MMJ at Coachella?

MrWhippy · Dec 17, 2011, 09:41 AM

I'm thinking it's really likely that MMJ will be at Coachella this year. They seem to be on the spring festival circuit, don't have any conflicts in their schedule, and it's the only major US festival they haven't been to in the last few years.

It's an amazing festival in an extremely beautiful setting (near Palm Springs, CA). It's also much cleaner than Bonnaroo and much easier to nagivate than Austin City Limits. Last year, we got great spots for every band we wanted to see without every showing up more than 10 minutes beforehand.

Radiohead is pretty much confirmed as one of the headliners. The thought of possibly seeing them and MMJ on the same day is pretty brain scrambling.

Any other Coachella-goers on here? We already have our tix for weekend 1.

Stevie · Dec 19, 2011, 11:45 AM

I've been thinking that this may be a possibility as well. The big question would be: at this point, would they still be doing the Circuital thing? Or, would their sets be more balanced with a possibility of getting more of the rarities? In considering my own question, i'm guessing the festival audience may require a more generic set list.

Just the idea, though, of Radiohead and MMJ playing the same festival would be amazing.

Luna Moth · Dec 19, 2011, 02:58 PM

My guess is after the Grammys they will have more balanced setlists. I mean you've gotta get all these new fans to buy your old albums too, right?

Sweet Nothing · Dec 23, 2011, 02:15 AM

Quote from: Stevie on Dec 19, 2011, 11:45 AM
I've been thinking that this may be a possibility as well. The big question would be: at this point, would they still be doing the Circuital thing? Or, would their sets be more balanced with a possibility of getting more of the rarities? In considering my own question, i'm guessing the festival audience may require a more generic set list.

Just the idea, though, of Radiohead and MMJ playing the same festival would be amazing.

Radiohead and MMJ were both at Bonnaroo in '06 but since then i am not sure if they have played the same festival, although i could be wrong.

As far as Coachella goes is this the first year that they are doing two different festival weekends?

What's with this? Does anyone else think that this is a bad idea? I personally would want the festival all to be in one weekend/4days. Like an experience that you went to Coachella or Bonnaroo in 2011 or whatever year you went. Think it's about saying you were there for it and not just for one weekend. It's hard enough for some people to take off a weekend/almost week out of their busy summer work schedules for the event/festival. For it to be over two separate weekends seems like a bit of a stretch. What is everyones take on this set-up?

Non Sin Breaux · Dec 23, 2011, 03:04 AM

Quote from: Sweet Nothing on Dec 23, 2011, 02:15 AM
As far as Coachella goes is this the first year that they are doing two different festival weekends?

Since this is the case I will probably go to another LA/SD show that would fall in middle of both weekends.

2 Nights in a Row at The Hollywood Bowl would be Nice.

MrWhippy · Dec 23, 2011, 12:08 PM

Quote from: Sweet Nothing on Dec 23, 2011, 02:15 AM
As far as Coachella goes is this the first year that they are doing two different festival weekends?

What's with this? Does anyone else think that this is a bad idea? I personally would want the festival all to be in one weekend/4days. Like an experience that you went to Coachella or Bonnaroo in 2011 or whatever year you went. Think it's about saying you were there for it and not just for one weekend. It's hard enough for some people to take off a weekend/almost week out of their busy summer work schedules for the event/festival. For it to be over two separate weekends seems like a bit of a stretch. What is everyones take on this set-up?

The deal is that they are repeating the same festival over two weekends just try and meet the demand for tickets. So, they are aiming to have the exact same lineup both weekends, not something like New Orleans Jazz Fest where it is just spread over two weekends with all different acts playing.

Coachella sold out really quickly last year and there were lots of people that got gouged for tix on the secondary market or scammed, so this is just their way to try and make sure everyone who wants to go can get tix. We'll see how it works out.

wonderfulman · Dec 23, 2011, 03:07 PM

I've spoken to my friends about having the "SAME" lineup over two weekends. Some think it is a good idea but I personally do not. I believe that Coachella has a capacity of 100,000 people. Multiply that by 2 and you're looking at approximately 200,000 tickets over the two weekends. Last year Coachella did sell out, but do you really think 100,000 people got scammed on tickets? Definitely not, maybe 20,000 max. If Goldenvoice is lucky they'll sell about 150,000 over the two weekends.

Overall, this could be a pretty bad business decision for Goldenvoice. That is, unless they compile the greatest festival bill of all time...

baconus66 · Dec 23, 2011, 03:19 PM

Coachella has become a scene in the West and draws people that would never go to a festival in other conditions. Every cool person in SoCal wants to go to Coachella and it's becoming a celebrity event as well. I don't know if they sell-out both weekends, but I'm betting they sell at least 80-90% and increase their profit from last year. Although word is that they sold a ton of pre-sale tickets for both weekends and many people are expecting a full sell-out. We will see I suppose but it certainly wouldn't surprise me one bit.

e_wind · Dec 23, 2011, 03:34 PM

Also, several thousand will go both weekends if the line up is awesome

Also, they probably have to shell out major money to get big bands to play 2 weekends in a row.

ALady · Dec 23, 2011, 04:40 PM

Quote from: Non Sin Breaux on Dec 23, 2011, 03:04 AM
Quote from: Sweet Nothing on Dec 23, 2011, 02:15 AM
As far as Coachella goes is this the first year that they are doing two different festival weekends?

Since this is the case I will probably go to another LA/SD show that would fall in middle of both weekends.

2 Nights in a Row at The Hollywood Bowl would be Nice.

I'm wondering how they will handle things like this. Coachella has historically had a radius clause that prevents bands who are playing the festival from playing their own dates in the area within a certain time frame surrounding the fest.

On one hand, they'll almost certainly have to waive the clause this year to keep bands in the area for both weekends.

On the other hand, they run the risk of decreasing demand for the festival if all the bands are playing dates in the area before/after/during the fest weekends.

I'll be interested to see how it plays out but I really think the two weekends is a dumb idea.

baconus66 · Dec 23, 2011, 04:59 PM

I would imagine the radius clause is still in use and possible even more so that before. Which really, really sucks for the little bands that literally use the money from the last show they play to buy the gas to get to the next one.

ALady · Dec 23, 2011, 05:32 PM

That's a good point. Coachella's radius clause is the most lenient of the big fests, but I do wonder how they'll handle it this year.

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2010/06/lollapalooza-one-of-many-festivals-with-exclusivity-clauses.html

Sweet Nothing · Dec 23, 2011, 11:02 PM

Quote from: ALady on Dec 23, 2011, 05:32 PM
That's a good point. Coachella's radius clause is the most lenient of the big fests, but I do wonder how they'll handle it this year.

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2010/06/lollapalooza-one-of-many-festivals-with-exclusivity-clauses.html

I guess this means that they wouldn't be playing Coachella this year based on this clause

"c) Or announce any other US festival prior to Feb, 15, 2010 (this
does not apply to SXSW)
This includes record company, promoter, ticket company, band website,
or Internet releases."

I know these dates our based off of a previous year so i wonder what this years date would be for this clause.

And also wondering if ACL let them play in Texas as far as the Dallas and Houston shows go based on this clause

"Austin City Limits:

Exclusivity: 180 days before festival to 90 days following festival within a 300 mile radius of festival; includes any performances in Austin the weekend of Oct. 8-10, 2010."

ALady · Dec 24, 2011, 12:56 AM

I mean those clauses are sort of made to be waived (and there are plenty of examples to show that) but I'm curious to see if it will be in effect at all with the new two-weekend setup.

MrWhippy · Dec 24, 2011, 06:37 AM

I also think the two weekend thing is kind of dumb. We opted to get tix for the first weekend just because I think things will feel more fresh and spontaneous then. For example, I would have hated to have people tell me about Arcade Fire's awesome LED ball drop last year before it happened.

If the two weekend thing results in an even less crowded festival than last year, though, I could see the benefit of that. Even with 2011 being sold out, it was very mellow in terms of dealing with crowds. If this year is a bit less than sold out, that would be even better.

DaFunkyPrecedent · Dec 26, 2011, 09:21 PM

It's doesn't matter if it's 1 weekend, or two weekends or 3 weekends. A show is a show, plain and simple. Sure each live experience new things come out, but at the end of the day, these major acts are putting on a production - just like a Broadway show. Just because Broadway puts on the same show week after week after week doesn't mean one is going to be better or worse. The more people that get to see Radiohead, MMJ, Arcade Fire, Tool, Daft Punk, Prince, The Cure, Plastikman, The Gorillaz etc, the better! Also, Coachella will have no problem letting bands play in and around the festival...who cares! Once that line up gets dropped, all of ya'll will want to be going to this thing. Paul Tollet (the promoters), knows what he's doing. He has created one of the most progressive, well produced and exciting festivals in the world...I'm sure he's not gonna fuck up.

Also, for all of you complaining Coachella is a "West Coast" scene...you're right, it is. It always has been...who doesn't want to parade around in their swim suit, listen to the best music in the world, eat happy things, party, hang with friends, dance, laugh and be free...all the while you run around in beautiful weather? You would be crazy not to!

e_wind · Dec 28, 2011, 09:55 PM

Uh broadway shows aren't in theaters that hold 80,000 people. And the ones that are shown night after night are directly in the middle of the biggest tourist spot in the united states. And festivals do have clauses about bands playing in surrounding areas in a time frame.

And the second paragraph just described every music festival I've ever been to.

TheThird · Dec 30, 2011, 08:16 PM

Does any one have a rough estimate how much a band (both a headliner and a non headliner) makes playing at a big festival like Coachella or Bonnaroo?

Sweet Nothing · Jan 01, 2012, 08:11 PM

Quote from: TheThird on Dec 30, 2011, 08:16 PM
Does any one have a rough estimate how much a band (both a headliner and a non headliner) makes playing at a big festival like Coachella or Bonnaroo?

Not too sure about that, have heard that the headliners make pretty good money but don't know what amount of money that would be. As far as the other bands on the bill i have one example from a small band(like the bottom of the line-up/ The Burnin Smyrnans) from Florida that played 10k Lakes Festival in '07 and they told me that they were payed $500 which was not even enough to pay for gas for their trip. They played there because of the opportunity to get their music out to others and for the experience. They even told me they sold their artists passes so that they could have some more money for their trip. The only other festivals that they played were in Florida at Langeradoo and some other smaller state festivals, and when they made the bill for 10k Lakes they were more then excited. Sorry i don't have any more info on what other bands make but i am sure $500 is most likely the lowest end as far as what the bands are payed. That info should be available somewhere on the web if you do some searching.

MrWhippy · Jan 02, 2012, 09:10 AM

I don't know what a festival like Coachella or Bonnaroo pays large headlining acts that are touring anyway, but apparently Coachella throws very big money at some acts to get rare appearances or reunions to happen.

In 2008 Coachella added Prince to the bill to boost ticket sales shortly before the festival happened, and he got well over a million for the show. Also, there was a news story that The Smiths turned down a $5 million offer from Coachella to do a reunion show a few years ago.