Festival organisers are refusing to move THE STROKES to the Main Stage at the CARLING WEEKEND, despite the fact they are set to be one of the most in-demand bands of the weekend.
Despite The Strokes‘ huge following in the UK, they are still set to play an afternoon slot in the Evening Session tent. And the festival maths means that, out of a daily turnout of 55,000, just 8,000 people will be able to shove their way into the relatively tiny tent.
Judging by their instant sell-out tour, the huge anticipation for the debut album ‘Is This It’ and the fact that many fans were unable to get a ticket to the few UK gigs, it’s likely that the numbers wanting to see them will far exceed 8,000. They have already been moved to the main stage for their appearance at Glasgow Gig On The Green.
Mean Fiddler’s Neil Pengelly insisted that it would be a better gig with The Strokes in the tent. He added that the band had only been moved to the main stage at Glasgow as the tent there was a lot smaller than those at Reading and Leeds.
He said: “We do everything to make sure everything is safe and goes to plan and that as many people who want to see bands can. Some bands actually prefer to play in the tent to the Main Stage anyway. We’re not worried and we haven’t put on extra security. It will be a better gig than them playing on the Main Stage.”
For the full story, see this week’s NME, out in London today (August 21), and nationwide tomorrow (22).