Sonisphere 2016

[welshAC_81]

Exactly. That's the point. The post was pointless. It wasn't any kind of info at all. If it had said we are still working on it, fair enough. But all it says is it probably won't happen. So we are still none the wiser. No point at this stage posting cryptic message again. Just be straight about it. especially as it's so late in the day now.
I'll defend them as much as anyone here but at this point they really need to decide what they are doing.

[metalicbear]

The way I see it is it could go ahead if they've either changed their dates to later in the summer or they've got a big headliner.

There's still loads of upper card bands in Europe who haven't or can't be announced for Download or Reading.

What annoys me is I get the impression they aim big, and if that doesn't work out they don't bother. I think they're limiting their pool of bands just for the sake of competing with Download and trying to have the biggest bands around.

Which is all well and good, but as it stands Sonisphere has failed to go ahead 50% of the time, that isn't the it doesn't matter if we miss a year once in a while attitude, that's a we fucked up and need to try something else attitude.

The fans have been saying for years, either aim smaller and go for a middle of the road festival ie 30k capacity and if you do somehow manage to get a Maiden or Metallica one year then fair enough or go for a hybrid between Reading and Download rather than directly stepping on Downloads toes. I understand that Download is Galbraiths baby, but come on move away from it, create your own legacy.

The best thing about Sonispheres lineups are the bands we don't get at Download every year, the rare treats, the obscure bookings, the wtf bookings. That's what makes Sonisphere special, not the oh look they've booked that band who plays festivals every summer.

[rockgeek]

[welshAC_81]

That's it then. Let's move on to the Soni 2017 thread shall we?!

[houston404]

hit the lights on the way out?

Is that a cryptic clue that Metallica are playing?

Logging on once in awhile you can slowly see the decline in optimism about 2016

[welshAC_81]

ive been told it's a no go so onwards to 2017

[hash pipe]

It's a response at least which is what most on here were looking for even if it was a "maybe" or "working on it". The response is exactly why they don't reply often when there's no news - people whinge at silence saying even a 'working on it' response is better than being ignored then when they give us one there's complaints that it's too vague or pointless info or not what they wanted to hear etc...

Yup this. They'll never be able to say enough to satisfy people, so saying nothing is preferable imo. You also have to think of how it looks saying we're working on it for months then to say yeah sorry not going ahead. Working on it gives hope, hope builds expectations e.c.t.

[lolatheminxx]

No, sorry, that's a load of bollocks. Ignoring your fanbase, the people who've bought the tickets the years it has gone ahead, is not the answer. They should be less concerned with maintaining a balance on how much information to give away while retaining their image and focus more on retaining some fans/supporters.

[nomadc22]

Given they were 'working on it' since last year's cancellation, I find it hard to understand how they've not come up with ANYTHING.

Going back to the original vision - smaller scale, multiple small stages with smaller bands, wtf wildcard bands, flip flop main stages, in August - would refresh the brand, make the punters feel appreciated again rather than feeling like cashcows herded around an overcrowded arena, and be at a time further away from DL to make it distinctive again rather than in competition. Last time was great - smaller in scale again, it felt like going home.

I really, really miss Soni, and a little piece of me dies each year it doesn't happen.

[metalicbear]

I agree, the communication/ feedback has been utterly shambolic over the last couple of years.

A half-hearted vague/witty response on twitter once every 3 months isn't good enough.

The Sonisphere facebook page is nothing but a tool to advertise Kili gigs/events to the 300k+ customers on there and nothing more.

It's sad to say, but I get the impression that 2014's Sonisphere UK gig was their Swansong and they have/had no intention of reviving it and simply want it to die a slow death.

I think the last 2 years have all been about trying to push the DEAG events and nothing more and even that has backfired. Their most successful Sonisphere legs have slowly been transformed in to DEAG events and remain the most successful.

The thing which has annoyed me the most is that Stuart Galbraith claimed after 2012's failed event that if it wasn't for AEG, he would have gone ahead with the event and he would have tried to make the most out of it. They then went independent and didn't even put anything out in 2013. 2014 was basically a Sonisphere greatest hits event and then they merged with DEAG and haven't made an attempt at putting anything on for the UK customers. If 2012's event which had sold around 11k tickets by April was good enough for SG to go ahead with, why can't they put anything on. They had 2 years to sort out a lineup ffs.

In the beginning they said they would be a rock/metal festival which incorporates all spectrums of rock and wouldn't alienate any genre within that, even mentioning bands such as Kasabian and The Killers. They were offering so much, but then basically became a pale imitation of Download. Instead of chasing Metallica and Maiden every year and cancelling events due to not getting those bands, why didn't they widen their spectrum. There's loads of bands out there even this year who could potentially headline.

[IronBoosh]

ive been told it's a no go so onwards to 2017

Who told you hun?

[houston404]

No, sorry, that's a load of bollocks. Ignoring your fanbase, the people who've bought the tickets the years it has gone ahead, is not the answer. They should be less concerned with maintaining a balance on how much information to give away while retaining their image and focus more on retaining some fans/supporters.

Yet we all know that the second they announce an actual line up one year most people will forget all this and it'll be a memory.

I'm surprised Metalicbear has cracked and become a pessimist like the rest of us :haha:

At this point I think Soni as a brand is dead and DEAG is a damaged brand, think SG's best hope of bouncing back would be to cut all ties and start from scratch with someone new.

[IronBoosh]

R.I.P. Sonisphere UK

[welshAC_81]

ive been told it's a no go so onwards to 2017

Who told you hun?

DOK did Hun

[nomadc22]

ive been told it's a no go so onwards to 2017

Who told you hun?

DOK did Hun

That's that, then...

[metalicbear]

Do you think they've actually exhausted all options for headliners or do you think they've just tried a few Metal headliners and they said no, so they scrapped the event.

All these bands are currently without a UK festival, but are announced for Euro fests. Some are debatable as to whether they could headline, but they could be worth a punt and actually put on an event; even if it's a smaller one.

Bruce Springsteen, Muse, Kiss, Deep Purple, Scorpions, ZZ Top, David Gilmour, Santana, Hollywood Vampires, Bring Me The Horizon, Pixies, Biffy Clyro, The Prodigy, Tenacious D, The Libertines, The Offspring, Sigur Ros, Volbeat.

[hash pipe]

No, sorry, that's a load of bollocks. Ignoring your fanbase, the people who've bought the tickets the years it has gone ahead, is not the answer. They should be less concerned with maintaining a balance on how much information to give away while retaining their image and focus more on retaining some fans/supporters.

Yet we all know that the second they announce an actual line up one year most people will forget all this and it'll be a memory.

This. As always book the bands and people will come.

And what is the answer? There is nothing they can say until they have something to announce. How does it look if you spend a year saying we're working on it then it doesn't go ahead? How does it look when you do the exact same thing a year later? How is that going to retain fans? What else can they actually say?

Without an event to put on they're in a gooseberry situation, as thats the only thing that'll satisfy people.

[IronBoosh]

ive been told it's a no go so onwards to 2017

Who told you hun?

DOK did Hun

Thanks - That's that light extinguished then!

[rockgeek]

Everyone is an expert in festivals, with MB being CEO

[houston404]

Everyone is an expert in festivals, with MB being CEO

So that makes you his secretary?

Another DL announcement, again, quite a few bands I'd enjoy but with them copying Soni but not saying how it will work, no idea how many bands I'd be able to actually see (for the standard half hour set with terrible sound)

[hash pipe]

Wait DL are copying soni?

[houston404]

Wait DL are copying soni?

AC has said that the top of some stages won't clash, which stages won't clash and at what time during the day they will stop clashing hasn't been announced. Like Soni did with Apollo and Saturn

[hash pipe]

Wait DL are copying soni?

AC has said that the top of some stages won't clash, which stages won't clash and at what time during the day they will stop clashing hasn't been announced. Like Soni did with Apollo and Saturn

There have been more than a few occasions recently where they've not clashed main and second stage headliners. saying that I welcome the change, if it means I'd be able to see more. Take it those on the DLF that have spent time saying clashes > no choice are a little upset?

[metalicbear]

No slots left at Download for The Offspring, Limp Bizkit, Bullet For My Valentine, Enter Shikari, Volbeat, Within Temptation, Five Finger Death Punch, Trivium, Slayer, Mastodon. Ac has said that Anthrax also aren't playing Download.

Some of these bands would make a strong top 3 at Sonisphere. It doesn't make sense that they haven't got anything with all these bands around.

[welshAC_81]

No it doesn't.