Comparison of Band Popularity at Metal Festivals

[General Zod]

Er....this can't be true because Redemption are playing above Virgin Steele, yet VS triple their numbers. I'm still not entirely sure why Redemption are so high up on the bill. Even Communic beat their numbers and they're an opener!

I just got done spinning the new Redemptiuon for like the 5th time. They are now officially one of my top five favorite current bands. They are fucking brilliant. Comparing the music of Virgin Steele to Redemption is like comparing the newsworthyness (<---- real word?) of Anna Nicole Smith to the saber-rattling that's going on with us and Iran.

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

Yeah, but according to lastfm.com, VS get triple the number of listeners, so all I'm saying is that ProgPower obviously isn't taking popularity into account. And conversely, if PP was only going by level of artistic brilliance, then Sonata Arctica, Primal Fear, and Firewind wouldn't even be on the bill.

 

[JayKeeley]

What you should be concerned about is how screwed over you got by the HC guys. You should have been moved up five slots, which would have given you what, an extra five minutes? I'd totally sue.

I would take it out on one of the co-sponsors, like Dark One. It was all his fault.

Thing is, if Gwynbleidd did get an extra five minutes, what would they have done with the added time? Played the intro to one of their songs?

 

[swizzlenuts]

I would take it out on one of the co-sponsors, like Dark One. It was all his fault.

Thing is, if Gwynbleidd did get an extra five minutes, what would they have done with the added time? Played the intro to one of their songs?

 

[General Zod]

Yeah, but according to lastfm.com, VS get triple the number of listeners, so all I'm saying is that ProgPower obviously isn't taking popularity into account.

Redemption just inked a multi-disc deal with Inside Out America. Their new disc is beyond fantastic and I suspect IOA will give it a big push. I heard they're also planning to do their first US tour.

And conversely, if PP was only going by level of artistic brilliance, then Sonata Arctica, Primal Fear, and Firewind wouldn't even be on the bill.

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

The thing that gets me, (and I'm thinking aloud here), is that I wouldn't even know how to set a roster based on all this tinkering.

For example, let's say I had to put on a show with the following four bands: Manowar, Virgin Steele, Nightwish, and Primal Fear. I think I would have simply listed them in that precise order, but based on true popularity, that might be a mistake.

In actual fact, the roster would have to look like this:

Nightwish [headliner]
Manowar
Primal Fear
Virgin Steele

Is it just me, or does anyone else look at that and find it absurd (yet totally plausible)?

 

[General Zod]

Is it just me, or does anyone else look at that and find it absurd (yet totally plausible)?

I think your failing to account for the Manowar factor. Many of their fans are too busy seeking out poseurs andkilling them with power, to log on to LAST.FM.

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

True. Or making those ultra cool home videos on youtube.

 

[Sfarog]

I would take it out on one of the co-sponsors, like Dark One. It was all his fault.

Thing is, if Gwynbleidd did get an extra five minutes, what would they have done with the added time? Played the intro to one of their songs?

we actually played 5 minutes longer then we were supposed to. They were about to pull a plug on us (well, not really)

hey, we've got like 1 or two other pieces that would fit in 5 minutes! (well, almost)

 

[Dark One]

I would take it out on one of the co-sponsors, like Dark One. It was all his fault.

LOL - I too was busy interrupting the flow of events trying to you get *YOU* into that tiny closet of a backstage area.

 

[skeptik]

In actual fact, the roster would have to look like this:

Nightwish [headliner]
Manowar
Primal Fear
Virgin Steele

Is it just me, or does anyone else look at that and find it absurd (yet totally plausible)?

I don't think this is entirely accurate because you have to remember that the Manowarriors also have a number of DVDs to consume between their albums, so they all don't get on last.fm [edit: Zod kind of already beat me to it...] Other than Nightwish being over Manowar, however (due to the fact that they're an established franchise that always puts on a huge live show and always headlines), I think that looks about right (not based on quality, of course, but logistics).

 

[JayKeeley]

Other than Nightwish being over Manowar, however (due to the fact that they're an established franchise that always puts on a huge live show and always headlines)...

Thing is, where are these huge live shows where they headline? Not in the states, maybe South America or Europe? And in that case, I'd say Nightwish would give them a run for their money in terms of albums sales. Don't Nightwish make the billboard charts (or equivalent) in Europe?

In the US, however, Manowar are practically nobodys, along with most true metal bands. I'd wager a bet that in the US, Nightwish would draw a bigger crowd than Manowar.

 

[General Zod]

In the US, however, Manowar are practically nobodys, along with most true metal bands. I'd wager a bet that in the US, Nightwish would draw a bigger crowd than Manowar.

I'd take that bet. Didn't Manowar sell out BB Kings? And weren't tickets being scalped for insane prices?

Zod

 

[skyrefuge]

That lineup order makes complete sense to me, but maybe that's because I've been aware of Nightwish's numbers for a long time, so I've had more time to "adjust" to the reality of their popularity. Also, I did see them at PPUSA, and they just exuded this aura of professionalism that made you think "these guys are huge, and they know it".

It's really easy to make all sorts of assumptions about popularity that have no basis in current reality, especially if they involve bands that aren't really on your radar. That's why I like to point out what an incredible job these promoters do of ignoring their personal biases and assumptions when selecting bands and arranging lineups. They're almost always more 'correct' than anyone who says "WTF?!?? Why are THEY headlining?!?!?"

Neil

 

[General Zod]

It's really easy to make all sorts of assumptions about popularity that have no basis in current reality, especially if they involve bands that aren't really on your radar.

Couldn't agree more. People often perceive a correlation between their personal feelings about a band and that band's popularity.

Zod