Should Island Beats Come Back in the Future?

[Saw-Swarm-Smile]

Island beats was this special event Thorpe park did in 2015, where they got bands in to play. They got the latest and 'trendiest' bands in and performed. This was during the summer and the park would be open until 10. Do you think this should come back? And if you do, who do you think should play?

[pluk]

I always thought it was a great idea. I guess it couldn't make enough money to continue, because if it did it would have. 

 

I guess it is an issue of scale. If the acts weren't big enough to attract the crowds, which I think was the case on the whole, then it won't build up a following and be able to grow. But going in with a big (expensive) act and event is a much bigger risk. I think the way to make it work would be to try it on a bigger scale, mini festival maybe. What Dreamland do with By The Sea seems to work really well, and their line up this year was superb.

[CallumSyxr]

Yeah I think they should bring it back It was a good edition, and if it was like a mini festival and summer nights put together it would be amazing

and it could work and would attract crowds as Thorpe can get hold of some good artists like in 2015 they had Ella Eyre also Stormzy has is birthday

bash there and I'm pretty sure he would do it so it can defiantly work.

[Han30]

I would prefer just Summer Nights to return but that's mainly based on when I was at Summer Nights one evening when Little Mix were playing Island Beats and there was SO many teenage girls everywhere - and singing their songs ??

I'm guessing it wasn't hugely popular - I went to quite a few summer nights back in 2015 and on one occasion when we were picking up our wristbands the lady serving us mentioned that they still had tickets for Pro Green left so my sister and her boyfriend went to watch it while my niece and I rode the coasters.

 

I personally think merging Summer Nights and Island Beats was confusing but that might just be me.  I'm assuming they didn't make much money from it either as I'm sure they would have brought it back if it was profitable?

[JoshuaA]

I think the problem lies in finding a area that could host a large enough stage for such artists, as the park doesn't really have a good dedicated stage area that could host a concert without it feeling awkward or cramped..

Dreamland when I last visited has a dedicated full time stage and space for concerts that is very large which could easily hold a tonne of people if need be.

 

Dreamland's stage is pretty much dead in the heart of the park too, which means you can hear the music from a lot of the park so I guess that is another thing..

From looking at the stages from brief glimpses of the event a few years back I got the impression the stages looked incredibly small and tacked on at Island Beats.

 

If Thorpe were to host more concerts I would hope they would add a dedicated area for them like maybe in the Marquee near Swarm or something?

Though I guess then there is more issues with the lineup and not blowing millions on big acts for a low-turnout..

But it would be a start by giving your acts actual space, and the crowds and set-up looked very awkward..

[Han30]

Yes - the space they used for Island beats was small (where big top goes) - but aside from the marquee they don't really have the space (unless you count the dome) 

[JoshC.]

To be fair, the size of the stage and standing area wasn't that bad.  It was always aimed to be a more intimate style concert, and the numbers they wanted / needed they justified having anything much larger.  Obviously something larger or more permanent could help the park if they decided to do it again, but I don't think it is wholly necessary if the park wanted to try it again.

 

Personally though, I don't think they should bring the event back.  It didn't work out (for a variety of reasons in all likelihood), and if much rather see them focus their time and budget in something which will improve the park on a more well-rounded level, rather than a quick new event.

 

In saying that, if Thorpe go ahead with their 10-10 days in summer, they will need something else to help people break up their days.  The draw of just 12 hours at Thorpe rides might not be enough for a fair few.  Setting up a stage with some small music performances or a couple of shows as a free extra would be the perfect way to help add to the line up then.

[pluk]

15 hours ago, Han30 said:

I personally think merging Summer Nights and Island Beats was confusing but that might just be me. 

I'd forgotten it was like that, and I think it was a bit of a confusing set up which probably didn't help.

 

12 hours ago, JoshuaA said:

I think the problem lies in finding a area that could host a large enough stage for such artists, as the park doesn't really have a good dedicated stage area that could host a concert without it feeling awkward or cramped..

If only they had something like an arena, with a large performance area surrounded by stadium seating...

 

4 hours ago, BaronC. said:

The draw of just 12 hours at Thorpe rides might not be enough for a fair few.  Setting up a stage with some small music performances or a couple of shows as a free extra would be the perfect way to help add to the line up then.

I didn't really mean to quote you to be honest, but I can't get the box to go away, so hi BaronC!

Yes, entertainment beyond putting people on rides would be good on a longer day. Or any day really. Not hopeful though!

[Kerfuffle]

On 12/9/2017 at 6:51 AM, Saw-Swarm-Smile said:

They got the latest and 'trendiest' bands in and performed.

...which unfortunately mostly turned out to be boy-bands...