Best Damnation Festival Podcasts (2024)

1
Live at ArcTanGent 37:59

6h ago37:59

37:59

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 Th…

1
Q&A#5 "Sonisphere, curfews, Metallica albums, instalment ticket risks...?" 1:27:15

2h ago1:27:15

1:27:15

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…

1
Countdown to ArcTanGent (feat. Bossk) 1:21:15

6d ago1:21:15

1:21:15

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 ba…

1
The Exact Cost of Our Festivals 1:23:04

12d ago1:23:04

1:23:04

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 morn…

1
Trees Review & Clown Core No More 1:37:51

20d ago1:37:51

1:37:51

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 n…

1
Live at 2000trees 45:15

1M ago45:15

45:15

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.By ArcTanGent & Damnation

1
The People Vs 2 Promoters 1:11:11

2M ago1:11:11

1:11:11

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,…

1
Plan B... and Outbreak 1:15:43

2M ago1:15:43

1:15:43

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 ag…

1
Q&A #4 "Why weren't AFI rebooked?" 52:21

2M ago52:21

52:21

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.By ArcTanGent & Damnation

1
Talking Trees with Frank Turner 38:56

2M ago38:56

38:56

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 J…

1
The Download Debrief 1:21:23

2M ago1:21:23

1:21:23

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 inte…

1
Farm to Festival 1:35:50

2M ago1:35:50

1:35:50

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 in…

1
Dissecting Download with Kam Haq 1:35:01

3M ago1:35:01

1:35:01

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…

1
Q&A#3 "Why did you buy two tour buses?" 1:15:49

3M ago1:15:49

1:15:49

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.…

1
Suffering for Salvation 1:21:46

3M ago1:21:46

1:21:46

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, …

1
Tour Tales & Trees Clashes 1:19:24

3M ago1:19:24

1:19:24

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 cla…

1
Riders 1:31:29

3M ago1:31:29

1:31:29

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? …

1
The Great Merch Debate 1:01:46

4M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

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…

1
Lessons Learned 1:12:11

4M ago1:12:11

1:12:11

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 i…

1
Q&A#2 "Why was Opeth's set cut short?" 1:27:35

4M ago1:27:35

1:27:35

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 …

1
Clashfinder Confessions: ATG 1:07:05

4M ago1:07:05

1:07:05

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 pitt…

1
Headliners of The Future 1:24:15

4M ago1:24:15

1:24:15

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…

1
Cancelled Festivals & The Near-Death of Damnation 1:15:40

5M ago1:15:40

1:15:40

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…

1
Breaking Bands 48:08

5M ago48:08

48:08

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.By ArcTanGent & Damnation

1
The Agent Strikes Back 1:37:32

5M ago1:37:32

1:37:32

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 o…

1
Q&A#1: "Do Promoters Discuss Band Fees?" 52:53

5M ago52:53

52:53

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, …

1
Mogwai, Baby! 37:41

5M ago37:41

37:41

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 …

1
The Dark Arts of Booking Bands 1:07:21

5M ago1:07:21

1:07:21

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…

1
(The Dummies Guide) To Starting Festivals 47:37

6M ago47:37

47:37

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.…

1
The Hunt for Headliners 41:57

6M ago41:57

41:57

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 adv…

1
The Ballache of Billing a Festival 44:31

6M ago44:31

44:31

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 ca…

1
Slayer's Marketing Plan 28:29

6M ago28:29

28:29

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 fir…

1
Dillinger Escape Gamble 27:34

6M ago27:34

27:34

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…

1
Damnation Vs Napalm Death 46:28

10M ago46:28

46:28

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…

1
Damnation Vs Anaal Nathrakh 2 52:36

1y ago52:36

52:36

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…

1
Damnation Vs Radar Festival 52:25

1y ago52:25

52:25

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-orga…

1
Damnation Vs Conjurer 2:02:08

2+ y ago2:02:08

2:02:08

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 …

1
Damnation Vs Pig Destroyer 1:01:48

3y ago1:01:48

1:01:48

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 …

1
Damnation Vs ArcTanGent 2 1:01:08

3+ y ago1:01:08

1:01:08

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 th…

1
Damnation Vs Andy Farrow (Opeth / Devin Townsend) 1:26:09

3+ y ago1:26:09

1:26:09

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…

1
Damnation Vs Tom Taaffe 2:09:16

3+ y ago2:09:16

2:09:16

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 cal…

1
Damnation Vs ArcTanGent 1:40:37

4y ago1:40:37

1:40:37

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 w…

1
Damnation Vs Svalbard 50:00

4y ago50:00

50:00

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 als…

1
2017 Season, Ep. 7: Alisa Weilerstein, Van Cliburn Winner, Cast of Damnation of Faust 1:01:14

7y ago1:01:14

1:01:14

For the final "High Notes" of the 2017 season, AMFS President and CEO Alan Fletcher is joined by star cellist and Aspen alumna Alisa Weilerstein; 2017 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo; and the cast of Berlioz's "Damnation of Faust," which will close the AMFS season this Sunday. Recorded live in Aspen on August 16, 2017.…

1
2017 Season, Ep. 6: Augustin Hadelich, Marie-Elisabeth Hecker, and Martin Helmchen 58:58

7y ago58:58

58:58

The newly formed piano trio of violinist Augustin Hadelich, cellist Marie-Elisabeth Hecker, and pianist Martin Helmchen join AMFS President and CEO Alan Fletcher for a discussion in advance of the group's recital as part of the 2017 AMFS season. Recorded live in Aspen on August 9, 2017.By Aspen Music Festival and School

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