All Together Now 2023

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120504507#Comment_120504507

They've never been as popular as they are now, selling out venues across the country and doing a stadium show this summer. Probably reasonably cheap to book compared to others.

lbj666

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120504588#Comment_120504588

lots of musicians are popular. I am fully aware of their rejuvenation, younger generations have less issue with their themes but leaving that out of it the type of goms they appeal to hasnt changed.

May aswell turn the Salty Dog into a giant supermacs and Coppers sponsor the rave in the woods.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120504678#Comment_120504678

Sounds like great craic 😂

gandalfio

I wonder could we get Fontaines? Or some of the acts with stand alone gigs during the summer? Metronomy also a possibility? Would love to see Bombay Bicycle Club return.

whomadewho

@kg703 Caribou are quaility live, I last seen them at the Galway Arts festival. One of the best gigs ever. https://youtu.be/frtuapGhf6c

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120509628#Comment_120509628

No fointanes shows in ireland this year.

bodhrandude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120509856#Comment_120509856

Bombay Bicycle Club are playing Otherside Festival in Slane.

Blackie_IRL

All the acts I'd love to see added to lineup seem to be booked for other Irish festivals, the body and soul lineup is particularly good this year, as is beyond the pale. Starting to think the Irish festival market is over saturated, at the expense of festival lineup quality. There may be more choice for punters when choosing a festival but the lineups are suffering IMO.

waterfraud

Lanterns on the lake, bell x1, belle and Sebastian, yeah yeah yeahs, Gary Numan, tallest man on earth all have tour dates free around that time - fight like apes seem to be playing both ep and atn... Wouldn't lose hope before next announcement

bodhrandude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120510607#Comment_120510607

Bell X1 headlining one of the nights at Forest Fest

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120510607#Comment_120510607

Ah yeah, what they have so far is ok, pretty good headliners and an a decent mid card, but if could do with a bit of beefing up alright. Still intrigued about this headliner were waiting on too. I know she isn't currently touring, but would there be a chance of Sinead o Connor fulfilling the missed date from last year? Would be amazing to see.

Dreamweapon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120509878#Comment_120509878

They can keep them. Last thing we need is a Landfill Indie revival.

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120510416#Comment_120510416

Agree competition seems to water down line ups. Plus EP hoovering up so many acts. Lot of small festivals but not many medium sized or medium to EP size say.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120510416#Comment_120510416

Also to consider that acts showing up on b&s, btp, etc that you would have liked at ATN very likely would not of been available for ATN. With touring schedules, other festival commitments etc acts playing europe in June would not of necessarily been around in august to play ATN if b&s/btp didn’t book them.

Dreamweapon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120510867#Comment_120510867

Yet Green Man and End Of The Road consistently book quality acts and they're on August/September.

bodhrandude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120511272#Comment_120511272

UK has a wider pool of acts though I'd imagine.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120511272#Comment_120511272

And a lot of the green man/EOTR top acts end up playing here in the summer either at EP/ATN or headline shows.

the absence of B&S/BTP wouldn’t instantly make ATN line up dramatically better.

Ferris_Bueller

Fanirish made a point a few months ago that stuck with me. They said that festivals in their early years will often have jam packed lineups full of quality in order to sell tickets and build up a reputation, but then once they have that they probably tone down the lineups a bit and start making more money for themselves.

I think we are seeing a bit of that this summer. Beyond the Pale has a really strong lineup for such a small and new festival, for me easily the strongest in Ireland this summer - they needed something strong to draw a crowd. Electric Picnic has completely rested on it's laurels and didn't bother a tap because they didn't need to worry about selling tickets. Body & Soul, although far from a new festival, I would say needed to pull something out of the bag as they were quickly sliding down the priority list for many people. They have indeed produced their best lineup in years I would say.

All Together Now we will see what happens. I think in the 3 editions so far they have had overall good lineups, they now have the reputation as probably the go to festival for 27 year olds and above. Will they rest on their laurels or keep their foot on the pedal? I wouldn't be expecting too much from their next announcement really. Maybe 3 or 4 main stage/late tent acts and then padded out with Irish acts and Djs.

If you look at the top of the poster from last year it was

Nick Cave - Underworld - Groove Armada - Jungle

King Gizzard - Sinéad O'Connor - Flight Facilities - DJ Koze - Self Esteem

I'd say we nearly have those slots full already with that they gave us in their first announcement. Was badly stung with getting my hopes up for the Picnic lineup so not going to expect too much from this, although there are still plenty of acts out there who are touring that would be great additions. Fingers crossed we hear something soon!

Wooderson

Fanirish paints a cynical view of the festival scene in Ireland. There is a bizarre dichotomy where you put on a great line up but lose money, alternatively put on an average line up and make money. I'd be interested in the reasons why the ideal isnt possible here. EP's post-pandemic turn to please twatty podcast/tiktok crowd whilst gruesome to stand by and observe does offer a huge opportunity to the sector.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120513976#Comment_120513976

It’s not cynical it’s the truth. Check press coverage and accounts and it’s the same picture. Sure EP itself lost money for a number of years hence why festival republic got involved.

it’s the nature of the business, anywhere between 3-4 years of loss making for new festivals until they get to profitability.

once established they have increased capacity, sponsorship money coming in etc and then start making money.

ATN made a profit last year but has a historic losses as was detailed in the papers a few weeks back.

Wooderson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514231#Comment_120514231

I was focussing more on the suggestion that a perceived drop off in line up quality is to be expected. Expanding capacity/increasing sponsorship revenue to one side, this would to be be a cynical approach if true.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514321#Comment_120514321

Never mentioned a drop off in quality, just that in early years smaller audiences get to witness the line ups. Ie people experience might be better in early years as less crowded.

Wooderson

Fair enough if youve been misquoted on the line up approach.

If the quality of a line up is good I don't think people really care about attendances. If there are 10k at the show or 20k. Its much of a muchness.

Blackie_IRL

I think lineups drive ticket sales to some degree at least, obviously if a festival has an established reputation its not as important, EP for example was selling out within an hour of tickets going on sale, a significant percentage in presales when the lineup wasn't released. But the other festivals are competing for customers a lot of the time and quality of lineup is a differentiator. I have a good friend who is heavily involved with a small irish festival and that's certainly the case for them, they view their lineup through the prism of their audience demographic and as a way to drive sales.

Blackie_IRL

From a purely business perspective I think ATN have dropped the ball here, they've applied for an additional 5k capacity so that's 5k more tickets to sell, its the end of April and there's very little in the way of a shaped lineup yet, whereas the likes of Body and Soul, BTP and even EP are more advanced in that regard. When punters are going to a festival a lot if them like to plan in advance, make arrangements with friends etc. There will be potential customers out there looking at other festivals now and choosing ahead of ATN, because of the late 2nd announcement

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514675#Comment_120514675

Yeah agree, think although it's still a good 3 months away that people do plan in advance and not only competing with other festivals here but abroad too as well as usual summer holiday plans with it being August bank holiday. Hopefully there will be more acts announced this week or next week.

Whipping Boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514675#Comment_120514675

Completely agree.

Anecdotally I'm seeing it with my friend group - there's stags and other things being scheduled around it which are now taking precedent and people are suggesting scrapping ATN.

Notwithstanding any issues around headliner embargoes or cancellations...would it have been so hard to drip-feed the odd name here and there? I thought BTP did this particularly well this year in fairness.

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514845#Comment_120514845

Yeah if it's just a case of waiting on 1 or 2 acts who dropped out to be replaced don't know why other acts couldn't be announced in the meantime. Hardly takes significant time and effort to do up a new digital poster.

Ferris_Bueller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514845#Comment_120514845

Beyond the Pale has definitely done the best in terms of marketing, advertising and creating a buzz around it. I'm in a couple of group chats with plenty of would be festival goers and BTP was the only one that created any bit of hype whatsoever. I think it could still work out for ATN as imagine a lot of people will be looking for an alternative to picnic now.

Fanirish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120515483#Comment_120515483

Ah yeah, presales for ATN decent. Different catchment area to likes of btp/b&s. 6 of so weeks later on in summer.

with next ATN announcement soon they will then generate more buzz.

for ATN it is obviously important that next announcement is important and contains suitable names rather than dribs and drabs of one name here, another there.