UK Festival 2010

[ILLMIX]

Hi everyone, i have just recently come back from the Reading Festival here in the UK and was just talking to a few people there and asked them who they want headlining next year.

Anyway to get to the point I mentioned that the Beastie Boys should headline and although i got a favourable acknowledgement from the group they all concluded that the Beasties are now, not big enough to headline a major UK festival. I did not believe them and then a guy who worked for the festival last year pointed out that the Beastie Boys approached the Reading/Leeds and also Glastonbury festival organisers last year to play (2008), but only if they could have a headlining slot. The festival organisers refused to do this and the reason being they thought the Beastie Boys would not draw a big enough crowd, and it would be too much of a gamble. I asked another person who was working in the organisation of the festival last year and he said the same thing, and that the festival would have given them the second slot down but the Beastie Boys declined stating that it was either the headline slot or nothing.:confused:


What are your thoughts on this, is it now true they are not big enough to headline a show in the UK. personally i wouldnt mind just seeing the beasties lower down the line-up as long as i see them, although i'd prefer it if they headlined.

(not USA as i know they were scheduled to headline a number of shows before the MCA cancer issue).

[Kid Presentable]

They headlined Good Vibes here and no-one knew who they were. They still got mad love though, and put on a good show. People thought they were 'weird'. I'd hate for them to headline and for it to be flub-tacular, which let's be honest can sometimes happen. I dunno.

I don't like the odds of them having approched the festivals in 2008 without an album to support, though. I hope their comeback is on some next shit, because when they can be bothered they're still pretty amazing live. If they headline from here on out, it would need to be incredible. I don't know if they could do incredible these days. Lee Majors will be the new set-closer, that much I'm sure of.

[wesleysnaps]

I was really excited to see them at "Outside Lands Fest" here in San Francisco and no matter how times I have seen them I always get like that little kid who got to see them the very first time and lost my shit.

To be honest I could care less if they ever play a festival again. I hate festival's for the most part. The line up has to be pretty darn good for me even to consider, but Outside lands is in my back yard and them headlining pretty much nailed that coffin shut.

I would be ok if they just played smaller venue's like on the Gala Event tour for the rest of their time.

[FunkyDonkey28]

Back in '04, I was at the Voo Doo music festival in New Orleans. The first night I was there it was supposed to be that Green Day headlined and the Beasties were to go on right before them, minutes before the show, rumors in the crowd were that Green Day let the beasties headline out of respect, how much of this is true I don't know. Anyways...Green Day killed it, the beasties played well but you can tell that they struggled a little bit as the headliners in regards to getting the crowd into it. You can argue however, that the crowd was more of a rock crowd. I saw them a week earlier at MSG which wound up being the taping of AIFST and it was like a different band. Nonetheless the Beasties are the Beasties and they always put a great show on.

[Kid Presentable]

Yea I can't get down with most festivals, but I guess they guarantee people through the door. I would love B-Boys to tour small venues, Metro in Perth hosted a great QOTSA show, De La played there. Not a huge venue, but very good for big bands. meh

[JDsmagik]

Isn't "the second slot" of a music festival still a headlining band? :confused:

I mean, they were "third slot" on the billing at bonnaroo, after Bruce Springsteen and Phish, but were still 'headlining' at 8:30 PM on the main stage on Friday night.

http://www.prefixmag.com/site_media/uploads/images/posts/b/bonnaroo-2009.jpg

[YoungRemy]

Back in '04, I was at the Voo Doo music festival in New Orleans. The first night I was there it was supposed to be that Green Day headlined and the Beasties were to go on right before them, minutes before the show, rumors in the crowd were that Green Day let the beasties headline out of respect, how much of this is true I don't know. Anyways...Green Day killed it, the beasties played well but you can tell that they struggled a little bit as the headliners in regards to getting the crowd into it. You can argue however, that the crowd was more of a rock crowd. I saw them a week earlier at MSG which wound up being the taping of AIFST and it was like a different band. Nonetheless the Beasties are the Beasties and they always put a great show on.

I was also at both shows and remember the voodoo experience much differently than you.

in other words, Green Day set 'em up and the Beastie Boys knocked it out of the park...

In the Dirty Dirty...

[Laver1969]

In the Dirty Dirty...

I was at the afterparty at the Boom Boom Room!

And back to topic: I think if HSC is a solid good album they'd be able to draw the headline slot anywhere. However, I'd much prefer a proper tour and no festivals. But I'd gladly take some small club shows. I prefer the shitty bars to the stadiums...

[ILLMIX]

Isn't "the second slot" of a music festival still a headlining band? :confused:

I mean, they were "third slot" on the billing at bonnaroo, after Bruce Springsteen and Phish, but were still 'headlining' at 8:30 PM on the main stage on Friday night.

http://www.prefixmag.com/site_media/uploads/images/posts/b/bonnaroo-2009.jpg

Here in the UK only the headliners (last band on) get to play a full set, I could be wrong but to the majority I have been to this applies.

[pesto pizza]

Isn't "the second slot" of a music festival still a headlining band? :confused:

I mean, they were "third slot" on the billing at bonnaroo, after Bruce Springsteen and Phish, but were still 'headlining' at 8:30 PM on the main stage on Friday night.

http://www.prefixmag.com/site_media/uploads/images/posts/b/bonnaroo-2009.jpg

yeah i agree,there big but not that big and i like it that way.

[dave790]

It's an interesting point. They'd have to have another album on a Hello Nasty popularity scale to headline a major festival over here. I came back from Reading dreaming of them headlining next year, as I do every year, but it's not going to happen. At least they've done it already. It's weird, they let the Pixies headline a few years ago, they were trading on past glories obviously and you wouldn't say that the majority of the young people in the audience knew who they were, but they still drew a big crowd.

If I was them I'd just play second down. There's no shame in that, and they could make themselves difficult to follow. The Prodigy were insane this year, though the Arctics followed on pretty well to be fair, if less energetically. Either way they could do with a big single/album and a bit of momentum going into next years Reading if they play, but then I think fuck it, it's the Beastie Boys. They've got nothing to prove.

I think Glastonbury would be more likely, in any case, and I very much hope to see them at the festivals or on tour next year, with a fully fit Yauch kicking it Root Down.

[camo]

I just think they need to promote more. They pretty much ignore the mainstream now and in a way I kinda wish that more people are aware of them. It's almost as if they're seen as an aging novelty act now and that saddens me because we all know them to be much MUCH more.

[YoungRemy]

i was under the assumption that all of their festival appearances in the last 5 years have been for sellout crowds, including, US, UK, and Australia.

I wouldn't see them losing their draw with the release of a new album.

[sab0tage]

I've seen them at a festival in the uk and on tour proper and although they've always been great, I get a bigger kick out of being surrounded by people you know are there for one reason alone - to see the Beasties. It's such a good feeling to be in the middle of a crowd and wherever you look, all you can see is people with exactly the same expression and obvious excitement that you have - it's like a sharing experience(y)

Having said that, if they came to the uk next year and only played festivals, I'd be there even if I hated every other act. I've started to get a bit concerned in recent years, thinking "will I get another chance to see them live". It makes me a bit sad thinking about it.

[JDsmagik]

Here in the UK only the headliners (last band on) get to play a full set, I could be wrong but to the majority I have been to this applies.

I see, it has more to do with the length of time the band is on stage.
Interesting.

[Michelle*s_Farm]

thinking "will I get another chance to see them live". It makes me a bit sad thinking about it.

of course you will see them again -- we all will (y)

[ILLMIX]

I see, it has more to do with the length of time the band is on stage.
Interesting.

Yes, typically the higher up the list you are, the more time you have on stage e.g.

Headliner = Full set (20+ songs)
2nd = 12-15 songs
3rd = 10-12 songs
4th = 7-10 songs
5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, = 5-7 songs


This may not apply to ALL UK festivals, but the majority of them i.e. Reading/Leeds, Glastonbury, V Festival etc it does.

[gbsuey]

They headlined the Sat night at Bestival 2007 and i knew the crowd wouldn't be as big as it had been for Chemical Bro's the Friday night, but there was so much love for them-then they were doing a Gala Event set on the Sunday afternoon(which we now know they were totally lying about it being an instrumental set). So the crowd was virtually non-existent and they played a full set, which in my eyes was fucking awesome as i could comfortably get right up close and spend a sunny sunday afternoon with my favourite boys feeling about as happy as it's possible to be!! I'd go anywhere,festival or not so long as i get a chance to see 'em again,but i doubt i'll get a chance like that Sunday again-so i'd prefer them to not headline anyway,i don't like to share too much!!