Quote:
Originally Posted by LIP MAN
For some reason, the X-Fest organizers ba*%s to bring in a bunch of bigger name indie acts and put them on the docket. They were going in the right direction with DFA1979, Weakerthans, Sheepdogs, etc. But then we get Blink 182, and Dallas Green crap shoved down our throats. I do like Weezer, but like Troutman said, their best stuff is behind them. AWOLnation was good, and a few other acts are as well, but nothing to justify that price point.
Sled Island is such a gem this year. Unfortunately Superchunk and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion play at the same time (small venues). I'll probably stick to that if I can't get a one day pass at X-Fest when DFA are playing.
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Like it or not, they have to sell tickets. Going fully in the direction you mentioned would be great for you personally, until they sold 5-6000 tickets total over two days and then never held another Xfest. Those bands you mentioned play venues ranging in size from bars to Mac Hall.
Bands like Blink 182, Linkin Park and Weezer still play larger venues, and that's what they're going for. They want a festival that has buzz and gets the mainstream buying public going "oh cool, yeah I'd love to have some drinks in the (hopefully) sun and watch Blink and Weezer, they may not be as good as eight years ago, but they put on a fun show, hey guys let's grab some tickets!" And then they hopefully sell 15-20 thousand tickets for teh festival.
As opposed to the bands you mentioned that, as much as you like them and think everyone else does, would be met with a general "meh" by most of the public, even after adding some more bands like them. I'm not saying they aren't great bands, and don't have more integrity or whatever than Blink and Weezer, but they wouldn't sell a huge amount of tickets.