ArcTanGent and Damnation organisers, James Scarlett and Gavin McInally, discuss the good, the bad and the downright ridiculous of promoting festivals.
New music, accidentally booking bands onto the podcast, navigating the baffling world of PRS, who actually gets paid when it comes to music venues, and just how much does it cost to truck water into a festival site?James is fully immersed in Trees season, while Gav is busy firing out Damnation announcements, and with the year already at the halfway mark, it's time to see how those Album of the Year contenders are stacking up?Your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
11/06/2026 • 98:56
Gav and James delve back into the mailbag to discuss venue upgrades, manageable festival growth and their favourite pod moments. But before that, Gav takes the chance to gloat about the extreme metal coup of the year… booking The Berzerker outta nowhere!Your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
04/06/2026 • 103:40
Gav hopped on and back off the best tour of the year quicker than you can say “you don’t have a bunk”. But bus dramas aside, the We Lost The Sea, Overhead, The Albatross and Dimscûa package delivered in spades. Meanwhile, housebound James secured some exciting 2027 bookings and updated his favourite albums spreadsheet.Your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
28/05/2026 • 105:23
The stacked We Lost The Sea, Overhead, The Albatross and Dimscûa UK tour starts tomorrow. Mr Departure Songs, Mark Owen, joins the pod from Paris to discuss playing Europe before arriving on these shores for their debut UK run. Selling out cities, sacrificing profits for crew, early load ins and bigger production and where they sit in the post rock landscape. Do not miss this tour.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
21/05/2026 • 86:09
Security. The festival job that should be invisible. And sometimes, they’re completely missing…This week, we finally get to the long-awaited security episode.The people who keep you safe while you’re crowdsurfing, stop you sneaking onto Gav’s balcony, and (ideally) keep the whole festival running without you ever really noticing they’re there — this episode is all about them.Oh, and James’ neighbours drilling? That gets a few mentions too.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
14/05/2026 • 114:31
Gav and James dive back into the mailbag to tackle the topics of the day: the importance of grassroots venues, how their “future” headliner predictions panned out and how cancelled are the cancelled?Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
07/05/2026 • 107:14
From a "scrappy" punk kid to a corporate big wig at Marshall, Steph Carter has had an unusual and contrasting journey in the music business.He joins the pod to discuss the shocking rise and unfortunate demise of his old band before using his experience to help guide one of the most recognisable brands in rock n' roll.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
30/04/2026 • 128:45
And. We’re. Back! Sober and as on the ball as you can expect. Gav and James tackle Damnation’s biggest ever announcement and a surprise promise, if People Power pulls through, before getting caught back up on all the drama from the past three weeks.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
23/04/2026 • 108:30
James is still on the beach and Gav is emotionally on holiday still so it’s Shifty again. Are you ready for this one? From early (surprising) jobs, to first records, this one goes to places 2P1P has never been before…but don’t worry there’s still plenty of festival and music chat. Listener questions, J.D. & rum, whats not to love? Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
16/04/2026 • 101:57
The boys are away so you’re stuck with me (Shifty). This week is a Q&A beer soaked bonanza. Book recommendations, holiday tips, balancing friendship and business plus is it OK for James to move bands around so he can watch them?!This ones the warm up to next weeks riot…Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
09/04/2026 • 74:18
Oceansize to Empire State Bastard, Biffy Clyro to Cardiacs, there’s one talent who connects them all: Mr Mike Vennart.But what’s it like being Mr Dependable, going from the top slot at Reading Festival to Glasgow’s Cathouse? Being recruited by your favourite band, filling in for James on a week’s notice and taking Dave Lombardo to Aldi. The man has seen and done it all.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
02/04/2026 • 121:42
This is not a drill! The mighty Neurosis are back and promoters across the globe are excited, but who will nab them first in the UK? There’s also the sad news of Ginger Wildheart’s diagnosis to digest along with his demand to live the rest of his life to the full.And Gav recounts his trip to the first Ripcord Festival in Glasgow for a day of post metal riffs and far too many pints.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
26/03/2026 • 93:03
Being a tour manager at any level is an incredibly challenging role, but when the band schedule you’re responsible for includes headline sets at the likes of Leeds, Reading and Download, it takes a special kind of composure and professionalism to pull it off.So the fact that this week’s guest, Neil Anderson, has literally kept the Biffy Clyro show on the road for the best part of two decades is something to be celebrated.This is his “wholesome” tale, told for the first time.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
19/03/2026 • 146:51
The final (or so you think…) Trees bands are here and it’s time to show the neglected big cousin of the festivals show much needed love. The arena fillers, the older legends and up-and-coming picks not to be missed from the bill. Also, what’s the deal with that Primus tour, weren’t they an ATG exclusive?And did Core festival in Glasgow tell Gav they were moving to the weekend after Damnation and either way, why the hell is he so supportive?Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
12/03/2026 • 103:45
Man of many talents, Kevin Douch, joins the pod to discuss setting up and running the Big Scary Monsters record label over the past 25 years, band management and organising the madness of ArcTanGent and Trees’ merch tents.But first, what’s in the box?Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
05/03/2026 • 132:47
It’s another pod exclusive ATG band drop, this time in the shape of the final 16 acts with some absolute belters and a few surprises in store. Gav and James also chat the latest HRH mishap and the strength of this year’s Download line-up before sinking their teeth into their favour subject: Take That.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podPhoto from Jez PenningtonWe go again, every Thursday morning.
26/02/2026 • 102:03
With a rum and a beer in hand, James Scarlett is welcomed back to 2 Promoters, 1 Pod to tackle the neglected mail bag in a tipsy fashion.First aid stats, Deftones live, silent disco turnouts, Yndi Halda love, news scoops, Converge’s new record, Happy Dimscûa Day and streamlining the booking process, all tackled. With a smile.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
19/02/2026 • 134:14
Last week’s podcast discussing the current state of music journalism ruffled some feathers, to put it mildly. So this week Gav and James invite former Kerrang! editor-in-chief Sam Coare on to address the fallout. “Round Two. Fight!”Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
12/02/2026 • 155:10
Gav has had plenty to say on the pod about the declining quality of ballsy music journalism in the UK with talented scribes being reduced to hired hacks, used for the whims and wants of overbearing PR agencies, record labels and the bands and they represent. But now it’s time for those wordsmiths to fight back and have their say on how they view the industry in which they ply their trade.Part one, in what will no doubt be a series of pulling back the curtain on music journalism, features former Independent writer, serial podcaster and Metal Hammer talent Remfry Dedman.Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
05/02/2026 • 127:27
45 ATG bands are here, and four hours before the rest of the world finds out - Arcane Roots aside! Gav and James discuss ripping up the promo plan when Radio 1 come calling, ATG bands taking off and Jamie Lenman being the first artist ever to ask to go DOWN the bill.Then they get stuck into to as much geeky goodness as possible; playing tent Tetris with camping allocations, the chaos of organisational timelines, relationships with suppliers and what impact a Glasto fallow year has on the rest of the summer’s events. With a completely unnecessary and likely provocative AI grenade tossed in for good measure. Enjoy!Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
29/01/2026 • 111:55
After a long break from the mailbag, Gav and James dive back in for the first Q&A since October.And what do the masses want to know about? If spotting and booking up and coming talent is luck or talent, how to weed out shit live bands before they hit your stage and what would James rob from Gav if his name were to be plucked from the Jug of Joy?Buy your We Lost The Sea tickets: https://www.seetickets.com/tour/we-lost-the-seaAnd your pod merch: www.nomad-stores.com/collections/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
22/01/2026 • 96:42
The first wave of Damnation bands have been announced and they are bangers.But it wasn’t without mishaps, leaks and panic… as Gav explains.And James lays out his excitement for the year ahead from album release hopes to festival plans.“For the fucking millionth time…”We go again, every Thursday morning.
15/01/2026 • 84:12
It’s 2026 and Gav and James are ready to go again but there’s one small festive task to wrap up… the best albums of 2025.Surely they agree on most of the top ten, right? Right?We go again, every Thursday morning.
08/01/2026 • 118:11
Maybe it’s the post-tour blues, maybe it’s reaching 100 episodes or maybe it’s just the spirit of Christmas…Whatever the reason, Gav and James bare their souls in an unusually personal pod, to tackle the highs and lows of their festive tour and the achievement of reaching the pod milestone.We go again, every Thursday morning.
18/12/2025 • 122:54
Gav and James have put together the best tour of 2026… and they want you to know about it first.We go again, every Thursday morning.
11/12/2025 • 92:35
While James basked in the glory (and ticket sales) following the outrageous ATG headliners announcement, Gav went on his travels for live music thrills. And it’s tougher to be more thrilling than a trip to London to see the mighty Radiohead, back to Glasgow for a triple whammy of LLNN, Pupil Slicer and Worn Out before an historic Kneecap performance at a sold out, 14,000 cap Hydro. Before all that though, what’s the early Xmas treat 2 Promoters have in store for listeners?Buy your tour tickets - https://www.seetickets.com/tour/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
04/12/2025 • 114:24
The ATG headliners have been announced and they are belters.Right from the top of the page one wish list: Primus, Chelsea Wolfe and Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas performing Mariner.Gav and a very smug feeling James get into the details behind the treble coup.Tour Tickets: www.seetickets.com/tour/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
27/11/2025 • 104:33
Gav might be in Egypt but it takes more than a £1,000, six-hour EasyJet flight seated beside a sweet racist Scottish granny to stop the man from fulfilling his pod duties. So from the luxury of a personal business suite inside a “palace” the boys get back to work, talking Scotland’s making the World Cup, Kneecap’s unbelievable hospitality and the “page one” ATG headliners.Get your tour tickets here - https://www.seetickets.com/tour/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
20/11/2025 • 104:15
Damnation’s 20th birthday bash was a metal party for the history books.Jaw-dropping performances, production so good it was head scratching and a guy who shat the bed.James, Gav and Damnation’s trusted lieutenant, Dr Paul Farrington, climb out of their hangovers to discuss the weekend that was.Get your tour tickets - https://www.seetickets.com/tour/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
13/11/2025 • 97:14
James is back from his holiday looking sun-kissed and relaxed, Gav on the other hand is deep in the festival tumble dryer.Is it enjoyable to see the world’s least stressed man actually stressed, or is it weirdly disconcerting? Tune in to find out.As well as going deep on the final Damnation plans, the boys cover topics including the Trees & ATG band announcements, the Encyclopedia Metallica and the next manager of Celtic.Blurb written by James (for the first time ever. That’s how stressed Gav is…)https://www.seetickets.com/tour/2-promoters-1-podWe go again, every Thursday morning.
06/11/2025 • 98:03
