Festival Of Lads

Admin at 2:03 pm February 25, 2015

The lineup for this years Reading Leeds Festival adjusted for bands that have a woman in them.

(via Helen Lewis)

(Thanks GK)

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133 thoughts on “Festival Of Lads”

Kate o Sullivan February 25, 2015 at 2:06 pm

Can you do a gay version, a transgendered version, a disabled person version? Etc, etc. Hmm?
1. Ciarán February 25, 2015 at 2:09 pm
  
  gay, transgedered and disabled demographics don’t make up 50% of the population, “Kate”
  1. Bobby February 25, 2015 at 2:14 pm
    
    Female musicians also don’t make up 50% of the population.
    1. Ciarán February 25, 2015 at 2:34 pm
      
      Oh lord help me.
      
      Tell me, are you the kind of person who, after consulting a map, is then subsequently disappointed to find that the actual destination is not three centimetres away as the map had seemed to you to promise?
      1. Bobby February 25, 2015 at 2:46 pm
        
        So you can’t refute my statement? Grand, thanks.
      2. Nigel February 25, 2015 at 7:40 pm
        
        Did it require refutation? You didn’t say anything controversial. Male musicians don’t make up 50% of the population, either.
    2. pedeyw February 25, 2015 at 3:51 pm
      
      It’s pretty basic, Bobby: Of all the musicians in the world, what percentage are female?
    3. Ciarán February 25, 2015 at 4:00 pm
      
      Female musicians don’t make up 50% of the population and male musicians don’t make up 50% of the population.
      
      What’s your point outside of that?
2. Marjory O'Petticoats February 25, 2015 at 2:15 pm
  
  Yes I like ‘Katie’ and ‘Anne’ am a genuine lady commenter and I wish to say that women need to cop on and that we’re all tired of the gays and whatnot.
  
  I say that as a brave outspoken lady.
3. Hashtag Diversity February 27, 2015 at 11:24 pm
  
  Isn’t this already the gay version?
Dave February 25, 2015 at 2:11 pm

YAWN
1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:39 pm
  
  Yes, your comment is pretty boring
downtowntrain February 25, 2015 at 2:12 pm

Weren’t sleater kinney available?
1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:40 pm
  
  Or L7? Or Babes in Toyland?
  1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 2:44 pm
    
    It’s not the 90’s.
    1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:46 pm
      
      It should be
      1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:01 pm
        
        Jesus god no, it really really shouldn’t.
      2. andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 3:05 pm
        
        Shurrup to fupp. The 90s were brilliant.
        Now I’m all nostalgic. I’m off to listen to some Whale song. And by that I mean Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe.
      3. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:08 pm
        
        Yes it should cause its awesome. And even if you don’t like it, there are a whole bunch of 90s bands, with ladies in and everything (!), who have got back together over the last while that would surely be rock festival material.
      4. Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 3:10 pm
        
        If we’re doing Hot Tub Time Machine take me back to the summer of ’88 please and thank you.
      5. pedeyw February 25, 2015 at 4:42 pm
        
        Interesting, I would have thought someone called Mani would be a 90s music fan. Also, L7 and Babes in Toyland have reformed, which I’m quite excited about.
      6. Mani February 25, 2015 at 7:24 pm
        
        Grunge overkill.
      7. Jess February 27, 2015 at 3:47 pm
        
        L7 have reformed. Sweet!
        
        And the early 90s were cool, then britpop came along and ruined everything
Mloc February 25, 2015 at 2:16 pm

Wow, Limp Bizkit… there is a blast from the past.
Grace February 25, 2015 at 2:16 pm

It’s the same for Forbidden Fruit – so far, the line up is a right old sausage fest.

Yawn to that.
Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 2:24 pm

If you adjusted it for bands that were any use it would be similarly sparse.
1. andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 2:31 pm
  
  Or bands I’ve heard of before.
2. andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 2:31 pm
  
  Or bands I’ve heard of before.
  1. Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 2:45 pm
    
    B-A-Y, B-A-Y, B-A-Y C-I-T-Y, with your R-O-L-L-E-R-S, bay city rollers are the best
    1. andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 2:58 pm
      
      I had knee-high white socks with pictures of the Bay City Rollers on the side of em in the 70s.
      FACT.
      1. Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 3:05 pm
        
        That can’t be wrong when it feels so right.
andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 2:31 pm

New York, New York: so good they named it twice.
New York, so good they named it.
Mikeyfex February 25, 2015 at 2:41 pm

What does this suggest?
1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:43 pm
  
  That what counts for “modern music” is dominated largely by white middle class blokes?
  1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 2:45 pm
    
    *shakes head*
    Wow. We’re through the looking glass here, people.
    1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:48 pm
      
      Someone called Man-i would say that…
      
      Happy now?
      1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:02 pm
        
        You should join a band and change the world or something.
      2. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:06 pm
        
        Nah, I’ll take your lead and stick to making passive aggressive comments online
  2. Mikeyfex February 25, 2015 at 2:54 pm
    
    And is there someone at fault then?
    1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:56 pm
      
      Tbf, its about time someone gave white middle class blokes a break. I mean, its really tough for them out there!
      1. Mikeyfex February 25, 2015 at 3:08 pm
        
        Ears. The great discriminators.
      2. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:09 pm
        
        True. The best music has all been written by WMC guys.
        
        I bet you like Mumford and Sons….
      3. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:16 pm
        
        You’ve taken the bit between your teeth in terms of passive agressiveness.
      4. Mikeyfex February 25, 2015 at 3:25 pm
        
        bet away
      5. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:28 pm
        
        Its ok Mikey, we all got a bit carried away when they first turned up.
        
        Mani, would you like to make another comment or are you done?
      6. Mikeyfex February 25, 2015 at 3:38 pm
        
        I appear to have given you the impression that I’m going to this festival, and it seems you think I may be going because of the gender profile of the bands playing. By asking a question at the start there.
        
        And your accusation towards Mani there I found so rich that it was hard to read so soon after lunch.
      7. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:39 pm
        
        I’d like you to actually articulate your point rather than make ad hominem attacks in defence of the Great Galactic Vagina.
      8. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:47 pm
        
        Mikey – it was a joke.
        
        Mani – you respond to my initial point like a grown up and I will respond in kind.
2. Spaghetti Hoop February 25, 2015 at 2:46 pm
  
  The colour yellow is too much for a poster without black text to counteract the glare.
Del McG February 25, 2015 at 2:43 pm

Damn you, Leeds & Reading festivals, for booking popular acts that sell records and that the audience actually wants to see. Damn you to Hell!!
(Because it’s certainly not the fault of the record buying/downloading/otherwise “acquiring” public…)
1. Paolo February 25, 2015 at 3:13 pm
  
  Don’t be ridiculous! Someone somewhere wants a clean 50:50 gender split for bands therefore Reading and Leeds festival Ltd. should do it.
Mani February 25, 2015 at 2:47 pm

I believe that a quota system needs to be implemented here to ensure fairness and equality. If you could just locate all the women who feel they need to learn an instrument as a means of getting the ride……..
1. Del McG February 25, 2015 at 2:51 pm
  
  Like the flute, perhaps?
  1. andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 2:59 pm
    
    Or the cello. Though that’s more to get you prepped: the flute is more of a sexual utensil.
2. squiggleyjoop February 25, 2015 at 3:09 pm
  
  I recently found out that band Girl Band are a band of boys. That’s how bad things are.
  1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:16 pm
    
    I think it refers to the kind of corset required to get into those skinny jeans.
    1. squiggleyjoop February 25, 2015 at 3:41 pm
      
      Girl Band’s “girls” banned for not being girl band.
  2. Rob_G February 25, 2015 at 4:03 pm
    
    There’s something that you should know about Girl Talk, too…
3. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:35 pm
  
  are you suggesting most women only learn instruments to get the ride?
  1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:38 pm
    
    No, I clearly am saying that most men do, which is why most bands are made up of men as we will employ any skill to this end.. However, do not let me get in the way of your seeking offence.
    1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:47 pm
      
      LOL no i wasn’t seeking offense, just clarification! As you were.
  2. Joe the Lion February 25, 2015 at 5:06 pm
    
    pissed off you hadn’t thought of it yourself?
Partial February 25, 2015 at 2:49 pm

I don’t get it, you’re saying that the most important thing a band should consider when forming is NOT the members musical ability? Are you actually saying that gender is more important than musical ability?

…./facepalm….
1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 2:50 pm
  
  Yes, you do not get it
2. scottser February 25, 2015 at 10:50 pm
  
  I woulf imagine that most of the female performers will be glad to see a clean and relatively unused jacks on the 3rd day.
  The blokes’ tho..
  *shudder*
Bingo February 25, 2015 at 2:57 pm

Reading/Leeds has traditionally been a rock festival. Most rock bands are all-male. Not saying it’s right or wrong, it just is….
cacotechny February 25, 2015 at 2:57 pm

Don’t worry, the whitest middle-class Guardian will sort this out.
… http://youtu.be/oh4r49tzn88
Caroline February 25, 2015 at 3:07 pm

Oh noes. This somewhat takes the shine off the announcement that they’re developing MacGirlver.
1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:29 pm
  
  She better have a stupidly 2015 haircut or they aren’t taking it seriously enough
  1. Caroline February 25, 2015 at 3:38 pm
    
    It would be entertaining if Richard Dean Anderson had a complete mid-life meltdown about it, like Dirk Benedict did when they recast Starbuck.
    1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:48 pm
      
      Maybe he’ll go the old sex change route just so he can audition
      1. Del McG February 25, 2015 at 4:13 pm
        
        He’ll probably do it himself, with a Swiss army knife, some Sellotape and the plastic bit of a Bic biro
      2. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 4:17 pm
        
        Not sure he’ll make it past the casting couch with Sellotape boobs. Wait, what am I thinking, its MacGyver! Of course he will!
        
        *Dun-dun-dun-dun-dunnnn dun dun dun..*
chompleton February 25, 2015 at 3:08 pm

Female acts tend to be of a poorer quality in general. Even acts with a single female member suffer as a result of their mediocre input and bad attitudes.
1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:38 pm
  
  wow. just wow.
2. Caroline February 25, 2015 at 3:39 pm
  
  You’ve a single female member.
  1. andyourpointiswhatexactly February 25, 2015 at 5:07 pm
    
    BOOM!
3. Anne February 25, 2015 at 3:50 pm
  
  Wrong –
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK2CvJNrpWw
  1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 3:52 pm
    
    Nice!
  2. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:53 pm
    
    a classic!!!
  3. Joe the Lion February 25, 2015 at 10:58 pm
    
    Can someone please explain this to me? It contains terms with which I am unfamiliar
4. Casey February 25, 2015 at 11:06 pm
  
  Twoll in need of a bridge.
Mulch February 25, 2015 at 3:11 pm

Its a business first and a festival second. The acts were picked so they are broadly from the same genre and they will draw the biggest crowds, whilst paying the groups the least amount of money required to maximize profit.
1. Paolo February 25, 2015 at 3:13 pm
  
  And they were available
Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:16 pm

mumford and sons and limp bizkit on the same day. shudder. it’ll be a troglodyte-fest.
Continuity Jay-Z February 25, 2015 at 3:26 pm

I only eat food prepared by a woman.
1. :O/ February 25, 2015 at 3:32 pm
  
  Yer da?
2. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:43 pm
  
  your username is gas, though
Eoghany February 25, 2015 at 3:32 pm

Gender quotas in rock bands. This is so stupid. Why are we even taking about this. If some (any) women are unhappy about this, they should learn instruments and form rock bands. Trying to make women the victim at every possible opportunity. Middle class white guy to blame again. It’s bizarre.
1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:43 pm
  
  women do join rock bands but are generally dismissed as automatically lacking in talent or relevance, as seen in the comments here, for no good reason. and if they are good it’s often assumed that she has a man writing songs for her, or a man recording her parts of the tracks, or a man generally informing her talent.
  1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 3:52 pm
    
    On health grounds I am against women in rock groups as the damage to the men in that band due to pent up farts can be….explosive.
    1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:56 pm
      
      I’ve often wondered how men survive rehearsals in those tiny, windowless practice rooms. Esp the mouldy, scaldy practice spaces, like in Loop studios. Combined with farts it’s pretty much a fire hazard.
    2. Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 4:13 pm
      
      That’s Garbage.
      1. Rob_G February 25, 2015 at 4:26 pm
        
        Touché.
  2. Mulch February 25, 2015 at 3:53 pm
    
    One dopey comment from chompelton the troll does not define the whole comment section.
    All of those assumptions you have made are made entirely by you.
jonotti February 25, 2015 at 3:43 pm

I’m going to a festival which has 90% male acts in a couple of weeks. If they enforced a 50% balance rule it would be a far shitter festival.
1. Mick Flavin February 25, 2015 at 6:38 pm
  
  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gLLgpuAPbo
  See you there bro!
  1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 7:15 pm
    
    Interviewer: so, Declan, a hooley in the sun…is a lovely metaphor for an Irish summer festival?
    Declan: it’s not a metaphor. The festival takes place in the sun
    Interviewer: eh, what?
    Declan: I’ve modified a minibus to make it solar proof. I’ve bought a rake of factor 25.
    Interviewer: do you…?
    Declan: have a substance abuse problem? A significant one yes.
    1. Mick Flavin February 25, 2015 at 7:32 pm
      
      VH1 “Behind the Music” narrator:
      
      “That was Nerney’s last interview before an arduous rehab process that only ended when he submitted to a higher power…
      
      …vintage tractors.”
      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3X4VNAS1TR8
      1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 7:42 pm
        
        ‘I met a massie ferguson backstage in 2012 and it changed my life. We were married in 2014. I’ve ben clean ever since’
      2. Mick Flavin February 25, 2015 at 7:58 pm
        
        http://m.imgur.com/3Vr2TFv
      3. Mani February 25, 2015 at 8:07 pm
        
        Deadly. At least you can’t see the damaged exhaust from that angle.
      4. Mick Flavin February 25, 2015 at 8:17 pm
        
        I know, that’s why I drew him with trousers on.
      5. Mani February 25, 2015 at 8:26 pm
        
        Mechanic: I’ve done the full overhaul…and I have to tell you I found some pretty disgusting stuff back there.
        Tractor: I’ve been encouraging him to douche but he just refuses.
        Declan: can I come down off these blocks now?
      6. Mick Flavin February 25, 2015 at 8:28 pm
        
        I’m not drawing that.
      7. Mani February 25, 2015 at 8:34 pm
        
        It could be a new feature!
        Broadsheet…After Dark.
Ger February 25, 2015 at 3:44 pm

To be honest, those bands would ve a whole lot shitter if they employed a girl.
1. Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 3:55 pm
  
  I’m struggling to think how limp bizkit could possibly be any worse
  1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 3:56 pm
    
    don’t do it, your brain will fold in on itself.
  2. Mani February 25, 2015 at 4:01 pm
    
    They could collaborate with Maroon 5.
    1. Bertie Blenkinsop February 25, 2015 at 4:09 pm
      
      You’re a sick man.
      1. Mani February 25, 2015 at 4:16 pm
        
        You’ve no idea.
    2. Mulch February 25, 2015 at 4:25 pm
      
      Maroon Bizkits. Sounds like an urban dictionary reference to a sex act.
    3. Mikeyfex February 25, 2015 at 4:30 pm
      
      Can we get Anastasia in there too for the key change bit?
Rob_G February 25, 2015 at 3:59 pm

Funny thing is though, about 50% of festival attendees are female. So the disparity doesn’t seem to bother them too much, or else there would be more festivals featuring more female artists.
1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 4:04 pm
  
  given a choice between waiting for a festival to magically have all the acts we’d like to see, and having the craic with our friends at a festival that has an alright lineup, what do you think?
  1. Rob_G February 25, 2015 at 4:07 pm
    
    I think that if there was demand for lineups that were 50/50 in terms of gender, or with a majority of women, promoters would already be organising them.*
    
    Most people don’t care.
    
    *there is one big one that I know of – Ladyfest – but that’s it.
    1. Starina February 25, 2015 at 4:12 pm
      
      sure, but nobody is asking for 50/50 lineup. it’s just that it seems unnatural to have a festival lineup so lacking in female musicians when there’s tons of bands out there with female members.
      
      Also, our Broadsheet overlords love to throw this poo into the ring and watch the carnage.
      1. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 4:15 pm
        
        They sure do
      2. Rob_G February 25, 2015 at 4:17 pm
        
        People seem to like listening to men playing music than to women (or so the ticket sales would seem to suggest) – I’m not sure if there are any other conclusions to be drawn from it.
      3. Don Pidgeoni February 25, 2015 at 5:25 pm
        
        Citation needed
seanie88 February 25, 2015 at 4:17 pm

im more offended by Limp Bizkit
Clampers Outside! February 25, 2015 at 4:27 pm

Shut up everyone !

It’s Reading.

It should go back to it’s roots, all METAL !
1. inapropro February 25, 2015 at 10:55 pm
  
  you have a point
2. dan March 3, 2015 at 2:52 am
  
  Would probably have more women if it did tbh, lots of ladies in metal bands these days.
Odockatee February 25, 2015 at 5:12 pm

Una Mullally will be live tweeting from the event. Its great news for people who like bad news
pedeyw February 25, 2015 at 5:20 pm

The amount of strawmanning going on from white dudes (of which I am) with there noses out of joint is hilarious.
1. pedeyw February 25, 2015 at 5:21 pm
  
  *their. DAMN IT.
2. This Is Not Darragh, Honestly February 26, 2015 at 1:00 pm
  
  Not sure what anyone’s race/colour has to do with it? Unless you’re one of those odd people who seem to think only “white men” can be sexist. As opposed to Saudi Arabia and so on.
Stephen February 25, 2015 at 5:36 pm

Paramore headlined last year.
Festival bookings are based on a few factors (act availability, and agent / manager relationships with the promoter are the reason for a high percentage of bookings) but the main reason is money. This is a ludicrous non-story. If you’ll sell tickets, a festival will want to book you. No matter what’s in your pants.
1. pedeyw February 25, 2015 at 6:19 pm
  
  Well yeah, I don’t think the observation is aimed directly at that festival. I think it’s just making an observation about the music business in general: women make up half the population yet are very under represented in this particular area.
  1. Kieran NYC February 26, 2015 at 2:44 am
    
    Madonna
    Lady Gaga
    Rihanna
    Beyonce
    Adele
    Etc
    Etc
    
    I think women are doing just fine in the music industry.
    1. Clampers Outside! February 27, 2015 at 2:43 pm
      
      And none of those are rock/ metal etc. which are at the core of Reading… at least historically.

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133 thoughts on “Festival Of Lads”