Tommy_Gunn

...as more people do this more and more of the European festivals will "go British!"
Citing only Rock Am Ring as an example, this year was the first year they sold out. In advance.
I remember when I first started going to festivals (only 8 years ago) and the first Glastonbury I went to you were able to send off a cheque after tickets had been on sale for weks and still get them.
I hope I'm not remembering wrong but it seemed that the first year that Glastonbury sold out in super fast time (the year after everyone jumped the fence) that Reading/Leeds/T etc experienced a knock on effect and people almost began panic buying festival tickets the day they went on sale.
I'm rambling here but I guess my point is that with Rock Am Ring selling out in advance this year, this will probably cause a similar knock on effect which will also cause the promoters to increase the price significantly each year a la British festivals as they know that they will continue to sell out.
I'm odviously referring to the 'big' names like Glastonbury & reading etc here and not Lodestar!

These are pretty much the only arenas in the UK they didn't play in March. All of which sold out!

is a ruin so perhaps he's just disappointed knowing that no matter how many units he shifts he can't live there.

I too would love to hear a song about a castle.
Any out there?

is a ruin so perhaps he's just disappointed knowing that no matter how many units he shifts he can't live there.

I too would love to hear a song about a castle.
Any out there?

who saw an opening for 'proper' touring acts and (I assume) worked very hard to prove himself.

Good luck to him - I hope other smaller towns follow suit.

Whilst I agree with what you are saying about it being a promotional tool - there is an argument that sites like YouTube & MySpace are getting a lot more traffic (and therefore ad revenue) from users surfing for music/music videos.

Some in the industry are arguing that this is no different to commercial radio/TV who have to pay a licensing fee for any music played that was written by PRS members.

Although, sadly it is unlikely the majors will want to administrate and pay for the hosting to make their entire music video content available for people to view online so people will use YouTube to view things not accessible anywhere else.

It is probably the worst venue of it's size in the country.

I appreciate that to watch certain shows there is not so bad but it is a health hazard and bands hate the place. It is only used because of it's history. I would be up for them redeveloping it but Mean Fiddler are obviously not willing to do that - especially whilst most gigs would transfer to the Forum which along with Hammersmith Palais & SBE are the other comparable venues for 2000 people.

So the real choice is keep it as it is or lose it altogether.

The facilites and dressing rooms are a disgrace, bands can't park there and loading in and out is very unsafe with a winch pulling very heavy equipment up which only has a 'seatbelt' hooked around to hold it on.

Due to the G.A.Y. night the bands and crew get virtually thrown out of the place within minutes.

Because of such a quick load out and the way load in is as detailed above gig goers are cheated out of the full production that bands could load into venues such as The Forum etc.

My two cents!