2 Promoters, 1 Pod

We’re in Bristol for the opening night of the first 2 Promoters, 1 Tour but don’t fret, we’re here for you, every Thursday, come rain, shine or super stardom.

James’ favourite music documentaries, top albums of 2025 so far and Gav’s difficulties with post rock fans. 

Synthwave, Slamdunk clashes and stupid band fees…

We go again, every Thursday morning.

One last rummage through the big bag of questions before Gav and James hit the road for their first tour.

Do support bands get a taste of the 80/20 Vs deal cash? Our thoughts on the return of Ghostfest. Will Damnation remain a two-day event following this year's ticket sales? And what bands have we missed out on down the years we kick ourselves about?

Also on our minds; the return of Slayer, Tool taking the piss and the aftermath of Stinky Pete. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

*TRIGGER WARNING*

Do NOT consume with food.

The infamous "Stinky Pete", who provides toilets for 2000trees and and ArcTanGent, joins the pod - by demand - and does not hold back on the details of what it takes to be the top loo man in town. 

You may never look at a plastic festival bog the same way again.

And shout out to the heroes at Outbreak. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Happy birthday to us. 

Cheers to every last one of you for the support.

Now let's get stuck into what you want to know about, from Bloodstock's winter bash to the worst thing about rock and metal fans.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

It's exactly one month until Gav and James hit the road for their maiden live tour which puts them in the unfamiliar shoes of the artist for the first time.

But what exactly goes into planning a tour? Why is a tour manager important? Who is doing the driving and in what? How do you know how much merch to order? And please explain that 80/20 Vs deal again...

In usual 2 Promoters, 1 Pod fashion, it's all laid bare, including how much promoters are paying for the pleasure  of our company. 

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The greatest metal line-up of all time is heading to Birmingham as the world says its final, final, final farewell to Ozzy Osbourne as a live performer.

Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Mastodon and the drummer from Sleep Token are all on the poster but what exactly is going on? Is it a day of Sabbath classics? Are the bands playing 25 minute sets? And why did no one invite the Iron Maiden boys to the all-star gathering of guitar heroes?

And is £412 for a "golden circle" pass taking the piss or fair as it's in the name of charity?

Gav and James share their thoughts on it all, as well as the big letlive. announcement and the reaction to High on Fire joining the Damnation 2025 cast.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

There are few things as important as your breakfast, lunch and dinner to soak up the beer and cider during your stay on a festival site for the weekend.

But how do those delightful vendors get through a boggy farm in their ill-equipped cars, vans and trucks? How much do they pay? Who decides what they can and can't sell and why are the meals so bloody expensive?

Luckily James is a man with more answers than listeners might expect from a simple "band booker" to address the issues at hand.

But before that, we need to address the act of evil, that is offering non-vegan options at all.

Will Gav and James join the Outbreak team on the wrong side of history?

We go again, every Thursday morning.

You're not confused, it is Tuesday.

But the ArcTanGent line up reveal waits for no man, woman or child so we go again, for a rare bonus pod, before the news breaks for the rest of the world.

The exclusive ATG special announcement has two headliners, including a Wednesday "debut" so big, the festival's rulebook had to be scrapped to accommodate the booking.

James shares the poster, Gav reacts.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

Today was the day we were all promised the big ATG reveal but James' "wild week of booking" quickly descended into a fortnight of madness and as the big man says himself "we work to the bands' schedule, they don't work to ours".

So instead Gav and James tear through a bumper Q&A tackling venue upgrades, the challenges of booking band "packages, submissions from new acts, keeping announcements under wraps and if we feel bigger bands should reduce their fees to help festivals survive.

We go again, every Thursday morning.

The role of a booking agent can be tricky and demanding at the best of times but when your latest 'client' is a podcast featuring two promoters who routinely bash you and your colleagues, it's a whole different ball game.

So why did Mr Haydn Britland, the man who secure deals and routes tours for the likes of Cult of Luna, Enslaved, Leprous, The Ocean and Envy, fancy a crack at 2 Promoters, 1 Pod?

What were the challenges of booking the first tour in venues you wouldn't find a metal band? Was it tough to get promoters to cough up fees for an unknown quantity? And what's happening with the towels?

All that and so much more as we once again give someone from the dark side of the industry a chance to have their say.

We go again, every Thursday morning.