Festivals 2025 (1 Viewer)

[DT-R]

I understand you have good years and bad years for festivals. You have years where big bands just aren't touring and years when they're all touring. I understand you can't repeat the same bands year after year as it'll get repetitive and boring. I also understand you can't please everyone, all the time. But fuck me the festival scene this year is woeful. Glastonbury being headlined by 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo on the pyramids stage. That's fucking woeful! And looking at all the other festivals this year they're all just as bad.
My top 2 picks would be Kendal Calling or IoW. And even then they're only semi-ok line-ups. In a year that Oasis, Coldplay, Lady GaGa, and Beyoncé are touring and not a single festival could tempt any of them? Ive applied for Glastonbury numerous times and failed, I'm glad I didn't bother this year because had I been successful I'd be pretty miffed off forking out for tickets for that line up. Also how and why Kneecap are still being paid by any festival to play is beyond me.

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[SBT]

The Glastonbury lineup is about as good a representation of modern music as you’re going to get in any one place. Maybe you think modern music is generally shite, but it’s particularly stacked this year, even if the three headliners aren’t huge names.

There just isn’t the same interest in bands these days, especially guitar bands, and solo acts and dance music especially are more popular (the Glastonbury lineup is outstanding for the latter). Even still, there are plenty of nostalgia-focused indie festivals around, even if the big ones like V and T In The Park have gone.

 

[SBT]

As for Kneecap, every political party and tabloid paper in this country seem to be conspiring to them make them massive. Which is a shame, as they’re rubbish.

 

[DT-R]

The Glastonbury lineup is about as good a representation of modern music as you’re going to get in any one place. Maybe you think modern music is generally shite, but it’s particularly stacked this year, even if the three headliners aren’t huge names.

There just isn’t the same interest in bands these days, especially guitar bands, and solo acts and dance music especially are more popular (the Glastonbury lineup is outstanding for the latter). Even still, there are plenty of nostalgia-focused indie festivals around, even if the big ones like V and T In The Park have gone.

But the modern music at the big festivals doesn't work. Just look at Sizza or whatever her name is last year. Played Sunday headline to about 40 people. Whereas Shania Twain and Foo Fighters previous year (just as 2 examples) were packed. Glastonbury will always sell out regardless of who is in on the stage and when. But sizza last year proved that we still want traditional guitar bands.

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[chiefdave]

Welcome to the 'what is this shit' stage of aging

This summer is insanely packed. I've got 6 festival / stadium shows plus Iron Maiden doing an arena show in Brum between stadium dates.

You're going to struggle to get bands who can sell out stadiums on their own playing fests these days. Long gone are the times when a festival could afford to pay them the same as they'd make for their own show. There's stadium shows this summer where some tickets are nearly £1K!!!

Nobody having a go a Kneecap can have ever heard of the streisand effect. They've just announced a headline show at Wembley Arena, gone from playing small venues to arenas just off the publicity. Half the people going will have never heard a song.

 

[SBT]

But the modern music at the big festivals doesn't work. Just look at Sizza or whatever her name is last year. Played Sunday headline to about 40 people. Whereas Shania Twain and Foo Fighters previous year (just as 2 examples) were packed. Glastonbury will always sell out regardless of who is in on the stage and when. But sizza last year proved that we still want traditional guitar bands.

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Who’s we, in this case?

SZA had a tiny crowd but then again so did The National on the Other Stage (I know because I was in it!)

Glastonbury has remained popular because it’s taken more risks with bookings and headliners, while other big indie festivals have disappeared. There simply aren’t enough big bands capable of headlining a show that size these days. There are plenty of other non-indie band acts who can however.

 

[DT-R]

Who’s we, in this case?

SZA had a tiny crowd but then again so did The National on the Other Stage (I know because I was in it!)

Glastonbury has remained popular because it’s taken more risks with bookings and headliners, while other big indie festivals have disappeared. There simply aren’t enough big bands capable of headlining a show that size these days. There are plenty of other non-indie band acts who can however.

"We", in this case, are the general, paying, public. Who clearly voted with their feet and didn't turn up to watch an unheard of, modern singer, Sizza. Over double the amount turned up to watch Shania Twain (who's vocal cords are fucked) than what turned up to see the pyramid stage, festival closing, headliner.

Though I do agree about there being less and less bands being around to actually headline nowadays. And as you say, festival organisers are being priced out. Gone are the days when just to play on the pyramid stage was a bigger enough draw, regardless of money.

I usually do at least 3 festivals a year. As it stands this year I've got Kendal Calling. Theyre just not appealing to me this year.
I have got Oasis @ Heaton Park, and Madness in December booked in. Though more tickets have just become available for the Enemy in October so may do that if theyre still available next week when I get paid.

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[SBT]

"We", in this case, are the general, paying, public. Who clearly voted with their feet and didn't turn up to watch an unheard of, modern singer, Sizza. Over double the amount turned up to watch Shania Twain (who's vocal cords are fucked) than what turned up to see the pyramid stage, festival closing, headliner.

I’d hardly say she’s unheard of, she sold out Hyde Park and has a stadium tour with Kendrick Lamar booked this summer. I don’t really see how she’s any different to Shania Twain in any case, and Avril Lavigne had a bigger crowd than both of them!

Glastonbury has done a better job than any other festival of staying relevant, in part because it noticed the cultural pivot away from indie bands before many others did. The public seem to be voting with their feet pretty clearly.

 

[Frank Sidebottom]

I understand you have good years and bad years for festivals. You have years where big bands just aren't touring and years when they're all touring. I understand you can't repeat the same bands year after year as it'll get repetitive and boring. I also understand you can't please everyone, all the time. But fuck me the festival scene this year is woeful. Glastonbury being headlined by 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo on the pyramids stage. That's fucking woeful! And looking at all the other festivals this year they're all just as bad.
My top 2 picks would be Kendal Calling or IoW. And even then they're only semi-ok line-ups. In a year that Oasis, Coldplay, Lady GaGa, and Beyoncé are touring and not a single festival could tempt any of them? Ive applied for Glastonbury numerous times and failed, I'm glad I didn't bother this year because had I been successful I'd be pretty miffed off forking out for tickets for that line up. Also how and why Kneecap are still being paid by any festival to play is beyond me.

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You're just old... with Glastonbury you need to look beyond the headliners. Kaiser Chiefs, Prodigy, Fratellis, Alanis Morisette, Biffy Clyro, Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Snow Patrol, Blossoms, Shed Seven are all playing across the main 3 days. Most of those would be headliners at most other festivals. If you've never been to Glastonbury it's difficult to understand the sheer size of the place and how much is actually going on there.