2 Promoters, 1 Pod

For the fan enjoying their favourite band at a headline tour date or festival there might be a different setlist but for the promoters, it’s a different journey nailing the booking.

The approach, the availability, the fee, the rider and conditions can all be a very different landscape depending on if you’re promoting a gig or festival. 

And what on earth is a “versus 80/20 deal”? 

James and a Covid-stricken Gav attempt to explain it all.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Lou's Brews, use the code POD15 for 15% off your order - https://www.lousbrews.co.uk
Meliora Software, Elevate your fans event experiences with festival and event apps by Meliora Software. - https://meliora.events
Synertec, smarter, more efficient, more reliable, and less costly ways to create, distribute and manage important communications - https://synertec.co.uk

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James dive bag into the mail bag to tackle this week’s most pressing issues including the Sleep Token backlash from Download fans and why our two promoters will never, ever work together… unless there’s a Butlins to hire.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Lou's Brews, use the code POD15 for 15% off your order - https://www.lousbrews.co.uk
Meliora Software, Elevate your fans event experiences with festival and event apps by Meliora Software. - https://meliora.events
Synertec, smarter, more efficient, more reliable, and less costly ways to create, distribute and manage important communications - https://synertec.co.uk

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The Download line-up is out and Gav and James avoid all spoilers to react to it in real time. 

The highs (Green Day), the lows (Steel Panther) and the billing stunners (Sikth) are all the topics of the night. 

But what’s that hardcore din in the background determined to gatecrash the UK’s biggest rock and metal party?

Oh, just Outbreak not giving a single f#@k over the same weekend. 

Let’s go! 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Damnation ‘24 is in the bag and we’re still rattling in disbelief days later but there’s no time to feel sorry for our souls because there’s an event to pick over. 

Thankfully, Damnation’s Irish general, Paul Farrington, joins the pod to tackle the PTSD of two days' aural abuse in a Manchester industrial estate. 

From LLNN to Dragged Into Sunlight via Nails, we open up about it all… and why did Gav’s usually placid wife chase an “influencer” around the Russian Circles crowd?

There’s also the small matter of the debut 2 Promoters, 1 Tour to announce with tickets going on sale tomorrow. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

It's here...Damnation is tomorrow, Gav is stressed and James is ready to go big. 

Gav chats us through some of next year’s Damnation plans, and boots off about  lanyards and car number plates. Whilst James gets stuck into some questions and talks about whether he is mid feud with Bloodstock or not.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Five headliners for three nights with an unbelievable reunion coup on top? 

2000trees dropped an atom bomb of a band announcement and it exploded over every self-respecting rock fan’s socials.

Gav and James quickly reconvened for an instant reaction pod to the news the Kneecap, Pvris, Taking Back Sunday, Coheed & Cambria, Alexisonfire AND Million Dead will invade Upcote Farm in 2025.

But nothing is ever completely without a little ballache with the billing!

Enjoy some rare Friday fun.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James dive back into the virtual mailbag to address the most pressing concerns of the listeners. 

Would we allow an artist to "curate" our festivals? What's our thoughts on oversold shows? And why did James have the police at his door earlier this year?

More importantly, is Gav really going to slag off the mighty Black Sabbath?

First though, can we all just take a moment to discuss THAT Sick New World line-up poster!?

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The Damnation clashfinder is out and Gav is ready to take his licks as the fans demand to know what idiot clashed Dragged Into Sunlight with Ahab and why?

But before the slot by slot lines-ups of A Night of Salvation and Damnation can be explained there's some Trees headliner news, a change of ArcTanGent's Wednesday plans and another late cancellation for Gav to contend with.

And is it a face cloth or a flannel?

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Let's get down to business. And who better than to pour over the industry spreadsheets, receipts and album charts than Mr Andy Farrow, manager of the likes of Opeth, Devin Townsend, Paradise Lost and Katatonia?

The Northern Music Company boss talks promoting to publishing, The Wildhearts to Oceansize and the chances of ever seeing Strapping Young Lad again.

Get your pen and paper ready, this is a crash course in music management.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The first wave of bands have been announced for 2025, and it's a tsunami worth diving into.

Karnivool, Melvins, Rolo Tomassi, Kylesa, Between the Buried and Me playing Colors, The Fall of Troy playing Doppelgänger and not just one, but two We Lost The Sea sets, including "the greatest post rock album ever"... Departure Songs.

Plenty to get swept away by but first, what's the issue with international bank transfers, music award bashes and agents selling you a dummy! 

Curly fucking Wurly, indeed.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

When you're up to your eyes in it on show day a friendly tour manager can save your mood but an aggressive tour manager can ruin it.

But what is a tour manager, why are they so important to bands and why do their roles and attitudes vary so wildly?

Gav and James do their level best to describe the role before sharing their experiences of dealing with the good, the bad and the downright ridiculous sides of the hard-grafting TM.

And what the fuck are ginger shots? 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

You've made your offer for the band, it's been accepted and even the ballache of billing the poster might have been settled... but now what?

There's a series of hurdles to deal with before your prized booking ever sets foot on your stage; press and promo, backline, production, hotels and ground transport and did you remember there's no onion or garlic allowed in the hot meal?

Gav and James pick through the pitfalls of "advancing" any band and explain that even when everyone appears to be on the same page, maybe the drummer hasn't read the memo.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James commit 90 minutes to catching up with as many questions as they can to clear the backlog... and fail miserably.

Slam Dunk taking a gender balancing beating from the BBC, the pressures of Damnation mounting, a film review no one asked for and an unprompted Deftones discography chat take centre stage instead.

Oh, and there's some questions from listeners to finish the pod off. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Our first (and hopefully last) Friday pod after a Spanish drama that required an Emergency Passport.

Gav and James tackle the hot topic of Oasis' "dynamic pricing" PR disaster before getting stuck into Damnation planning and your questions.

We also pick our very first 'Super Sub' to play their part in next week's pod.

Thanks for your patience, and enjoy.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

It's exactly six months from the release of episode one and we're in the mood to celebrate but first we have to savour the delights of another spectacular edition of ArcTanGent.

Best sets of the weekend, how surreal the live pod was and the benefits of Bossk's bus. 

And Gav has a wee rant about "wet wipe Karens" who find any reason to complain about everything from tall people to kids blowing bubbles.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James took the stage in a PACKED Elephant In The Bar Room Stage at ArcTanGent for their second live outing, only for the "curse of Johannes" to strike just as they were warming up.

But it takes more than a full power outage to stop this pod.

And if the show keeps growing at this rate, it might just become a "real job".

We go again, every Thursday morning.

As we near the end of a summer of chaos, James prays the wi-fi holds up from a campervan in Fernhill Farm to tackle the most pressing of fan questions.

What is our favourite Metallica record? Are payment plans and risky business strategy? What's the story with noise curfews and would James rather cancel Trees or ATG if he had to?

We answer them all in our fifth Q&A session.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

ArcTanGent's 10th birthday bash is almost upon us and we're in the mood to party.

Co-hosting from a campervan in Fernhill Farm, James talks us through the "holiday mode" site build, where Spiritualized appeared from at the 11th hour and some last-minute shuffles with band cancellations and replacements.

And we're joined by the man, the myth, the bassist of Bossk, Mr Tom Begley, fresh from TMing Converge, to reveal the band's grand plans for their two sets next week, and the highlights to catch in between.

If you didn't think you could be more excited about ATG, you're wrong!

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James dust off their old budget sheets and company accounts and crunch the numbers of running festivals over the past two decades.

How is it possible that in 2024 James paid more for diesel than the ENTIRE bill for Damnation 2005? 

And it costs how much to have bins emptied!? 

We get in about pounds and pence. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Fresh from a successful 2000trees festival, Gav and James hit us up with a breakdown of all things that went off over the weekend. 

They talk Live Podcasts, Merch, Hot Sauce, Toilets and even a bit about bands!

And in true form, they decide to do it on opposite sides of the world via an iPhone and Mexican Wi-Fi, We Go Again...or, Nosotros vamos de nuevo!

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James break free from Zoom for the first live 2 Promoters, 1 Pod show at the brilliant 2000trees.

And yes, there were towels.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Stand in boss, Bri, reports:

They’ve tackled wi-fi dramas, festival set-up demands and even drink issues but they’ve still managed to record their thoughts for this week’s pod.

You asked about gender equality, Biffy Clyro playing b-sides and their favourite bands of 2024.

And they answered.

Today the first 2 Promoters, 1 Pod live show happens at 2,000 Trees.

If you can be there. Be there.

Links for all things 2 Promoters:
https://linktr.ee/2promoters1pod

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Recorded over a five-day stretch with limited wi-fi at Upcote Farm, Gav and James persevere with a Plan B podcast tackling some follow-up topics raised by listeners and tales of trying to book Ed Sheeran for £75.

And discuss Outbreak festival's successful return to BEC Arena, backed by an army of hardcore fans.

It's our Frankenstein pod. We went again, and again, and again... 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Why didn't AFI come back to Trees post-pandemic?  How big do you want your festivals to grow?  Why do you announce bands in waves? Is booking two sets overindulgence?

We tell you, in the fourth of our monthly 2P1P Vs The People Q&As.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Fresh from selling out Ally Pally in hours and a successful tour Stateside, Frank Turner joins 2 Promoters, 1 Pod to declare his love for all things 2,000 Trees.

But before he takes the stage for a SEVENTH time at Upcote Farm, he discusses what it takes to tackle America, his "woeful" attempt at being a promoter for Botch's first UK tour and gets James flustered with some exciting Million Dead developments.

Enjoy. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Gav and James took a road trip to the big dog of UK metal festivals, Download, for an all too literal dirty weekend.

Swamp conditions aside, we discuss the best and worst sets, our take on the Barclays sponsorship protests and what can go wrong when you take an innocent photo of Pantera's crowd from the top of a ferris wheel and post it on the internet.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

This week's pod is James' emotional rollercoaster: from opening up about a serious health scare, being "pissed off" with a rival festival, to his passion for fence posts and playing invisible Minecraft... this one has it all.

He also explains the challenges of turning a sheep field into a festival site where you can watch The Gaslight Anthem and invites YOU to get involved.

We. Go. Again.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

3 Promoters, 1 Pod! 

Download's Kam Haq joins us to lift the curtain on the workings of the UK's biggest metal gathering.

What's life like at the top of the ladder, all Champagne and cigars at Live Nation HQ? Or is it the same headaches and hassles with billing, booking headliners and clashes as the rest of us mere mortals suffer?

We get in about it all and pick some must see bands from this year's line-up as we look forward to Download 2024.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

We (drunkenly) go again! 

Gav and James get the pints in and tackle some of the more light-hearted questions.

Favourite food vendors at our festivals? What bands would we go back and see with a time machine?  Top three bands we've ever seen live?

And why did Gav buy not one, but two tour buses? 

Hiccup!

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Not all events are booked the same. 

Some promoters enjoy a professionally packaged tour arriving on their doorstep, others don't mind the challenge of luring over bands who rarely play and then there's Damnation, who want artists to dust off old records and perform them as a world exclusive sets in Manchester.

Problem is, that's as time consuming, expensive and as difficult as it sounds. 

But in the end, is it worth all it?



 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

There weren’t too many clashes at 2000trees that raised an eyebrow, but the ones that did raised an army!
 
What kind of cruel world forces you to choose between Bob Vylan and Palm Reader? Are they being serious about Gaslight Anthem and Better Lovers? Surely Sean McGowan and The Sleeping Souls is a twisted joke and you’re misreading Frank Turner clashing with Lonely The Brave, right? Right?
 
The man behind the plan, Mr James Scarlett, takes his licks and explains all... even manages to put one fire out.
 
 We also discuss the Forest sets. How it’s decided who plays twice. The ‘TBAs’ and James’ masterplan to one day rope Biffy Clyde into playing. 
 
This is our love letter to 2000trees. 
 
But before all that, Gav has some tour tales to share and owns up to why he’ll likely never be a tour manager.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The humble catering rider, which surely started life as a simple hot meal for touring band members, has morphed beyond all recognition to a sprawling wishlist, often with no rhyme or reason.

Seasoned headline acts can ask for so little while fresh-faced tour supports demand so much, but what MUST be provided and who decides where to draw the line?

Like most things in this industry... it's complicated.

James and Gav share their experiences, from 24 McDonald's cheeseburgers to "Gollum Juice",  and how they handle the infamous rider.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

One viral photo of Gojira's merch list prices - including an £80 hoodie - sparked a row that refuses to die and lifted the lid on the murky world of merch concessions at venues and festivals.

But is it as black and white as greedy venues or promoters dipping their hands into the pockets of hard working bands, or is there a more nuanced conversation to be had about what services are provided in return, from a toilet tour to a major outdoors festival?

Do all events approach the issue in the same manner and even if you offer artists a free merch table, would they prefer to pay? 

We get in about it all.


**NOTE: There was a connection issue which led to a small section of buffering video and audio being edited out. 

Discussed was price fixing when headliners force support bands to charge the same prices as them, which ATG, 2000trees and Damnation don't endorse or agree with.

And the huge increase in raw merch costs: Damnation paid £3.66 for tee reprints in 2021 and £16.93 for tee reprints in 2023.**

We go again, every Thursday morning.

As the old saying goes, you learn from your mistakes, but that doesn't make those mistakes any easier to deal with!

From bogged down loos, stages with no stage managers, the importance of building a team and what weather you can survive and what weather you can't... Gav and James relive some horrors from down the years.

And what do we want to see in a band's press pack? 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

In the second of our monthly Q&A bonus pods, we try to get through as many burning questions as possible.

Our biggest triumphs and screw ups? How has Brexit impacted attracting bands? What happens to our festivals if one of us is hit by a bus? Have we ever been held to ransom by a greedy band?

And why didn't Opeth play their full set length at ATG last year?

We answer them all.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The ArcTanGent stage times are out and everyone has been colour coding their digital day plans and having a social media rant about the decisions they've been forced to make.

But what does the man responsible for the clashes, which can make or break your weekend, have to say for himself?

How did Clown Core and Author & Punisher find themselves pitted against each other? Is Torpor at 11am on the final day really a bright idea? And do fans really want to see both Amenra and Tokky Horror?

James finally breaks his silence...

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Green Lung, Creeper, Brutus, Malevolence, Zeal & Ardor, Bob Vylan, Dinosaur Pile Up, Bleed From Within, Boston Manor... all names we hope to see headline our festivals in the future.

But what does it take to get there and why does the path to the top of the bill seem so clear at 2000trees, yet so complicated at ATG and Damnation? 

Gav and James also have a bash at booking a stage for the other's festival, from the sublime (We Lost The Sea and Tomb Mould) to the ridiculous (Moon Tooth?) .

And there's Blanket and The Moth Gatherer and Meryl Streek and Pig Destroyer and Anaal Nathrakh and Spirit Adrift and...

This is our fanboy episode. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

21 UK festivals have been cancelled or postponed so far this year with up to 100 at risk without Government support, according to the The Association of Independent Festivals.

It's grim reading, so how are ArcTanGent, Damnation and 2000trees coping in this brutal landscape and what can be done to help the situation?

Gav and James have a plan and it involves you!

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Bob Vylan to Din of Celestial Birds, Idles to Amenra... have our festivals helped "break" bands to a larger audience in their scenes and if so, is that important to us or a byproduct of the job?

Gav and James get in about it. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

After a month or so of agent bashing, it was only a matter of time before someone stepped up to put us back in our place.

And that someone is the brilliant Mr Tom Taaffe, the man behind the bookings of the likes of Every Time I Die, Pallbearer, Spanish Love Songs, Deafheaven, While She Sleeps, Beartooth and Elder at our festivals.

What's his take on the ballache of billing and A-Z line-up posters, the rising fees for bands and promoters asking US arena-level bands to play club shows in England? 

What's happening with Sleep and are The Reytons a suitable headliner for 2000trees?

Tom gives his honest take on it all.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The mailbox is full and the questions keep coming in, so here's an episode dedicated to all your curiosities.

Do festival promoters talk to each other about band fees? 
Have we ever got into a bidding war over a band we wanted? 
What other festival would we like to book? 
What are the marketing challenges in 2024?

We answer them all, and plenty more, in the usual candid fashion. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Ten years of increased offers, multiple snubs, endless fan demands and with almost all hope lost... Mogwai finally agreed to play the final night of the 10th anniversary of ATG.

It had to be part of the masterplan, right?  Or a chance phone call, "going big" with an offer over text and the dilemma of having no headline slots left.

Turns out landing the dream band is never straight forward, as Bolt Thrower playing Damnation had its own unique quirks too.

Gav and James get in about it all.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Booking bands is the Wild West of music promotion, where cash, gamesmanship, ego and relationships clash in the process of sealing a deal.

But it isn't as simple a just working out a fee. There's hotels, flights, catering, drum kits, video walls, billing and exclusivity to haggle over... and don't forget that nudity clause!

Then, even if that's all agreed, it might not stay that way because half the contract doesn't make sense, or the agent might just "forget".

Understand, no? Neither do we... 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

2,000 Trees, Damnation and ArcTanGent have carved themselves out solid reputations on the UK festival scene but not without almost two decades of graft, good fortune and the odd costly mistake, or twenty, along the way.

Thankfully we fell into those traps so you don't have to.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The right headliner can make or break your year, whether the rest of the line-up is excellent or not.

But it's not as easy as just throwing heaps of cash at your favourite band to land the booking you need.

With more events to choose from, competitive festival exclusive deals, fees going through the roof and bands booking further and further in advance, it can be a nervous time trying to get the right cherry on top.

James and Gav get into it...

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Who goes one line up on the poster? Whose logo needs to be bigger? Who goes left or right when two bands are virtually identical in stature? And who decides?

The art of billing the line-up poster is a messy and confusing one, which often leads to heated rows, fall outs and promoters being left with tough calls to make.

But do fans even notice or care?

James and Gav share their pain and misery on 2 Promoters, 1 Pod.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

In a short space of time, Slayer transformed themselves from dependable festival fodder, who filled academies on tour to an arena outfit who have returned to share top billing alongside the likes of Slipknot and Motley Crue with one simple trick: the fake farewell.

Should fans be delighted with the return, or question why they were duped in the first place? Will other bands and their management follow the same strategy? And where are promoters left in the mix of booking the panto?

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Dillinger are back and everyone is buzzing, so why aren't they playing any of the UK festivals?

Is Calculating Infinity worth the gamble? Is there anything to learn from the At The Drive In, Refused or Botch reunions? Will we see Dimitri and co. play London in 2024 instead?

Damnation and ArcTanGent organisers, Gav and James, share their thoughts on the first episode of 2 Promoters, 1 Pod.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

After three decades on the road, grindcore Godfather Shane Embury has committed his tour tales to paper with the release of Life...? And Napalm Death.

Shane joins Damnation Vs to discuss the decision to publish the novel and where to draw the line with what's for the masses and what stays on tour.

Playing arenas to Volbeat fans,  why he needs to see the faces of the crowd when he's playing and rediscovering Cult of Luna.

#napalmdeath  #damnation #damnationvs

We go again, every Thursday morning.

It looked like it could all be over for Anaal Nathrakh but Dr Dave Hunt has some "unfinished business" to attend to, which will include a one-off headline performance at this year's Damnation Festival.

How did it feel to release Endarkenment in the middle of a pandemic and have no stages to take it to?
What was the process of rebuilding a live band with no Mick Kenney?
Will we ever see Nathrakh live again after 2023?
And is there any hope of more records in the future?

Dr Hunt tackles it all, in his brilliantly blunt fashion on Damnation Vs. 

#damnationvs

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Packing out their debut year only to crash into a global pandemic, moving to Manchester then being chucked out their new arena shortly afterwards and landing Sleep Token before they became the band who'd sell out Wembley Arena in 10 minutes...

The first few years of Radar have been a rollercoaster and as they head into this year's festival, co-organiser/director Ash Cook joins Damnation Vs to share the highs and lows. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Bloodstock booking boss, Vicky Hungerford, returns to the Damnation Vs podcast with all guns blazing - plans for this summer's festival no matter what restrictions the government throws at them, her feelings on an "all British" event, the highs and lows of appeasing some of metal's most demanding headliners and what do you do when oral sex is on the rider?

#damnationvs #bloodstock 

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
instagram.com/damnationfestival
twitter.com/damnationfest

*Please like, subscribe, comment and engage.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Man of many roles, Sam Loynes, joins Damnation Vs to discuss THAT Goat of Mendes set, becoming Akercocke's unofficial "fixer" and the band's plans for the year ahead.

Also, his long and rich relationship with Damnation and quest for more gin, limes and ice, Voices' latest record 'Breaking The Trauma Bond', if we'll ever see The Antichrist Imperium live again and the future of his most "fun" project, Shrines.

Pure satan worship, at its most enjoyable. 

#damnationvs #akercocke

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
instagram.com/damnationfestival
twitter.com/damnationfest

We go again, every Thursday morning.

From playing on broken stools in The Red Lion pub in Stevenage before the pandemic to being offered Bloodstock, ArcTanGent and Damnation post-lockdown, Pupil Slicer have caused a stir in isolation with the release of their debut album, Mirrors.

Singer, guitarist and "band Führer" Katie Davies joins Damnation Vs to talk about the insane reaction to the record, future tour plans and that one time they played "internationally"... in Cardiff.

#damnationvs #pupilslicer

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
instagram.com/damnationfestival
twitter.com/damnationfest

*Please like, subscribe, comment and engage.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Few bands had a 2021 like Conjurer; levelling the main stages of both Download and Bloodstock before returning to their natural habitat of a packed indoor show at Damnation and leaving no one in any doubt that they are one of the finest metal acts the UK has to offer.

Guitarist Brady Deeprose joins Damnation Vs for a mammoth two-hour stint to pick through the bones of those sets, his feelings on open air performances to 10,000 fans compared to packed "sweatboxes" and the possibility of being the "new" UK band to (finally) headline Damnation one year.

£7 food tokens, landing slots at Hellfest, Brutal Assault (and Summer Breeze), mental health challenges, supporting Celeste in London, vinyl delays, killing Mammothfest by booking Amenra, a proposed UK tour, how the next album will sound and even some rare praise for the much-missed Temples.

All from his mum's basement. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Routing a tour can be a dog-eat-dog world, riddled with "avails", "holds", "first pencils" and "challenges"... and that's just in "market one".

Venue boss, promoter and booking agent Ian Shaw is a man with his fingers in all the pies and he cuts through the jargon to explain how best to his bands from Brighton to Aberdeen without a ten-hour jaunt.

We also discuss the problems facing venues currently booked for tours that are unlikely to happen this winter, promoters who won't pay up and making Damnation dance for that exclusive debut album show. 

#damnationvs #ianshaw

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
instagram.com/damnationfestival
twitter.com/damnationfest

*Please like, subscribe, comment and engage.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Will Pig Destroyer make it to the UK this winter to headline a sold-out Damnation and if so, where else are they planning to play on a rare overseas venture?

Blake Harrison, the band's electronics maestro, tour manager, manager and social media voice joins Damnation Vs to lay out the 2021 plans for the US grindcore kings.

He also takes a trip down memory lane to revisit the band's first taste of Britain - and haggis - on tour in 2004, their previous Damnation show in 2012 and the Temples double-header in 2015. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

ArcTanGent 2021 is cancelled.

Organiser James Scarlett explains why the decision was made, the fears about hosting events without government-backed insurance, the response from bands across the world and where the festival goes next.

Plans for an indoor event to mark the loss of 2,000 Trees and ATG this year, refreshing the line-ups for 2022 and the depth of talent emerging from the UK. 

We get in about it all.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Andy Farrow, manager of Opeth, Devin Townsend, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Bloodbath, Anathema and The Wildhearts, unpacks three decades of experience in an episode that digs deeeeeep into the business.

The importance of bands getting their master tapes back, licensing deals, filling in those PRS sheets, 'syncs' with gaming companies and, finally, an explanation of what 'publishing' actually means.

Pulling festival favours from Devin, setting up a merch company with Opeth, Zoom calls about Anathema's "indefinite hiatus" and his expectations of a domestic-focussed touring future for his bands.

There's some Terrorvision, Oceansize, Skindred, 65daysofstatic, Sons of Apollo, Anaal Nathrakh, Cult of Luna and Carcass chat thrown in for good measure.

And would he consider organising a seated Bloodbath show?

A masterclass in everything you didn't know about the metal business. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Tom Taaffe - the hero responsible for Nails at Damnation - is this week's guest to discuss being a booking agent for the likes of Sleep, Exodus, Pallbearer, Higher Power, Every Time I Die, Loathe, Vein and... Vance Joy.

He discusses the imminent decisions facing the major summer festivals which could cost them  "millions of pounds" if they don't call it right, the shock of being dropped by bands who "fancy a change" and the love/hate tussle between promoters and agents.

And why getting the most money for a show isn't always the smartest move for an agent or their band.

Surprisingly candid. Brilliantly revealing. And at two hours and ten minutes, a Damnation Vs record-breaker.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Music streaming deals barely covering two pints a month, living in an "open prison" during the pandemic, no live shows for two more years, cancel culture, freedom of speech... and Mgła playing Damnation.

Primordial's Alan Averill is not a man you turn to for light-hearted banter.

Strap yourself in.

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

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#damnationvs #primordial

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Maybeshewill’s John Helps discusses playing in (one of) the world’s best post-rock band, inadvertently calling it a day at their biggest ever show, returning in the middle of a pandemic and why he’s the reluctant “thank you” guy.

He also talks about the promoters’ life with his role in Handmade Festival, pinching a blueprint from Damnation and using his tour managing experience to keep visiting bands happy - even at breakfast.

Oh, and the worst tour of his life looking after a very difficult black metal act in Mexico. 

For further info on Damnation Versus, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
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#damnationvs #maybeshewill

We go again, every Thursday morning.

ArcTanGent and 2,000 Trees talent buyer, James Scarlett, opens up about the pressures of booking almost 300 bands each year for his festivals. 

Why won't Mogwai just say 'yes'? How realistic is it that we'll see The Mars Volta finally take the stage in Bristol? The challenges of booking a line-up for fans two decades younger than him...

Puscifer's wrestling ring production being too big to consider at ATG, the stars aligning for a possible Pixies performance at 2,000 Trees and Dragged Into Sunlight "bustin' balls".

Why weren't Maybeshewill as big as Explosions in the Sky, can Nordic Giants make that leap and would Electric Wizard go down well at Fernhill Farm? We get in about it all.

Oh, and remember when Refused called James out for not doing enough to promote women in rock? 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Beating Covid-19, tour managing Machine Head, playing with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax in Czech Republic, Wes Scantlin's bus antics, silver service at Graspop vs dodgy meal tokens at Download, handling huge production for Red Hot Chilli Peppers, losing £20,000 on Drowning Pool and cops interrupting his "rock star moment" threesome.

Testament, A Pale Horse Named Death, Disturbed, God Forbid, Life of Agony, Skindred, Hell Yeah, American Head Charge, Soil, Ill Nino, Breed 77, Devildriver, The Pretty Reckless, Puddle of Mudd, Heaven's Basement and Florence and the Machine also feature as Luke recounts two decades of being baw deep in the business.

And what's the chances of Panic Cell reuniting for a one-off 20th anniversary set of Bitter Part of Me at Damnation 2023?

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
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#damnationvs #lukebell 

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We go again, every Thursday morning.

Serena discusses the band's sudden departure from Holy Roar Records following allegations of serious sexual assault made against the label's owner.

What's next for the album that is due to drop in just a couple of weeks, the uncertain immediate future for the band and how they digested the news along with the public in a stressful 24 hours.

She also talks about the challenges of life on the road as a woman artist, dealing with sexism and creeps and how the scene has changed - for the better! - in the eight years since Svalbard appeared.

And hopes for 2021 from a "bucket list" show on Bloodstock's main stage to back up plans should their tour with The Ocean fall through.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

From sharing an Ozzfest stage with Tool, Slipknot and Black Sabbath, through being arrested with Amen in Spain to getting kicked off Rammstein’s arena tour “every day”, Corby’s finest Raging Speedhorn crammed a lifetime of rock ‘n’ roll into a few eventful years.

Founding member - and the only ever present face over two decades of chaos - Gordon Morison recounts the explosion and then implosion of Speedhorn, the successful reunion and the night they carved themselves into Download folklore playing before Napalm Death.

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For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
instagram.com/damnationfestival
twitter.com/damnationfest

#damnationvs #ragingspeedhorn

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Converge, Whitechapel, Deafheaven, The Dandy Warhols and Busted have one man in common... Bossk's Tom Begley.

The bassist-turned-tour manager chats about life on the road pre-pandemic, learning from £7,000 mistakes and weighs up the pros and cons of arena vs club tours.

He also talks Bossk, taking advantage of ArcTanGent's fancy ass screen and confirms their first date of 2021!

*Please like, subscribe, comment and engage.

For further info on Damnation Vs, or Damnation Festival visit:

damnationversus.buzzsprout.com
damnationfestival.co.uk
facebook.com/damnationfestival
instagram.com/damnationfestival
twitter.com/damnationfest

#damnationvs #bossk

We go again, every Thursday morning.