Festivals: The boutique boomers Bespoke, bewitching,
The cancellation of more than 30 events in the UK alone last year prompted many commentators to question whether the festival bubble had finally burst. But, as David Davies reports, the more specialised reaches of the market are enjoying an all-time creative high, with a host of inspired new festivals joining the party in 2012
Latitude 2012 enjoyed a varied line up including Bon Iver, Elbow and Jack Dee
THE TREND began in earnest during 2010, but it was only last summer that many in the industry finally owned up and admitted that the UK festivals sector had reached a plateau. Ticket sales for the major events were slower than expected, while by early August 2011 PSNE sister title Music Week was reporting that no fewer than 31 UK festivals had been scrapped, including Kent’s First Days of Freedom and the Festival Award-winning Vintage at Goodwood. After eight years of sustained
expansion, a ‘cooling off’ period was surely inevitable. But financial factors – reduced access to disposable income, increased fears of redundancy – amplified developments. And
28 l PSNLIVE 2012
with eurozone thrills and spills threatening to plunge the world into outright economic calamity, many could only wonder if worse was to come in 2012. Factor in several unique
appeals to the strained public purse, including the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee, and one festival organising legend concedes that the current UK scene is akin to a perfect storm. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that this year is probably the most difficult one that [the festival sector] will ever have,” says Melvin Benn, managing director of promotion/ production company Festival Republic, which is involved with events including Glastonbury, Electric Picnic, Reading/Leeds and boutique festival pioneer
Latitude. “There are so many different things taking money out of the pot. I think, therefore, that we will almost certainly witness an uplift in 2013.”
nature of the market. But festival culture is deeply rooted, particularly in the UK, and the mood of uncertainty has not discouraged organisers from
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that this year is probably the most difficult one that [the festival sector] will ever have” Melvin Benn, Festival Republic
The cancellation of several
high-profile events – not least the rock/metal-oriented Sonisphere and Festival Republic’s own Big Chill – underlines the unpredictable
launching an impressive array of new events this year. A penchant for eclecticism, idyllic locations, comfortable conditions... these are among the common traits of the class of 2012.
Even though their approach – distinguished by sensible ticket prices and rigorously pinned-down overheads – is almost universally pragmatic, few of the new events are engaging in chicken-counting activities prior to incubation. As Gareth Cooper from the debuting Festival No. 6 concedes: “There could be a massive shift in the market and it may be that festivals are going to be a thing of the past soon. Perhaps we’ve had our fill, been overloaded...”
LOCATION, LOCATION The smaller festivals market is phenomenally competitive, requiring an emphasis on providing sufficient points of differentiation. Approaches vary