Festival Chatter

[AdrianW]

Absolutely Nick, in which case lets hope we don't have another "we're not ordering pubs to close just advising you not to go" farce.

If that happened would it give festival/event organisers carte blanche to hold onto people’s money as they had ‘chosen’ not to go, rather than the event being cancelled?

I fear so.

[blagden]

Absolutely Nick, in which case lets hope we don't have another "we're not ordering pubs to close just advising you not to go" farce.

If that happened would it give festival/event organisers carte blanche to hold onto people’s money as they had ‘chosen’ not to go, rather than the event being cancelled?

I fear so.

That would immoral but plausible based on a debate we're having with a holiday booking agency. They need to cancel or postpone until next year, possibly with the same line up to reduce costs and give a commitment to the acts, the longer the delay in doing so the higher the financial risk to them.
   

[Albie]

I've been thinking for a couple of weeks that everything would go this summer, I can't see a single festival taking place, and football will be behind closed doors, or not played at all, until the Autumn at least. Gigs will be Autumn at least I think.
Bearded Theory postponed from Whit weekend to mid-September, which seemed reasonable at the time, but I can't see it happening now.
I would have gone to about 15 this summer, including a few little ones I haven't been to before. Oh well, maybe next year, although I won't be putting money on it just yet.  

Football behind closed doors wont work , there will be loads who will turn up outside grounds and try to find a vantage point . Football crowds don't behave as well as festival crowds. I went every week to football for over 55 years til I stopped 5 or 6 years ago, I just got so peed off with the so called fans.

I agree with you, but I doubt that will stop them trying it. Personally, I don't think the Government should allow the Clubs to do it, but money talks so I think it will go ahead at some point.

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

Football is like festivals in some way. I am involved in its administration at Welsh Premier Level.

This year pays for next year. Predicting income a year in advance and budgeting accordingly leaves contracts and commitments made on the basis of a judgement of income, not real cash.
 
If this year doesn't conclude then most payments due in November wont happen.  Clubs are funded on a series of rolling 40 week seasons with TV money , UEFA payouts and Sponsorship's generated from the previous season. The Liverpool's and Manchester United's build huge surplus's and will be OK. Clubs lower down the scale tend to run hand to mouth or in deficit.  Most are bankrolled by benevolent local millionaires. If they draw that revenue from business other than football then that might be in downturn too.

Barry Fry once told me that the best way to be a millionaire in football is to start out as a billionaire. Football is facing trouble because costs occur before income is generated.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Absolutely Nick, in which case lets hope we don't have another "we're not ordering pubs to close just advising you not to go" farce.

I don't know, of course (none of us does) but I suspect part of that would be to try and reduce footfall whilst the legal and risk aspects are checked.  

[dog-nap (Ian)]

Not all festivals have been cancelled.  Oxford’s Folk Weekend is going ahead, but online obviously.  Free events will be shown on their Facebook page.  Ticketed events will be broadcast on Zoom.  Quite an impressive line-up.
http://www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/

[Angela]

Broadstairs folk week has been cancelled  

[AdrianW]

Interesting Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/15/abort-retry-fail-how-coronavirus-is-jeopardising-music-festivals

[Chris from Fieldtown]

Not all festivals have been cancelled.  Oxford’s Folk Weekend is going ahead, but online obviously.  Free events will be shown on their Facebook page.  Ticketed events will be broadcast on Zoom.  Quite an impressive line-up.
http://www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/

Thanks for that, I've popped over and bought a ticket for Gilmore and Roberts and I have my eye on a couple of others. At least artists are able to perform and get paid this way.

[Tim Fletcher]

Show of Hands have unsurprisingly cancelled this year’s Abbotsbury festival scheduled for 4th July. Same line up moved to 2021. No official announcement on ticket validity that I have seen.

[davidmjs]

Confirmation that Beautiful Days is (obviously) off

[bassline (Mike)]

Confirmation that Beautiful Days is (obviously) off

That's it then, until the rescheduled Bearded Theory dates in September, and, hopefully, the as already planned Hillage and Hackett gigs during the following two months.
On the plus side, 2021 is shaping up to be a pretty good year, gig wise, and I won't have to find the cash for tickets.

[Mark J Salt]

Still nothing from New Forest as yet. I'm guessing there may be negotiations or Re-scheduling activities in progress. Fingers crossed for a line-up rollover to next year as most others have been able to do.

[davidmjs]

Confirmation that Beautiful Days is (obviously) off

That's it then, until the rescheduled Bearded Theory dates in September, and, hopefully, the as already planned Hillage and Hackett gigs during the following two months.
On the plus side, 2021 is shaping up to be a pretty good year, gig wise, and I won't have to find the cash for tickets.

My own personal view is that there is precisely no chance of any gigs happening at all in the UK in 2020.

[abby (tank girl)]

i'm afraid i totally agree with you David, and if BT gets the go ahead will all current ticket holders feel confident in going?  or indeed artists and traders?

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

But Steven Wilson at the O2 in September  

[davidmjs]

But Steven Wilson at the O2 in September  

He's put the album back to Jan 29th...so I suspect the gigs will follow that in the Spring now?

[Will S]

But Steven Wilson at the O2 in September  

I know... and Big Big Train in July.  Not yet officially cancelled, but I have very little hope...

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

But Steven Wilson at the O2 in September  

He's put the album back to Jan 29th...so I suspect the gigs will follow that in the Spring now?

Oh I hope so

Will S July is almost definitely not on.

What a strange year  

[Andy]

I would have no confidence in sitting in a summer audience of thousands of people - and I'm pretty sure I've had it!

As for Butlins in December, no chance.