News

Is The Big Festival Dead?

• 11th Jul 2011

We're right in the middle of festival season now. Glastonbury has been and gone, Sonisphere and T in the Park occurred over the weekend just gone and we've still got Leeds/Reading, V Festival, iTunes, the list goes on…

But is the big festival dead? Michael Eavis quotes coming out today seem to suggest he might think so. Click this link+ for our story on what he's had to say.

Rising costs and a consumer with dwindling disposable income is a recipe for disaster, no matter what you're offering. Glastonbury is pretty much unrivalled in terms of size, with a massive outlay cost that is recouped in ticket sales. And while tickets are (usually) in high demand, there's only so much money you can demand from a punter in return for a plot in the field.

On the other hand, the smaller festival has a lot to offer to today's music connoisseur. This weekend saw the 1-2-3-4 Festival in Shoreditch further cement its reputation as a festival that has its finger on the pulse of new talent, with Black Lips and The King Blues headlining.

Whilst you can easily argue that Glastonbury offers excellent value for money, festivals such as the 1-2-3-4 can offer something on a smaller scale – sure – but at a fraction of the cost.

It's no surprise that the smaller festival – the Boomtowns, the 1-2-3-4s, the Hop Farms of this world – are enjoying more (relative) success than the big dogs currently. They're a viable alternative, it's as simple as that. They can offer a comparable experience.

In a consumer market, competition is a good thing. It gives customers a wide range of choices, at a wide range of price points. While I'm not suggesting for a minute that Glastonbury is dead – there'll always be a demand for tickets for Glastonbury, simply because of its reputation – the rise of the smaller festival is something we can all be thankful for.

MSD