16MusicWeek 23.08.13 THE BIG INTERVIEW MELVIN BENN
PLAYING THE FIELD R
LIVE n RHIAN JONES
eading and Leeds have managed to remain stalwarts of the British festival scene for more than 50 years.
After launching in the Sixties, the two events
have played host to some of UK live music’s most cherished memories, including headline sets from Radiohead, Nirvana, New Order, The Beastie Boys and Nirvana. Reading, the original of the two, is said to be the world’s oldest popular music festival still in existence. Now run by Melvin Benn’s Festival Republic,
and taking place annually over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the two sites will this year attract around 160,000 music fans combined. 2013’s line-up includes Biffy Clyro – who will
play their first ever Reading Festival headline performance – as well as Eminem and Green Day. Elsewhere on the bill are the likes of Nine Inch Nails, System Of A Down, Frank Turner, Azealia Banks, Fall Out Boy, Deftones, White Lies and Skrillex. And, despite a dismal summer for festivals last year, Benn reckons 2013 is going to be his “best year since 2008,” when tickets sold out in less than two hours. After announcing that Reading has completely
sold out and with only a limited number of day and weekend tickets still available for Leeds, Benn tells Music Week how he’s ensured success, what’s on the agenda this year and why he’s frustrated by a lack of Government interest in his sector…
Reading Festival has sold out – how have you managed that? A few ways. The first and most important is that not only do we have great headliners but we have great headliners on exclusives. That means the demand to see those acts can only be satisfied by attending the festival - it is that simple. The second reason is that Reading and Leeds are consistently great events and there appears to be a little bit more optimism around festivals generally in the country at the moment.
Last summer wasn’t a great one for the live sector. What’s changed? There are slightly fewer events: people have become choosy and decided what events they want to go to - that’s certainly a material factor. I also think people appreciate the value for money that festivals provide; although it may be a big single ticket it does remain incredible value for money.
AEG’s Rob Hallett said to us a few weeks ago that no festivals had truly sold out this year apart from Glastonbury. What are your thoughts? That’s not true. Latitude sold out, Download sold out and Reading sold out. Reading sold out last year but didn’t sell out of weekend tickets until
ABOVE Melvin Benn: The Festival Republic MD says this year has been a succesful one for the live sector despite the problems of last summer
2012 saw struggles across the UK festival scene, but this year the sector seems back on track. Melvin Benn’s Reading has sold out, with sister event Leeds not far behind. How’s he done it?
www.musicweek.com
“This year will probably be my best for some years - people still appreciate the value for money festivals provide” MELVIN BENN, FESTIVAL REPUBLIC
effectively five or six days before the show, this year we sold out of weekend tickets a month before the show, we sold out the Eminem day tickets six weeks before the show and we’ve now sold out every single day ticket that exists. So actually Rob is completely wrong, there are a number of festivals that have sold out.
How is Leeds doing? It’s ahead of last year. I don’t think it will sell out but it will probably be my best year since 2008/2009. I’ll do 70,000+ for Leeds for definite and I’ll be a tiny amount short but it will be the best I’ve had for some years. [The capacity for Leeds is 80,000, Reading is 90,000]
Last year you promised a burger and a beer to every festival-goer, what did you learn from doing that? Are you doing it again? I learnt that it didn’t really make a blind bit of difference, actually. The kids loved it, people appreciated it but if I learnt anything it’s that nobody comes to Reading or Leeds for a burger and a beer - they come for the music. It’s that simple.
I’m not doing it again this year, there’s not even any huge outcry from the festival-goers. It was something that they liked but it isn’t something that they expect.
Biffy Clyro are headlining this year, do you think that will pave the way for more homegrown British acts to top the bill? It’s the first time Biffy have headlined a show and they’ve played Reading and Leeds maybe six or eight times - they’ve really come through the ranks and they are an act that have been knocking on the door as a headliner for two or three years. We’ve always had really strong homegrown acts from the early days with New Order and Radiohead. There’s never been a shortage of homegrown headliners and I don’t think there will be a shortage in the future, we’ve got huge potential.
Do you think the headliners will get ever more diverse genre-wise? Eminem headlined Reading and Leeds 11/12 years ago and so the idea that someone like him is capable of headlining is not new. We’ve always had a reasonable amount of hip-hop on the main stage. What I see emerging is the growth of Radio 1Xtra as a station and that having an increasing influence so that you see more diversity in terms of music generally. There is a need for me to have a stage that is dedicated to hip-hop and in particular British
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60