Summer Festivals

[Sam.]

I'm not sure how much this applies abroad, but over here, summer is the season of Music Festivals. Whether it's DOwnload, Reading, Wireless or V there is one for everyone. I was wondering how many AGSers are going to festivals this year, meeting with anyone at one could be fun!

I am going to Leeds, Reading's sister festival, it'd be cool to see an AGSer there!

[Da_Elf]

our local summer festival is called "crop over" which is alot of partying

[Magic]

I've been to Leeds twice (02 and 03 if I recall correctly) and Download once (05), all were fantastic. Download this year is looking awesome - if I hadn't seen Iron Maiden last December then I definitely would have signed up by now, but I'm just waiting for a few more bands that I definitely want to see. It can take a lot of effort in terms of travelling and money, that's all. 

Line-up at present:
Head-liners: My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Iron Maiden.
Confirmed: Bowling For Soup, Bring Me The Horizon, Buckcherry, Devil Driver, Dimmu Borgir, DragonForce, Dream Theater, Enter Shikari, Evanescence, Gallows, Killswitch Engage, Korn, Lamb Of God, Machine Head, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson, Mötley Crüe, Slayer, Shadows Fall, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Turbonegro, Velvet Revolver, Wolfmother.

Here's a pic of Download 05 which had around 109,000 people:

[Phemar]

I'm going to My Coke Fest in May with Guns 'n Roses, Evanescence, Staind, 3 Doors Down, Incubus and a bunch of local bands.

[Timosity]

Summers Just over here and the festivals are over, although there are different smaller ones that go on at different times of the year, But the major one in Aus is The Big Day Out.

I've been to 9 of them over the years. I do enjoy the atmosphere of music festivals, but I prefer to see bands I like, at there own gigs indoors. Sound is usually pretty bad at festivals and with no sound checks, even worse.

If you enjoy hearing the music, don't bother going into the moshpit, at any gig the best sound you will get is usually near the sound desk.

The first of The Big Day Outs was in 1992 where Nirvana played, I didn't go to it and it was the only time they ever played in Aus. I never really got into them much but it would have been good to have been there.

Some notable bands that I've seen at the BDO

1994
SOUNDGARDEN
THE RAMONES
BJORK
SMASHING PUMPKINS
THE BREEDERS
PRIMUS
URGE OVERKILL

1995
MINISTRY
PRIMAL SCREAM
HOLE
THE CULT
OFFSRPING
SCREAMING TREES
SILVERCHAIR
THE FIREBALLS
SPIDERBAIT

1996
PORNO FOR PYROS
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
ELASTICA
THE PRODIGY
RANCID
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
REGURGITATOR

1997
SOUNDGARDEN
THE OFFSPRING
THE PRODIGY
FEAR FACTORY
SUPERGRASS
JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION
FRENZAL RHOMB

1999
SOULFLY
FATBOY SLIM
FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS
HOLE
KORN
MARILYN MANSON
RONI SIZE
SEAN LENNON
THE LIVING END

2000
BASEMENT JAXX
BLINK 182
THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
FOO FIGHTERS
NINE INCH NAILS
PRIMAL SCREAM
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

2001
AT THE DRIVE-IN
BLACK EYED PEAS
LIMP BIZKIT
MUDVAYNE
PJ HARVEY
PLACEBO
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
RAMMSTEIN

2003
JANES ADDICTION
FOO FIGHTERS
KRAFTWERK
PJ HARVEY
MACHINE GUN FELLATIO
MILLENCOLIN
QUEENS OF THE STONEAGE
LIVING END
RESIN DOGS
THE VINES
FRENZAL RHOMB
PRESHRUNK


2007
Tool
Muse
Violent Femmes
The Streets
The Killers
Jet
My Chemical Romance
Peaches
The Herd
Eskimo Joe
The Vines

I missed 2 BDO's where System of a Down played, and they are about the only band I wanted to see, I was away both times so I missed their own shows too, and I may not ever get a chance to see them again.


One of the main things I used to enjoy about festivals when I was younger was the abuse of drugs and alcohol (in combination). In Sydney these days they have sniffer dogs and try to bust as many kids with drugs as they can, seems pointless, as they should be trying to stop it from the other end, and let the kids enjoy themselves.

This year I went to it in Adelaide, and there were no sniffer dogs, plenty of drugs about, but I'm over that stage, but I did drink a bit

[Pet Terry]

I'd love to to go Download for Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe and Megadeth, but alas, I can't afford it. Instead I'll probably just attend a bunch of Finnish festivals. Megadeth and Heaven And Hell are coming to play HERE in Tampere, and W.A.S.P. will be playing in Helsinki. And a bunch of great Finnish bands, of course. I'd be mad to miss those, but then again it's very expensive and I'm just a poor student. We'll see, I WILL attend at least on festival this summer. There are quite a few to choose from, summer festivals are a huge thing in Finland.

I'm going to My Coke Fest in May with Guns 'n Roses

I bet Axl storms off the stage after two songs or fails to turn up at all. Or then he just jumps into the crowd and starts beating up his own fans.

[Magic]

I bet Axl storms off the stage after two songs or fails to turn up at all. Or then he just jumps into the crowd and starts beating up his own fans.

I saw "them" (The new GnR) in 2002 and they were fantastic, though - this was when I was "mildly" into metal and didn't know any of their stuff beyond recognising the name of Welcome to the Jungle. They did turn up an hour late but they had an amazing presence and atmosphere. I regret leaving it early, since I was paranoid that 60,000 people leaving would be absolute chaos but it's never that bad when things finish.

Since the old Leeds site was near some homes (WTF? I don't know) the organisers were only allowed noise until before 1AM but Axle didn't agree. "I didn't come all the way to f**king England to be told to stop playing!"

[Chicky]

G+N was shit at download last year.

This year im going for lamb of god, iron maiden, machine head, motley crue and the rest.

[Stupot]

I've been to every Reading Festival since 2000, except 2005.
I'm still wearing last years wristband actually.Ã,  Is that sad?... It was one of the best ones I've been to.
I won't be going this year, however, coz I'll be in Japan, but I've already handed in the form to wire the money to Japan for FujiRock, so that should go through in the next couple of days.Ã,  I'm really looking forward to it.

[Tuomas]

I'm still wearing last years wristband actually.Ã,  Is that sad?... It was one of the best ones I've been to.

How can you be to a wristband?

[Sam.]

If you know you can't go, why keep it on? No beers for you!

[m0ds]

I'm thinking Sunday at Download this year, maybe Saturday too, but being able to afford a weekend ticket and brittens and stuff is going to be tight. Maybe see you there Might try and "get in" Reading, too

[Sam.]

You have to have passed writing and the alphabet to do that m0ds.

[Stupot]

The preliminary Line-up has been announced for this years Reading Festival:
Tickets are on sale now.
Not that it effects me I won't be in the country, but here it is anyway.



Doesn't look like I'll be missing out on much... I like the Chilli's and Ash, but Ash are playing Fuji anyway so I won't miss them.

[Chicky]

Dear lord, so there's only two worthwhile bands at reading? Biffy and the Pumpkins?

[Stupot]

Yeh it's surprisingly bad... I'm sure more good bands will be announced, but if thats how the main stage looks it can't get much better.

[m0ds]

Heh, okay, with a line up like that - I won't be trying to get in Reading.

[Phemar]

Chicky, and The Peppers. I would give my left testicle to see them live.

[Chicky]

Not since Stadium Arcadium.

[Hammerite]

Dear lord, so there's only two worthwhile bands at reading? Biffy and the Pumpkins?

for all we know, the pumpkins reform may be a big mistake (it might be just another zwan, or it might sound like an awful emo band - hopefully they'll return to their pre-adore form).
my chemical romance at download is criminal.