there was a decade or more of roller-skating; roller rinks in every town. These became cinemas as that became popular, then post-war dance halls. Rock'n'roll had many of these venues convert into concert halls, others turned to bingo, or low-cost furniture and carpets. Along came t'web... Yes, the wheel turns; that which was popular, even essential, at some point peaks, then dies down, to be replaced with something else. Such is life, such is ageing. Maybe boxing and rowing are due a come-back..? I attended the Godshill festival; decades later I was active in the 3 Elephants festival here in France. Much has changed over this relatively short span; the 'Woodstock era' has passed. The mega events will struggle on, I suppose, for a while, and some speciality 'niche' ones will continue whilst there's a demand, but it all changes, and no-one really knows where or when it'll end up. I reckon had a good run, and the current top draws don't ignite much fire in me these days (I have enough trouble getting to sleep in my own bed, let alone a tent in a muddy field..! [size=4]). I'll leave all that for future generations.[/size] Edited January 24, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Picking up on the previous comment re lots of the same bands clogging up all the festivals, I've noticed that a lot of the big bands are using festivals as a kind of tour these days. Subsequently they don't have to do proper tours, they can just hop around the festivals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 This is Rock festivals in Britain and USA though. There are tons of hip hop festivals. And there are plenty in Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1422115163' post='2668866'] This is Rock festivals in Britain and USA though. There are tons of hip hop festivals. And there are plenty in Europe. [/quote] Very true, I do wonder how much of music production falls loosely under the umbrella of 'rock' nowadays, and how much might again be loosely described as dance. It wouldn't surprise me at all if far more of it falls into the dance category, and I've got to admit that much of what goes on in that scene is a mystery to me. Rock music is long in the tooth and innovation at premium - perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that rock events struggle more than they used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 [quote name='Musky' timestamp='1422115955' post='2668873'] Very true, I do wonder how much of music production falls loosely under the umbrella of 'rock' nowadays, and how much might again be loosely described as dance. It wouldn't surprise me at all if far more of it falls into the dance category, and I've got to admit that much of what goes on in that scene is a mystery to me. Rock music is long in the tooth and innovation at premium - perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that rock events struggle more than they used to. [/quote] India is a big market for rock festivals. Rock is cool over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 This my friends is what happens when you put on three per-pubescent Japanese girls on instead of a proper band. If this is the way of things, then good riddance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 [quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1422111011' post='2668810']Interestingly, I had a CD turn up today : UFO reissue of 'No place to run' and the excellent booklet contains a copy of their headlining gig at the Reading Festival in 1980. [/quote] Yeah, but even back then Ozzy cancelled with just a couple of days notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) In the good old days? When were they? I remember going to Donington in the late 80s. The first three bands on where pretty much unknowns. Metallica, Anthrax and Guns and Roses. Within two years each of them were selling out stadium gigs. Donington started at 2pm and finished at 11pm. There was one stage and 7 bands. 250,000 people at the height of 80s metal. Maybe the big problem is the diversity of bands and the festivals are trying to appeal to everyone. Then there's only 8-12 weeks of the summer anyway and at £200+ for Reading, is anyone going to more than one festival? . Edited January 24, 2015 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skychaserhigh Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Too many festivals with too many stages , too many average bands and not enough headline worthy bands. Donington 84 was my favorite , motley crue , accept , y+t , Gary Moore , ozzy Osbourne , van Halen and ac/dc. One stage , all killer no filler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks79 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 [quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1422123658' post='2669012'] Too many festivals with too many stages , too many average bands and not enough headline worthy bands.[/quote] And this is the point of the original article, I totally agree. The world has moved on so its actually harder in my opinion to get picked up by a label, and even then, harder to get progressed and invested in by a label, rather than just sat on and left to tick over. Labels really need to nurture and grow their bands, push them to bigger better things, and we would end up with a new surge of headline bands in terms of size and sales. Some UK rock and indie bands have definitely been getting pushed this last year or so, which is brilliant, just look at bands such as Alt-J after Royal Blood and Marmozets who have leapt up to world fame. Some things are the other way round though, I have to admit, the bigger Muse have got, the less I have enjoyed their output, significantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Lots iof small ' boutique' festivals around the UK these days though. Much better for seeing the sort of bands you like. Big festivals have gone too mainstream I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks79 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 ...and far to expensive these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) this isn't the first time they have cancelled sonisphere, they are saying this year that it is due to not being able to get a good enough lineup. there is still a passion for festivals otherwise they wouldn't happen as often as they do. the thing is with sonisphere, it has to compete with download/donington which has been around for years, and unless sonisphere can out do it then it wont work, unfortunately it comes in as the annoying little brother rather than a big time competitor. IMO, there simply isn't enough people in this country to make 2 big rock/metal festivals in the space of 2 months a viable option. knebworth would be better adopting the hyde park model, and run a series of big band shows over the course of the summer rather than one big festival. Edited January 24, 2015 by RockfordStone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I went to all the 80's festivals' in the good old days. Bad toilets, bad food, theft from tents, flying bottles of piss, etc. etc. I think they've always been a bit ropey and a rip off. The festivals I remember were the one's where the sun shone and you had a good entourage. Well overdue a revamp IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 [quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1422131761' post='2669142'] Bad toilets, bad food, theft from tents, flying bottles of piss, etc. etc. I think they've always been a bit ropey and a rip off. [/quote] they have changed a lot since then, you still get the rogue bottle of piss, but generally it is frowned upon and efforts are made to stop it. from my experience of last years download festival, the toilets are much improved and the food is better, still expensive mind, but not gut destroying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 http://www.hellfest.fr/ Festivals aren't dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks79 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 [quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1422136144' post='2669206'] [url="http://www.hellfest.fr/"]http://www.hellfest.fr/[/url] Festivals aren't dead. [/quote] ...but they are sold out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subbeh Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1422133664' post='2669168'] they have changed a lot since then, you still get the rogue bottle of piss, but generally it is frowned upon and efforts are made to stop it. from my experience of last years download festival, the toilets are much improved and the food is better, still expensive mind, but not gut destroying [/quote] Agree with Download being better, hadn't been for four or five years and everything was better, layout, toilets, number of stages and their layout. Food selection and quality was also waaay better. The food and drink prices were pretty good by festival standards too. My first festival was the old Donnington and it was *&^%, there was constantly people pissing in any container they could get their hands on to throw, others were packing containers with sand and soil and hurling them through the crowd. For the most part I was too busy keeping an eye on incoming objects to watch the bands. Rounded off with my mate taking a cooler bag full of soil to the head. There was a really nasty edge to the crowd that year and it's so much more laid back and friendly now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 http://youtu.be/0qt2P8cWoqY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Might be a decline for the enormo-dome festivals but there's more than ever happening, especially across Europe. Cheaper tickets and sunnier. For a niche music festival of this scale, there's only a dozen or so bands in the world you can have as headliners. Every year the same old stuff (and the same old men). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I think it is an opportunity for smaller festivals to thrive. Around here, 1000 plus attendences are about the limit of expense and logistics but they can be very good fun and worth doing. The bigger fests..?? I'd rather watch it on TV..no contest, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Supersonic Festival is meant to be back this year and that's all that matters... to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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