Greenfield Happy To Be On The Rocks

Folkert Koopmans was happy to see his Greenfield Festival back on the rocks, as a heavier bill featuring Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Queens Of The Stone Age and Sonic Youth saw crowd figures up 10,000 per day on last year.

"Last year we had what I thought was a very good bill with Depeche Mode, Placebo, Tool, Hard-Fi, Maximo Park, The Cardigans and Elbow, but we dropped to a little above 15,000 per day and lost money," the FKP Scorpio chief explained after his controversial festival regained its foothold in the Swiss calendar.

"Now I know this market stands a harder rock bill much better and the numbers are back up to what they were the first year, when we had System Of A Down and Green Day."

He said the downside of such a lineup is that new Swiss noise regs limiting the front-of-house sound to 98 decibels mean the acts aren’t loud enough.

"We had more complaints about that than anything else. I understand and agree with health and safety regulations but so many of the crowd thought the bands were too quiet. I often think acts play too loud, but when I was out front, I thought Editors were too quiet."

"There were fewer complaints about the Smashing Pumpkins set – and they were the act that hit the decibel limit the most."

Coming at the beginning of the season, it’s yet to be seen if Greenfield, which caused a fuss when it started because Swiss promoters didn’t like a German promoter entering the market, will be the only festival crowd saying turn it up.

Among the other acts playing not quite loudly enough June 15-17 were Incubus, The Hives, My Chemical Romance, Stone Sour, Frank Black, Modest Mouse and Manic Street Preachers.