The pressure is on Melvin/FR to pick a good line up for next year. But what do they actually have to do? This years lineup was strong in parts, weak in others and everyone has different tastes. I guess what Im asking is how will they make sure it isn't percieved as a failure

Three of the headliners this year were playing almost every other UK festival before Leeds. Only Muse were a genuine exclusive, and they had toured the life out of their last album throughout 2010. For those reasons, whether you like the bands or think they are suitable for a headline spot or whatever, Leeds 2011 didnt feel special, or unique like it has in the past.
 
To make it better, Melvin needs to think outside the box. Book at least one headliner that no-one expects and make them exclusives. If 2012 goes the same way as 2011 then it truely marks the beginning of the end for Leeds as a popular festival.
 
The rest of the line-up should be more of a mix of older stuff and newer stuff. Theres too much focus on pushing new bands in recent years, as opposed to booking more established bands that already have a solid fanbase. Obviously its cheaper to do it the way they have been doing it, which is clearly what matters to FR.
 
Ticket prices need to either remain where they are or ideally come down. If FR insist on sticking to this years formula then I cant see it selling out again.
 
Food and drink prices need to come down, or the rules about what can be taken into the arena should be relaxed slightly. Either way, it would be a small positive that would shed Leeds in a better light because where they are now isnt a great place to be in my opinion.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I would say...
 
Headliners - get the mix right!
Classic band + currently massive band + popular with everyone band
Sort of like... Metallica + The Killers + Rage Against The Machine in 2008.
 
Price of tickets need to come down
 
Bring back older bands people in their 20s will remember and want to see (as we should be their target demographic - still young enough to waste our money on a festival but old enough to have the money to waste!)
For example:
http://www.slamdunkmusic..../main/sdf-2011-ws1.jpg
 
It also helps if the bands playing at Leeds aren't at other festivals. Which are cheaper to go to!
 
 

The idea to let people bring stuff into the arena is a brilliant idea, it's stupid you can't already. We pay enough for a ticket, we don't want to pay over the odds for burgers/drinks and the likes in the arena, although some of it is quite tasty.

For me, at the end of the day it all comes down to the lineup. You can say what you want about the staging and the arena itself or the food prices but what sells tickets for festivals is the lineup. (Maybe with the exception of glasto which possibly sells on reputation and atmosphere and just sheer size). I think a problem is the thinking of 'we cant book them we booked them last year or the year before'. I think this is completely stupid as i dont think it makes a difference. I think thats fair enough about headliners, but not other bands as the people this is inconveniencing is only small. At the end of the day how many people go every year? Not everyone there does, also if they saw them last year they probably like that band and wouldnt mind seeing them again, and if they dont want to see them again there are other stages they can go to see pther bands. I think in the last few years there are certain bands such as Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Kasbian, We Are Scientists, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Editors who would sell tickets but FR are reluctant to book as theyve played recently. But people who are going to leeds for the first time didnt see last year cos they werent there and would love to see them.

Yeah I would love to see Leeds 08 happen again almost in it's entirety!