Features The Great Festival Headliner Swap

It must be difficult booking a festival bill. There are so many these days: Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, T In The Park, Isle Of Wight, Bestival, Latitude, V Festival… the list is seemingly endless. But, there are only so many bands capable of filling that all important headline spot.

It’s an easy excuse to make; there are more festivals than ever before, and only so many acts to go round. Wherever you go, the same few pop up, from the lucky names on the limited but heavily rotated Radio One a-list to the band behind that tune you buy your baked beans to in Asda.

As if that didn’t narrow the field enough, not all of those artists are capable of playing such a spot: the climax of what is likely to be a high profile, expensive event, on a huge stage to thousands of tired, drunk revellers that span as far as the eye can see.

For all the airplay they got with recent supersmash ‘You & Me’, could you imagine Nero taking on the main stage crowd at Reading or Leeds? Didn’t think so. How about Adele? She’s had huge chart success of late. Unfortunately, in festival terms, she’s no Kings Of Leon.

And there lies the problem. Kings Of Leon. Kasabian too, whilst we’re at it. Over the past few years the two of them have jumped into bed with almost every major festival going. They’re at it this year too, thanks to Rock Ness and Isle Of Wight.

Is it lazy booking? Is it symptomatic of the much debated state of the industry? Are attendees not that bothered about having such little choice? It’s probably all of the above.

Even Glastonbury, a festival celebrated for its diverse booking (hooray for Beyonce), are this year sharing a headliner (Coldplay) with T In The Park.

And when a festival tries to go it’s own way, you get Latitude. We’re happy with The National and Suede - though they couldn’t headline a bigger festival - but Paolo Nutini? Is it that acts like Bright Eyes won’t sell enough tickets as a headliner, or does booking bigger name acts that might not fit the bill create a self fulfilling prophecy? Reading & Leeds organiser Melvin Benn, meanwhile, has pointedly stated this year the headliners for his event will be exclusive - how many bill topping options does that leave to pick from?

However you look at it, there seems pitifully little concern that 2011’s announcements seem to tell the same old story - Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys and Coldplay are already topping multiple bills. Identikit booking? Not cool.

For up to date festival news, visit diymag.com/festivals.

Taken from the April 2011 issue of DIY, available now. For more details click here.