No Splendour in 2024 - An opportunity, not a threat!

If you haven’t heard already…. Splendour has joined the list of festivals casualties, arguable being the highest-profile.  The cancellation sent shockwaves through the industry, understandable leaving promoters feeling apprehensive about future shows.

So what happened?

There's been a lot of commentary on the reasons why festivals, including Splendour, are struggling. Factors like cost of living, the decline of multi-genre festivals, and shifting demographics have all been mentioned. However, one angle I haven't seen discussed (and perhaps missed) is the festival experience itself.

Festivals have had an incredible run since the hey days of Big Day Out, Stereo Sonic and Future Music but how much has changed since the early days?  Festivals are still rolling the formula of a main stage with a massive LED screen, lighting, pyrotechnics paired with massive toilet lines, excessively expensive drinks might not be cutting It anymore.  

I can totally appreciate that there’s been additional pressures added to promoters over the years (including insurance, increasing artist fees) but as a punter, how much ‘better’ has the experience become over the last 20+ years?  The product has felt neglected and this could be the moment to look at what punters receive when digging into their pockets. I don't think the question shouldn't be how can we keep the current model alive but let's reimagine the festival experience. What new ways can we enhance the experience to attract audiences back.

When we start to look at the entertainment industry more broadly, we can see with the likes of Apple Vision and Meta's XTADIUM product that In home entertainment is coming ahead in leaps and bounds. So as the in home entertainment experience becomes even more engaging, how can the IRL festival product continue to top what you can get sitting at home in the PJ's? The answer is literally right in front us….

Better In home entertainment = technology + innovation. Better IRL festival experience = technology + innovation.

The digital experience should democratise access but in no scenario should it ever detract from the premium experience of attending the festival. The issue we have right now is that the premium experience is becoming what you get from the comfort of your home, it should be the other way around.

As an industry we need to be creating clearer pathways for products within entertainment and encouraging more people to build in the space by showing that there's money to be made.

I think the industry has reached a crossroads and we need to see this as an opportunity rather than a threat, so we can create the future instead of holding on to the past.