Electric Picnic 2018 **Discussion Only // No Ticket Sales** [Part 1]

Lotus Flower

It's nuts to think that Longitude was once an indie music festival!

BadTurtle

You could nearly pinpoint the sea change moment. 2015, Hozier, Alt J and Chemical Brothers the headliners, still quite an eclectic mix of genres in the undercard too. Don't think it sold well. Next year, Kendrick, the National and Major Lazer. You could say they'd booked major main stream acts before (Hozier, Disclosure) but I feel Major Lazer were the first of that particular ilk to have a big effect on sales. Saturday sold out well in advance, other acts being Diplo, Stormzy, The Coronas. All mainstream draws as well. The Sunday, with the National, Father John Misty, Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile and various other indie acts, was a ghost town in comparison. Next year it was three days like the Saturday. Same again this year. It's a shame, they've definitely narrowed the focus to only one type of festival goer.

Blackie_IRL

So many people on here talking about binning EP and doing ATN next year, which is bizarre considering ATN is an unknown entity, nobody has any idea how it will be as a festival as this is it's maiden year. Having Reynolds or POD associated with it means little if it doesn't sell well or the site doesn't hold up well to crowds and trafic. It's also taking place on a busy festival weekend with competition from Beatyard and Indiependence among others.

Seathrun66

Lotus Flower wrote: »

Besides, ATN seems to be going after a certain demographic. Even if the old school EP heads get disillusioned and jump ship to ATN it won't make a blind bit of difference to EP. There's always going to be a new crop of festival goers for EP in its current status and the current climate

Seems to be a few EP heads here who are off to ATN instead. My sister & partner are also heading there with kids as the timing suits them with schools closed. It's a boutique festival with acts that have almost all played EP recently.
I'd say it's pretty much direct competition and likely has chosen the site with future expansion in mind. If ATN does well this year and expands next year it could hit the Picnic tickets. if EP's sales were down by 5k-10k in 2019 that'd be a problem for them that they'd not want to recur and thus they may be trying to kill ATN at birth. It's just guesswork but we've never had an a second announcement in mid/late July before other than when the festival nearly went under circa 2011.

Lotus Flower

Seathrun66 wrote: »

Seems to be a few EP heads here who are off to ATN instead. My sister & partner are also heading there with kids as the timing suits them with schools closed. It's a boutique festival with acts that have almost all played EP recently.
I'd say it's pretty much direct competition and likely has chosen the site with future expansion in mind. If ATN does well this year and expands next year it could hit the Picnic tickets. if EP's sales were down by 5k-10k in 2019 that'd be a problem for them that they'd not want to recur and thus they may be trying to kill ATN at birth. It's just guesswork but we've never had an a second announcement in mid/late July before other than when the festival nearly went under circa 2011.

I totally get what you're saying but there's always going to be people to replace those who've had enough and jump ship elsewhere. People going to their first festival, etc

Seathrun66

Lotus Flower wrote: »

I totally get what you're saying but there's always going to be people to replace those who've had enough and jump ship elsewhere. People going to their first festival, etc. Things were different in 2011, festivals are a lot more in fashion now regardless of music tastes and people have more money to spend.

You're probably right, and I think also that EP will survive whatever the competition. However, another economic downturn and the less direct competition they have the happier they'll be.

haitens

:cool:

Seathrun66 wrote: »

You're probably right, and I think also that EP will survive whatever the competition. However, another economic downturn and the less direct competition they have the happier they'll be.

I'm sure people though the same for Oxegen at the time. I stopped going around 09 I know a few that went in 2011 and they went to see The National and they said the crowd was tiny for them the writings on the wall after something like that. Oxegens end was a good thing for EP numbers wise. A festival can lose it's identity in a few years or make a big change themselves Longitude took a chance on changing it's demographic and it probably gonna pay off this year. I reckon EP don't want to take a chance losing people to ATN. EP wasn't a seen as a threat to Oxegen in 2005. Despite ATN not selling out I think it's potentiality the biggest problem EP have had since the change of promoters

ghostdancer

people said the same type of things about Body & Soul when it came along, and despite plenty of people jumping ship and giving up on EP and going to that instead, it hasn't threatened EP at all, which has thrived since then if anything.

I'd see ATN as the same. it's basically a complete rip-off of B&S in every conceivable way from what I've seen.
there'll always be people who have had a few years at EP and are a bit tired of it and want to try something new.

ATN is 15k to EP's 55k. it won't be a direct competitor to it for several years, and really, that's only if EP let it happen. EP/MCD/Live Nation/Festival Republic could probably crush it if they wanted, as they have the financial muscle and might.
maybe with the success of Longitude, EP might move further in that direction and appeal to that demographic, leaving ATN to have whatever "alternative" crowd they want.

hopefully ATN thrives, as it's great to have more choices IMO. POD events have form in being a bit ropey in their first years, but hopefully with FF and Metropolis being fairly slick operations now, they won't have any problems at ATN.

I'd say that the other festivals on the August BH (as Blackie_IRL mentioned) are the direct competition to it at the moment. can't see how they can all co-exist, I can imagine Castlepalooza throwing in the towel after this year.

Davysulls86

ghostdancer wrote: »

people said the same type of things about Body & Soul when it came along, and despite plenty of people jumping ship and giving up on EP and going to that instead, it hasn't threatened EP at all, which has thrived since then if anything.

I'd see ATN as the same. it's basically a complete rip-off of B&S in every conceivable way from what I've seen.
there'll always be people who have had a few years at EP and are a bit tired of it and want to try something new.

ATN is 15k to EP's 55k. it won't be a direct competitor to it for several years, and really, that's only if EP let it happen. EP/MCD/Live Nation/Festival Republic could probably crush it if they wanted, as they have the financial muscle and might.
maybe with the success of Longitude, EP might move further in that direction and appeal to that demographic, leaving ATN to have whatever "alternative" crowd they want.

hopefully ATN thrives, as it's great to have more choices IMO. POD events have form in being a bit ropey in their first years, but hopefully with FF and Metropolis being fairly slick operations now, they won't have any problems at ATN.

I'd say that the other festivals on the August BH (as Blackie_IRL mentioned) are the direct competition to it at the moment. can't see how they can all co-exist, I can imagine Castlepalooza throwing in the towel after this year.

This. None of the August bank holiday festivals have sold out yet.

EP will always have it's hardcore support, myself included. Yes it's expensive, but it's not out of the way either. Irish people love to bitch and moan about something or other. I've yet to have a bad experience at EP, it's the people you share it with make it, not the bands.

Lotus Flower

I really hope ATN does well. There's a lot of romanticising about festivals abroad (and I'm guilty of it) but going to Body and Soul a few weeks back made me realise I really miss Irish festivals.

Speaking of Castlepalooza, maybe two or three years back they had a very decent line-up but that promise disappeared the next year, I'm amazed it's still surviving

Lotus Flower

Davysulls86 wrote: »

This. None of the August bank holiday festivals have sold out yet.

EP will always have it's hardcore support, myself included. Yes it's expensive, but it's not out of the way either. Irish people love to bitch and moan about something or other. I've yet to have a bad experience at EP, it's the people you share it with make it, not the bands.

And other Irish people love to ruin a perfectly interesting discussion by mentioning bitching and moaning

Davysulls86

Lotus Flower wrote: »

And other Irish people love to ruin a perfectly interesting discussion by mentioning bitching and moaning

As is their right.

Lotus Flower

BadTurtle wrote: »

You could nearly pinpoint the sea change moment. 2015, Hozier, Alt J and Chemical Brothers the headliners, still quite an eclectic mix of genres in the undercard too. Don't think it sold well. Next year, Kendrick, the National and Major Lazer. You could say they'd booked major main stream acts before (Hozier, Disclosure) but I feel Major Lazer were the first of that particular ilk to have a big effect on sales. Saturday sold out well in advance, other acts being Diplo, Stormzy, The Coronas. All mainstream draws as well. The Sunday, with the National, Father John Misty, Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile and various other indie acts, was a ghost town in comparison. Next year it was three days like the Saturday. Same again this year. It's a shame, they've definitely narrowed the focus to only one type of festival goer.

I was at The National, I remember a friend saying it didn't bode well for the "indie day" at Longitude and he was spot on

Graham1978

Balanced paid on Pink moon, just myself and the wife this year. And we were one of those who at oxygen who were watching Daft Punk and left not for the killers but for James, what a band and would be so perfect for the Picnic . I really do hope they are announced.

grudgehugger

Have spent the week listening to...

Wolf Alice, NERD, Jorja Smith, Field Music, St Vincent, Kendrick, La Femme

Fair few others already on the line-up I need to check out and dj’s like Nina Kraviz, Peggy Gou, Kelly-Anne Byrne that will do the trick nicely

It’ll be a cracking weekend even if nothing else mind blowing gets announced.

Peter File

Davysulls86 wrote: »

This. None of the August bank holiday festivals have sold out yet.

EP will always have it's hardcore support, myself included. Yes it's expensive, but it's not out of the way either. Irish people love to bitch and moan about something or other. I've yet to have a bad experience at EP, it's the people you share it with make it, not the bands.

Do you not go to a music festival for the bands and DJs??.

Davysulls86

Peter File wrote: »

Do you not go to a music festival for the bands and DJs??.

I go to have a good time with my friends first. Yes the bands help enhance the experience, but it'd be pretty poor if I was by myself. The global standing of the bands is a good way down the list of my priorities for the weekend.

johnnyskeleton

Blackie_IRL wrote: »

So many people on here talking about binning EP and doing ATN next year, which is bizarre considering ATN is an unknown entity, nobody has any idea how it will be as a festival as this is it's maiden year. Having Reynolds or POD associated with it means little if it doesn't sell well or the site doesn't hold up well to crowds and trafic. It's also taking place on a busy festival weekend with competition from Beatyard and Indiependence among others.

Why oh why did they have to pick the same weekend? I mean sure its the bank holiday and all but so many people already had tickets to the other festivals. It wouldve been great to see it try to compete with EP head on by being in the last weekend of august or even, dare I say it, the first weekend of september! I

Mucker46

Davysulls86 wrote: »

I go to have a good time with my friends first. Yes the bands help enhance the experience, but it'd be pretty poor if I was by myself. The global standing of the bands is a good way down the list of my priorities for the weekend.

I travel on my own so music very important so no announcements a pain. I also get to meet lots of strangers so if you see an auld fella thinking he is still young say hello

Rigor Mortis

Mucker46 wrote: »

o if you see an auld fella thinking he is still young say hello

Get out of my mirror

Rfrip

We are allowed to moan...it’s not like we are all getting an all expenses paid trip to stradbally for the weekend with electric picnic doing us a favour on this one!

Coz

johnnyskeleton wrote:

Why oh why did they have to pick the same weekend? I mean sure its the bank holiday and all but so many people already had tickets to the other festivals. It wouldve been great to see it try to compete with EP head on by being in the last weekend of august or even, dare I say it, the first weekend of september! I

Given that at lot early EP goers now probably have kids the first weekend in September sucks!

Kids are back to school at that time.

For me (I've 2 kids) ATN is looking very appealing based on its timing and I think POD have cottoned onto that fact.

Middle of the school hols. A brief respite from the wonderful darlings.

Mucker46

Rigor Mortis wrote: »

Get out of my mirror

First thing I do at ep is find someone that looks older than me so I can justify going the next year. My one weekend of the year to myself.

Davysulls86

Mucker46 wrote: »

I travel on my own so music very important so no announcements a pain. I also get to meet lots of strangers so if you see an auld fella thinking he is still young say hello

I will.

Mucker46

Davysulls86 wrote: »

I will.

My name gives away my age is it the same for you😉

Lotus Flower

Rfrip wrote: »

We are allowed to moan...it’s not like we are all getting an all expenses paid trip to stradbally for the weekend with electric picnic doing us a favour on this one!

Ssh, you'll like whatever you're served up, stop being so Irish about it!

johnnyskeleton

Coz wrote: »

Given that at lot early EP goers now probably have kids the first weekend in September sucks!

Kids are back to school at that time.

For me (I've 2 kids) ATN is looking very appealing based on its timing and I think POD have cottoned onto that fact.

Middle of the school hols. A brief respite from the wonderful darlings.

Ok, but the point is they could pick any weekend in july or august (or even the same weekend as EP if they wanted to be a competitor to Ep) and they choose the one that competes with 3 other small festivals instead.

Also, beatyard tends to be a more child friendly festival IMO. The fact its in dublin makes it easier for people with kids too. So why compete with that!

davywalsh7

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Coz wrote: »

Given that at lot early EP goers now probably have kids the first weekend in September sucks!

Kids are back to school at that time.

For me (I've 2 kids) ATN is looking very appealing based on its timing and I think POD have cottoned onto that fact.

Middle of the school hols. A brief respite from the wonderful darlings.

Ok, but the point is they could pick any weekend in july or august (or even the same weekend as EP if they wanted to be a competitor to Ep) and they choose the one that competes with 3 other small festivals instead.

Also, beatyard tends to be a more child friendly festival IMO. The fact its in dublin makes it easier for people with kids too. So why compete with that!

I’d imagine a big factor in picking that weekend is that it can try grab some of the acts that bestival have as that happens on the same weekend

davew121

Major roadworks on the N7 after Kill be some mental traffic jams for anyone heading from Dublin on the weekend...

Lotus Flower

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Ok, but the point is they could pick any weekend in july or august (or even the same weekend as EP if they wanted to be a competitor to Ep) and they choose the one that competes with 3 other small festivals instead.

Also, beatyard tends to be a more child friendly festival IMO. The fact its in dublin makes it easier for people with kids too. So why compete with that!

Scheduling it the same weekend as EP would be suicide. The Beatyard and ATN are different propositions, a day festival and a camping festival. Indiependence is quite a young crowd from what I gather and I've also heard it's rough. Castlepalooza is not really a festival where people go to see great bands (to my knowledge anyway). So there's definitely a gap in the market that ATN might fill

As for Beatyard being in Dublin and it being easier for those with kids, not being funny but it's not just people who live in Dublin that want to go festivals! The more variety and choice, the better.