Oxegen cancelled for 2012
Jim Carroll
The elephant in the room has finally made an announcement about its future plans: there will be no Oxegen in 2012. Per MCD PR supremo Justin Green, “Oxegen, like Glastonbury, is taking a year off in 2012 and will be back July 2013″. Sadly there was no mention of our old friend “unforeseen circumstances”, which has had a quiet year when it comes to getting togged out to provide excuses for this kind of thing. As regular OTR readers know, we predicted this back in July.
Six questions to mull over about this news: will the cancellation have any effect on the thousands of Stone Roses and Red Hot Chili Pepper tickets still on sale? Will MCD get to put the second Stone Roses’ gig they’re believed to be holding for the Phoenix Park on sale or have to yank it (by the way, the capacity for the Phoenix Park shows now turns out to be 45,000 not the 36,000 initially mentioned)? Will MCD schedule another camping festival for 2012 or will the Oxegen kids have to find other ways to amuse themselves next year? Are there any friendly UK or US agents who’d like to let us know if any of their acts are on hold for such an event? Does this news mean some other promoter might jump into the breach or is it too late to book a rake of acts for summer 2012? And finally, will Oxegen return to Punchestown or even return at all? We’ll miss it….won’t we?
I’d say the Stone Roses and RHCP gigs will get a boost alright. Hearing from a good few EP regulars that they won’t go this year as the darker side of Oxegen will be there in force.
Anthony – I’d say the Oxegen cancelleation will help to an extent but I’m not sure if Stone Roses and RHCP are the bands for the Oxegen target audience. Also, I’d be surprised if (a) the “darker side of Oxegen” transfer en masse to Stradbally and (b) if MCD don’t do a camping festival of some sort in 2012 for that audience.
All they need to do is put Rihanna and Slim Shady ( and rubberbandits) on in a field anywhere with camping over 2 nights and it takes out a huge scumbag population
EP needs to be very careful who they play , any sniff of a scumbag following and I would drop them from the line up
I heard rihanna might be doing phoenix park also, any other names mentioned to be doing T in the Park……..
aidan – yes, I’ve heard Rihanna for Phoenix Park too
damo – one man’s “scumbag following” is another man’s profit.
You reckon they’d put on a seperate camping festival? You’re probably right on the audience fit for Stone Roses and RHCP although the Noel Gallagher support slot could see the latter get a bump. The Oxegen Facebook comments are gold btw: “Bad times would have been better to cash on glasto crowd haveing no where to go but i guess if mcd cant aford it then there is no point. Picnic it is so.”
Anthony – I’ve seen a lot of people fuming that the Oxegen crowd will head to EP instead but I’m not so sure. For a start, the timing of Oxegen always suited the post-Leaving Certs – will they still be as keen to go to an Irish festival in early Sep? WIll they not head to a foreign festival instead inbetween? Very hard to tell – I’ve always wondered about that because it comes up so often. Also MCD would be stone crazy NOT to do a festival for that audience – given that MCD own a large chunk of EP, they’d also be mad to cannibalise that festival with a different audience (perhaps “cannibalise” is an unfortunate term to use)
comparing it to glastonbury , gotta love MCD hahahaha
petee – I thought that was such a fantastic thing to do. Fair play for the neck.
@ jim i didn’t realise the lack of police and site staff because of the london Olympics stretched to co. kildare
2011 really has been a bad year for despots.
colum – ROFLOL
petee – I know – who knew that Irish portaloos were needed for the London Olympics? Remarkable things, portaloos
Let us not forget that the attractive, arable farmland that is the inside of the Punchestown race course needs a rest too. The milk yields from the horses has been way down in recent years.
LOL at Colum
Comparison to Glastonbury is a joke. The festival takes a break every 6 years. It was meant to take
2011 off but went the extra year due to Olympics.
Be interesting to see the knock on effect on EP if any. There will be some kids who’ll want a camping
Festival regardless of line up.
Glasto comparison? For shame MCD. Mortified for yis lads.
Gotta be with Petee on this one… Glastonbury do a planned fallow year every few years or so, it’s not a ‘financial disaster diversion’ tactic that this clearly is. The attempt to make it sound like a noble break is embarassing. MCD have this unlikeable nack for making themselves sound like they’re on top of everything. ‘Europe’s favourite festival’ anyone…? apparently not.
It’s also a bit odd that Coldplay have no Irish gig lined up for their Summer tour in 2012. I’d say that they might have been lined up for Oxegen.
Here’s hoping they do a headline gig somewhere. The Aviva?
I find the Glastonbury thing to be funny in many ways too – after all, we all knew ages ago that Glastonbury wouldn’t be happening but MCD waited six months after Oxegen 2011 to make this announcement. I’d love to know if the UK and US agents knew this and when they knew it – seems to be very little respect from the promoters for the fans who’ve flocked to Punchestown year in and year out.
As for “Europe’s favourite festival”, does anyone seriously believe that? It’s the equivalent of a band who get a two word mention in the New York Times hawking that in their press releases for eternity. Oxegen was over a few years ago and it took until now to put it out of its misery.
By the way, I’ve already had the bookers from Body & Soul, Sea Sessions, Indiependence and Knockanstockan on about getting a phone number for David Guetta. You read it here first.
Personally, I think that EP will be flooded with the Oxegen crowd.
Yeah there are options abroad but it’s not about the lineup; it’s about going somewhere close enough to home and getting wrecked with loads of people you know, so Scotland, Leeds or Reading isn’t an option.
I didn’t go to EP last year for the 1st time in ages but was considering next year but unless there is an alternative for the Oxegen crowd, I’ll be sticking with Castlepalooza etc.
colmahhh – but sure, the Oxegen crowd have been going to EP for years. Remember that there are very few of the “original” EP 2004/05 crowd still going every year and they’ve been replaced by people who went to Oxegen and then moved on up to EP (just as the original EP crowd probably broke their festival-with-camping duck with Witnness at Fairyhouse). Persoanally, I’d be amazed if EP was over-run by the post-Leaving Cert audience – look at EP’s ideal band (Arcade Fire, let’s say) and look what happened when they played Oxegen in 2010 and had only 3.000 people to see them on the main stage. Two different festivals, two different target audiences. It’s like the MCD statement trying to link Oxegen with Glastonbury
i’m just worried about hoards of tyrone and armagh GAA jerseys roaming around that weekend like something out of ‘the walking dead’ someone book scooter and Armin van Buuren for Monaghan or donegal to keep the sterlings rolling across the border
MCD should just rebrand oxegen as the irish equiv of V festival mainstream pop and chart acts of the indie/rock variety and leave EP acts for EP…divide and conquer thus keeping everyone happy-ish…but its clear for all to see smaller, independent festivals are the future! Speaking of which, Spirit of Folk 2012 is a go- am I ok to plug that there Jim
@ 21
Plenty of Dubs in GAA jerseys wandering around like the walking dead too………
European festivals have been getting more and more popular and Oxegens reputation has taken such a beating over the past few years.
When you look at the big bands playing next year, none of them really fit with what the Oxegen festival had become. They would have had to a found a new name and venue to pull off a festival headlined by The Beach Boys, Radiohead and The Stone Roses. I’d say they looked at the possibilities of doing that but then realised that the Phoenix Park gigs were more plausible and profitable.
I’d say people planning trips to Poland for the football or London for the Olympics also had an impact on their projected figures which would of nosedived after last year anyways.
John Reynolds could well try and capitalise on the fact there is no Oxegen and change his EP booking policy. He comes across as a heartless business man who just thinks in Euro’s.
@23 Scarecrows of the Stipe- haha yeah i’m a wicklow boy, i don’t mention the D word
I feel a little twinge of nerves about the transference of some of the Oxegen crowd to EP, but have decided to keep the faith and believe that the line-up , whatever it may be , will remain true to form & prevent this to any large extent.
I hope due to the timing Body and Soul is affected , dont mind with Sea sessions
Whats the chances now of Electric Picnic doing daily tickets over the weekend for Friday, Saturday and Sunday to try and rake in more punters,there was daily tickets for the Sunday due to headliners Pulp (alledged Oxegen 2011 headliner). I know that wouldnt please a lot of the punters who have already gone with the early bird tickets and deposits. I wouldnt be suprised if that happens………………..
I’d suggest that the Phoenix Park gigs could well end up being the de facto replacement of Oxygen this year, particulalry if Rhinaan , and Coldplay get bundled in……….
I wonder if the possibility of 6 gigs in the Phoenix Park will have any impact on the running of concerts at Marlay Park next summer (if any at all)………….sales in Marlay Park this summer were slow, and the reviews/feedback seemed somewhat indifferent and enthused……..Marlay Park is also a logistical nightmare.
Peraps promoters are looking for a safe haven with the Phoenix Park. You have flexibity in terms of size, and there is easy access – relative to Marlay Park……..
I wonder if The Who’s mooted Quadrophenia tour could be outdoors in the Phoenix Park, but would think that’s more suited to a tent or indoor gig. it’s anyone’s guess who might get booked, although I suspect heritage acts are sure to feature strongly.
The Gates of hell are closed for one year, but if the scum make their way to E.P that will be a real shame.. I guess Body & Soul is a safe bet?
oh no, what will Penneys do? Their surplus of uniforms of wellies, denim minis, and bandannas will find no ‘individuals’ to express their counter cultural issues. them.
Maybe XFactor could host an outdoor event. The concert goers wouldn’t notice any difference.
Hard to know where the head-the-balls will head. Perhaps the first few festivals after the Leaving Cert is over might be the likely candidates for such an onslaught though there might be a revulsion towards traveling outside the city with said punters- you wouldn’t believe the amount of Dubs i know who have only ever been to Meath or KIldare! That said Oxegen is an economy booster so all those wellies, parkas, burgers and pies, festival gladrags and innumerable sundries are a living for someone. I think MCD will put on something (or should) and the capacity is certainly there to do it so we’ll see what the New Year brings. There will still be an “in” with the T-In-The-Park crowd so perhaps bands have been booked prior to MCD colouring in the details and the nitty gritty of it all.
Recently discovered a fantastic old band from the 1980s that i hadn’t heard before – The Chills. Always love it when you retro-stumble across something like that. I recommend checking out a tune called Pink Frost from said NZ lads. Could’ve been written tomorrow.
Scum won’t go near EP, especially if Radiohead are playing it this year.
If you’re worried about the Oxegen crowd moving to EP which a lot of it inevitably will, go to Bestival instead. It’s on the week after EP and usually has a very similar line up. Probably time to try something new anyway.
Cab – probably time to try something new anyway
Sage advice
Perhaps MCD will go the way of Shine Promotions in Belfast and start a series of gigs similar to Belsonic, these nights have been more dance/pop oriented in recent years and seem to draw the crowd (I realise they’ve attempted something similar in the past (@ the park) but haven’t these been indie/folk leaning?) They have partnered up to purchase the Limelight/Spring and Airbrake venues in the city so there seems to be a relationship in existence. Maybe a crossover event is likely with acts appearing in both cities around the same time (not too dissimilar to T in the Park/Oxegen).
ShowYourBones – MCD involved in Belsonic shows as far as I know
Right, well that explains MCD’s interest in the Limelight purchase then. Do many southern folk make the trek to Belfast for Belsonic then? Wouldn’t have thought so, surely the opportunity for a similar programme of events in Dublin exists now that Oxegen has gone. I guess camping swings it for a lot of the young uns.
ShowYourBones – since the MC and D in MCD fell out, MCD have been doing more & more in NI under various flags of convenience. Makes sense – NI audiences always travel south in great numbers anyway so shows up north will do well.
It’s going to affect the ticket sales of Electric Picnic without a doubt, because there’s a lot of people who would walk the line between the two. As for the cancellation upping the “scumbag” population, I doubt said scumbags have the money to go to a festival that is dominated by a late-20s mid-30s crowd but also includes oldies and babbies too, instead of the atmosphere of drink and debauchery they desire, and as well a festival that’s more likely to be headlined by someone more alternative than the usual Oxegen fare. There’s a reason people go to Oxegen instead of Electric Picnic, and just because one is removed doesn’t mean the impetus is necessarily transferred, in some respects the two are similar but in others they’re just too different..
Livi – very good point – I personally can’t see the wholesale transfer others are seeing just because, as you put it, there’s 2 big multi-day camping fests and one isn’t happening. It’s a notion which is far too simplistic.
Been thinking about this announcement during the day (rather than the reprecussions of it) and from a business perspective it makes perfect sense. Oxegen sold somewhere between 50-60,000 tickets last year depending on who you believe and that is probably around their break even point.
This year factor in, further Oxegen fatigue and negative publicity surrounding this, further economic decline, and emigration among its key 17-24 year old demographic, Euro 2012 which is going to result in quite a bit of spending (whether you are travelling to Poland or not), and a crucial factor… the apparent absence of suitable headlining bands. Just who is out there at the moment with an album or a tour coming up that would entice people to get over the issues mentioned above and spend €240 on a ticket?
The Stone Roses who are headlining T in the Park would’ve been a waste of money for MCD at Punchestown, as nothing is going to bring most over 25s to Oxegen. Rhianna? After Beyonce last year, this might have worked. Snow Patrol? I hate the term meh, but it applies here… They’ve been around the block too many times before without inspiring. Coldplay? Hardly two years in a row, though its been done before notably with Kings of Leon. Big big fee to factor in as well. Radiohead? Again similiar to the roses, it probably wouldnt work… The Killers? New album apparently due next year, they might have been an option but an element of the buzz around them also appears to be gone. Kasabian? Not sure if they are big enough in Ireland despite the fact they’ve done the O2. The Script are the only other option I can think of, or mabye and act like Deadmau5 stelling up but all in all, very limited options.
Rebranding in 2013, with an ‘Its back’ theme is a good idea for MCD…
MCD’s statement is laughable and disingenuous. Glasto is not on as the Eavis family are giving the farmland a break and because of the Olympics, absolutely nothing to do with poor ticket sales which is the reason Oxegen has been cancelled. You’re not going to fool us, MCD. Doubt it will be back in 2013 either.
The day the music died………..
Big deal if they compared the year off to Glastonbury, both music festivals, both taking a year off, different reasons obviously. Its not like there is any shame in it for Oxegen, its just another casualty of the all consuming celtic tiger aftermath …… property prices plummeting, political parties disintegrating, currency on the brink, higher taxes, lower pay, endless dole queues, emigration, no summer work and now no Oxegen. Maybe they didn’t want to mention the real reason in case it might dampen the mood further and make people think twice about buying other concert tickets.
The festival itself brought in the big names and the arena was well run, the campsite carryon might be another story though. It’ll be back when young people have money to spend again. Or maybe when we move to Punt Nua we’ll be back to Witnness Nua, who knows.
So the Stone Roses is confirmed for 45,500, now I’m really surprised it didn’t sell out, I guess their core fans are just too screwed in negative equity to care in the bleak mid-winter and those down the country are waiting for Friday to be added before biting. Still I think on a long overdue steamy July day next summer it’ll be the place to be.
On hearing this initially I was fearing a crowd turnover from Oxegen to EP (Jesus, we do make them sound like terrorists at times) but the more consideration I give it, I think the music has to be a factor even if the excuse to drink in a field will be enough for a few. Therefore, as long as EP keep things along the usual lines as far as line-up goes (Field Music, John Grant, Liquid Liquid, Jimmy Cliff etc) I can’t see it appealing to the Oxegen goers (Black Eyed Peas, The Script, The Kooks etc.). So the big question is, will EP show loyalty to their regulars and their festival itself? Or will big € signs flash in their collective eyeballs? Wait and see I suppose!
@Anthony McG – Lets hope to God the EP regulars DO continue to go down. Even if there is a small % of scum this year, they probably wouldn’t return again. Its just not their scene and we need as many regulars there to let them feel outnumbered and uncomfortable. If the regulars don’t go then that small % will be a bigger % and that has the potential to ruin it forever. I must say, I always enjoy Oxegen no matter what, think I’ve been lucky and we always have a large crowd of decent festival goers camping with us to ward off any scumbags. The EP is not the festival it was in 2006 either, it has gradually become more mainstream and (slightly) less enjoyable over the years….
Is it just me or is all the chatter about “scum” on this thread a little ropey perhaps bordering on class hatred? You’d swear reading some comments that there was some sort of a concert apartheid status quo in Ireland where the hordes of the feral underclass are kept separate in a big Oxegen shaped pen.
Very worried about EP. I hope this doesnt affect it
Hi had a gander at the Phoenix Park licence application this morning. The application is for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 7 concerts at the Ashtown site between July 5th and 26th. Capacity for each event is 45,500 plus 2,500 stewards and guests. The plans only show one stage and no sign of any secondary stages. Interesting that the age demographic is described as “16 to 65″. One act is named in the document and thats the Stone Roses.
There will be two bars in operation and 28 concession stands. Licence indicates that there are plans to run shuttle buses from Custom House Quay up to the site. Other useful info – 228 female WCs, 47 male WCs, 182 urinals and 3 disabled access loos. No mention if these are Olympic standard loos.
Brian – good work dude!