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While festival goers struggle to land tickets for the likes of Glastonbury, Reading, and the Isle of Wight, ‘fake festivals’ are proving an increasingly popular alternative. Here’s why…
Over the last five years, ticket sales for ‘fake festivals’ have seen a significant spike, according to the ‘Entertainment Agents’ Association’, and today there are more than 30 outdoor music events in the UK showcasing ‘world class’ tribute acts from across the globe.
Don’t worry, we’re aware that many of you are already cringing at the thought of gimmicky imitations of seminal geniuses from years past, and chart toppers of today, but hear us out.
Tribute acts have come a long way since first performing in grotty social clubs of the 60s. With advances in lighting, stage make-up, and sound technology, these musicians now ‘look and sound like the real thing,’ says Tarquin Shaw-Young, managing director of Stagecoach Talent Agency UK. I’m guessing that excludes the arthritis riddled Elvis refusing to give up his spot at my local greasy spoon.
The festival industry generates a whopping £20 to £30 million every year, and tribute artists contribute significantly towards this. Acts such as Green Date, New2, and Flash (for Queen) fill entire stadiums without needing to rely on backing tracks or lip-syncing… Cheryl Tweedy is somewhere in Tyneside chewing her acrylics nervously.
Like Glastonbury, fake festivals present an eclectic lineup of acts for various music tastes on multiple stages, alongside camping – or glamping for those who believe a standard tent from eBay is #squalorific – with food stalls and face painting.
When you break it down, the biggest difference (and draw) of fests like Glastonbudget, Tribfest, and The Big Fake Festival is the price and accessibility of admission. While mainstream festivals typically sell out of around £250 tickets in shy of an hour, these ‘fake fests’ sell out far slower and for a quarter of the price, while children often go free.
There’s a distinct family friendly atmosphere engendered from the wide-ranging mix of generations and lack of commercial coverage at these events. The older festival goers can experience a nostalgic simulation of iconic groups like The Beatles and Pink Floyd (who’re no longer with us) in their heyday, playing hit after hit. And the younger audiences get to experience accurate imitations of their favourite musicians on a regular basis, while the actual artist is either out of action, or touring in different countries.
While I seriously doubt that Noel and Liam Gallagher are chuffed with Oasish conducting rousing choruses of ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ at these fake fests, generally mainstream artists are all for it, feeling it enhances their own reputation while sharing their music on a grander scale. Kasabian even provided their counterparts, ‘Kazabian,’ with one of their drumkits to make them sound more authentic on stage.
