The actual reason Glastonbury hasn't sold out

[Nick]

LONDON - Organizers of one of Britain's best-known music festivals on Tuesday defended their decision to book Jay-Z as their headline act after Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher blamed the U.S. rapper for disappointing ticket sales.
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The outdoor Glastonbury festival is a cornerstone of Britain's music calendar. But this year's festival has yet to sell out, in contrast to past years when tickets were snapped up within hours.

Gallagher, whose band headlined the festival in 1995 and 2004, said rap was to blame.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Gallagher said in an interview, an audio of which was posted to the British Broadcasting Corp.'s Web site Monday. "If you break it, people ain't gonna go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? ... No chance." He explained that the inclusion of a hip-hop act went against the festival's tradition of guitar music, adding: "I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. No way. No. It's wrong."

Glastonbury Festival co-organizer Emily Eavis said the 38-year-old festival had a long history of attracting rap acts, including Cypress Hill and The Roots. She said the media stir over Gallagher's comments revealed an "innate conservatism" in some sectors of British society.

"There is also an interesting undercurrent in the suggestion that a black, U.S. hip-hop artist shouldn't be playing in front of what many perceive to be a white, middle-class audience. I'm not sure what to call it, at least not in public, but this is something that causes me some disquiet," she said in an article published Tuesday in The Independent newspaper.

Eavis said she thought Jay-Z was "absolutely the right act" for the festival.

Emily Eavis using the "OMG ENGLISHMEN ARE AFRAID OF BLACKS" just further goes to show retarded she is and why her shitchoice of headliner has failed to create any of the normal enthusiasm of former years.

The reason people don't want to pay through the nose and fight for tickets has fuck all to do with Jay Z being black, it has merely to do with the fact that festival goers in the UK expect a bit more for their buck than that twat and his shitty music.


Also, Oasis > Jay Z

[Funkmasterr]

LONDON - Organizers of one of Britain's best-known music festivals on Tuesday defended their decision to book Jay-Z as their headline act after Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher blamed the U.S. rapper for disappointing ticket sales.
ADVERTISEMENT

The outdoor Glastonbury festival is a cornerstone of Britain's music calendar. But this year's festival has yet to sell out, in contrast to past years when tickets were snapped up within hours.

Gallagher, whose band headlined the festival in 1995 and 2004, said rap was to blame.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Gallagher said in an interview, an audio of which was posted to the British Broadcasting Corp.'s Web site Monday. "If you break it, people ain't gonna go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? ... No chance." He explained that the inclusion of a hip-hop act went against the festival's tradition of guitar music, adding: "I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. No way. No. It's wrong."

Glastonbury Festival co-organizer Emily Eavis said the 38-year-old festival had a long history of attracting rap acts, including Cypress Hill and The Roots. She said the media stir over Gallagher's comments revealed an "innate conservatism" in some sectors of British society.

"There is also an interesting undercurrent in the suggestion that a black, U.S. hip-hop artist shouldn't be playing in front of what many perceive to be a white, middle-class audience. I'm not sure what to call it, at least not in public, but this is something that causes me some disquiet," she said in an article published Tuesday in The Independent newspaper.

Eavis said she thought Jay-Z was "absolutely the right act" for the festival.

Emily Eavis using the "OMG ENGLISHMEN ARE AFRAID OF BLACKS" just further goes to show retarded she is and why her shitchoice of headliner has failed to create any of the normal enthusiasm of former years.

The reason people don't want to pay through the nose and fight for tickets has fuck all to do with Jay Z being black, it has merely to do with the fact that festival goers in the UK expect a bit more for their buck than that twat and his shitty music.


Also, Oasis > Jay Z

Again you pawning your opinion off like it is some unquestionable fact, it seriously makes me want to bash your miserable little fucking skull in. I like a lot of rock but happen to think Oasis is garbage, the guitar is overly simplistic and the lead singers voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

If you would have left it at the argument of "this is a rock festival, not a hip hop show" I would have been fine with that, but as usual you have to take it a step further and be a fucking douche about it. You are seriously the most worthless poster this board has seen since searyx left. Which is why I am no longer going to ever say anything meaningful to you, I am just going to make your experience here as miserable as I possibly can - it's the least I can do for you.

[Aslanna]

Again you pawning your opinion off like it is some unquestionable fact, it seriously makes me want to bash your miserable little fucking skull in.

...

Which is why I am no longer going to ever say anything meaningful to you, I am just going to make your experience here as miserable as I possibly can - it's the least I can do for you.

Funk is so cute when he tries to act tough.

[Spang]

Again you pawning your opinion off like it is some unquestionable fact, it seriously makes me want to bash your miserable little fucking skull in. I like a lot of rock but happen to think Oasis is garbage, the guitar is overly simplistic and the lead singers voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

If you would have left it at the argument of "this is a rock festival, not a hip hop show" I would have been fine with that, but as usual you have to take it a step further and be a fucking douche about it. You are seriously the most worthless poster this board has seen since searyx left. Which is why I am no longer going to ever say anything meaningful to you, I am just going to make your experience here as miserable as I possibly can - it's the least I can do for you.

Some people don't care for rap music.

Deal with it!

[Funkmasterr]

Again you pawning your opinion off like it is some unquestionable fact, it seriously makes me want to bash your miserable little fucking skull in. I like a lot of rock but happen to think Oasis is garbage, the guitar is overly simplistic and the lead singers voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

If you would have left it at the argument of "this is a rock festival, not a hip hop show" I would have been fine with that, but as usual you have to take it a step further and be a fucking douche about it. You are seriously the most worthless poster this board has seen since searyx left. Which is why I am no longer going to ever say anything meaningful to you, I am just going to make your experience here as miserable as I possibly can - it's the least I can do for you.

Some people don't care for rap music.

Deal with it!

Where did I say that wasn't ok. I didn't even say I had a problem with him not agreeing with Jay Z being at his precious concert.

[Spang]

You get so defensive about it.

[Funkmasterr]

You get so defensive about it.

I'm not getting defensive about him disliking Jay Z, I have flat out had enough of nick.

I can't even put him on ignore because he is such an obnoxious prick that I find myself needing to see what absurd comment he makes next.

[Sueven]

I mean, it's probably fair to say that the reason it hasn't sold out is because of the acts booked. If Jay-Z is the headliner, that choice probably deserves a fair share of the blame. Clearly Jay-Z doesn't draw as well in England as other acts have.

That said, I'd listen to Jay-Z over Oasis any day of the week. Nick is free to disagree. Aren't opinions great?

I think it's a little silly to dismiss the race issue out of hand. Jay-Z would massively outdraw Oasis in many areas of the world. The reasons why Jay-Z would be more popular in one place and Oasis more popular in another are probably very complex, and it's silly and a little inane to reduce it to "well, obviously the English have objectively good taste in music while those from places who prefer Jay-Z have objectively bad taste in music."

Also, it seems pretty clear that no-one is being required to 'fight for tickets' given that they're still not sold out

[Xatrei]

You get so defensive about it.

I'm not getting defensive about him disliking Jay Z, I have flat out had enough of nick.

I can't even put him on ignore because he is such an obnoxious prick that I find myself needing to see what absurd comment he makes next.

Interesting. See, we* can't ignore your fruity ass because you're a mod of a lightly used forum. Be a doll and give up the mod privs so that we can ignore you in peace.

As for this music festival, I won't pretend to know enough about whether booking an act like Jay Z is a wise move or not, but my hunch would be that it's not. Having smaller hip hop / rap acts received well in the past does not automatically mean its time for Jay Z to headline. I like Oasis OK, but I'm not a huge fan. They're a lot bigger on the other side of the Atlantic than they are here.

* "we" as in those who may be inclined to ignore you

[Boogahz]

Fuck Jay-Z!

[Funkmasterr]

I mean, it's probably fair to say that the reason it hasn't sold out is because of the acts booked. If Jay-Z is the headliner, that choice probably deserves a fair share of the blame. Clearly Jay-Z doesn't draw as well in England as other acts have.

That said, I'd listen to Jay-Z over Oasis any day of the week. Nick is free to disagree. Aren't opinions great?

I think it's a little silly to dismiss the race issue out of hand. Jay-Z would massively outdraw Oasis in many areas of the world. The reasons why Jay-Z would be more popular in one place and Oasis more popular in another are probably very complex, and it's silly and a little inane to reduce it to "well, obviously the English have objectively good taste in music while those from places who prefer Jay-Z have objectively bad taste in music."

Also, it seems pretty clear that no-one is being required to 'fight for tickets' given that they're still not sold out

That is precisely what I'm getting at, and precisely my issue with nick. Except when he does it in 60-70% of his posts it's no longer silly and inane, it's fucking obnoxious on a massive scale, and to be honest it takes away from the quality of the VV experience for every single person that reads these forums.

And xatrei, if it would make you happy for me to give up my mod privileges, I want to tell you with 100% confidence that I will never do so.

[miir]

Jay-Z would massively outdraw Oasis in many areas of the world.

As long as those areas were all in the US.


I don't like JayZ or Oasis but it's a fact that Oasis is massively more popular worldwide.

They've sold like 60 million worldwide.. a very small portion of that was in the US. The vast majority of JayZ's sales are in the US.

[Tyek]

I think Nick is correct in stating the headliner choice probably is to blame for sales. His assertion that Jay-Z is bad music and Oasis is good is just his opinion, although he seems to think that he once again needs to speak for everyone.Musically, I would probably listen to Oasis over Jay-Z, but that is my opinion. I would never say Nick is not allowed to have his own opinion, my only issue with Nick is the same one I have with all "World Savior" personalities. He does not speak for me, even though he thinks he does. This incessant need for people like Jack Thompson, Hillary, Gloria Steinhem and other of their ilk, to save me from the dangers of the world bores me. I don't think it is just limited to conservative or liberal types, both of these groups have their own agendas. I just wish they would admit it is their agenda, their worldview they are trying to force me to live to and leave it at that. I am far from perfect, I make mistakes as a employee, husband, father and person, but I want to make those mistakes and take the lessons I learn from them.  I believe Nick thinks he is saving us all when he says we should follow his lead or we are morons, but I don't think he is right.

[Tyek]

My laptop is acting up, that was typed in paragraphs dammit.

[Nick]

Funk, stop being such a crying little bitch.

Tia.

[Sartori]

I like a lot of rock but happen to think Oasis is garbage, the guitar is overly simplistic and the lead singers voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

Having played guitar for 20+ years I will say that simplicity or complexity means fuck all. I will also say that not all hip hop/rap sucks, but being the most sample-heavy genre - I also tend to believe they are less musically-talentled than any other style I can think of (techno? /shrug). Also, Jay Z's voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

[Fairweather Pure]

Oasis are a bunch of cucking funts. I really, really hate those guys. All they do is piss and moan. Do they still think they're better than the Beatles? Haha. That one always makes me laugh!

[Funkmasterr]

I like a lot of rock but happen to think Oasis is garbage, the guitar is overly simplistic and the lead singers voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

Having played guitar for 20+ years I will say that simplicity or complexity means fuck all. I will also say that not all hip hop/rap sucks, but being the most sample-heavy genre - I also tend to believe they are less musically-talentled than any other style I can think of (techno? /shrug). Also, Jay Z's voice makes me want to club a baby seal.

Well I haven't played the guitar at all but I will tell you right now that complexity of guitar does matter to me, it bores me to listen to songs by bands like Oasis, the lead singers voice is monotonous and boring, and if the instruments are too (which they most certainly are) it makes the music almost a chore to listen to.

[Boogahz]

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 08985.html

Here is the full Emily Eavis article being referenced above:

Emily Eavis: The real reason we invited Jay-Z to Glastonbury
One of hip-hop's biggest stars is exactly the sort of act we should be putting on
Tuesday, 15 April 2008


When we booked Jay-Z as the headliner for this year's Glastonbury Festival, we were delighted. He has not only become one of the world's greatest hip-hop stars, he is also an artist who has an amazing live act. In truth, we felt honoured to have him on board, and believe that he is absolutely the right act for our festival.

So I was surprised when articles started to appear questioning the selection of Jay-Z as one of our headliners, and linking it with supposedly poor ticket sales. Since then, all sorts of things have been said in print and online, most of which only go to show that these critics fail to understand Glastonbury.

Some of the claims have been wild. First, we were blown away by selling 100,000 tickets on the first day of sale, especially given that it was a snowy Sunday in April. Second, Jay-Z is far from the first hip-hop artist to perform at Glastonbury, as one might assume from some strangely hysterical press reports. We have a long history of attracting top rap artists, including De La Soul, Cyprus Hill and The Roots. Glastonbury has always managed to attract a diversity of acts, which is, I hope, part of its unique appeal.

The main misconception, however, has been the suggestion that signing Jay-Z was all about trying to capture a different audience for the festival, an attempt to move it away from its more "traditional" supporters. That is just not the case. It is much simpler than that: we respect Jay-Z as an amazing artist and so, obviously, we want to see him at the festival. There is no reason why we should not have the greatest living hip-hop artist on at Glastonbury; in fact, he is exactly the sort of act we should have performing.

The critics do not understand the Glastonbury's audience. It is a bunch of really open-minded people, who come to the festival to learn and experience new things: new music, new food, new people, new politics and a whole range of new experiences. This is what, I hope, makes our festival special – Glastonbury is about more than just the music. Certainly, it is a quality that many of the bands mention to me.

Many of this year's audience will not have experienced a Jay-Z show before. Great. That is exactly what Glastonbury is all about, and why people love to come so much. The people who will be coming to the event this year will be real Glastonbury supporters, ready and willing to listen to something out of their normal music scene.

Perhaps this is why the hysteria in sections of the press has not been matched by a similar reaction from the public. The feedback we have received from Glastonbury fans has been overwhelmingly positive. I have had letters from all over the country backing the festival, and saying how much they are looking forward to coming this year.

Maybe what the critics have really revealed is something about attitudes that are still all too prevalent in Britain: an instinct to go back to base and play safe. An innate conservatism, a stifling reluctance to try something different.

This is not something that Glastonbury has ever embraced. And there is also an interesting undercurrent in the suggestion that a black, US hip-hop artist shouldn't be playing in front of what many perceive to be a white, middle-class audience. I'm not sure what to call it, at least not in public, but this is something that causes me some disquiet.

In the end, this is nothing Glastonbury has not faced before. It is just another chapter in Glastonbury's colourful history. Back in 1984, there were similar criticisms made when The Smiths were named as the headline act. Hippies just wanted acts that had played before. A disgruntled stage hand even deliberately mis-spelt The Smiths' name on the stage. The reason we had the Smiths perform then is the same reason Jay-Z will play this year – Glastonbury must continue to evolve and develop. With so many smaller music events cropping up, it needs to keep moving and trying new things, whether hip-hop, African music or just an amazing new indie group. That is what has made it so popular for so long.

In the end, the hot air surrounding Jay-Z's performance will blow away. We are all confident that the best answer to the critics will come in June, when Jay-Z strides on to the stage. By the time he walks off, after perhaps the most eagerly awaited performance in Glastonbury's history, we are sure that everyone will know why we are so happy to have him headlining. Those new to Jay-Z will join his established fans in understanding how he has become such a pioneering figure in modern music.

And I know that personally, I can't wait to see him perform.

The writer is co-organiser of the Glastonbury festival

[Funkmasterr]

Oh weird, nick quoted the parts of the article that made things sound like he wants them to...

It sounds to me like the organizers of the tour have a very sound reason for choosing Jay Z to be there, I don't personally see the problem.

[Fash]

Emily Eavis has jungle fever.

[Boogahz]

Oh weird, nick quoted the parts of the article that made things sound like he wants them to...

Not really, that was the slant of the original article he quoted, and I have seen others that were similar. It was brought up in the local paper since we have so many festivals here, and there was a link to the original piece I posted.

[Funkmasterr]

Oh weird, nick quoted the parts of the article that made things sound like he wants them to...

Not really, that was the slant of the original article he quoted, and I have seen others that were similar. It was brought up in the local paper since we have so many festivals here, and there was a link to the original piece I posted.

It may have been the slant of the original article, but it represented his view on the situation pretty much to the T. And there was no link in nick's post unless I'm really missing something.

[Drinsic Darkwood]

Comparing Jay Z to the Roots? Hahahaha.

[Chidoro]

Also, Oasis > Jay Z

that's pretty much a lose/lose right there

[Sueven]

Well, from everything I can tell, Glastonbury sold out and Jay Z rocked it. Admittedly Glastonbury reviews don't get a lot of pub in the U.S., but everything I've heard is positive.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 237839.ece

http://music.guardian.co.uk/glastonbury ... e_continue

Anyone have more info?

[Zamtuk]

Looks like Nick was wrong!

Here is the opening number Jay-Z did. It's pretty hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXZsO16w9sw

[Truant]

I just want to add that I Jay Z.

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

Well, from everything I can tell, Glastonbury sold out and Jay Z rocked it. Admittedly Glastonbury reviews don't get a lot of pub in the U.S., but everything I've heard is positive.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 237839.ece

http://music.guardian.co.uk/glastonbury ... e_continue

Anyone have more info?

Really? From what I read, there were still 3000 tickets left when the festival opened the gates.

I think that a) spiraling ticket prices and b) shitty weather last year has been the problem far more than Jay-Z (although he was a very odd choice for a RAWK festival).

[Boogahz]

I think that a) spiraling ticket prices and b) shitty weather last year has been the problem far more than Jay-Z (although he was a very odd choice for a RAWK festival).

It's a MUSIC festival yo!

[Aardor]

Well, from everything I can tell, Glastonbury sold out and Jay Z rocked it. Admittedly Glastonbury reviews don't get a lot of pub in the U.S., but everything I've heard is positive.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 237839.ece

http://music.guardian.co.uk/glastonbury ... e_continue

Anyone have more info?

Really? From what I read, there were still 3000 tickets left when the festival opened the gates.

I think that a) spiraling ticket prices and b) shitty weather last year has been the problem far more than Jay-Z (although he was a very odd choice for a RAWK festival).

Where did you read this? Any article I have seen mentioning Glastonbury had it listed as sold out, the vast majority of which were from European sources.

I would really like to see a full video of Jay-Z's performance. He headlined a festival I saw in 2004, and I was really disappointed. It was not his music or performance that was disappointing, it was the fact that he was late, got shipped in on a military helicopter that made it difficult to hear the currently performing band, and his set was about 35-45 minutes. For the 35-45 minutes he did perform, it was pretty awesome (i'm a Jay-Z fan, though).

Actually, now that I recall, he played before The Offspring and The Cure, so I guess he didn't headline it (but I was mostly there to see him anyway).

[Canelek]

Oasis is still around? Odd, I recall them being some sort of whiney 1 hit wonder about 6 years ago. They still suck? Brittain is lucky def leppard is still around, or they would be totally fucked.

Jay-Z... that guy really fucking sucks, unless you are sportsjersey-wearing guy, maybe. Hey J-Z, Brittney Spears called and wants her teeming masses of easily marketed-to Americans back!

"Bash your skull in...blah blah"

Lol wtf? And all of this on Canada Day. FFS.

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

A couple of articles in Danish newspapers stated that there were still plenty of tickets, shrug. They could very well be wrong, but it'd fit with 90% of the other major festivals. One of the oldest ones (in Norway) had to cancel completely because of shitty sales.

[Funkmasterr]

Oasis is still around? Odd, I recall them being some sort of whiney 1 hit wonder about 6 years ago. They still suck?

You recall correctly, and yes, they do still suck.

I think "talk tonight" is possibly one of the worst songs to ever be recorded.

[Truant]

I think it's probably because there are so many festivals now. More competition, watered down talent lists as a result, and higher prices.

That's just my (non expert) opinion/analysis.

[Canelek]

On a serious note...


Yeah, I agree with Truant. There are a ton of festivals. That is good, and is also bad. I used to love to go to the Warped Tour every summer when I was living in L.A. Over the years, it definately got watered down due to added tour dates, more stops and competing tours, less premium stage space, etc. It is all cyclic though...

[Nick]

For anyone who wants to know the relevance of reviews in regards to retarded Glastonbury, read how "amy winehouse was amazing" and then go check her embarrassing set on youtube.

Glastonbury was a shitty karaoke festival this year.

Oasis is still around? Odd, I recall them being some sort of whiney 1 hit wonder about 6 years ago. They still suck? Brittain is lucky def leppard is still around, or they would be totally fucked.

[Sueven]

Nothing I read had anything positive to say about her set. The only mention of her set in either of the links I posted was:

As ever, her band conjured up slick accompaniments to the songs that, over the past two years, have just about kept her closer to fame than infamy: Back to Black, I'm No Good and a reggae version of Cupid, all of which, given the richer musical pickings elsewhere at the festival, wanted for some urgency.

That's not a particularly positive review.

[Nick]

I read that one, aren't you taking that particular line out of context to the rest of the review?


Regardless, the point remains.

[Sueven]

Well, the rest of the review is positive, but the rest of the review is largely about Jay-Z, so I don't think so, no.

Winehouse's much-anticipated arrival — as much for us to check that she was still alive as for her music — was another news event, as she shared her delight that her husband would soon be out of prison. “I'm beyond happy,” she screamed, under a beehive so large that she could have smuggled him out inside it. She certainly knew how to protect the most famous hair in pop: when a fan tried to touch it during a walkabout she bypassed security to clout him.

That's all its got to say about Winehouse beyond what I quoted the first time. If I'm missing some praise for her, please quote it and set me straight.

[Funkmasterr]

Why bother, she is a stupid crack whore that makes sub par music.

[Nick]

At least we finally agree on something. Winehouse used to have something going for her, but she appears to have lost whatever that was.

She used to be amazing, now she looks pathetic. I really hope she sorts herself out, she's denying us all some fantastic music :O

Also I just heard recently, Mark Ronson, the producer of her hit album, is a WOW player! I wonder where he plays?

[Bagar-]

You get so defensive about it.

I'm not getting defensive about him disliking Jay Z, I have flat out had enough of nick.

I can't even put him on ignore because he is such an obnoxious prick that I find myself needing to see what absurd comment he makes next.

You're so pathetic.

How do you think most of this board feels about you, you raving little bitch?

PS: Funk, don't click the spoiler button.

[Show]

I just wanted to get this thread back on track with more Funk bashing. Sorry folks.